Thought I would take a minute and report in. We did a trail called Bear Canyon this past weekend with our club - it runs between Moroni and Manti down the mountains on the west side of that valley - we saw some spectacular views of the Manti Temple from up on top. You can go to http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=1127614926&k=YYDTYZPXTXYM5ACAPG35S3
and look at the pictures that Julie pasted in her FaceBook thing. We got new gears in the Jeep and I got a front locker from Julie for my birthday so Jeeping is a lot different now. This run was more like a Sunday afternoon drive, just scenery and visiting - no real obstacles - I barely had to put it in 4 wheel drive. We also got a tour of one the mountain top microwave tower areas. One of our club members is about to retire from Utah Power and Light and maintenance on those tower has been his job for years. It was pretty cool to see them close up and get a little explanation of how they work.
I haven't made near enough salsa this year but the days are slipping away and I am doing the best I can. I have Roma tomato plants 6 feet tall and 4 feet across and tomatoes the size of big oranges. Also have lots of peppers of various kinds, colors and sizes and I have been eating them like crazy. We had lots of squash earlier in the season and it was really good.
I talked to Lark L last night and they are doing OK - Mom finished another quilt last week and has 2-3 more in the works - she is now well over 170 quilts. They do keep her busy. Dad says he is thinking of tearing down the Gothic arch - he hasn't been able to work on it since the 4th of July and thinks maybe it should go down instead of up.
Hope you are all well - hope some of you are reading the blog - I'm not seeing much activity here.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
Sechrest update
Nate and I have had a super busy month. He started his new job and is loving it. I started school a few weeks ago and it is killing me. I am starting to understand why a lot of people don't go back to school after they leave. I am just not in the student mind set and I am so out of shape. Walking to and from school has made me so sore. But, it's really good to be back in school. I am doing well in my classes and managed to talk my way into a lot of the art and lab classes that I need for my major.
Nate and I are going to go in a few weeks to pick up our little puppy. He is so cute! The breeder named him Alexander but we will be changing that.
Nate's little brother, Daniel, is leaving this week for his mission in the Atlanta Georgia North mission. We went down to Utah last weekend for his farewell. My mom and the girls were in Blanding, so we hung out with Nate's family. It was good to see the extended family (it's amazing how quick you lose touch) and Nate's siblings. Nate's cousin, aunt, uncle, and I had to do a last minute musical number for the farewell because no one was informed that there would be one on the program. I noticed it listed on the program five minutes before sacrament meeting so I grabbed the singers in the family, rehearsed in the parking lot, and I think we pulled it off pretty well. The rest of the weekend went smoothly.
I am hoping things settle down but that is not likely. All is well in Boise. Hope everyone is doing well, too!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Labor Day
We had a great adventure this past weekend - went to Blanding and stayed with Mom and Dad - Steve and Truman were there and Peggy and Shelby were there. We just stayed Friday night then we were off to do the "Hole in the Rock" trail with the Red Rock 4 Wheelers out of Moab. We had 4 other rigs from our club so about 1/4 of the the group were Lone Peak 4 Wheelers. We started at the Cal Black Memorial Airport which is about 10 miles from Hall's Crossing and head south into the desert and the slick rock!!
The idea is to go in 4-5 hours, camp, go to the end of the trail and back the 2nd day, back to the camp and out on the 3rd day. But there are times when Mother Nature just doesn't cooperate. The first night we got lots of rain and wind, but managed to get by. 2nd day started out cloudy but with some blue sky - the trail was brutal and the scenery was spectacular. Right after we went down a place called The Chute we got hit with an unbelievable cloudburst - it just poured and streams went from a inch deep to 4 feet deep in 10-15 minutes. From where our Jeep was I could count 19 places where the water was pouring off the slickrock. So we had lunch and waited - we were still 5-6 miles from the end of the trail but the trail leader said what was left was even more technical and a lot of slick rock to we turned back.
Even though we didn't get to the end of the trail it was a great adventure and a lot of fun. And it means we have to or get to do it again, so that's OK!!
We stopped in Green River on the way down and loaded up on melons for Mom and Dad and then stopped on the way north and really loaded up on melons for us!! Home safe and sound - Jeep very dirty and reddish-brown - the desert turned into lots of mudholes and we managed to hit our share!!
Love to All - J.B.
The idea is to go in 4-5 hours, camp, go to the end of the trail and back the 2nd day, back to the camp and out on the 3rd day. But there are times when Mother Nature just doesn't cooperate. The first night we got lots of rain and wind, but managed to get by. 2nd day started out cloudy but with some blue sky - the trail was brutal and the scenery was spectacular. Right after we went down a place called The Chute we got hit with an unbelievable cloudburst - it just poured and streams went from a inch deep to 4 feet deep in 10-15 minutes. From where our Jeep was I could count 19 places where the water was pouring off the slickrock. So we had lunch and waited - we were still 5-6 miles from the end of the trail but the trail leader said what was left was even more technical and a lot of slick rock to we turned back.
