September Brings Changes

September brings changes.  The grandchildren are in school, our pool has been closed for the winter, and the nearby canyons are showing autumn colors.

On September 16th, we went with our friends Hal and Christy Smith on a nice drive to see the fall colors starting in Hobble Creek Canyon and taking the loop over the mountain and returning down Diamond Fork Canyon. 

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  The colors are also turning on Maple Mountain

 behind our home.

  We had a huge corn crop that we shared

with family and friends.

Sam gave away at least 30 wheelbarrows full of corn,

and it was really good corn.

(Rebecca, Beth, and Sam) 

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 A happy time was had enjoying a visit with

Patti Busch

and Jennifer Gilson and children,

when we got together at Colin's home in Kamas, Utah,

on September 10th.

Patti was visiting from South Dakota,

and the Gilsons now live in Blanding, Utah. 

 (Jennifer and children, Patti, and Narene and Sam)

 Patti with her son Colin Busch

 Colin showed us their knight in armor,

which they have plans to restore and

move into their front yard.

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Megan, Amanda, and Rebecca

with their mom and two grandmas,

Irene and Narene,

in Spanish Fork

waiting to see the play,

Into the Woods.

 September 17th, we enjoyed the free entertainment at

Spanish Fork City Park Pavilion,

where we especially liked the concert by BYU's Vocal Point.

(Ethan, Narene, Beth, and Joshua;

Amanda, Megan, and Rebecca were also there with friends.)

 BYU's Vocal Point

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 Rebecca with the first graders from her school

put on a nice music concert for grandparents

on September 16th.

(Rebecca is 4th from the left in the back row.)

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 An unsual tree on the grounds of the

county building in Provo

where we went to take Sam's application to renew his passport.

There were numerous posts planted to hold up the spreading branches.

I took this photo of the Provo City Center Temple

as we drove by on our way home.

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This is one of the last swimming parties

for the summer.

Sam has the pool winterized now that school has started.

(Megan, Anna, Sarah, Paul, Trevor, Maggie, and Taylor) 

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A memory from years gone by.

Marlowe e-mailed me this photo

after seeing the one in my last blog entry

of my granddaughter Megan wearing the polka-dot skirt I made

that matches the one my sister, Louise, made and is wearing

in this picture.

(Gus, Marlow, Louise, and Lon) 

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August Update

August has been dry and hot, but our lawn and garden look nice with Sam's caring attention.  The corn has done really well.  We have shared it with family and with groups at a couple of social functions held in our backyard, and we have driven around the neighborhood this month giving away corn to families.  This week, we posted on our ward's Facebook site that we had corn available to anyone wanting to come by and get it.  As I am writing this, another person responding to this invitation knocked on our door wanting to take us up on this offer.  I am remembering how Sam's father had such nice vegetables grown in his large garden near the Little White River and would share it with "the widows."  Most of the homes in our area do not have gardens large enough to grow corn, so families have appreciated the free corn; and it really has a good flavor. 

Sam with more corn ready to share with others in the neighborhood.

 

Rebecca and Brynlee having fun on the trampoline.

Our cornfield is in the background. 

Hot summer days make our pool especially inviting.

This summer, Rebecca has become comfortable 

in the deep end diving off the diving board.

(Isaac, Jacob, Rebecca, and Brynlee)

One of the grandkids came up with the idea

to set up a portable net across the pool

for a game of "volleyball."  

With his dad as his partner, Isaac is getting ready 

to bat the ball across the net

to Jacob and Joshua.

(Sam is at the edge of the lawn.) 

 Refining the game, the net was moved so

the tubes were not required 

for those in the deeper water.

The game continued with Joshua and Jacob

opposite Doug and Ethan.

The Rose of Sharon bushes in full bloom.

A new bird found our backyard,

and we watched as it explored around the lawn.

It resembles the photos we found online

of a Glossy Ibis. 

 A close-up look at our new visitor.

This month, we enjoyed having

Lee Ellertson talk about one of his

interesting pioneer ancestors;

and he and Dana provided the refreshments

for our Empty Nesters group meeting in our home.

(Dana and Lee Ellertson)

This year Sam didn't go with me

to Education Week at BYU,

and I went with Sandra Cook.

It was Monday through Friday,

August 15-19,

and we especially enjoyed the series of talks

presented by S. Michael Wilcox and those

by Brent L. Top.

This year's theme was:

“Assist Individuals in their Quest for Perfection and Eternal Life.” 

(Sandra Cook and Narene) 

One of the highlights of Education Week

was listening to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk.

Focusing his remarks on the topic, Religion: "Bound by Loving Ties,"

Elder Holland spoke to more than 17,000 people in the Marriott Center 

about the important role religion has always played in societies.

“We should be genuinely concerned over the assertion that the single most distinguishing feature of modern life is the rise of secularism with its attendant dismissal of, cynicism toward, or marked disenchantment with religion,” he said. 

(Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and his wife leaving the stage.) 

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We always enjoy having family come.  Scott, Kristine, Jenna, and Shannon

were here for a short visit when they brought Jenna to begin her freshman year at BYU.

Trent and Jessica stayed with us for several weeks while they were waiting for their name to come up on the waiting list for an apartment in Provo.  They moved out last week, and Marisa has moved in while she is completing her final year at BYU. 


* * * * * * * * * * * *

Jared Graham
 Todd and Beth's oldest entered the MTC
last month and left July 27th for a two-year mission in the
Arkansas Bentonville Mission
        (including parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas).  

   School started this week for the grandchildren.
Amanda and Megan are juniors this year and on this day
they were supposed to wear their school t-shirt.
With her red shirt, Megan chose to wear the raindrop skirt 
I had made and wore as a teenager. 
How fun is that!  
 

Making More Memories in May

 It was a treat to have my brother, K. LeRoi, come for a visit on May 16th.

I appreciated the time we spent on family history

while also having a nice visit.

 I'm glad the rain stopped his helping with a project

by Sundance at David and Kayleen's, so he

drove down for a visit with us. 

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On May 23rd, we went with Hal and Christy for a sightseeing drive on Highway 31 through Fairview Canyon.  Although we were too early to see the aspens leafed out, the views were nice and the company enjoyable.  Here are some photos Sam took:

 

 Ephraim seen in the distance.

 Huntington Reservoir

The following three photos also taken

at our stop by Huntington Reservoir:

Narene and Sam

 Christy and Hal

 Electric Lake

at a lower elevation.

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 The "grow box" beginning to take shape by our garden area.

(Trint Pierce, a friend, is the brick layer.)

The bricks match our house.

(Sam)

 The Snowmound Spyrea in bloom

at the front of our house.

Three more Snowmound Spyrea on the opposite side

of the sidewalk.

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We had three family birthdays in May:  Ryan, Amy, Corban, Shannon (Scott's), and Mason.

Happy Birthday!

Beth and Todd's Jared graduates from high school on May 24th; and we were pleased to be there to see him ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood on Sunday, May 22nd,

and to be with him and his family for the barbecued ribs dinner afterward.

Happy Time!

We are getting ready to fly to Ireland for Trent and Jessica's wedding.

More Happiness!