Sunday, August 21, 2016

Valley balloon feastival

We had a Skeen family reunion on the 20th. It was to celebrate the 200th birthday of Joseph Skeen and there was a good group there that day. In the evening we went up to the valley to watch the hot air balloons with Nic and Shannon and their family. It was so interesting to see them inflate the balloons and some of them take off. There is a haze in the air from wild fires that are all over California and the smoke is working its way to Utah.









As it got darker four other balloons were inflated and would stay on the ground but were fired up and glowed in the dark which was fun to watch.







August- concerts, birthdays and reunions

The first part of August was spent with all the activities of summer winding down to get ready for school. On the 5th Cindy and I went to Salt Lake on the Frontrunner, had dinner at the Lion House, walked the gardens around the church office building and then watched an outdoor concert at Brigham Young Park. The group was called the 4 HIMS and it was four brothers that are a barbershop quartet. We enjoyed the show and laughed at their humor. It was a nice care free evening.



Next day was a Montgomery family reunion in Bountiful.  Dad is the last surviving child and this was about getting all his brothers and sisters families together since we had not been together for decades. Randy put it together and it turned out very well. Mom and Dad were king and queen of the event.


 There were family pictures. Joni is with Randy, don't know where Bob was for this picture.





There were games for the kids such as the ladder game which Nic and Shannon won.
















There was the human pinata where the kids chased people around the park that had suckers taped onto them.



It was a good time to see my cousins and their families. The next day was Cindy's birthday and also the family dinner. Maddie had sent a present to Cindy from Alaska which was so thoughtful of her to send it and have it here for her birthday. While it did not rain on the dinner there was rain around us and it had rained earlier in the day. This was the first rain since June.





















There was even a fly over of F-16 to celebrate her birthday and a rainbow. Now that is special attention.


In between activities we also started to harvest the garden. I grew artichokes this year and we had two for dinner and they were good. Corn has been a little stubby but the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions and zucchini have done well. Beans, carrots were a flop though.  



The next week was a short trip with Cameron and Cecelia to St. George. We stopped at Cove Fort along the way and toured the Fort. Cecelia had never been there and it was also good for us to stop by and remember the history and faith in settling this way station. Cindy was getting ideas on how to change the kitchen already so she can serve 20 to 30 guests a night.

















The missionary that took us around took our pictures on the fort wall. Cindy also wanted pictures of the flower garden to show what she wants in the back window. Then it was off to St. George.




Cameron had arranged the hotel with his points from work. We had dinner and then drove around and saw the St. George temple. The sun was right behind the steeple and give this interesting glow to the steeple.


That evening we went  to Tuacaan and watched the Hunchback of Notre Dame. We loved the play evening though the ending was true to the book and not the Disney movie.











Thursday, August 11, 2016

Jackson and BYU-I

We spent one week home and then it was off on another trip. This time we had two different activities in one week. The first few days were in Jackson. We went to the Bar J for dinner and the show.















We always enjoy this activity and the entertainment is always so good and makes you laugh and feel good about this land we live in.


After the show it was back to the campground and looking at the clear night sky. We could see the Milky Way, satellites and shooting stars. The next morning the sky at camp was very smokey. The forest fire which was five miles to the east was still not under control and the smoke was sucked down the canyon in the morning and in the afternoon the wind shifts and blows the smoke to the east.







































We were going to spend the day in the Tetons. We started in an area called Mormon Row. It was a farming area in the early 1900's. There are old barns and buildings along this dirt road and it is the location of some great photos of the Tetons.





























We then went toward the north entrance and looked at Mt. Moran from the oxbow in the river.

















From there we went and had lunch along Jackson Lake.


After lunch it was time to ride bikes. We started at the north end of Jenny Lake and rode along the east shore to the south end of the lake. Connor was really a trooper because as we went down a steep hill his front wheel started to wiggle but he did not fall over.
















We parked our bikes and then hiked along the south end of the lake to an area called Moose Ponds. We did not see a moose but we knew one was close by as the tracks along the trail were fresh and we could hear something.
















Shannon and Connor continued along the trail because other hikers had said they saw a bear. Cindy, Payton and I turned back and waited at the lake edge for them top come back. While we were at teh lakes edge a deer came out of the woods into view.




We saw some more deer and then elk as night was falling and it was time to head back to camp. The clouds and smoke clouds were lit up by the sunset.


















As we drove into the camp the horizon was glowing with the fire. We decided to go and see the fire and it was quite a site. Pine trees exploded as the fire reached them and the sky was orange with the flames lighting the smoke behind them.


















The next morning was spent watching the osprey that had nested near the camp and then it was into town.




After visiting downtown and having ice cream Cindy and I headed to Rexburg while Shannon and the grand kids headed back home.


We met Tammy and Nancy in Rexburg and went to the temple Wednesday evening.


The next few days were spent at education week. We had a wonderful time learning from all the wonderful teachers. The garden in the middle of campus also makes it a pleasant stroll between classes.























We had a concert as part of education week that we all went to. It was Hilary Weeks and was very good. Here we are together in the Hart building waiting for the concert to start.