Man, I haven't written in this blog for months, so sorry! Seems I've lost my attention to Facebook, and it's games. That, holidays, sewing, family- it just distracted me for a while.
We had a wonderful visit with Dakota last month, she was here for a week before school started again. Now that Nic and Gina have moved into their own apartment, she won't be staying with us much any more. I hope to have her spend the night at least once when she comes out to visit though. I made her a pair of pajamas with my new Bernina sewing machine. Yes, I'm pretty excited, David gave me a beautiful machine that does embroidery as well as regular sewing. I've been taking the free classes to learn how to use it fully, and can't wait to start some more clothing and home decor stuff.
Whitney Houston died yesterday, it's such a shock. She was only 48, and left an 18 year old daughter behind. I don't know what happened, but it saddens me greatly, she was so talented, and her demons started taking her down a very dark path. This is what I wrote on facebook:
My thoughts on Whitney Houston's life, and death. We all have amazing talents and character flaws. Even the smallest of us has something to offer to others. No-one is perfect- Whitney had a perfect voice, and we were so happy to share her gift, but she also had flaws and challenges few knew about. Do our flaws or sins negate what we offer to the world? No, of course not, thus the joy and pain of life. The best we can do is continue to strengthen our talents and improve our weaknesses. Sometimes our dark sides overcome our strengths, but it still doesn't diminish whatever good we have brought into this world. Luckily, most of us don't have our dirty laundry aired before the whole world, and can have some dignity in our trials. Rest in peace Whitney, and thanks for your beautiful music in my life.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Busy Fall
I helped Mom drive the motor home back from Nevada last month, and we stayed with Allison for several days along the way. Whitney got tickets for Women's Conference, and we met her friend there. There's no fee, but you do have to have a ticket to get in. It was so wonderful to sit in the Conference center and listen to such inspired people speak, and share their testimonies. Thanks Whitney!
On our slow drive home we also stopped at the Barton's, and had a good visit with Sharry and Dave. He is recovering well from his terrible accident. He broke a vertebra in his back, crushed his leg, bruised the brain- when his parachute collapsed in May. It's amazing he survived, and he's already back to work. A little slower than he used to be, his leg is still healing, but an incredible comeback.
While we were traveling, I found peaches! I bought 2 boxes of fresh, yummy Utah peaches, and bottled a case, and made jam with the rest. So tasty! My niece Megan brought some apples by last week; they are from Garland's, in Oak Creek canyon. We made applesauce with them, plus a few were dried with cinnamon-sugar on them.
On our slow drive home we also stopped at the Barton's, and had a good visit with Sharry and Dave. He is recovering well from his terrible accident. He broke a vertebra in his back, crushed his leg, bruised the brain- when his parachute collapsed in May. It's amazing he survived, and he's already back to work. A little slower than he used to be, his leg is still healing, but an incredible comeback.
While we were traveling, I found peaches! I bought 2 boxes of fresh, yummy Utah peaches, and bottled a case, and made jam with the rest. So tasty! My niece Megan brought some apples by last week; they are from Garland's, in Oak Creek canyon. We made applesauce with them, plus a few were dried with cinnamon-sugar on them.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Happy Canada
We just returned from a trip to Canada, where we visited our friends Marcel and Fran. They live west of Edmonton, in a beautiful forested area. I mean, miles and miles of green, tall trees, deciduous and evergreen. And it rains there, a lot. When I gave blessing on the food, I expressed gratitude for the rain- when their daughter gave the blessing, she expressed gratitude for the sunshine!
We spent a week RVing in Jasper National Park. Right outside of Jasper town limits, I saw a white wolf trotting down the jogging path. During the evenings we heard shotgun blasts, but Fran told me they shoot blanks at bears to keep them out of the camping ares. Surprisingly we didn't see very much wildlife this trip- last time we saw elk, moose, mountain goats and a bear. All of the trash cans are bear-proof, even in the towns. At our campgrounds, it was obvious on several cans that bears had clawed at them, there were big ole scratch marks around the doors.
We took a boat cruise on Maligne Lake, I'll post some pics. The Columbia Ice Fields draped across the tops of the mountains next to the lake, and there were several glaciers dripping off the tops of them, one looks like a big teardrop sliding down the mountain.
Banff is quite a pretty place, but very touristy. Jasper is further north, and while it's very busy, it's less flashy or expensive as Banff. I did find a beautiful jacket there; it's turquoise colored, with an embroidered outline of a wolf on it. The whole thing, including the fabric, is made in Canada. I'm really motivated to buy from this continent as much as I can- preferably American made, but Canada and Mexico are fine too. They are our good neighbors, and I want to support our industry. May I say, it's nearly impossible to find US made fabric???
