My Take on Gardening

So here in Pine Valley, our weather is very unpredictable and we are told by some not to plant anything until June 10. Some say on Memorial Day Week-end but I waited this year. We did have a late freeze that took all the blooms off our oak trees and my iris didn't make it but I decided to plant just a small garden, not for sustenance by any means but just because it's fun to see things grow. I did about 6 tomatoes plants, some different kinds of squash and cucumbers.  I was quite proud of our effort as we got 6 barrels for a raised garden (easier for weeding and maybe keep some varmints out) but as soon as the squash and cucumbers started to pop up, they were gone. I caught a huge squirrel in there one day and figured he was the culprit so I've spent the last month trying to get rid of him. Haven't seen him for a while, so maybe.....but I didn't replant in that same place. I planted an egg plant and two pepper plants in my decorative planters along with the flowers.

The squirrels were eating all the petunias and now they are growing so I'm suspecting he really is gone. This planter trio is doing well and I even have a baby eggplant growing. Here are some of the other flowers that are blooming right now that I truly love. My Columbine didn't do too well this year, maybe because of the freeze but there were a few. The daisies are coming out just in time for Randy's family to be here and I love Josephine's mini pink rose bush.  I've also tried some marigolds but we'll have to see how they do.  There's certainly plenty to take care of around here. Some think I need a dog.....but I don't think I do. I poison dogs......Cynthia brought Max and Elliott up for a visit and they snooped around and found my rat poison. They had to take a trip to the Vet and stay in the hospital for a day of observation.  I'm so glad they are o.k. and I'm glad I thought to go check and see what they are in to. They had been quite quiet for a while. So sorry Cynthia (and Max and Elliott). Back to gardening.
 It's like a running, cleaning house, cooking, exercising, going for a walk.....I wish I had the desire. I'm starting small. I have friends up here with huge gardens and they can all their produce to last all year. I just don't have the energy (or the desire).  I even look at the little bit I've done and it gets quite expensive and I don't keep the weeds out any better in the barrels than I did when my garden was in the ground. But, I'm trying....and like they say...."try and fail but don't fail to try."..... or "you never fail unless you fail to try."  I've enjoyed the battle with the squirrel as well. I know they are cute little souls but this one I have has been making me so mad.....but.....he's gone. I have a skunk too. I can only smell him once in a while. I've put out my moth balls and haven't smelled him in a while. This is the price we pay for living in this beautiful "heaven on earth".....because I don't think we'll be battling these things in the real heaven. I do love it here. I've never been more content to just "be". A small garden, grand-children and other family once in a while but I'm not alone here. There's so much to see, hear and feel.....even the varmints and insects. They are sharing their space with me and we're learning to get along.

Two moms, one grandma and eleven kids......

....enjoying Pine Valley for 36 hours and we sure packed a lot into such a short amount of time. I mentioned to Traci that she should plan to come to Pine Valley (not St. George) and invite some of my favorite people, her friends and neighbors, the Beaches.

I figured it probably may never happen but to my surprise and delight, she called and said we're coming next week. It has been the most magical time as I am able to share my beautiful home and surroundings with people that really appreciate it and have enjoyed being here. This combination of children has been remarkable....as she has a son...Leim who is Scott's age. Millie is her oldest and has been the 4th adult....then Greta that is Jake's friend, Phoebe who is Max's friend and Hazel who was willing to play with Harry or Mae. Baby Aggie was so good to tag along on Pam's or Millie's hip wherever we went.

One thing that makes a mom happy is when her children are happy and especially when they have good friends that make raising their children a breeze with good kids that have the same values, hopes and dreams. This is two groups of really delightful and easy children and I have enjoyed this last couple of days very much.

We've enjoyed the hot tub and being sprayed with water on the trampoline, lots of good food, art work, painting birdhouses, exploring, Chicka-boom-boom, s'mores, talent shows, singing and movies.  Lots of fun. Touring the church and a photo shoot at the reservoir were among the activities as well. These kids are all so smart, creative and talented. I think we've made some pretty good memories in these two days. I just hope we can make this a tradition and would welcome others who want to come and do the same. So much to enjoy and explore in this beautiful valley and I do love to share my lovely home and surroundings.  Come again, Staheli's and Beaches.  Me casa es su casa.
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Here are some more pics for posterity.....

