A Visit To Sun Valley

Bob and I just returned from a week in Sun Valley, Idaho, as part of a retreat sponsored by the Utah Bankers Association. I had been there once before shortly after we were married, but we must have been driving through to get somewhere else, because I certainly had a different take on it this time.

What a beautiful place it is. I honestly didn't want to come home. This place almost rivaled my other perfect spot for R&R, Dana Point, California, on the Pacific coast. Could two places be more different? Yet, in Sun Valley, I found the peace I am always guaranteed at the beach.

Sun Valley is gorgeous, with multitudes of pine trees, streams, wild and domestic flowers, tourists and snowbirds nestled in a valley surrounded by exquisite hills. Amid all this natural beauty, there are things to do, places to go. There is an opera house that is always in performance mode, and right now a beautiful outdoor amphitheater is being built for other venues. There are day camps for kids. Loads of eclectic and family restaurants. Souvenir shops. There are hiking and biking trails, and ski runs (chair lifts for the summer views). For those who want to stay awhile, there are various options for accommodations. Two large upscale lodges sport young men in prom attire to open doors and handle baggage for the guests. We, however, opted for a condo, nestled away from the hustle and bustle of a continual stream of arriving tourists. In the pictures I've posted, it's difficult to see the many condos that dot the area. The amount of foliage makes it seem so private.

I had the cutest little maid, who was very accommodating and obviously enjoyed her work. I wanted to take her home with me! She was a very lovely young lady who made me feel extremely pampered. Her family is Latino, but they have lived in Hailey since she was born. I was pleasantly surprised when she let me practice my very lame Spanish with her. We both dissolved into giggles when I pulled out that most important of all phrases that I learned at some point during my 36 hours of college Spanish. It roughly translates to, "In the country, you can fish and ride a horse." Yep, that's one fact you definitely need to know if you are trying to communicate in Spanish.

Sun Valley provided the best of both worlds. We could hang with the tourists in the towns of Hailey or Ketchum, dedicated to Ernest Hemingway, who did much of his writing there, or we could take advantage of alone time in our condo, which was situated to make us feel we were the only guests. I don't think I've slept like I did there for over a year. I spent some much-needed time practicing with my new camera. I took at least 100 photos! But the absolutely hands-down best part of the week was having my sweet hubby all to myself, except for an occasional meeting he needed to attend. It was a lovely time.

Bloomin' Tuesday

There a few things you can count on if you live in Utah. One is that the sun will rise, secondly, the sun will set, and thirdly, petunias will fill any space with glorious beauty. Petunias are a mainstay for those of us who, after 4 or 5 months of white stuff on our lovely brown lawns, begin to shake our fists at the sky and demand, "We must have color!"

Attempts at other, more sophisticated blooms may fail us because of the temperatures of early spring. But petunias are genuinely excited to signal that warmer weather is on the way. They like to encourage their more timid neighbors with a "Steady as you go, mate"--sentries for a few more weeks.

Since we had such a wet spring this year, our petunias are particularly lovely. Pictured below are two of my whiskey barrels filled with as many of the small bedding plants as my hubby could stuff. Two tricks for an overflowing container: plant them very close together, and plant them deep. They don't mind the cold; just keep them wet, and they're on their way!

Safe and Sound

First of all, let me say that I have finally learned the love (not quite yet the art) of blogging! After a rather rocky start, and gentle nudges from friends and family, I jumped into the process, much like I jumped off a 20-foot diving board for the first time. But I can truthfully say that after several bumps and bruises, I am hooked! I already have a long list of reasons why I am finding blogging to be a totally positive thing.

I won't share my list with you. I'm sure you all have your own. But I wanted to make it clear how I feel about blogging before I get to the reason for this particular post: Safety and privacy issues.

