I love music for the holidays.
The Children's Program the
grandkids do complete with Santa
is always a treat.
Drew said he knows two songs..
I'll make them sing for me
since I can't make it as
its on the same day I am
going to hear Logan play the sax
in the Christmas Band concert.
Shayna is part of a special choir
at her school and I do want to
make time for that.
She sings all year.
Garret plays his rock guitar.
I do hope my grandkids in
Washington State
are singing...
and I think I'll listen
to Susan Boyle..her voice
has wonderful tones.
The world agrees.
Christmas is the time
for music...
music throughout the world.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Reindeer
The Christmas Holidays are here.
I want to share our small town's
most creative builder of paper mache..
all the reindeer, Santa, snowmen,
and sled are hand made by Alana.
Halloween she does huge spooks,
and monsters hanging around her house...
or at least did while her children was home.
She has done the whole Alice in Wonderland,
Dorthy and the Wizard of Oz and other
remarkable sets for the junior prom.
She did a whole band that moved and
played for the Bobettes, a marching group
at school for their competition performance.
She has made our town richer by her
creative mind and artistic ability.
Much of her work is long gone.
I hope she took pictures!
I want to share one picture and dedicate
this blog to the creative and talented
who do their work for the rest of us.
For Raymond Shurtz in Austin, Texas
doing his one man show, Bohemian Cowboy.
for our holiday pleasure,
and to all those who do so much for others.
I want to share our small town's
most creative builder of paper mache..
all the reindeer, Santa, snowmen,
and sled are hand made by Alana.
Halloween she does huge spooks,
and monsters hanging around her house...
or at least did while her children was home.
She has done the whole Alice in Wonderland,
Dorthy and the Wizard of Oz and other
remarkable sets for the junior prom.
She did a whole band that moved and
played for the Bobettes, a marching group
at school for their competition performance.
She has made our town richer by her
creative mind and artistic ability.
Much of her work is long gone.
I hope she took pictures!
I want to share one picture and dedicate
this blog to the creative and talented
who do their work for the rest of us.
For Raymond Shurtz in Austin, Texas
doing his one man show, Bohemian Cowboy.
for our holiday pleasure,
and to all those who do so much for others.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Desert Bighorn at Zion's
I loved this picture Jason took when they went to Zion's Canyon through the tunnels. This picture is for the men that happen by as they do love wild life.
ZION'S CANYON
When my kids were little,
you could still stop inside the
tunnel, park, and feed
the overweight squirrels.
Now you drive straight through.
But the Canyon still exists
in all it's wild beauty.
The Great White Throne is
amazing in its size and majesty.
Angel Landing Trail
took another life
over the holidays.
There is always danger
when climbing such heights,
walking on the edge of
high peaks.
Mala just went to Emerald
Trail..a safe and beautiful
walk for kids.
Deer are company
at Zion's Canyon.
Everyone tells you to
watch for Desert Bighorn...
like these...
so seldom seen...
standing on the edge of cliffs.
ZION'S CANYON
When my kids were little,
you could still stop inside the
tunnel, park, and feed
the overweight squirrels.
Now you drive straight through.
But the Canyon still exists
in all it's wild beauty.
The Great White Throne is
amazing in its size and majesty.
Angel Landing Trail
took another life
over the holidays.
There is always danger
when climbing such heights,
walking on the edge of
high peaks.
Mala just went to Emerald
Trail..a safe and beautiful
walk for kids.
Deer are company
at Zion's Canyon.
Everyone tells you to
watch for Desert Bighorn...
like these...
so seldom seen...
standing on the edge of cliffs.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Massacre
This in a new book out on the Mountain Meadow Massacre in Utah. I have been trying to find information on John D. Lee in Panguitch and decided to read about this terrible incident in Morman History written by Walker, Turley, and Leonard.
This book is so well documented down to what was said, who was in charge, the fear and upset at the time, and what moves were made that I can't help but be impressed.
The people involved were carefully followed through historical information, assignments in the church, and the reasons that were made.
Juanita Brooks was the first historian to write about the Massacre. She published Mountain Meadow Massacre and John D. Lee, as well as Lee's Diaries.
I refer you to her as first. She summed up the event, and is quoted in this book published 2008, "Exaggeration, misrepresentation, ungrounded fears, unreasoing hate, desire for revenge, yes even the lust for the property of the emigrants, all combined to give justification which, once the crime was done, looked inadequate and flimsy indeed." Who could say it better?