Happy Mother's Day.....

....to my mom. On this day I will visit her and tell her in person what it has meant to me that she is my mom and thank her for teaching me well. There are some things I fall short in like housekeeping, charity, service etc.....but these are the things I admire in her but I am grateful that she gave me the opportunity to take piano lessons. I think of her each time I play the piano in Relief Society or Primary and I'm so grateful to her that I got to have that music in my life. My piano teachers were dreadful but they got the job done. I'm sure they were fine ladies but I only knew them as stern teachers that "made" me learn and I'm grateful for Piano Teacher mothers that know how to drill it in. I'm also grateful to my mom for allowing me to spend my summer of 7th grade walking up to the Woodward Annex to take typing lessons from Mrs. Empey. As I sit here typing, I'm filled with gratitude that I have this skill and when I fall short on other skills, it always brings satisfaction to my mind that I can type 100 words a minute....so thanks to my mom and these teacher moms. There's lots more I could mention....she taught me to wear lipstick every day and a nightgown to bed and to always be well groomed (not sure why she didn't want me to shave my legs) but I try to be like her and look nice (at least out in public).  She is a wonderful example to a lot of people and she was shown that in the recent birthday party we had where over 100 people showed up at her house to tell them that they love her. There are a lot of self-help books on mothering but the best lessons come from our own moms. Because she loved me and gave me her all, I wanted to do the same for my own. I remember wanting to share every minute of their cute little lives with her and I called her a lot for advice but mostly, all we want from our moms is validation. She always gave me that and I always felt she loved my children as much as I did. She helped me through the toughest of times when Scott was sick and she was there for me in some happy times when we traveled to Europe as he wanted to get some of that whilst he was young so she tended my kids a lot or I should say, loved my kids a lot while I was gone.  She always felt my joy and pain in love and lost love, crying with me for days when we Scott and I broke up and rejoicing when we married and she still hurts for me because he is gone but is also happy with me that I've found love again. We mothers kinda live our lives through our children by default. She always welcomed my friends, most of them. If there were some that weren't good for me, somehow I knew it. She still prays for me today, well actually for all of us even the greats and the grands. She's a woman of faith, endurance and a heart of gold and has given us her all for a whole lot of years. Love you mom......thanks for teaching me how to "mom" these kids.....

They are awesome kids....none of them are half-baked. Not sure why I said that but they are well done and well rounded and are wonderful parents themselves. They all have perfect spouses....well no not perfect but perfect for each one of them and that's so important to a mom. All I ever wanted was happy children and right now, I think they all are. I'm sure they have tough times, but they work through that because they have each other.  They all know I'm willing to do anything I can to help them just like my mom did for me.

My "in-town kids" took me to lunch for Mother's Day.....and I loved it. It's all a mom wants is a little of their time....They all have such busy schedules and I was very honored to have lunch at Benja's on them. They all have more money than I do so I was totally willing to oblige their generous offer. It was good to get caught up as there still are some things I don't hear about. I get a lot from Instagram and Facebook but not everything, It's good to hear it from their own mouths. Thanks to my kids and Annie for a lovely Mother's Day lunch. Yearly tradition, I hope.
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I pay tribute this day to my daughters and daughters-in-law for the wonderful moms they are to my.......

....... ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL grandchildren. Nothing brings me more joy. I could fill my blog with all the joy they bring to me.

One that is coming and I'm enjoying the anticipation of this day,is when they will all wear their shirts and stand in a line on July 24 and be counted as my choicest blessings...all 20 from #1 Laynee who will walk through the DH at high school graduation to little #20 Annie who is just learning to walk. Love them all with all my heart. The thing I love most about all of my grand kids is that they all have good hearts. I love spending time with them and as they grow I can see how well they have been taught in their families. Especially this day, as I write this I have tears in my eyes to think of my two beautiful daughters and the mothers that they have become. I think of all of their life experiences that prepared them for this and the joy they brought me when they were born and as we were raising them...to the joy they bring me now with their visits, talks, phone calls, laughter and tears, high points and low and I pay tribute and honor to them for how they have handled life's ups and downs. They are raising their children in honesty and integrity. Their children will be ready to enter the jungle out there.

