The First Snow of the New Year

Yesterday morning it began to snow here, and not just a little, beautiful white flakes by the billions, wafting softly groundward. We drove to Walmart where I bought some new thick hats and scarves (for walking in Baltimore proper where my classes are beginning soon) a red one and a purple one--and only a buck each! Owen spent his birthday money, even buying a toy for Soren, for which he was highly praised. We ate lunch at the boys' favorite place, Chick-Fil-A, where they ate chicken nuggets--Soren's plain, and Owen's with ketcup. By the time we headed home the snowflakes had increased in size--they looked like puffs of cotton falling. The streets were both slick and slushy and traffic was backed up everywhere. We listened to Disney music in the car and sang and marveled at the beauty all around us. Chantel said the snow reminded her of the winter setting in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". In spite of driving over an hour to go the few miles home, we didn't mind because everywhere was a winter wonderland.

As soon as we got home, Chantel dove right in and began shoveling snow off the porch...

and the driveway...

while Owen practiced making the largest snowballs he could...

which soon evolved into building a snowman...and making smaller snowballs...

which, you guessed it...turned into a snowball fight!Chantel, a direct hit!Owen taking cover behind the snowman
Snow much fun!

After taking pictures, I made home-made hot chocolate for everyone. I'm so blessed to be part of this family's everyday life. Chantel, I love you and admire the way you play so spontaneously with your boys.

No Go Snow

On my way to the east coast, I made only one foray off the planned path to Baltimore, lured off interstate 80 by a sign that read, Shrine of the Holy Family 3 (miles). Chantel collects holy family figurines and I was intrigued. Besides that, I hadn't made one stop for pleasure. The area is mass agriculture, if you can imagine the fields below covered in corn, not snow. The sky was a clear blue and the glistening snow took my breath away. Within less than a minute I was sailing up and down icy roads, past the occasional farm, seeing beautiful rolling hills and remembering that at one time in my long ago life, I actually lived in snow and knew how to drive in it. The shrine was closed. It was too early in the morning. But it's a magnificent structure and definitely gets ones attention, rising up as it does out of the middle of what appeared to be thousands upon thousands of acres of farm land.

I turned the car around and headed back toward the interstate--but wait! Photo op! I couldn't leave without trying to capture even a bit of the surrounding country. After breathing frosty air and clicking away, I climbed back in my car, (my little good girl Ava), and put her in drive. We drove--for a bit--but suddenly the tires began to spin. We slid slowly backwards. I stopped and we tried again. Several times we tried to make the grade, even driving in the gravel as close to the edge of the road without going into the ditchbank. But the hill was too steep and the car wouldn't make it, even with front wheel drive. Over and over, the car back slid at the incline. On the one hand I felt sorry for her, being initiated in snow this way, poor thing. On the other hand, my little blue 1972 Ford pinto knew how to do it and in snow much deeper than this. If the pinto could do it, why couldn't she?? Then I realized the back end was loaded down with photo albums, journals, scrapbooks, and thirty years worth of photo negatives. So I did what I always do when I'm stuck. I prayed.

I could have walked down the road about a mile to a nearby farm, but I was determined to do this. I felt impressed to back up, and up and up, through the gully and keep going. Pretty soon I had a clear view of more country and I realized that it was momentum that would get us there. I went for it, cheering on Ava the whole time. I was really yelling by the time we got to the critical place. "You can do it, Go. Go. Go! Keep going, keep going! Oh that's right! We're almost there!! No, keep your foot on the gas! (That was for me). Keep going!" The steepest part of the road was at the top where we had to turn even further uphill! I held my breath and leaned forward in my seat (as if that really helped) and we made it. I didn't slow down much until I was safely back on the interstate. But I'll never forget that beautiful country, ever.

If you look carefully at the road, you'll get an idea of the rolling hills. The black area on the left is the imprint my car made when it left the road and rolled over on its side. Just kidding.

The Holy Family Shrine is in the background on the right.

The road I was stuck on. It's steeper than it looks.

The Shrine in the distance.

Several intersecting fields. This one is better if you view it on a large screen.

Interlude

Rocksprings, Wyoming. Quality Inn. I remember living in this town for three weeks in a small trailer on a construction site in the dead of winter. Brandon was 3 and 1/2 and Chantel was about 1. It was a motherhood adventure, trying to cook when the pipes were frozen, entertain children, keep them clean and warm, all the while using water from the neighbor's garden hose for cooking and bathing. I have sweet memories of those days. Brandon played with a little foster child named "Chewey" from the house next door; Chantel was the happiest baby. She learned to stand alone and she was so proud of herself! She took her first steps shortly after we went home to Burley.

Larry returned to Rock Springs and worked for another month, glad that we hadn't stayed with him because the temperatures dropped even more and the weather was brutal. Terry, I think his name was, offered Larry a partnership and we talked about it, but we would have had to move to Wyoming among other things. Larry enjoyed working with his father, too. Staying in Burley was a good decision and one we never regretted.

Road Trip, Days 5 and 6

All Quiet on the Western Front. I took Mom to two doctor appointments two days in a row. I like driving and it was nice to be out. Other than errands though, Mom has done a lot of cooking, (I really should write a cookbook of her recipes!) and I have been TV shopping for Christmas, and working on a "project" which I can't reveal yet because, again, blogs have ears and eyes.

