April in the Mountains (2011)



On Fort Union Blvd. crossing Wasatch Blvd.  It's a fault!!!

(This blog post was first written on April 30th but I had some problems with posting it.  Hopefully it will work out this time.)

On April 17th I went to church with Zannah and Nick because they were speaking at their ward.  After church I decided to take a ride up Fort Union Blvd., up the canyon.  It looked like the street went right through the mountains--and it did!

I decided I would stop along the way and take some photos, even though my camera's battery was dying.  There was snow on the mountains and I thought I might get close enough to it.  I heard there was still skiing going on, so there had to be snow up there. 
I didn't have much gas, so I couldn't go far.  It was just a little Sunday drive.

Oh, lovely...I just crossed a fault. Wonderful. There's a fault really close to my house.

This is just an inspiring picture I took along the way.

I finally found a mountain stream.  The water was very fast and furious.  I've been told there's going to be a lot of flooding when all the snow on the mountains finally melts.  I heard tell there is about 200 feet of snow on the mountains.      

And it just snowed again today! April 30th!  

Hyacinth in the snow. April 30, 2011.

That's Minnie in the lower left.  There was snow on the mountains and I wanted to find it.
Little did I know, there would be snow on the mountains until June!  Whenever it rains in the valley, it snows in the mountains.  I'm told this has been an unusual year with rainfall.

I was looking for snow along the riverbank.  I found it.  It was quite beautiful.

The whole ride was quite beautiful.
Along the way, as well as not having enough gas, the battery in my camera kept conking out.  I had to keep turning my camera off and on and off and on.  I was patient and I persisted.  It was so gorgeous, I wanted to remember it.

Precision

uh-oh...I was parked AND standing--and it was April 17th!

It was a very entertaining and educational trip.  I hope to do more of the same in the months ahead.

I'm So Happy

I've discovered things that make me happy.
One is having my son live here.  He's so even.  He has patience.  He doesn't get mad at me.  He made me dinner tonight.  He's so thoughtful and helpful.  He put together a little table for me for my patio and helped me put a file system together for my new desk.  He said he likes living here, too.  That must mean I'm not too bad either.
Two is having gardens of flowers and vegetables.  I used to garden incessantly, but it's been quite a few years.  Of course, it was always so hot and humid, I couldn't stand to be outside for any length of time as I got older.  Here in Utah, the climate suits me.  I wake up and go outside and I'm out there until the sun goes down.  And it makes me happy!  Truly happy!

My front walk. This photo was taken at 9:00 at night!!!  It stays light here very long.

Side walk to the front door.  June 2011

Three is the dance group I just started going to.  It's called Old Glory Vintage Dancers.  It's like clogging light. We do quadrilles and rounds and squares and country dances and I find myself just smiling the whole time because it's so much fun!  It makes me happy.

I don't have a costume--yet!  But I hope to be able to participate in some of their gigs in the future. 
I just started, but it's so me!
And it makes me happy to dance.
Another thing that makes me happy is teaching the Sunbeams in church on Sunday.  I didn't think I'd like it because I am secluded, it seems, but the kids like me and it's not hard.  I just have to have enough pages for them to color.  And they love the little story books I put together for them.  They make me read them over and over and they get to color them.  I am happy there.
I thank my Heavenly Father every morning and every night for all the many blessings he has bestowed upon me this year.  My house needs a lot of love and attention, but Rome wasn't built in a day, and I'm not going to have all the glitches out of my house overnight.  I keep telling myself it's a work in progress, but I love it!
Now that summer is here, officially, I love the sunshine that is ever present here in Utah.  I love sunshine.  It makes me happy. And I love seeing the mountains every day.
I pray the Lord will continue to shower me with His tender mercies.
I am so thankful for all my friends and family, near and far away.