I'm grateful to the mothers that raised the men in my life, Ada Workman Sullivan, Hannah Hegsted Wells Rose and Josephine Jones Reber. I'm grateful for the association I had with them before they died and saw firsthand why they raised such wonderful sons. I learned many lessons by each of their examples. And last, but certainly not least in this post......I honor my therapist, my best friend, my counselor, my partner in a life of mischief.....my sis.

No other person knows me like her....since we have been together since forever.  Don't know what I'd do without her and as she faces some health trials, I want to do all I can to help her. Happy Mother's Day to my best friend sister, Joyce.
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To generation after generation of women we give honor this day....some who have no children of their own but influence a world of children. I'm proud of my mother's hands and I can see 90 years of love and service in every knot, wrinkle, and age spot.  Hands that held my forehead as I leaned over the toilet to throw up. Hands that crushed up pills because I couldn't swallow them. Hands that rubbed Vick's on my chest and sometimes a mustard plaster, ew... Hands that baked bread, and made butter and a gazillion pies cakes for a life of Sunday afternoons. Hands that not only fed us but most of St. George. But mostly, these hands held my children and helped me love them into the people they are today.

THANKS MOM.....FOR BEING MY MOTHER. I THINK YOU DID AN AWESOME JOB AND I'M SO VERY PROUD TO CALL YOU "MY MOM". HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY. I SURE DO LOVE YOU.

Another month...

...and I had really hoped to blog more often but since I ended with our Highway 50 road trip back to Cali, I will start with that as after Randy spent a few days with me getting our place ready for summer, we once again took this trip....and I must say, it's always better together.

We didn't stop at all this time and just zoomed straight through in the usual 10 hours. This is a picture of coming into Tahoe. One place we always stop is a little pizza joint to get the best wings ever and a salad then on to home.  Some wonder why we don't fly....well we do sometimes but we've come to realize it goes pretty fast when you have a good book on tape to listen to and some good music. When I did fly, I left the condo at 6:00 a.m. for a 9:15 flight. An hour drive to the airport, an hour or more wait for flight (usually delayed), land in Vegas then another hour or more wait for the shuttle then a 2 hour drive to St. George. I got home about 6:00. So, I'm saying it's a little less sometimes driving it and not quite so expensive.....I'm just sayin'. We are getting used to this commute.  We've been married 5 years and have come to realize this is our life for now. I have reasons to be in St. George and he has reasons to be in California and that's just how it is but the more I'm with Randy the more I realize I love to be with him so the trips may become more frequent. He moved into a nice little apartment complex with nice amenities....

.....and closer to town and it's a bit more comfortable than the last one. We attended our new ward yesterday and it is really fun to meet new people. Most of them already know Randy and he has painted for 60% of them or served in other wards and stakes with them. Kieth Merrill is in that ward and we sat by one of his grandchildren at the "linger longer" and asked her what her favorite movies that her grandpa had produced. She seemed clueless but we went home and looked them up and we watched "Wind Walker" and "Harry's War".

His most famous ones are his documentaries especially the Zion one that plays in the Imax up there. Several of his children live in this area and in this ward.  BTW....Harry's War was filmed in St. George....mostly out at Schmutz's farm (now Stonecliff) and areas around there. Fun to see that again and a couple of his daughters are in it, one is in our ward. Just a point of interest that I want to record for later memories. Needless to say, we have been welcomed here with open arms. Speaking of church,...

....it's been a month since conference and I wanted to add a copy of my notes for posterity. I was trying my best to doodle like Scott and Jake do as I took notes. It will be interesting in years to come if I can even decipher what they say but it was fun. I do love General Conference and I especially loved it this year because Randy was here to enjoy it with me.

