And the consolation prize goes to . . .

. . . Monument Valley and Grand Staircase-Escalante. If you manage to get to the bottom of this post, the reward is pictures!!

You may know that Bob and I cancelled our trip to China. Apparently, when we scheduled Bob’s lectures at Hunan University in Changsha, it coincided with the Glorious 60th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Therefore, students have to participate in the festivities and Bob would be lecturing to an empty hall. So, we didn’t feel that we could justify the expense and the time off to go if there were no lectures to give (on the American Judicial System - by the way - though I’m not sure they really care how our system works, since they seem to have one of their own). And Sarah has to have her pacey changed. It was just too much trouble to change my frequent flier ticket to come home early – the only one available was 1 day early. And to cancel my ticket and get a regular ticket where I could sit in the middle of the steerage section (with or without the chickens and the goats) for 15 hours for $2K+ just didn’t seem worth it. Anyway, Rachel still went and has sent us back some fabulous pictures. She told me last night, if we ever go, maybe she’ll come along again. We are expecting souvenirs, and it better happen since I gave her money to spend.
So, I wanted to go somewhere. I read about Highway 12 in the AAA magazine and decided that we would do a quick little jaunt to Southern Utah. Home of the John Wayne Western, sand, hoo- doos, national parks, etc. One particular high point is that there are many places where cell phones do not work. We could travel along without any interruptions from the office. I was not really prepared for the majesty that exists in the state of Utah. You might say that it is actually "life changing". Now ‘life changing" is Sarah’s description for something fabulous. It can be a really great bacon-cheeseburger, the Boyz to Men Reunion concert at the Utah State Fair or truly something life changing in the traditional sense of the expression. Now judge for yourselves and tell me that this isn’t life changing.
PS - the other consolation prize is that I get to gorge myself of the food of the God’s – white bread, a teeny bit of mayo, home-grown vine-ripe tomatoes, salt and pepper all wrapped up in a fabulous (Life Changing!!) sandwich. All my tomatoes have ripened and I would have missed them had we been in China.

Wonderful pictures in no particular order:


Desert critters

Hoo-doos of Red Canyon

Hoo-doos of Red Canyon, part 2

Gorge of the Grand Staircase - in geological ages, the formations of the Grand Canyon, Zions Canyon and Bryce canyon stair step up so what is old in one canyon, is new in the next - hence the name staircase. Thank goodness Bill Clinton protected this. Pictures do not do it justice.

This whole area is open range. We met Bossy, here, and many of her friends.

Fall is at its peak on Highway 12

The view from our motel room in Torrey.

Mexican Hat, Utah. No dancing going on.

Valley of the Gods as seen from the most awesome, white-knuckle, hair-pin turn road I have ever been on!!

Monument Valley

Monument Valley

Monument Valley -- can't you just seen John Wayne and Paul Newman come galluping over the rise.

More Monument Valley

Children: be forewarned. I am already planning a McKay/Lewis trip to follow in the footsteps of our pioneer ancestors in this glorious country.

It's Only Fair

The Utah State Fair has finally arrived!! I look forward to it every year and try to go at least once and if I am lucky I go twice or thrice. It's been raining like crazy the last couple of days so we finally decided to brave it last night. It was about 8 pm when we got there, but because of the early rain, there was hardly anyone around. That meant we could get dinner and not have any trouble finding a place to sit. So, dinner is one of my favorite things about the fair. I eat food I never get any other time. This time, I got:

Philly Cheese steak from Moochies.

Then, we went to my favorite place: The Home Arts.

Then, We had to go see the famous Butter Cow, sculpted by my old Friend from Ohio, Debbie McPhie Brown. I must be attempted to be Emily Dickinson. All My Nouns are capitalized.

The real picture is in my phone, I just can't figure out how to get it out, so this is from the Utah Dairy Council's website -- it is last year's cow. This year features a cow in a tutu, Kathleen's personal favorite:

And finally, to top off a perfect evening!!

I just strolled along the midway, stumbling down memory lane, remembering the good times had by all. Maybe Saturday, I'll go see the pigs.

Pioneer Women Sang as They Walked, and Canned, and Gardened, and Made Pies, etc.

I just finished reading The Undaunted, by Gerald Lund. Now, just for clarification sake, I generally do not read LDS historical fiction. It's not that I am a snob (maybe I am), but that there is generally too much fiction and not enough history. I picked this one up because it was about the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition, or San Juan Mission, in 1880/81, where about 250 Latter Day Saint settlers were called to start a colony in the San Jaun Valley is south eastern Utah/South Western Colorado area. The only reason I am interested in this is because the President of the San Juan Mission, and leader of the Expedition, was Silas S. Smith, my great-grandfather.

It was a pretty good book. There was way too much story about these fictional folks and where they came from and what they said and how they felt, etc. However, the description of the climb through this rugged terrain and the sacrifices these people made and the exertion and pain and triumphs and blessings that came from following the call of a prophet made it worth the reading. I highly recommend it.

So, lately, I have gotten back to my Pioneer woman roots. I love stories of frontier women. Ever since I was in Jr. high. I love Willa Cather (My Antonia, etc.). A Latern in Her Hand and Mrs. Mike (about Canada) were some of my favorite high school reads. Letters from a Woman Homesteader is a book I couldn't put down (and it is real). I even loved The Revolt of Sarah Perkins (this was a dumb story about a plain-looking mousy New England woman who goes to the west to teach school and ends up saving the town from Indians, marrying the handsome rancher, and becoming beautiful in her own way -- I didn't say it was great literature, but when you're 14, it is the best!!)

So far this year, I have planted, canned, frozen, picked, and made pies!! I asked Bob to see if he could find a few apricots at the fruit stand in Brigham City so I could make a small batch of jam. He came home with a half-bushel. I made 4 batches of apricot jam, 2 batches of apricot syrup, 2 pies, and the pureed the last 8 cups and froze it for future jam. I also made 3 batches of raspberry jam, froze 15 pounds of beans, have a big pile of zucchini waiting to be made into bread, more tomatoes in Huntsville that I know what to do with. I've also learned several ways to cook turnips. If I could only figure out what to do with all those beets.

I have also started a fall garden patch. We built 2 4x4 boxes and Bob put them on wheels and I put it on the deck on top of the garage. I already have things growing. I just don't remember what they are. So, could be beans, could be radishes, could be spinach. Only time will tell.

Now, if you'll excuse me, Otto and I have to go plow the North 40.