Favorite Rose

This is my favorite rose. It is called Fashion. It is not grown anymore by any of the hybridizers or rose growers. Quite a few years ago, about 50, the rose was discontined because it seemed prone to rust. I grew this rose in my front yard for about 40 years and it thrived and hardly ever suffered from rust. It is a florabunda and the most gorgeous rose in the world.

Sunrise in Spanish Fork

Watching the early summer sun crest over the Wasatch Mountains is an awesome experience. From my front porch I can sit and watch this fantastic occurance every morning. Sometimes it creeps up on the other side of the majestic mountains and starts to illuminate the tops of the clouds. Then the cloud tops become dark as the sun climbs and starts to light up the bottom of the clouds. WOW! If there is smoke from the wild fires in the air, the sky blazes with orange. If there is no particualtes in the air, the sky is calmer in color. I love all of it.

Country Scenes

While we traveled in our motorhome here in the West, before the gas prices went through the ceiling, we saw a lot of interesting things. The train rattling over the freeway overpass, in southern Idaho was a very early morning camera shot. The reactment of the "crossing of the Snake River at Three Islands" in southern Idaho was a late afternoon shot. The wagons were pulled by oxen or horses and came down the hills on one side of the river, right into the river and then to an island, and then onto the other side of the river, where we were waiting. It was a gorgeous and awesome sight. One of the teams of oxen got into trouble when the wagon they were pulling started to drift past them, and the cowboys had to work like everything, to keep the oxen from panicking and getting tangled up in the harness. They did avert danger and continued successfully. In the past, some of the crossing were not so successful. A very true to life reactment along the famous old Oregon Trail.

My Photography Jigsaw Puzzles

http://www.jigzone.com/gallery/CA25083E19.6573CBE/3?z=0
Visit the link above and you will have access to my photography on the jigzone site. I have lots of my photography there that is fun to do as puzzles. Some are landscapes, some of wild horses, flowers, etc. The picture here was taken in the Kolob Canyon in Utah, which is just south of the little town we now live in.

Vernal's Homesteaders Home

Vernal in the High Desert bordering Colorado. Terracotta colored mountains and loose towering rock mountains are truly mind boggling. When we drove to the border town of Vernal high in the desert, I couldn't believe the gorgeous formations of the earth there. I think this town was settled a long, long time ago. We saw a homesteaders home that has been abandonded. What a shame. I was raised in one in eastern Oregon. Such warm and delightful memories. We were out for a drive for the day, but we will return to Vernal this spring. I love that drive, plus they have a nursery there that sells High Country Roses!

Provo Canyon Rock Formations

Wind in the canyons leading out of the valley, whip through at a terrific speed. I've watched as the mighty wind storms whipped enough snow off the granit mountains until they were bare. Yesterday, while we were drive to the upper basin where Salt Lake City is, I watched as the wind over Mt. Timpanogos blew fiercely and whipped the snow on top into clouds! Awesome. The sky was blue and the sun was shining, but there over 11,000 feet the wind was causing a terrific storm. This valley and its sheltering mountain ranges give me such goosebumps when the force of nature displays it's powers. At one spot in Provo Canyon, there is a perpetual waterfall for thousands of feet. It the winter it is a curtain of ice glued to the granite.

Provo Canyon in the Winter

Provo Canyon is beautiful any time of the year. When we drove through it just after a big snow storm we were amazed at the breathtaking beauty of the gigantic granite mountains. I'm sharing a few. The road is a wide and safe highway, but ice and snow on it can be hazardous. We were going up the canyon, but we passed miles and miles of stalled cars on the other side who were headed for the Lower Basin. They were waiting for the road to be cleared near the mouth of the canyon, where ice had caused an accident. Beauty has it's price, I'm thinking.

We missed our beloved Tyson and Chelsea and Crystal and Jordon so much that we drove up to Idaho to see them just before Christmas. What a joy to be with them again. They are so alive and delightful and loving and welcomed us with open arms. We couldn't be prouder of them and the successes that have made with their lives. May God bless them forever and continue to guide them. They are our family. While traveling to be with them, I snapped a few pictures of our beloved Idaho, also. We visited our best friends, John and Paige, who live in the quiet dreamy countryside west of Boise. The sun was setting as I took pictures of the surrounding farms, the Boise Mountain Range, and the Owyhee Moutanin Range. While driving home I was lucky to get a picture of a train on an overpass over the freeway down by Glenns Ferry. Another pictures shows the heavenly rays of early morning bathing the very productive farms around Jerome and Gooding. As we drove over the snowy and slick and hazardous Sweetzer Pass we had to stop a couple times for truck accidents. I got a picture of some of the snow on the mountainous pass. We truly enjoyed our visit to our precious family in Idaho.