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I live two lives......and I love each one of them. When I'm here in Eldorado  Hills with Randy, I love the simplicity of everything from the tiny apartment we live in to the simple life of no expectations of myself each day. I'm free to do my knitting, reading, wandering and I love getting a good meal ready for him when he comes home from a hard day of work. He loves to be able to look forward to coming to Pine Valley after several weeks of hard work to what is his "simple" life....so I guess you could say that we have the best of both worlds and tho' we are not always together, we are working toward being together in Pine Valley some day and we will be patient. I'm headed back there tomorrow and I also love to be near my family, especially my mother. This time away helps me to realize how important she is in my life and I want to be there for her in these last years of her life. This is what I look forward to about going home.....Pine Valley home that is.

Spring is in full bloom there and it's time to plant my little garden. Top left: planted our little Christmas tree. I hope it's still alive. The plants in my window are thriving if they are still alive and top right: my claw gloves that will help me with my limited gardening skills I hope. I'm sure there have been a lot more blooms since I've been gone and the Columbine should be in full bloom soon. My grandchildren are growing so fast.....lots of changes taking place at this end of the school year comes. 

Laynee is graduating this month and has signed with Dixie State University to do CrossCountry and Track. She's a great kid.

George will be a senior next year and earned his Silver "D" and Gold "D" and I heard he got voted as a Studentbody Officer.  I'm waiting to get the details on that. Wreaks of goodness he does. I'm grateful for social media so I can keep track somewhat of what my kids do. I like to stay in the loop as much as I can. I miss a lot and something I missed this past week-end was IronMan.

His goal was to finish in under 6 hours. He did 5:59:48.....or something like that. He lives life large, trains hard and wears many, many hats these days. Way to go Spence. Sorry I missed this.

Once in a while I do get notice when the kids have accomplishments and I was able to go and see Emily's art display that was entered into this art show. The kids are busy and there's no way I could keep up on all of them if not for posts to Instagram and Facebook and texts that keep me informed.

Evan won the Science Fair at his school and was able to compete at District level. Thanks Kyle for the post. Evan and Seth are playing Little League Baseball and I like to go to those when I can. Traci's kids and Mason's are busy as well up north. I was able to go visit Traci and live in her world for a couple of days and enjoy the kids.

Missing Harry and Max in this collage but they were busy so we took a quick trip to the bakery. Scott is rippin' it on guitar, he and Jake do piano and they all are doing terrific with their wonderful homeschool teacher. Proud of all of them

I love having visitors in Pine Valley and Lauri and James come up quite a bit. They were here on a Monday night and it was a privilege to join in on their Family Home Evening. Mason's family came up for a week-end about a month ago and it was such fun.  I took pictures on my camera and haven't been able to get them off but my next post will be about "My Pine Valley Visitors" and pictures of that fun week-end and others will be included in that but let me just say, those three Wells kids are very busy....Maycee in dance and soccer, McKay so INTO baseball and Miller Moe......

....swimming. Here's a cute post from Mandy.....I do love Instagram. What a cutie.  Speaking of water, Randy and I were taking a ride last Sunday and happened upon this site......

...a hot tub grave yard. I just thought it was interesting so I will end this post here. Bye for now....I'll get my pictures off my camera asap and continue on my saga of daily living and recording it the best I can. "My life is perfect...except when it's not". 

"Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of  splendid torch...I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it onto future generations" by George Bernard Shaw.

Technology.....

....and that's what I want to start with today. Yes, I am hooked to my phone....too much so and I'm trying to cut back a bit but when I'm in California and my family is in Utah, I have to check my phone to see if any of them have posted anything.  It used to be that I'd just pick up the phone and call them and ask what's happening but it seems like phone calls are a "no no" nowadays unless you text first with "call when you can" or "can I call you".....or use the text to check in and say "what are you up to?".  I have some children that don't like to text though so I'm pretty sensitive to that and don't text that particular child much and that child also doesn't like to call so you can see why I rely on the other family members in that family to post on media what is happening....and they do from time to time and I'm actually able to text the spouse of this particular child and get an update when it's been a month since I've heard from this family. And then there are those that are not on social media and it's good that I can communicate with a text to them or their kids.  Then I have some that post regularly and it makes me really happy to see them. I particularly love FaceTime. Then I get to see them and talk to them and it's about as good as being there. "About" being a polite term for "not even as good as being there but it's the best I can do for now"......but there was a time that all you had was an expensive long distant phone call or a letter that would take a week to get there so technology is good.....if not over-done.