I was fascinated by the mindset of those who advocated and ordered the massacre once the thought was put into motion. Some objected and went along. Some objected and didn't go along. Some protested loudly, but didn't stop what happened. Killing became the way to go. So at what point do people move into violence that will follow them the rest of their lives? When do murderers decide to murder..rapist decide to rape? We had over the holidays a family member turn rapist against a child...also in the family. What caused that action to take over? All of us are
aware of how drinking and drugs can lead to violence, but when do those that do violence decide it is the way to go? Abortion is the act of killing our children, so when does that become okay? There are those that will kill the abortionist...when does that become okay? We have those that are saying abortion and marriage (gay or not) are constitutional rights. We have increasing gang killings. What happens when killing is the way to go? Have we become a nation of Killers?
Mormans will always live with that massacre as part of their religion. 120 men, women and children killed in an act of deceit. Terrible.
Killing might not be good to bring up as part of the Holiday Spirit...but then, neither is rape. People act. And we all react.
This book is so well documented down to what was said, who was in charge, the fear and upset at the time, and what moves were made that I can't help but be impressed.
The people involved were carefully followed through historical information, assignments in the church, and the reasons that were made.
Juanita Brooks was the first historian to write about the Massacre. She published Mountain Meadow Massacre and John D. Lee, as well as Lee's Diaries.
I refer you to her as first. She summed up the event, and is quoted in this book published 2008, "Exaggeration, misrepresentation, ungrounded fears, unreasoing hate, desire for revenge, yes even the lust for the property of the emigrants, all combined to give justification which, once the crime was done, looked inadequate and flimsy indeed." Who could say it better?
I was fascinated by the mindset of those who advocated and ordered the massacre once the thought was put into motion. Some objected and went along. Some objected and didn't go along. Some protested loudly, but didn't stop what happened. Killing became the way to go. So at what point do people move into violence that will follow them the rest of their lives? When do murderers decide to murder..rapist decide to rape? We had over the holidays a family member turn rapist against a child...also in the family. What caused that action to take over? All of us are
aware of how drinking and drugs can lead to violence, but when do those that do violence decide it is the way to go? Abortion is the act of killing our children, so when does that become okay? There are those that will kill the abortionist...when does that become okay? We have those that are saying abortion and marriage (gay or not) are constitutional rights. We have increasing gang killings. What happens when killing is the way to go? Have we become a nation of Killers?
Mormans will always live with that massacre as part of their religion. 120 men, women and children killed in an act of deceit. Terrible.
Killing might not be good to bring up as part of the Holiday Spirit...but then, neither is rape. People act. And we all react.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
MIRRORED TURKEY
I am a mirrored turkey,
Part here. Part not.
Sometimes a splendid grandma,
Or not.
My children have flown the coop
and left me tottering along
I think of their dear little faces...
their dear grown up faces
so responsible
and caring so well
for my grandchildren.
So from Grandma's House
(not filled with cakes and pies)
I reach out from
my real self...
The REAL TURKEY
gobbling all about love
and wonderful family
here with Tom Turkey
doing the same.
The mirrored one?
Are we both part real?
OR...
A couple of turkeys
HANGING OUT!
Part here. Part not.
Sometimes a splendid grandma,
Or not.
My children have flown the coop
and left me tottering along
I think of their dear little faces...
their dear grown up faces
so responsible
and caring so well
for my grandchildren.
So from Grandma's House
(not filled with cakes and pies)
I reach out from
my real self...
The REAL TURKEY
gobbling all about love
and wonderful family
here with Tom Turkey
doing the same.
The mirrored one?
Are we both part real?
OR...
A couple of turkeys
HANGING OUT!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Grandma Wilson
Grandpa and Grandma moved. They moved to get training. They moved to Work. They moved to come 'home' to Boulder. Grandpa didn't stay long in any one place while teaching. I remember their home in Boulder. They moved to Salt Lake. In 1944,
they sold out in Boulder and moved to Bear Lake Hot Springs. We visited there and went swimming with Grandma in the warm water. They moved back to Salt Lake...and I do remember having dinner with old aunts and uncles or family, but it didn't seem like a holiday. So I can't say much about Thanksgiving with the Wilsons.
Grandma was so kind and always interested in whatever problem arose. She would sit down and talk at the kitchen table and have a 'little hot drink' (water and lemon). She was sickly and would talk about her headaches. Her hair hung for years below her waist. Mother and Aunt Vesta finally talked her into cutting it short and she was amazed that her headaches went away. Grandpa loved her long hair.
When I got engaged to Tom, she was the only one that acted pleased as punch. Of course she gave me lessons on morality (her thing), what to do, and how to behave, but I was grateful for her support. She was always glad to see us both walk in her door.
