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.

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!

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.

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...

Fall Flowers by my door

I thought I needed a change of pace..We still have some of these flowers lingering. The snow has come and gone. I am reading Harriet Beecher Stowe, and my admiration for her work in her time grows. Women, in that time, were not allowed to speak in public...it wasn't womanly. The attitudes toward slavery, toward women not having a strong voice are slow in changing, but they have changed and are changing.
Having President Obama speaking daily, weathering criticism, running our country
changes the way everyone in the country thinks. We will eventually have a woman president as well. I wonder how I, sitting in my little town in Southern Utah, can evoke change, calm the violence of others. Panguitch just elected a woman as mayor. She ran and won before. She is back in. Women are being elected all over the country. Hispanics win. Blacks win.. Our country is being run by the many people who live here. We are represented "by the people" in many positive ways.
I vote. I will offer an opinion. What more can I do???

John D. Lee Home

This picture was taken in 1935
of the old John D. Lee home,
but no one seems to know just
where it was,
what happened to it,
if someone built on top of it,
or if this is really it.

Why do I want to know?
I wanted to add it
as a special interest story
to my book.
Lee was the only man
punished for the Mountain
Meadow Massacre and was
captured in Panguitch,
I want to be accurate.
Every story I've heard
seems not quite right.

That's what happens to History
as people speak from their
own memories and place in time
and so much contradicts
someone else's view.
I look for a date,
written information to
verify a story.
and try finding facts.

So I have a house...
Whose house?
Where did it go?
Does someone remember???

Kate's Picture

I was surprised to see
this picture of LaRae's
up on Katie's wall...
I didn't know she did sheep
but isn't that like her
to look at two sides of
any issue?
She studied the off sides
of viewpoints on
religion, politics or human rights.
She admired the rebel.
She understood that point of view
and allowed discussion.
She went off to check out
the gay world with Richard,
the spirits with Gerry,
those medium workshops with LaRena,
Women Rights with advocates,
always testing each point of view.
She could see the point of sheep
as well as cattle
and why they hated each other.
She was a woman who seemed
to know all sides...
or always left the door open.

Veteran's Day

I am trying to add an image..all the information was on my post, not the picture.
Then the picture came, so will they appear together? I don't know.
I'm trying it out.
I made this poster to
give to the Reynolds,
after getting exact dates
about grandfather/great-grandfather's
career in the Black Hawk War.
I think of our Veterans
overseas, fighting for their lives,
fighting for us, and am
touched by their brave lives.
Veterans give me freedom,
give me hope,
touch my heart,
risking their lives.
Panguitch Elementary
gave a tribute to Veterans
as children do all over
the USA.

At the very bottom, where you can't read
is 58 years/10 months in the military
total for the Reynolds' family.

Kreative Blogger Award

I got this award, with instructions.
I am trying to follow
what I was told and post.
I am getting the idea
and now have a new gaget
on my blog.
Maybe I can add pictures too!
Awards are fine!
Thanks.

BRIGADOON

I went to see this musical
put on by high school students
and my granddaughter.
She had a backup part,
smiled like she was having a ball
and sang her heart out.
I was surprised to find
I loved this story of Brigadoon,
a town that, when it appears the
next day to them, it is 100 years
later. Each day is 100 years apart.
People can stay only if they love enough.
The story is of two young lovers,
one from the modern world,
the other born in the 1700's
and how they fell enough in love to
be with one another.
It is a magical play
set in Scotland and filled
with bagpipes and Scottish flings,
a bit of a brouge,
and wonderful singing.
Very well done for a high school
performance.
I loved seeing Shayna moving
through her part.
It wasn't long ago that I
saw a tv special explaining
how an opera works...
How the parts are written
and parts are won because
you can sing sophrano, alto,
tenor or baritone.
Shayna is a Junior now
so in another year will be
moving on...
I hope she gathers all the
experiences she can that she does
just for the fun of it.

HIDDEN LAKE

Glade and Darlene stopped by
on their way to Kanab and
up Johnson Canyon to Cannonville
in their new Jeep Renegade.
I jumped in with them,
going on the trip I
planned for three years.
We found Hidden Lake
just north of Glendale.
Off the road, up a small hill
we were let in by the owners to
drive right to the Lake.
Hidden Lake is from, they say,
a volcano...the Indians said "No bottom",
but it has been measured since
at 87 feet deep..and fed by
three springs.
The owner put in 400 fish.
They were all dead by morning.
When a resort, in times past,
a dancehall was on its shore.
It was a first for all of us.
None of us had seen Hidden Lake.
We went to Kanab
on up Johnson Canyon
and finally over the
rough stretch to Cannonville.
Did you know that Deer Spring Ranch
is a hugh working ranch midway
between Johnson Canyon and Cannonville?
And that there is a dirt air strip
out in the middle of nowhere?
Bull Valley Gorge is still
nerve-wracking to peer into
or drive over.
Glade hit a pot hole and
shredded a tire, so we
did not make this trip
unscathed.
His jeep purchase
was a day old.
Three men from Tropic
helped change it and
get us back on the road.
We visited Bea in Cannonville
and came on home.
A great trip!
I would have been happy just
finding Hidden Lake, but
going over a new (for me) road
through the Monument
made it an unforgetable day.

ranch called Deer Spring ranch