There's a bit of technology that I've come to love.  Seth, McKay and Jack play in baseball tournaments every week-end and most of the time I can get to some of Seth's and Jack's games and if McKay's team plays in St. George I can get to those but when I'm in California with Randy, which I like to be once in a while because he is my husband and I like being with him, I don't get to see the games. I just have to rely on "technology" to find out how the games are going.  There is an APP now called "GameChanger" and one of the father's on Seth's team has a webcam and is willing to use this app to broadcast the game to anyone that wants to tune in. It's live but not with real time action. It's play by play that he does and it's amazing how fun it is to watch.  I just wish it would catch on somehow with all the teams.  This is what Seth's first home run looked like and I was watching it.

Seth pitched 5 innings of this game and it showed each pitch and what happened in each inning. I could quietly watch the game while Randy and I watched a movie. There would be an outbreak of cheering once in a while but it was pretty much just quiet anxiety and joy.  I had to miss track meets, soccer games and the other boy's baseball games but this was one game I didn't miss. They won the championship and now days, instead of trophies, they get rings. Seth has had a couple of Silvers but this one was Gold. Jack's team has won their share of championships and so had McKay's.  I think why I like baseball is that it is total teamwork. Not that other sports are not, they are but these guys spend most of their time hanging out in the dugout together and they get to know each other off the field really well. After a lot of years of being together, they really "gel" as friends and I've always said......"when they lose they build character" but I find when they work as hard as they do, they mostly win and that builds confidence, not only in themselves but in trusting each other to make the plays. I'm happy that each one of my grandchildren are finding their "niche" and I love to watch each and everyone of them succeed. Now that I'm blogging again, I'm looking forward to posting their successes. The baseball thing started with my husband and his boys a long time ago. He knew if he wanted them to have a good experience, he would have to be their coach. He and some other fathers took it upon themselves to help them have learn and love the game.

Kyle and Spencer were on this team and Mason was the bat boy. He always got a matching shirt. such good times. Scott, Jim McArthur and Keith Reber coaches. Now it's Aaron and Spencer coaching Team Thunder. 

McKay started with his dad coaching with Spencer and Aaron but has now moved up north and has some really good coaches and friends there.  They are The Bombers and they won their championship as well. What is really bad is when they play each other. Oh, that hurts but it is really fun too. Before I leave baseball, here's one of Jack's teams championship pics coached by Spencer and Aaron.

They are all playing Little League too (not sure I can keep up) even Evan so I will post those pics as I get to the games.  

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Right here I wish I had some throw-back pics of my boys rappelling but I don't....however, I'm glad Kyle finally took his kids out and taught them the sport. The boys loved it when they were kids and I've been surprised they haven't introduced it to their kids but now Kyle has. He took them out this past week-end and posted some cute pictures. This is one sport they did that I didn't really care to watch. I always went by the old adage that I learned once when I was told the way to raise boys is "don't watch".  

 I just love this picture with the city as the back drop. They both took to it like champs.

Since this post is about technology, I'll just insert here that I'm glad the kids are off their screens and out doing stuff like this but I'm glad there are the screens so we can capture these cute pictures. If you have figured it out yet, I love these 20 grand kids of mine and I will spotlight each of them as I continue to interact with them. I love them all and I'm so proud of each of them and the things they are participating in.  When I can't be there, they could turn their technology on "live" and invite me to come, right?

This is the last time we were all gathered.  Not sure where Miller was and Matty and Annie didn't make it in either and Lucy's mask is covering her cute face but I look forward the next time I can get them together with their numbered shirts as they are growing up so fast and will be moving on soon.  Laynee graduates this year......no telling where she'll be in a year but it's always fun when the older ones still want to join in and especially when they use their technology to stay in touch with their grandmother.  I got this from these girls yesterday as they had a get-to-gether and I wasn't able to attend.

Here they are all grown up. I've spent some fun times with these three through the years.

Here they are in younger years, cute as ever.  Love them, love them........I'll always keep them on my radar.  So let me end this post with a little thing I got off Facebook.....(I do love technology).......