Today I'm going to Vernal to hang out with my favorite younger brother John, (the one who calls me Polly Pureheart) and watch my nephew Jantzen play ice hockey. Then in the afternoon, we're all going to a matinee Christmas play directed by my oh-so-talented sister-in-law. Three of her five children have roles in the play and I believe this is an annual community event. I'm looking forward to it. Photos to follow.

Now for the latest news:

My mom is not going with me to Baltimore and just as well for various reasons. Her health won't allow it for one. I would have enjoyed the company, but I am just as happy rocking out to my music in the car, singing, or listening to conference talks. Tomorrow, Sunday, I'm leaving early in the morning. I have to back track a hundred miles in order to get to I-80 safely. I"ve been watching the weather channel and Chantel has been checking the internet. It looks like I'll be about a day behind the next storm. Hope to drive about 600 miles per day. At that rate, I'll be at Chantel's by Tuesday evening. My furniture is arriving there today, all 4,980 pounds of it. It's all their fault, those books that won't let me go...

Road Trip, Day 4

I drove almost 1000 miles before my tires hit even a patch of snow. The roads were clear through Salt Lake City, past the turn-off to Park City, through Heber, Duschene, Roosevelt, and Neola. It wasn’t until I turned off to White Rocks that the roads were more snow and ice than pavement.

Poor little White Rocks. I always feel sad whenever I pass the tiny cemetery that is really just a patch of gravely dirt, decorated with plastic flowers and personal memorabilia out in the middle of brush and fields of grazing cattle. This is high desert, not the lush green one thinks of when picturing farm land. This land is more harsh and more remote. It's also Ute Indian reservation land. The government didn't know, over a hundred years ago when this became Ute land, that it is a land rich in natural gas, and minerals. You wouldn't know it though, to see how these people live. Turning at the humble little intersection that parades as a town, White Rocks cannot hide its poverty.

Several miles later I made the final turn to Mom’s. I could see the small house and its soft blue color sitting beneath the giant elm trees, snow-covered and void of leaves this time of year. Fantastic ice icicles hung from the eaves. Snow crunched beneath my fur-lined boots as I walked up the ramp to the back porch door. I haven’t been in this much snow since the year I went to Germany and Austria for Christmas. This felt colder. The temperature was 18 degrees. I’ve been complaining for awhile now that I miss the four seasons. Well, welcome home. I’ll have to get used to this, but I look forward to the challenge.

The house front. The longest icicle is longer than Mom is tall.

This is the back of the house. It's hard to see in this picture but there's an even longer icicle here, first seen through the kitchen window. Fantastic.

Road Trip, Day 3

Tuesday morning I awoke late in the Adam’s guest room after sleeping like a princess on soft sheets under a down comforter with a silk duvet. All was quiet, but it wasn’t the quiet of loneliness or the sweet solitude I have come to treasure as I grow older, but a gentle feeling of peace that permeated their beautiful home. Evidence of Clytie’s touch was everywhere, from portraits of her daughters’ weddings on the walls, to an antique velvet settee, to eucalyptus bows and plush white towels in the guest bathroom. Outside, beneath the clear blue morning sky, deep white snow covered a sloping hill full of scrub oaks. I could just make out a terraced path that leads down to a creek.

During breakfast at the heavy wooden table, Clytie and Spence and I reminisced about the Pittsburg ward they had left behind when their mission ended almost two years ago. It was the same ward that welcomed my return to activity, literally with open arms, the people who loved and counseled Brandon during what I consider the darkest days of his life, the place where I met Gloria and Julie, lifelong friends, and the ward where I learned to really lead music, not just wave my arms around.

I had been somewhat nervous when the invitation came from the bishop to lead the singing of hymns on Sundays. I love music both singing it and listening to it, but leading it is something different. Sister Adams made me forget my anxiety when she said, “You know, you could get up there (in front of the congregation) and wave a dead chicken around and no one would notice; they don’t pay attention to the chorister!) I had to laugh. It is true; many people sing with their noses in their hymnbooks, but by the time I left the ward, I had developed a relationship between chorister and organist, and chorister and ward.

The Adams and I continued to talk together in that easy way so natural among friends. It seems that we had simply taken up where we left off. Suddenly, I saw through the sliding doors, movement in the back yard. Three mule deer had come to feed. Clytie said they’ve seen as many as seven at one time in their back yard. I ran for my camera. One doe in particular was more curious than the other two. As my camera flashed, she walked closer and closer until she was a mere 12 or 14 feet from the door. When the deer moved toward the hill, we went downstairs to the guest room and watched them through the window.

I left the Adams house shortly after that. They hugged me and invited me to return any time. And like others who love and care for me, they cautioned me to be careful as I drive. Clytie and Spence, I love you and will always treasure our friendship. P.S. Remember to document those fabulous photos hanging on the office wall. xo

Panda--monium!!

I'm in the Mills computer lab, watching the clock (since I have a class at 4,) and I'm writing (as usual) but I took a break to create this post. While she was checking her email, the woman next to me gasped out loud, then turned her computer monitor so I could see what she was looking at. See for yourself. They're adorable! Then click here, especially if you have young children and want a link to a site that's both fun and educational.