Color me SPRING

One of my favorite seasons is spring.  I love watching the trees and flowers come to life after a long COLD winter.  Of course, along comes with spring the allergens that effect so many of us.  I am just grateful for the medicines that have been developed to help with that. 

I remember when my oldest child Lori, was growing up, she couldn't go outside

as her allergies were so bad.  Each spring we would go to Missouri and visit my parents on the farm. My other children four would run and play outside, but Lori had to stay inside and read.  And when someone mowed the lawn she was miserable.  She was a good sport about it, and would try to do activities with us, like floating the river which was an annual event.  I think we all loved that. 

In addition to the pollen, all sorts of bugs, snakes and other creatures come out of hibernation.  Even with all of that going on, I look forward to the warm days and the cooler evenings of spring, to the rebirth and renewal of the earth.  It's Spring......Let's REJOICE!!!

Shoe Shoeshoeing in the Wasatch Mountains of UT

I love hiking and snow skiing in the mountains, but had never thought about shoe shoeing until this year.

 I decided it would be a wonderful idea to get my husband and I snow shoes so we could get out in the fresh air and enjoy the mountains together, since he doesn't ski as of yet. However, finding the snow shoes just before Christmas was a challenge.  It seems that snowshoeing is now one of the fastest growing winter sports in the world, and I can understand why. It is easy to learn, virtually inexpensive compared to other winter sports.

On Christmas Day we had our first snowshoeing adventure.  We began at the Little Cottonwood Trail which was idea as the elevation gain was not difficult for a beginner.  We enjoyed the hike through the snow covered trees and the sound of the bubbling creek nearby.  The natural setting of the steep granite cliffs was beautiful.  We only did a short hike on Christmas day, but went back on Saturday December 29th, and went further up the trail.

My husband said he felt exhilarated when we got back to the car. 

Skiing the Mountains of Utah

Snow skiing in the mountains, is always such a treat for me. Each Ski Resort has it's own beauty and all are like a winter wonderland.

My first husband and I had five children, two of which are twins.  When the twins were three, I decided that our family was going to ski together. My husband had been skiing a few times in his young life, but neither me nor the children knew how to ski.  The children ranged from the ages of 31/2 to 11 when we first attempted our first ski trip.  That year in 1976 we all got skis for Christmas, which was a stretch for us, but that was the beginning of many wonderful ski days as a family.  We all learned to ski  together on the bunny hill at Alta Ski Resort.  We would fall, laugh and get back up and try again.  It was a joy watching the children learn to ski.  They quickly learned and became much better skier than I ever will be.  But the important thing was having fun together as a family and with friends.  

I enjoy the adrenaline rush I get when I am faced with a challenging run and the satisfaction of accomplishing it. Skiing is physical exerting and relaxing at the same time. 

As I am skiing down the slopes, I enjoy the peace and solace of the mountains, the smell of fresh pine trees,  fresh air, the speed of the ground flying past me, and the sound of my skis slicing through the snow. 

Skiing clears my mind and invigorates my soul.  I love being in the great outdoors, conquering the elements, putting my body to the test as I schuss down the groomed runs.  All my troubles are forgotten and I am transcended for those moments in time.   

I love skiing with my family.  This year my daughter Michelle purchased, she and I and her husband Brad, annual passes for Wednesday's at Solitude Ski Resort. This is especially exciting to me, as I never thought I would ski again as I had a hip replacement done 7 years ago, but last summer the doctor gave me the OK to get back on the slopes, but to stay off the moguls which is fine with me. I went last Christmas with my son Michael and his son Douglas and we skied at Alta Ski Resort.  I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to ski since it had been so long since I had last skied.  Michael was a good instructor for both Douglas and I and before the day was over, the fear had left me.  It was a joy to be with them and watch my grandson Douglas learn to ski too. 

There is nothing like the feeling I get after a day on the mountain skiing with loved ones.  It is an such a peaceful, happy, feeling. 

Why Go Back to work after Retirement

Why would anyone who has retired and not have worked for five year want to return to work.  I guess there are a lot of reason. For me, I happen to like working.  I like the social interaction and financial benefits that come with being employed in order to maintain a desired lifestyle.

I missed the mental stimulation of work responsibility and contact with other people.  

Some people can fill their retirement years with volunteer work, travel, hobbies and family activities.

Richard and I did a lot of traveling those five years, when I didn't work,which I enjoyed.

After 5 years, I knew if I didn’t go back to work in my insurance industry it would be difficult to find a job later as I grew older.  I feel very blessed to have found a job working as a Secretary to an insurance agent at Farmers.I started working on September 4th and so far I am enjoying it very much.   I work 4 days a week. 

Tee Time!!!!!!

Why would anyone want to hit a little white ball and go chasing it down just to do it again? I began playing golf because my friends at work had a "girl's night golf outing" once a week and I wanted the social interaction with my co-workers and wanted to learn more about them on a personal level.

Before I began playing with them, I took golf lessons at Nibley Golf Course at 2780 South 700 East  Salt Lake City, UT.

I had such high expectation of myself.  After I had taken a few golf lessons, my instructor and I played a "real game" of golf.  I was so disappointed that I wasn't playing par golf on all of the holes.  My instructor laughed at me and said  "you are playing better golf than 1/2 these people on this golf course."  That made me feel better.

Each week my co-workers and I would visit a different golf course and play a game on the Executive Nine.  We never used a golf cart, as we wanted the physical exercise.