A friend of mine recently posted the following on her blog: I've noticed as I hop from blog to blog that some users are giving more information about me than I am comfortable with. I understand the desire to link to other blogs (I do it myself), but I have been troubled as I have seen, on someone else’s blog, my own first and last names, as well as the occasional background info ("friend from high school" or "old neighbor") next to my name. While this could very well just be spam, for me it is disconcerting. This is too much information. For my blood, anyway. And so I ask you, my friends, family and blog fans, if you choose to link my blog from yours (and I thank you very much for the compliment that it is that you refer your own friends, family and/or blog fans to mine), would you please use only my first name, and, better yet, the blog name?

Thanks for the heads-up, Laurie, and to several other friends who have addressed this issue. Here are a couple of links that give some good info on blogging smarts. From Wikipedia, click here, and from a Blogging Mommies site, click here. I urge you to take a few minutes to read them.

It’s always good to be reminded to be careful and smart whenever we use the amazing Internet. I, along with Laurie, would ask that if you wish to add our blog link to your list of favorites (and I also thank you for the compliment that implies), please use the blog name, “Monologuing”, or at least use only our first names to list the link.

Thanks a million, and happy blogging!

Music, Fireworks, and Freedom

Do you receive those “Get to Know Your Friend” questionnaires in your e-mail? I get quite a few, and I usually play along. I like knowing little tidbits of information about my friends that I didn’t know before, and which I can use against them later. :-) Two questions show up fairly often, and I usually feel the need to explain my answers.

Question #1: “Do you consider yourself political?” I can’t answer a “yes” or a “no” to this, because to do so might imply something that isn’t true about me. The problem is, my personal and political values are very tightly entwined. Every “political” question that I ponder is ultimately answered by the core values by which I try to live. I can’t separate the two. If the question were worded this way, “Are you politically active?” then the answer is simple. This answer lies in actions I take about what I believe. And I either do take action, or I don’t. Piece o’ cake.

Question #2: “What is your favorite holiday?” Without question, my answer is the 4th of July. Some of my closest friends are shocked by this. I mean, who wouldn't choose Christmas? Well, me. While I love Christmas with a frenzied passion, if I have to choose just one holiday, it has to be the day when I roll out my CD’s of the Boston Pops doing Sousa marches and the Tabernacle Choir singing rousing patriotic songs with undisputed perfection, the day when I watch celebratory parades that usually include a contingent of seasoned veterans who are still with us. I stand and put my hands together for every line in their faces, every hesitating, difficult step they take. This is the day I visit the city’s war memorials in our local cemetery, a truly hallowed place, and display our flag on the home we live in, joining everyone else in the neighborhood, feeling a common brotherhood like none other.

All of this I do with love and pride and a particular lump in my throat. I love America. I consider living within her borders to be one of the greatest blessings in my life. I love continuing to learn about the Founders, men who were imperfect but the very best available, and when I read of the sacrifices they KNEW they would have to make, even the giving of their lives if they affixed their names to documents that would bring our country to fruition, I am overwhelmed with gratitude.
And so, on the 4th of July, we celebrate! Family barbecues, a few innings of America’s pastime, fireworks, marching bands. A long summer night of freedom to ponder our good fortune. Every year, it's the best day ever!

Happy Birthday, Jennifer!

Sunrise, Sunset

THEN:

NOW:

I admit it. It's true. We're all feeling a little Scott-deprived these days. I'm not quite sure why, because he's been away 18 months. One would think his absence would become more normal, not less. But recently, especially when the whole family is together, there's a tangible, empty spot. The odd thing is that, lately, one of us, out of the blue, will usually verbalize it.

Perhaps we're subconsciously "counting down", though I don't really sense that. In any case, this one's for Elder Scottly or, more accurately, for us. If you'd like to know what he's been doing, click on the right panel link, "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon)."

Remember the first picture, girls? For my blogger friends, in the second photo he's the one in the suit. And yes, although the two young men he's with are a little on the short side, Scott is tall. Very tall. About 6'4" at last calculation. And we're unabashedly missing every inch of him.

Wisdom From Mom

1975

My mother has always had wisdom on the tip of her tongue. She's one of those people who continues to learn, to self-educate, to ponder, and will do so as long as she is able.