Snowy Christmas at Home

This winter we have enjoyed sooooo much beautiful snow on the Wasatch Mountain range that towers over our humble little home. Gosh, I didn't know there was so much awesome beauty to be seen. I don't think the Austrian Alps have as much beauty as this gigantic mountain range in the Rocky Mountains. We now own a snow blower and it gets used just about every day. I think I really love our little home here in this heavenly valley surrounded by the mountains.

On the Mountain Top and Devils Kitchen

We spend a lot of time on car trips, enjoying the bounty of God's creation here in Utah. We love heading for the mountain passes and deep canyons, finding a fairly decent road and following it. One day we took Highway 6 into Spanish Fork Canyon. What a gorgeous drive. We were amazed at the way the highway crew cuts through the gigantic granite mountains, then lines the passes with concrete that looks like it is part of the mountains. Gorgeous! We passed a train loaded with coal as it wound it's way through the passes on its way to the valley. The train snaked along, passing under us in some places. We passed oil donkeys, refineries for the crude coal and other minerals, and gigantic modern mines billowing white spirals of gases into the crystal clear sky. Not a sign of polution the whole trip. Very relaxing and interesting drive. We stopped on top of the world and surveyed the humungous water reservoirs and lakes hidden in the Rocky Mountains. We picniked at the Devils Kitchen and saw the most breathtaking sight I've ever seen! I'm sharing a few of the pictures.

Thoughts

Today is kind of a milestone in our old lives. When our precious son died so suddenly in a needless way, the world came to an end. The lawyers filed a wrongful death suit against the company that caused his death, and today it will be ended. For that, we are thankful. My old heart aches...... why don't folks take better care of each other? If we weren't so selfish I think we would find it very easy to put others first. If everybody put others first, we would all be in first place.... (sigh)..... I'm crying a lot these days...... I hope the tears will soon turn off...... but I don't know how they will when I miss my precious daughter and son so very much. I pray constantly for Heavenly Father's help and I know He is helping me. That is a message I would love to tell everybody...... Pray... always.... He does hear and answers and comforts.

Why I love my Front Porch

This is the reason I love to sit on our front porch. When I stand at the front window of the livingroom and look out, I am greeted by the majesty of the Wasatch Mountains. I love it. Every morning they display a different mood. Sometimes the clouds are very heavy and low and cloak them, making it impossible to see.... that is when my old imagination goes to work. Other days, the foggy clouds linger near the top and I can only imagiane how tall the gigantic mountains are. The fall colors are gorgeous, and the fringe of perpetual snow is encouraging. In the high desert the snow is very important. This is my favorite view, so far.

Spanish Fork Home

We finally signed the papers and are in the mind-boggling process of opening boxes and setting up house. Excitement, exhaustion, fun, memories, and surprises at what we find are emotions that we experience each day. I'm posting some pictures of our home. We love it here. There was a gorgeous snowstorm one Saturday evening and night, but the rest of the time it has been the typical Indian Summer and we feel so blessed.

Retirement Day for Virgil

Today is Virgil's last day at work. He's a little nervous that his coworkers will try to get even with him for all the jokes and tricks he's pulled on them. He didn't even take his lunch with him, that's how concerned he is. Toooo baddd (giggling). There is a retirement party for him at noon and I'll go. However, due to "no cameras" allowed in the Fed Bldg, I won't be able to get pictures of it.

We've had a couple terrific thunderstorms lately. Then with the wildfires burning a few miles away, the daytime sun is gorgeous. The setting sun in the evening is a breathtaking ball of fire. I'm posting a couple pictures. Tomorrow we are pulling this old RV out onto the freeway and heading for Spanish Fork, Utah!!!!! Yeah!!!!

August Storm

Usually we get a good ole thunderstorm in the evenings, when it has been a very hot summer day in this arid desert of Idaho. However, this summer has been different. Nice, but quieter with no evening storms. But.... a few days ago we got a warning on the TV channels that a big 60 mph storm was headed our way! The Owyhee Mountain range tempers the winds, but we still got a thrill out of this one. I peeked out the windows of the motorhome livingroom, to see what was going on. There were just a few high clouds and it was very calm. I grabbed my old camera and stepped outside to get a few shots. It was so calm and warm... no sign of a breeze or danger. The school bus stopped and let a little child off, then left. Nice quiet afternoon. Except of the quickly approaching clouds in the distant west. I went back inside, knowing that everything was going to change in a few seconds. Sure enough. Next time I looked out the window, there was a brownish band of clouds spreading rapidly from the western horizon. I stayed glued to the window..... in a few more seconds the winds hit.... the lovely shade trees here snapped and whipped around like crazy.... the brown winds lashed all the cars and motorhomes..... ripping one of our awnings outerlayer and shredding it. Wow! The storm lasted about an hour then it was rain. We needed the rain badly, so we enjoyed listening to it. I'm posting a couple pictures of the storm clouds that started the terrific desert storm.