We spent a week RVing in Jasper National Park. Right outside of Jasper town limits, I saw a white wolf trotting down the jogging path. During the evenings we heard shotgun blasts, but Fran told me they shoot blanks at bears to keep them out of the camping ares. Surprisingly we didn't see very much wildlife this trip- last time we saw elk, moose, mountain goats and a bear. All of the trash cans are bear-proof, even in the towns. At our campgrounds, it was obvious on several cans that bears had clawed at them, there were big ole scratch marks around the doors.
We took a boat cruise on Maligne Lake, I'll post some pics. The Columbia Ice Fields draped across the tops of the mountains next to the lake, and there were several glaciers dripping off the tops of them, one looks like a big teardrop sliding down the mountain.
Banff is quite a pretty place, but very touristy. Jasper is further north, and while it's very busy, it's less flashy or expensive as Banff. I did find a beautiful jacket there; it's turquoise colored, with an embroidered outline of a wolf on it. The whole thing, including the fabric, is made in Canada. I'm really motivated to buy from this continent as much as I can- preferably American made, but Canada and Mexico are fine too. They are our good neighbors, and I want to support our industry. May I say, it's nearly impossible to find US made fabric???
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Jumpin' June n July!
I've been really bad at keeping up my blog, so there's probably very few out there reading this. It's been really busy, I made 3 trips to Mom's in 6 weeks. She's having problems with an eviction, and also has had some doctor appts. When I go down there, I stay for several days at a time, I just can't run to Casa Grande and back like some people do- I have to have some recovery time between drives. Driving through Phoenix makes me crazy- the traffic is awful, and June is so hot. She only has a swamp cooler, so those lovely 110 days are just peachy...
Mom drove up here on her way to Nevada, and the motor home quit just past Sunset Point. Luckily, she has AAA, and was able to get towed to my house. She's so unflappable, she turned on the generator, the AC and took a nap! She was here for several days, got the battery changed and met Shawna in Flagstaff. Shawna drove her on up to her home in Nevada, but they broke down again on the way. She was told it was the fuel pump, so hopefully Mom can get the motor home road-worthy again before we get her back home.
Dakota has been here for the past month, and we've really enjoyed the visit! I've posted a few pictures of her, a couple in the dresses I made, and maybe 1-2 from her swimming classes.
Mom drove up here on her way to Nevada, and the motor home quit just past Sunset Point. Luckily, she has AAA, and was able to get towed to my house. She's so unflappable, she turned on the generator, the AC and took a nap! She was here for several days, got the battery changed and met Shawna in Flagstaff. Shawna drove her on up to her home in Nevada, but they broke down again on the way. She was told it was the fuel pump, so hopefully Mom can get the motor home road-worthy again before we get her back home.
Dakota has been here for the past month, and we've really enjoyed the visit! I've posted a few pictures of her, a couple in the dresses I made, and maybe 1-2 from her swimming classes.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Newsy update
Wow, what a week this has been. Gina's dad was in a terrible paragliding accident last Wednesday, and lived to tell about it. His 'chute collapsed at 300 feet, he fought it and was able to get it open again, until he hit another air pocket that collapsed it again at about 30 feet, I think. He landed hard, crushed a vertabra in his back, broke both bones in one leg, both ankles, and his shoulders are badly bruised from the ordeal. Nic and Gina went to Provo to help the family at the hospital all weekend, and got back yesterday afternoon. Nic had to turn right around and drive to Tempe for a class last night and tonight.
I took the phone the last couple days for Best By Farr, and boy was it busy! This is their busiest time of year, and I was very happy to give it back to Gina today. She's doing pretty good, considering the stress. She hated leaving her dad and mom, but Nic had to be back for class, and they both had to come back to work.
I have now said it out loud, so now I have to put in on the blog to make sure I don't back out- I'm working on the Balmes/Pike book. Hopefully I can go to Missouri this summer or fall and get copies of my Aunt Shirley's writings and information about the family. She has the most about the Pike line, and wrote booklets and poems about her Mom and Dad, my Dad and her husband, Gerald Goodman. I need to get the information gathered, and get my nerve up to start writing. I've received so many pictures and stories from my Dad's Balmes cousins that it's time to put it all together.
I took the phone the last couple days for Best By Farr, and boy was it busy! This is their busiest time of year, and I was very happy to give it back to Gina today. She's doing pretty good, considering the stress. She hated leaving her dad and mom, but Nic had to be back for class, and they both had to come back to work.
I have now said it out loud, so now I have to put in on the blog to make sure I don't back out- I'm working on the Balmes/Pike book. Hopefully I can go to Missouri this summer or fall and get copies of my Aunt Shirley's writings and information about the family. She has the most about the Pike line, and wrote booklets and poems about her Mom and Dad, my Dad and her husband, Gerald Goodman. I need to get the information gathered, and get my nerve up to start writing. I've received so many pictures and stories from my Dad's Balmes cousins that it's time to put it all together.
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