I was visiting with her the other day, and we were talking about wealth, of all things, and the tremendous times in which we live, when so much of the earth's material goods are available to us. She lived through the Great Depression, while working in the banking business, so I'd say she's sort of an expert on the subject. We talked about that period of time in her life for a few minutes. Then, she said, "You know, Judy, when I was young, you could tell who had money and who didn't by the size of their house, their cars, the trinkets they possessed. Today, though, people can have the very best of all these things and be buckling under a load of debt.

It's difficult to tell the difference now."

She wasn't judging. She was teaching. And it gave me something to think about. On so many levels. Thanks yet again, Mom.

Bloomin' Tuesday

My apologies to all Bloomin' Tuesday bloggers who perhaps checked my blog for something really beautiful this week. I'm new at this, and apparently there's more to the procedure of posting via Mr. Linky than I anticipated. I'm out of Tuesday! Next week, I'll get going earlier and will have something ready to go way ahead of the deadline.

If you want to refer to a post of mine entitled "Rain in the Desert" (scroll down just a tad), you'll see in a general way what beauty all the rain has brought to our neck of the woods. As Suzanne has said, it isn't easy keeping a beautiful flower growing with the harsh winters both Colorado and Utah have. It's sort of like starting all over each spring. But when one peeps through, it's delightful!

What's in a Game?

Brandon, 8

Luke, 4

Trevor, 3 months

I’ve been a negligent blogger this week. I’ve been lying low, “riding the crest of a wave”, so to speak. If you totally get what I mean, you must really know me. Anyway, I decided to steal some pictures from my daughter’s blog and then monologue for one or two lines.

Pictured above are my three grandchildren, all boys, watching their Dad play Ultimate Frisbee last night. Their mother made this comment on her blog about the evening: “We just hung out, watched the guys run around, enjoyed the stunning view and the beeeeautiful weather. THIS is why I love living here. The evenings are divine!”

I agree with Jennifer that the evenings around here these days are to die for. But honestly, three of the reasons I LOVE living here are pictured in the photos above. They’ve been away too far too long.

Lovin' Life--The Tall One

Lovin' Life--The Small One

Rain in The Desert

Last Sunday, I grabbed my camera and wandered around outside to practice with it. I've been a little tentative with this camera, because it has lots of whistles and bells, and I'm a simple kind of girl. But that day, I decided to throw caution to the wind and do some shooting. While I was sizing up things to photograph, I was suddenly caught in a moment of awe as I recognized how the extra rain we've had this spring has been imprinted on all things green and beautiful. The phrase "blossom as a rose" came to mind. Here are a just a few images I captured.

Do you think that if we didn't have such harsh winters, we'd appreciate this kind of beauty so much? Hard to say. Thanks for the inspiration, Suzanne-from-the-other-side-of-the-Rockies!

Bob's a . . . *drum roll, please* . . .CORVETTE!

According to the sports car quiz, I'm "a classic--powerful, athletic, and competitive. I'm all about winning the race and getting the job done. While I have a practical everyday side, I get wild when anyone pushes my pedal. I hate to lose, but I hardly ever do." And may I add, I'm American-made, of course!

Judy's a Lotus Elise! A Whatus?

According to the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz, I "believe in maximum performance and minimum baggage. I like to travel light and fast, hit the corners hard, and dance like there's no tomorrow." Yep. I'd have to say that's pretty much me. But where's my Mustang?

I've Been Tagged!

Suzanne, Bob's lovely, joyful cousin, at Just Another Hangup, has tagged me! Sounds like great fun! The rules of the game are posted at the beginning of each post. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 4 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answers.

A) WHAT WAS I DOING 10 YEARS AGO?

