ON MY WAY TO ROYAL'S MARKET.....

I don't know why but when I see the first dandilions of spring, I get so excited! I just live their softness, when they are young and when they are old. When I was a little girl, I held many a tea party with dandilion stems as the appitizer...made wishes as I blowed the heads off the old ones...just LOVE them! On my way to the store, I took a detour and got lost in my love for this wonderful place that I live. Maybe it was the dandilions, maybe it was the warm morning sun, but I had to go. I've been mesmerized by mother nature since I could walk, and as you can see, I still am.
This has got to be the most blossom-filled tree in this county..SO PRETTY~

I love the new Spring grass...I love the color of "Spring Green", so alive!

I love the tall dry grass from last summer...

In this stream is some kind of grass..it is so green and looks so pretty with the water rushing over it! Did I mention that this stream is FULL of fish!

This creek winds lazily along this whole walk, one of my favorite walks.

A pair of contented ducks, not very bothered by me and the dogs.

Little streams, filled with frogs and such.."Give Said The Little Stream"~~

Cougar was in the water more than out..had to check out every little splash!

Outdoor sculpture? Mother nature did it herself along with some old farmer.

Sagebrush...I love the smell of it, especially just after it rains. When Ron was in Viet Nam, he had his Mom send him some in an envelope because he missed the smell of it so much.

Echoes of the past...every year, there is a family of birds in this old birdhouse, I always wonder who the farmer was who was kind enough to build it for them.

Cougar(he's 5 months old now)went off to visit the cows and then he couldn't figure out how to get through that fence and back to me, but he did it!

Along this walk...this herd of cattle are fun to watch as they watch me&the dogs

They love to stand in the middle of this creek that borders a small grove of old trees. The trees usually have a pair of eagles in the very top, who watch me&the dogs pass by..and I watch them, don't want them to swoop down and carry my Bojangles off!

Mr. Bojangles had so much fun, he even jumped in the creek, trying to impress Cougar I think because he's never done that before. He had to have a bath and a haircut when we got home!

Yes, I eventually got to the store but on the way, I also got my morning walk in and enjoyed the warm spring day. It was especially fun to see how much the dogs enjoyed our walk...Cougar spent more time in the water than on the road.

I love living in Wayne County, I get lost in all the places to explore, especially in this wonderful spring weather. I hope you'll get lost on your way to the store...and find something beautiful to fill your heart with, something that makes you feel like a kid again; the warmth of the sun, the flight of a butterfly, the song of a bird, the sound of the water, the colors~the smells of the earth waking up again. It's all so renewing to my heart&soul..hope you find it too.

A FEW MORE FUN PHOTO'S.....

THIS BEAUTIFUL SIGHT CAN BE SEEN FROM THE HIGHWAY AS YOU TRAVEL THROUGH CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK..IT'S ABOUT 15 min. FROM OUT HOME. IT'S THE MOST AWESOME PARK TO VISIT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY DO-ABLE HIKES FOR ANY AGE. HERE YOU GET TO BE RIGHT IN AND WITH THE SIGHTS, INSTEAD OF BEING WAY ABOVE IT ALL AND JUST LOOKING AT IT. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO SEE AND DO. IN THE SUMMER PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO VISIT IT AND THE OTHER PARKS IN OUR STATE. EVERYWHERE I GO O CAN HEAR PEOPLE SPEAKING LANGUAGES I DON'T UNDERSTAND . I'M GLAD THEY COME TO SEE SUCH BEAUTY, WE ENJOY THEM TOO. THIS TALL DOME IS IN ONE OF THE TEMPLE FILMS...SEE IF YOU RECOGNIZE IT NEXT YIME YOU GO!!!

DARIN & LAURA AND THERE KIDS, ON A HIKE IN CAPITOL REEF

I LOVE THIS PICTURE DARIN GOT OF BRITTON AND MEGAN...HE'S A GOOD BIG BROTHER AND LOOKS AFTER HIS LITTLE SISTER, I'M SURE HE ALWAYS WILL.

MICHAEL AND LINDSEY...SOON TO CELEBRATE THEIR FIRST YEAR OF MARRIAGE...''SITTING ON A ROCK..K-I-S-S-I-N-G''

CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THIS GUY...MY SWEETHEART

COUGAR IS GETTING SO BIG NOW, HE'S LEARNED TO JUMP IN THE RIVER NEAR OUR HOUSE AND SWIM..HE HAD SO MUCH FUN PLAYING WITH THE OTHER BIG DOGS!

AND THIS MUST FEEL SO GOOD, MIND YOU I'VE NEVER TRIED IT AFTER A BATH, BUT HE MAKES IT LOOK LIKE IT FEELS 'REALLY' GOOD!!

MEGAN LOVED THE DOG AND THE HORSE AND THE CHICKENS..GETTING READY FOR HER RIDE ON MR. RED

OUR SON DARIN TOOK THESE PHOTO'S, HE'S GETTING TO BE QUITE THE PHOTOGRAPHER! I THINK SOON HE WILL BE DESIGNATED "THE FAMILY GUY THAT DOES OUR PICTURES". THESE ARE A FEW MORE GREAT PHOTO'S FROM EASTER AND THIS BEAUTIFUL AREA IN WHICH WE ARE SO BLESSED TO LIVE. SPRING IS FINALLY HERE...ENJOY!!!