Even though we didn't get to the end of the trail it was a great adventure and a lot of fun. And it means we have to or get to do it again, so that's OK!!
We stopped in Green River on the way down and loaded up on melons for Mom and Dad and then stopped on the way north and really loaded up on melons for us!! Home safe and sound - Jeep very dirty and reddish-brown - the desert turned into lots of mudholes and we managed to hit our share!!
Love to All - J.B.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wanderers All
1113 South 200 east
Blanding Utah 84511
August 25, 2008
Wanderers All - my neighbor writes of the terrifying importance of attitude. He told of a young lady with an exceptionally good attitude - when questioned about it she said it was intentional. Further questions revealed that she had followed a bad school year and attitude with a seminar that taught - "Go a week without saying anything negative." It was difficult. She followed with another week. She then determined to make it her life style. The neighbor declares that she is a beautiful person, both spiritually and socially.
Lawrence Welk is reputed to have said, "If you don't get better, you will get worse."
Surely a better attitude and a desire to improve are traits that I and a number of other Wanderers could profitably seek after.
Back still out no work on my rock project in a long time. My love and blessings to you all.
Lark L.
Blanding Utah 84511
August 25, 2008
Wanderers All - my neighbor writes of the terrifying importance of attitude. He told of a young lady with an exceptionally good attitude - when questioned about it she said it was intentional. Further questions revealed that she had followed a bad school year and attitude with a seminar that taught - "Go a week without saying anything negative." It was difficult. She followed with another week. She then determined to make it her life style. The neighbor declares that she is a beautiful person, both spiritually and socially.
Lawrence Welk is reputed to have said, "If you don't get better, you will get worse."
Surely a better attitude and a desire to improve are traits that I and a number of other Wanderers could profitably seek after.
Back still out no work on my rock project in a long time. My love and blessings to you all.
Lark L.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Keeping up with the Flannerys
Shaun and Allison- Nothing particularly interesting to report. Allison has cute new hair (thanks Peg) but other than that just chugging along.
Maggie (8)- Started third grade in July. Loves to read and sing. She's a fantastic help with the babies and often a joy to be around.
Aidan(6)- Started first grade in July. Also a very good reader. We've thankfully had a little respite from the solo trips to Costco but some suspect that he's just trying to lull his folks into a false sense of security before he tries some new stunt.
Isaac(2)- After getting a bit of a late start Isaac has decided that talking is kind of cool after all and now he rarely shuts up. Isaac has also developed a love of all things on wheels. He's very good on his bigwheel (is it normal for a two year old to execute three point turns?) and loves the cars. (to the extent that he gets a hold of the keys and unlocks the car, gets in and starts it up. His parents are not amused.)
Ian(8mo)- Ian has started crawling and pulling up and while it looks like he probably won't walk at 9mo. like both his brothers did, we'd be surprised if he makes it to a year (unless I start pushing him down. I've thought about it.)
Summer has flown by for all of us and there haven't been any fun vacations but we're considering making that a priority, just as soon as the kitchen addition is done.
And that's all she wrote.
Maggie (8)- Started third grade in July. Loves to read and sing. She's a fantastic help with the babies and often a joy to be around.
Aidan(6)- Started first grade in July. Also a very good reader. We've thankfully had a little respite from the solo trips to Costco but some suspect that he's just trying to lull his folks into a false sense of security before he tries some new stunt.
Isaac(2)- After getting a bit of a late start Isaac has decided that talking is kind of cool after all and now he rarely shuts up. Isaac has also developed a love of all things on wheels. He's very good on his bigwheel (is it normal for a two year old to execute three point turns?) and loves the cars. (to the extent that he gets a hold of the keys and unlocks the car, gets in and starts it up. His parents are not amused.)
Ian(8mo)- Ian has started crawling and pulling up and while it looks like he probably won't walk at 9mo. like both his brothers did, we'd be surprised if he makes it to a year (unless I start pushing him down. I've thought about it.)
Summer has flown by for all of us and there haven't been any fun vacations but we're considering making that a priority, just as soon as the kitchen addition is done.
And that's all she wrote.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Sad news from Arizona
So I run into some people I know at the Farmer's Market at Thanksgiving Point today and they introduce me to friends of theirs from Mesa, AZ. Somewhere along the way this pleasant interchange turns into tragedy... they inform me that Matta's has closed its doors. The Institution, the Tradition, the Chips and Salsa, the Sandy's Special is gone. It's the end of an era for the Washburn family, and apparently many others as well.
