She came bearing gifts from Peru

Here we are sporting our gifts from Peru made with alpaca wool. Evelyn was our benefactor. Now I need to wait for winter to come for the cap I got is quite warm. The caps have a name but I can't recall what it is. Anyway we all modeled them for you. Clarine got a scarf made from the same kind of wool. gwh

Family reunion - # 3

At one of the view points in Bryce Canyon there were crows (ravens) that had become acclimated to people. Since they were being photogenic, I took some pictures. I don't know why this computer is underscoring everything I am writing, but there are so many users on this computer that I never know what I am going to get each time I get to the keyboard. I like how blue the sky is in Bryce Canyon on this day. gwh

Family Reunion - # 2

Family reunion - # 1

In spite of Alex breaking his leg in an ATV tip over, our family reunion from 22 July to 25 July at

Lydia's Canyon near Glendale, Utah was a real success. The accomodations were beyond expectation. (I have a difficult time understanding why it is called a "cabin" when it is so commodius, but all of that aside, it was a wonderful time of being together.) All six of my children attended. Most of my grand children were there and all of my great grand children were there. Mostly because their parents were there. Marie and Ken Hatch were our generous hosts. The leg-breaker, Alex, is their son. We did a lot of eating, talking, and visiting near by attractions - Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Bryce Canyon, and the Kanab Swimming Pool. As an added bit of excitement, a young rattle snake visited us while we were assembled one evening. Unfortunately for him he was dispatched by Caleb and a shovel. There will be more reunion blogs to follow. After Alex was taken to Phoenix, it was decided that he will be fitted with a hard cast and will be a handicapped person for about six weeks. He needs to get back to Ephraim and start his schooling with his scholarship. gwh

Davies Family Reunion - #3

Davies Family Reunion - # 2

Davies Family Reunion - #1

Old Arthritic Cat

Coyote is the "Old Arthritic Cat." She belongs to Diane Hatch. Diane and Coyote are visiting here from Tacna, Arizona this summer. Diane called Coyote old and arthritic not I. Summers are very hot in Tacna (down by Yuma). I think we spoil Coyote royally. She has been deaf all of her life. One of her eyes is green. The other is a beautiful blue. Outside our front door where she lies most of the time, she has a choice of three surfaces to lie on: a foot mat, cool cement, and a plush pad designed specifically for spoiled animals to lie on. Coyote exploits all three - changing from one to the other at will. I have even discovered her lying half on the mat and half on the cement. Food and water are generously placed near her on the front porch where chooses to be domiciled. As for Diane she is choosing to make me feel inadequate through her prowess in solving Sudoku and crossword puzzles. Diane is a High School art teacher who creates some very original pieces of art in her applied time. gwh

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (BRMBR)

Clarine gets the credit for all of the pictures shown here. She thought she took a lot more and so did I, but I did not find them on the camera. Yesterday Clarine, Diane and I went to the MBR west of Brigham City. When we first arrived in Brigham City, we went to the Idle Isle Cafe for a very good lunch. (Maddox is closed on Mondays.) Then we got serious and drove to the refuge. We spent some time at the visitor's center, then drove out to the marshes around the Bear River as it makes its way into the Great Salt Lake. We saw plovers. pelicans, avocets, grebes, ibises, coots, ducks (a ruby duck with a pale blue bill was noteworthy), swallows, stilts, snowy egrets, herons, and who knows what I have forgotten. Strangely absent were any Canadian geese and there are so many of them around Stansbury Park. Upon returning from the MBR to Brigham City, we drove south of Willard to our favorite store on "The World Famous Fruit Way" - Pettingill's. We bought watermelon, raspberries, cherries, beets, and the like. It was another good day. gwh

Elevation > 9,000 feet

Tuesday this week, Diane and I drove to Idaho Falls - the stated intent - to go fishing in Meadow Lake with son, Dan, and granddaughter, Julie. At the entrance to the lake the gate was closed since it was "too wet" (Forest Service determination) to open the camp ground. Dan and Julie walked 3/8 of a mile to reconnoiter. One picture shows them returning from the "scouting trip." They said, "Everything looked beautiful at the lake." And it did. There was still plenty of snow at that elevation. It was a marvelous scene all around us. Dan caught eleven trout; Julie got five, and I got one. Diane didn't fish. All of the fish got released but three which Dan cleaned out at Diane's request as she likes trout. Diane, Clarine and I will eat them this evening for supper. After fishing was well under way and after we had consumed much of our over abundant lunch supply, Dan walked back to where we had parked the car, met the ranger, and he decided to open the gate sooner than planned as things seemed pretty dry in the camp ground. Dan drove the car up to the lake, and we didn't have to walk out. Even more wonderful than the fishing was the visiting and companionship we enjoyed while fishing and at the home. Kim, Chris, Quinn, Elliott, and Jalayne arrived tor the Fourth of July weekend at Callie and Dan's home after we got back from fishing yesterday. Diane and I drove back to Stansbury Park this morning. While we were away, Craig Lingard, Clarine's son-in-law, was riding his bicycle in a heavy rain storm, and it slid out from under him and he broke a hip - requiring an operation and three pins to put it back together. Craig is a counselor in our Bishopric. Clarine has had another bout with pneumonia and is about recovered. She opted to do some family things while we were in Idaho Falls. Apparently we are having a very extended "monsoon" season this year. All of the rain has been welcome for us, but there have been occasions of heavy flooding in some spots in the Salt Lake area. gwh