A..EASTERING WE GO...

Michael & Lindsey gave us all rides on their new touring motorcycle...

The kids decorated this egg for Grandpa & Grandma

Darin took pictures, Shane watched for someone to huck an egg at, and Ron supervised!!!

It's so nice when your daughters and daughters-in-laws take over..they filled a ton of eggs!

Lets Roll.....

We all laughed so hard at Darin..he was taking a family picture and he had ten seconds to get up on the hill with us and into the picture.."Go Darin go!!!" (and he made it!)

Britton, rolling down the hill, loosing his loot to Cougar!

Lindsey...keeping Cougar away from the eggs!

We're not sure, but we think this must be the "Real" Easter Bunny!

Kelton and Brody...taking this egg finding thing pretty serious..and lots of fun!

Megan & Britton "hiding-out"..in an Indian cave!

Megan got the most eggs I'm sure...and Stetson & Britton climbed the highest for sure!

This is what happens to you when you go a Eastering too long and eat too much sugar...you pass out with one kiss from Grandma and your eyes go really buggie!!

This was such a fun Easter for all of us...we celebrated on saturday beginning with a nummy breakfast, then the mommies & aunts filled around 300 eggs with goodies and money. The guys kept the little ones busy while we drove up into the beautiful canyon up behind our house, to hide eggs. It was a really nice day considering that a storm was supposed to hit our area.

Us gals had such a fun time hiding the eggs (it took a while), there were so many really neat places to hide them! My puppy Cougar was sure that we were laying out new toys for him..he'd pick them up as we layed them down, it took a while to get him to leave them alone. Plus we had my daughter Lisa's HUGE dog "Hudson" with us and My son's dog Jake..also Huge!!!

About 30 minutes later, here came the guys with all the kids..they were so excited, they jumped out of the truck and flew about to find the eggs. They were up/down the hills and screeming and yelling every time they found an egg in an awesome place! Then Michael&Lindsey dug trails for the eggs to role down the hill, with jumps( Michael is a trials bike rider) so they were great trails!

Everyone went to the top of the hill with the colored eggs and off the went down the hill. The only problem was that as they reached the bottom, the dogs were catching them and eating them! It was quite a race to get the eggs between the kids& the dogs! Lots of picture taking going on and then lots of smashing the eggs on each other, lots of squeels&laughter!!

Then we all went to check out a "cave"...it turned out to be a cool place to explore and two of the littlest monkeys in the family climbed higher(with help) than anyone else.

Just as we were ready to head back to the house, it started to snow/hail...it was so beautiful!!

We had a great dinner together, spent the evening playing games, eating, just hanging out together watching a movie, playing pool and enjoying being together.

On Sunday we all went to church together, honoring our sweet Savoir, being so grateful for our blessings. Hope you had a great Easter too..I think Spring is finally "right around the corner"..there are lots of baby everythings around. Happy Easter to all...

A FRIEND TO MAN...

LET ME LIVE IN MY HOUSE BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD



IT'S HERE THE RACE OF MEN GO BY.



THEY ARE GOOD, THEY ARE BAD, THEY ARE WEAK,



THEY ARE STRONG,



WISE FOOLISH...SO AM I;



THEN WHY SHOULD I SIT IN THE SCORNER'S SEAT,



OR HURL THE CYNIC'S BAN?



LET ME LIVE IN MY HOUSE BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD



AND BE A FRIEND TO MAN.





I have always loved this poem, and it seems to fit, as I live in my house by the side of the road.

I got to thinking about all the favorite places I have lived..our farm house in Weston, Idaho sat just off the main road. After my Dad retired and we moved to Logan, I loved the house we had there, it sat right beside the road. It was the first time I'd lived off the farm, and it was so much fun to live where people walked by. Sitting out on the porch, I could visit, say Hi, or stroll along with a friend.

After I got married, we lived in a home that sat way back off the road, but I could still see our friends and neigbors go by. I'd get on my horse ( O'MAR Shareff..an Arabian) and go for long rides.

In Kaysville, we lived on a caldasac, the kids loved that..the street was theirs! It was a good place, lots of parking for family, we even held a neighbhood party on the road there.

When we moved to Loa, we lived by the side of the road too..and now in Bicknell, we live again, by the side of the road. I love to sit in the big reading chair, looking out at the pastures and watch people go by. Some in a big hurry, some slowing down for the cows, some hualing big loads of hay, equipment, houses, horses, 4wheelers, trailers, lumber, R.V.'s. Alot of times I know who just drove by when I see their vehicle.

You know the red-neck joke...In small towns, when your following somebody down the road, and they turn without signaling..but it's OK, because you know who it is and where they're going.



I can only wish the same kind of familair circumstances for all of you..may you all love where you live, and most important of all, love the people you are blessed to live by. We are all brothers and sisters, then, now and in the life to come. I hope you love living by the side of the road, being a friend to man. "Leaving the light on for you friend."