Tonight while watching the Olympics (more relay teams bizarrely dropping batons - it's the Olympics for heaven's sake, hold onto your batons!) I looked it up online because I was still in disbelief and sure enough they closed back in January. They say they are reopening elsewhere and have already opened a Matta's Grill but I'm afraid it will never be the same. They could have warned us so we could have gone for a last meal, or at least "a chip". Will Filiberto's be next? Paula, you need to be more vigilant and let us know what's going on down south.
While I'm on a food topic... I was reminiscing the other night about tomato sandwiches while eating a wonderrful tomato sandwich with fresh garden tomatoes from Melanie and Kevin's garden and white Great Harvest Bread from the best bakery in the franchise. And as good as it was, which was really quite good, I have to say that the best tomato sandwiches I have ever had were made from garden fresh tomatoes from Dad's garden(s) in Grand Junction and the round white bread Mom baked in High-C Fruit Juice cans. Now those were some good tomato sandwiches. The other difference between then and now is that somewhere along the way I developed a definite preference for mayonnaise over Miracle Whip. Although sometimes I skip the bread and mayo altogether and just eat the tomato with salt and pepper, or occasionally drizzled with a little olive oil. It's hard to go wrong with a good, fresh, straight-from-the-garden summer tomato. Our neighbor, Bill Christensen, brought us some just the other day. I might have to go eat one right now.
Love to all,
Mike
Tonight while watching the Olympics (more relay teams bizarrely dropping batons - it's the Olympics for heaven's sake, hold onto your batons!) I looked it up online because I was still in disbelief and sure enough they closed back in January. They say they are reopening elsewhere and have already opened a Matta's Grill but I'm afraid it will never be the same. They could have warned us so we could have gone for a last meal, or at least "a chip". Will Filiberto's be next? Paula, you need to be more vigilant and let us know what's going on down south.
While I'm on a food topic... I was reminiscing the other night about tomato sandwiches while eating a wonderrful tomato sandwich with fresh garden tomatoes from Melanie and Kevin's garden and white Great Harvest Bread from the best bakery in the franchise. And as good as it was, which was really quite good, I have to say that the best tomato sandwiches I have ever had were made from garden fresh tomatoes from Dad's garden(s) in Grand Junction and the round white bread Mom baked in High-C Fruit Juice cans. Now those were some good tomato sandwiches. The other difference between then and now is that somewhere along the way I developed a definite preference for mayonnaise over Miracle Whip. Although sometimes I skip the bread and mayo altogether and just eat the tomato with salt and pepper, or occasionally drizzled with a little olive oil. It's hard to go wrong with a good, fresh, straight-from-the-garden summer tomato. Our neighbor, Bill Christensen, brought us some just the other day. I might have to go eat one right now.
Love to all,
Mike
Monday, August 11, 2008
Hot Days of August
I can hardly believe the month is more than 1/3 gone already. We spent the 1st weekend of the month in Blanding - it was great to visit with Mom and Dad and we did some hiking in Butler Wash and saw some great ruins, petroglyphs and pictographs. It was extremely hot and we covered a lot of country but we were hardly ever lost and we saw some great stuff. We saw Penny and Duane, Casey and Marisa and Molly and Paxton - they were all there moving furniture and other goodies all over the place!! Took a bunch of Green River melons to Mom and Dad on the way south and stopped coming back north and stocked up. The Vetere's are great people and we have gotten to be good friends with them over the years and have bought tons of melons from them!!
This past weekend we stayed at a cabin in the mountains above Mt. Pleasant. One of the guys I work with at the Temple has a cabin there with his extended family. We mostly did NOTHING - just took it easy - read - ate - lazied around!! The mountain weather was wonderful. We did do a little geocaching on our way home. That's always fun.
One of my tomato plants is 6 feet high and at least 3 feet across, but the tomatoes are very slow to ripen - I go a few very early ripening, but now not much. We have been eating squash, peppers and zucchini like crazy. My lawn is only so-so but it has been very hot and I try to conserve water when I can.
At the end of the month you will wish you had written earlier so do it now and avoid the month end rush!!!!!!!!!! Love to all - J.B.
This past weekend we stayed at a cabin in the mountains above Mt. Pleasant. One of the guys I work with at the Temple has a cabin there with his extended family. We mostly did NOTHING - just took it easy - read - ate - lazied around!! The mountain weather was wonderful. We did do a little geocaching on our way home. That's always fun.
One of my tomato plants is 6 feet high and at least 3 feet across, but the tomatoes are very slow to ripen - I go a few very early ripening, but now not much. We have been eating squash, peppers and zucchini like crazy. My lawn is only so-so but it has been very hot and I try to conserve water when I can.
At the end of the month you will wish you had written earlier so do it now and avoid the month end rush!!!!!!!!!! Love to all - J.B.
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