The Crew:The Rock, Desertbound, Panguitch Joe, Tristano, Cindy, Nicoletta, Baby Jane
McKay, Michex, Mayflower, Scout & Haley in the very front!


The Mission: Hike to Coyote Gulch via Crack in the Wall - camp, play, eat, drink, explore, ponder, nap, filter, shoot, bathe, crawl, laugh, wade, jump, talk, sing, bless, bond, hold onto & let go.



Highlights:

- Stopping at the Bremner's house in Panguitch.

- Perfect weather.

- Having Jane & Haley along.

- Marveling at Tristano & Nicoletta's energy, enthusiasm & innovation with the diaper drying:)


- McKay & Mayflower always getting along and enjoying each other's company as they played in the sand and in the stream.

- Being with best friends.

- Watching The Rock, Joe and Scout take the "plunge" off the rock into the Escalante river.



- Enjoying Scout & Michex's company as we explored hidden waterfalls and sunbathed on the rock.






Oh, what a bummer!
- Mayflower running a fever, headache, sore throat & tummy ache on day 2.
- The Rock completely breaking off a crowned tooth on day 2.
- Missing Shematite :(
Now, back to highlights!
- McKay's excitement when he was told he had to bring his headlamp...


- Hiking/running to Steven's Arch before darkness set in...
- Hiking back to camp in the dark with our headlamps:)
- Cindy & Scout making 2 trips up the sand hill (one came back to carry Haley, the other to carry Mayflower's backpack). Wow.

- Sunrise
(Notice in the above picture, the streambed has eroded down about 12 ft since I was here last in 2004.)

- Sunset
- Moonrise :)
- Croaking Frogs.
- Mayflower hearing, then seeing the rattlesnake on the trail and giving a nice calm warning-really. We watched it drag it's lunch (dead mouse) into the bushes.

- Being reminded how strong my family is.


- Looking forward to our next expedition.

Flower Duet

For the past year and a half I have felt that a lot of the beauty I have been able to create has been lost along with my voice. So, for the past several weeks, this is what I have been doing in my spare time...

Overheard...

Overheard at work:

Teenage girl (talking to our surgery scheduler as she gets set-up to have her tonsils and adenoids out): So, he(meaning the doctor) said that if this doesn't help my sore throats and all the drainage and mucus in my nose that we could look at my allergies. Is that like a body part or something? Can they take those out?....

Please, dear child. Feel better quickly and get back to school as soon as possible:)

Please come, Summertime!

The Rock- State Tennis tomorrow then pretty much "done". Driving students all over the place. Actually, they are doing the driving...
Shematite- roommate backed out of the townhouse. Home for the summer. Looking for employment.
Scout- AP history test tomorrow, got a 94% on college math 1060 class final. Pretty much "done".
Michex - Finishing end of level tests, signing up for driver's ed theory. Done.
Mayflower - Turned the big "10" and had lot's of fun at the Wave Pool. Spring Choir concert last month, school talent show coming up, still tumbling, starting piano next week, signed up for swimming lessons and looking forward to horse camp with cousin Emily.
Me, DB - planted peas and radishes a couple weeks ago, tomatoes and peppers last night. Digging in my flower beds, weeding, planting. Having Rock cut down pesky aspen trees in our front yard that keep sending shoots up in the lawn. I love aspen trees anywhere else:) Sooooooo looking forward to summer...

Tooting Scout's Horn

Nearly 4 years of vocal training.
Started learning her song for tryouts back in August.
I started trying to order a copy of said Italian songbook back in November. It finally came 10 days ago.
What's the payoff?
When Scout was in 9th grade watching the Weber High School Chamber Quire perform at a concert, she leaned over to me and whispered, "I want to do that."

She did it.

This coming Friday - the 26th, she is leading a ladies double quartet at State Solo & Ensemble. (This picture is her group at Region Solo & Ensemble waiting for the judges to tell them to go ahead and start singing.)
For her spring vocal recital, she and her friend Megan are singing "The Flower Duet" from Lakme'.

Just around the river bend...

Can't wait...

Easter 2008

Played softball (Rule #1 - Scout, don't throw the ball unless the person you are throwing it to is looking you in the eyes.)
Butterflied the Rock's nose back together.
Played Bocce Ball.
Did Egg stuff.
Had first grilled hotdog of the season.
Soaked up at Crystal Hot Springs.
Watched Jane Eyre (Masterpiece Theater version) with Shematite.
Taught a YW lesson on the Resurrection.
Sang in the Ward choir.
Cooked a nice ham/potato/spinach salad dinner.
Baked and decorated sugar cookies at Mountain Road Ranch.