I find golfing to be very stimulating as I try to improve my game each week.Some weeks I do very well and other weeks I don't.  But I always leave feeling exhilarated, tired and happy.

I love the beautiful golf courses we have in Utah.  I love being surrounded by the mountains. 

I enjoy playing with friends, but most often my husband and I play together.  When we decide to go, we just get in the car and go.  We strive to play each Monday Night during the Summer, Spring and Fall.

Golfing is AWESOME!!!

Why..... Family Reunions?????

Friday, August 10, 2012

Why.... Family Reunions??????

We just returned  from the Flaming Gorge, Utah area where we spent Friday Night, Saturday and a half day  Sunday with (29) family members who came from Hawaii, Canada, Colorado, Texas and Utah just to spend a few days together. Why would people use their precious time and money to be together as a family for a weekend?

I know that years ago families would gather for an annual picnics, holidays,weddings and funerals. But normally they all lived in a closer proximity and it didn't take days of travel and lots of money to get together. 

As I have thought about the current time in which we now live, I am reminded that we truly do live in a "global world". Our family members live where their work takes them so their sense of home may not be rooted in a place, but in the larger family unit. Thus we have Family Reunions.  

It takes a lot of planning and preparation for a family reunion to occur.  One daughter who lived in Canada planned, organized, made assignments, and truly made our Family Reunion a happening event. Of course everyone did what they could to assist her as well.  

As each family member arrived at the campsite, it was truly beautiful to see each of them so excited to see each other and to be together. 

Some family members stayed at the campsite and camped while others with small children stayed in a condo or cabin but we were all together again.  A highlight of the trip is floating the Green River.  We made two 7 mile float trips down the river on Saturday.  There was lots of fun, and laughter. 

After it was over and we were driving home, a granddaughter who was riding in our car with us,  ask me what my favorite part of the reunion was.  I told her it was seeing the cousins all get together and reacquaint themselves together after not seeing each other for a year or more and also seeing the adults interacting and being kids again.  I also told her I enjoyed "running the river" with everyone on Saturday.

I think it is vitally important to get together as a family.  It shows the children,teenagers and  the adults that they are a part of something  bigger than just their immediate family.  It gives all who attend a sense of belonging to a large extended family that cares about them.  Each family member is different, but we can learn, appreciate and celebrate each others differences. 

Hiking the Watsatch Mountains

Sunday, May 20, 2012

There is something about being on a hiking trail in the mountains that is completely therapeutic to me. I enjoy the solitude, the scent of the mountain air, the sound of rushing water in the streams/rivers below, and just being so close to nature. There is satisfaction when I make it to the next curve in the trail, and a sense of accomplishment when I finally make it to my final destination. 

There is a beauty in hiking that you just can't find in looking at the view from the bottom of the mountain or from the top either, for that matter.  You have to be" in the mountains"to experience the serenity of it.  It is interesting too, being in the woods and feeling such peace, because if you look closely you will see it really is chaos.  There is fallen dead trees and leaves everywhere, which if that was in my yard at home, would not be peaceful at all.  I would have to clean it up. But here in the mountains, I don't see the chaos, I just enjoy being one with nature.   

Recently, my daughter Michelle and her husband Brad invited our family to go up Millcreek Canyon to enjoy a picnic by the stream with them.  My husband, Richard, wasn't able to join us as he had a prior appointment, so I rode up the canyon with Michelle, Brad and their dog Sadie.  We arrived at their desired campsite about 3:00 p.m.  I immediately wanted to go on a hike, but  Michelle and Brad wanted to relax around the camp area with Sadie.

 I decided to take the same trail that Michelle and Brad had hiked a few days before.  However, I took a wrong fork in the trail and ended up going on a completely different trail.  It was beautiful. Much of the hike was by a creek which was awesome.  I crossed over about three log bridges before starting a steeper climb.  I had decided to hike until 4:00 p.m. so I would be back by the time my other daughter Kim and her two children arrived.  What I didn't realize was that my watch was an hour slower than the original time.  So when I turned around to go back down the mountain it was 5:00 p.m instead of 4:00 p.m.  I figured it would take me about an hour to get down, which it did.  I arrived back at camp just a Kim and her children got there.  Michelle and Brad were starting to get worried about me.  Even if they would have started to look for me, they wouldn't have been able to find me, as I was on a different trail.

When hiking, it is imperative to let someone know exactly what trail you will be on, and when to expect you back.

This was my first hike in the mountain since we returned to Utah after being in Missouri for five years.  Richard and I used to hike in the summer every Friday Night after work.  I loved it.  Sometimes we would hike with friends, other times we hiked together, but I had never hiked alone before, so this was a new experience for me.  I found that I really enjoyed hiking, it fees  my soul. It gives me time for reflection, peace and solitude. 

I know I pushed "my limits" physically, as I returned to camp exhausted but exhilarated.  Then being able to sit around the campfire, breathing in that fresh mountain air, with several members of my family was such a joy.  I loved watching the two little ones roast their marshmallows as Uncle Brad showed them how to roast their marshmallows just perfectly (without burning them)  for their smores, was delightful. 

Michelle had prepared the food for the picnic with all the cut up fruit, chip, hot dog, etc.  It tasted delicious.  She and Brad have this camping and eating outside to a science.  You should have seen their car, loaded with every thing needed to make the experience for all of us enjoyable.

It was a memory building day, and I thank Michelle and Brad for inviting us to go with them.