Before I leave for real though, I must acknowledge "Sibling Day" which I wouldn't have known about if not for technology.  

Bruce, Joyce, Me and Clark.....at our finest, don't you think.  Just glad for cameras back then and a mother that would snap a pic or two.  

Almost a year ago.....

....was my last blog post. I have published yet another edition of my blog book and I love these so much that I'm spurred on to keep blogging as this is the only journal of my life that I have right now. I've been doing some chat books and that will fill in for the year I missed but here goes to hopefully get caught up a little as I go and to forge on for posterity. Wonder who will ever read these entries....but it doesn't matter. It helps me to find the good and blog about the positive (sometimes not) but to appreciate all the good parts of my life of which there are many.  Last year about this time, Randy and I took the Highway 50 road trip but we did it in two days and stopped at all the spots we love. We did it again just Tuesday and the only stop was the shoe tree and in Austin for soft-serve ice cream cones.

Such a long road but we love watching the cloud formations, chatting, listening to CD's, music and singing along with the oldies. Always better when there's two of us.

Before we left Pine Valley, we were able to enjoy a quick April snow storm........

 ....and enjoy conference together; so cozy.

I was so glad to attend Women's Conference with Lauri....captured this beautiful temple background....

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On Thursday, March 30 we celebrated Mom's 90th birthday. We decided to have an open house at her home thinking it would be easier than a huge rec hall. Not sure how happy she was about it but we planned on refreshments for over 100 and we didn't have very much left.

She was pleased to see Dr. Booth.....even though he said he represented Maureen, we were glad he came. Mom was very happy.

 I just wish I had taken more pictures. I was busy running around being the hostess. 

So grateful for my family.  Traci came down to enjoy the celebration as well.

I hope I can get some more pictures of the party from Joyce and I will add those later.

Some of my friends and classmates came. Diana and John came down from Bountiful.

My friends are my mom's friends too, Always have been and always will be.  Such a wonderful experience to pay tribute to my mother who is the epitome of compassion and service. She still tries so hard to do for others even when she can hardly "do" for herself.

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I've loved having Randy here for a few days to help me get our place cleaned up after the winter snow. I love watching spring come......

....and the turkeys strutting their stuff......

I do enjoy the winter though and this one hasn't been too bad. I don't mind sitting by the fire on a snowy day and watching the beautiful white miracle fall from the sky.  I especially enjoy it when a grand kid or two wants to come and enjoy it with me.

Evan and his helpers did a pretty nice ice sculpture turtle.....

....and the hot tub is always a hit. This time we added illuminated balloons to the mix......

Jack and Seth admiring the accumulation.

Traci and the kids dropped by on the way to St. George. I always enjoy sharing this beautiful place with my kiddos....... 

....and speaking of beautiful.  Traci shared this picture on Instagram and I just fell in love with it. She tried on her wedding dress and Mae was fascinated with it. They had a "Pretty Dress Party".

But if she isn't wearing her pretty dress,...Mae is at least sporting her fashionable boots......

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When I can, I love attending the kids activities. Baseball games, soccer, track............

....they always make me proud. Even though I can't get there, I like to know how they do.  Such good kids.

I just happened to be to the championship game on this night. They got rings instead of trophies.

I was privileged to see this cutie off on her Prom date. She's a beauty through and through.....

...and I got to watch George be crowned Junior Prom King and I took their dance pics...at the Opera House.  I will get those and add later.

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Randy and I headed back to California on Tuesday and I have enjoyed a couple of good walks around Cameron Park Lake.

 Beautiful flowers abound here.....

Momma ducks are protecting their babies.  This is a "Don't Feed the Ducks" park so they aren't dependent on nor are they afraid of humans so it's easy to get quite close. I just can't get enough of this. I'll go back each day a couple of times and check on these cute families.

These turtles were just lounging on the rocks taking life easy. We need to all try it once in a while. I think I'll go try it right now. There's so much more I could add to this post but when one hasn't blogged for a year, it can be overwhelming to try and get caught up so I won't do that. I'll just take it as is comes.....over and out for now. Life is good.