Grandma was a saver..beneath the garage was an open space where she stored all the bits of wrapping paper, hundreds of ribbons, cards, everything. I was send down to bring up 'just some colored paper and a ribbon or two.' When Grandma died, she had every card every sent her stored away. We saved some of the old homemade ones that looked like lace and roses. Oh yes, she dried many flowers and would add them to special notes. Many plants she turned into tea. I drank rose and mint teas with her. She would add honey for health purposes. Grandma was a midwife, nurse, and teacher..and she would always give advice.
I remember her, not for the holidays, but for her presence in my life.
they sold out in Boulder and moved to Bear Lake Hot Springs. We visited there and went swimming with Grandma in the warm water. They moved back to Salt Lake...and I do remember having dinner with old aunts and uncles or family, but it didn't seem like a holiday. So I can't say much about Thanksgiving with the Wilsons.
Grandma was so kind and always interested in whatever problem arose. She would sit down and talk at the kitchen table and have a 'little hot drink' (water and lemon). She was sickly and would talk about her headaches. Her hair hung for years below her waist. Mother and Aunt Vesta finally talked her into cutting it short and she was amazed that her headaches went away. Grandpa loved her long hair.
When I got engaged to Tom, she was the only one that acted pleased as punch. Of course she gave me lessons on morality (her thing), what to do, and how to behave, but I was grateful for her support. She was always glad to see us both walk in her door.
Grandma was a saver..beneath the garage was an open space where she stored all the bits of wrapping paper, hundreds of ribbons, cards, everything. I was send down to bring up 'just some colored paper and a ribbon or two.' When Grandma died, she had every card every sent her stored away. We saved some of the old homemade ones that looked like lace and roses. Oh yes, she dried many flowers and would add them to special notes. Many plants she turned into tea. I drank rose and mint teas with her. She would add honey for health purposes. Grandma was a midwife, nurse, and teacher..and she would always give advice.
I remember her, not for the holidays, but for her presence in my life.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Grandma King
I have spent some time trying to learn how to cut Grandpa out of the picture, but it didn't work. Just look at Grandma!
I have been trying to remember
Thanksgiving and going to Grandma's
for Dinner. I don't remember
too well the actual dinner and
who was there.
What I do remember is the making of
suet pudding in a coffee can long before
Thanksgiving,putting it away, then making
the sauce before dinner.
I remember the turkey stuffed with dressing
sitting on the old black cookstove
and thinking that it was so big,
we would all have all we wanted to eat.
The big kettle, sometimes two, full of
potatoes to be mashed to lightness with
real butter and thick cream.
The pumpkin pies served with real whipped cream.
Mother wanted Elderberry that she
walked in the mountains to pick..
or pecon pie, but I wanted only pumpkin.
No cake. No cookies. Pumpkin Pie.
There were little bowls of relish,
cranberry jelly, pickled beats,
cooked carrots and green beans with bacon.
Grandma ran the kids from under her feet.
"Go outside. You are in the way."
We would go, but soon be peeking back
inside.
The men ate first with the women if there was room...
and then the kids could crowd the table and
eat everything! We thought we did.
I had pumpkin pie...but later
Grandma would dish us a spoon of suet pudding
with dressing. We were special.
We all got to share.
Thanksgiving with Grandma King...
I have been trying to remember
Thanksgiving and going to Grandma's
for Dinner. I don't remember
too well the actual dinner and
who was there.
What I do remember is the making of
suet pudding in a coffee can long before
Thanksgiving,putting it away, then making
the sauce before dinner.
I remember the turkey stuffed with dressing
sitting on the old black cookstove
and thinking that it was so big,
we would all have all we wanted to eat.
The big kettle, sometimes two, full of
potatoes to be mashed to lightness with
real butter and thick cream.
The pumpkin pies served with real whipped cream.
Mother wanted Elderberry that she
walked in the mountains to pick..
or pecon pie, but I wanted only pumpkin.
No cake. No cookies. Pumpkin Pie.
There were little bowls of relish,
cranberry jelly, pickled beats,
cooked carrots and green beans with bacon.
Grandma ran the kids from under her feet.
"Go outside. You are in the way."
We would go, but soon be peeking back
inside.
The men ate first with the women if there was room...
and then the kids could crowd the table and
eat everything! We thought we did.
I had pumpkin pie...but later
Grandma would dish us a spoon of suet pudding
with dressing. We were special.
We all got to share.
Thanksgiving with Grandma King...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