Since I can hardly remember what I did yesterday, this is a toughie. However, after sitting at the computer and pondering for just a mo, I remember that about ten years ago I was finally getting used to having our oldest daughter married, and was continuing my recovery from those frenzied days of her wedding during the Christmas holidays. I think what may have sent me over the edge was the drive from SLC to Denver in a blinding, history-making snowstorm on the plains of Wyoming. In desperation, we followed behind a huge snow plow, as I-80 was literally shut down behind us by the WHP. We made this trek in order to arrive at the groom's home town for a second reception. Sometime during May or June, I began to notice feeling returning to my fingers. Still love you, Jenni and Matt.

B) WHAT ARE FIVE THINGS ON MY "TO DO" LIST TODAY?

1. Get out of bed, pad into the exercise room, and complete my 15 minutes on the treadmill before I wake up and realize what I'm doing.
2. Set up the DVR to record today's Oakland Athletics baseball game for Bob to skim through later if he has time. Watching daily baseball games became a habit for both Bob and me all through last year's season and was probably the only thing that kept us afloat as Bob lay in bed recuperating from his accident and I seemed to need a reason to be near him, just to make sure he kept breathing. This year, I renewed our MLB "prescription" as a birthday gift for him. Watching a little baseball, and the Oakland A's in particular, is absolutely the only thing that forces him to rest for a while. And this year, he still needs to do some of that.
3. Decide whether to wash a batch or two of laundry,

or just watch it multiply.
4. Write a letter to our son, who is serving a two-year mission for our Church. He sounds a little overloaded with responsibilities right now, and since last week's letter to him had a bit of unsettling news in it, I'm going to send him cookies this week. He says cookies fix everything.
5. Talk to Boey with extra kindness for a minute or two. He's our Beagle, who, if my math is correct, is 112 years old in dog years. We thought we were losing him just this last week, and it is amazing to me that I, who really didn't want a dog and capitulated to the pleadings of a four-year-old son ONLY if we bought an outside dog, can overload my tear ducts at the mere thought of not having this canine friend around any longer.

C) SNACKS I ENJOY

1. Licorice. I like to buy the two-pound bag with red and black . There's nothing like a soft bed, a good movie, and a bag of licorice.
2. Chex Snack Mix. Whenever I overdo on sugar, I have to counteract it with something salty and a little spicy. There's nothing like a soft bed, a good movie, and a bag of Chex Snack Mix.
3. M & M's. You gotta love that candy shell with chocolate inside. There's nothing like a soft bed, a good movie, and a bag of M & M's.
4. Cheetos. The skinny, crispy kind. I've recently gotten into the white cheddar variety. There's nothing like a soft bed, a good movie, a bag of Cheetos and a hundred paper towels.
P.S. If you come to visit us, and we offer you our soft master bed and a movie, opt for the guest room. Although, rest assured, I keep Tide in business.

D) THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WERE A BILLIONAIRE

This is going to sound, oh, I don't know, sappy. But this is my answer.

1. I've always wanted to have enough money that when I notice individuals who need a "hand up" I could anonymously slip them some crisp bills that would not only give them hope, but enough of a boost to get going again. The list of people who would fit into this category is endless, and, boy, would I love every minute of it.
2. Another thing I'd like to be able to do is round up our children and grandchildren, other family members I love, and anyone who wants to be in my family, whenever the urge might hit. We'd plan and carry out wonderful get-togethers and do whatever we wanted to do, costs being no consideration. A nod to Dr. Seuss here: "Oh the things we would do! Oh, the things we would see!" The key word, however, is together. I have learned in the last little while that together is EVERYTHING.
3. Obviously, if I were a billionaire, the opportunities for service would be available to me in thousands of ways. As a gift to myself, though, I'd buy the Steinway grand piano I've always wanted, without retiring my beautiful Yamaha console piano, which we bought instead of furniture, our first major purchase as a married couple. You'd have to pry that baby from my cold, dead hands before I'd relinquish the love and the memories it represents.

E) PLACES I HAVE LIVED

1. Springville, UT
2. Murray, UT
3. Provo, UT
4. Shelley, ID
5. Blackfoot, ID
6. Soda Springs, ID
7. Sandy, UT
8. Salem, UT
9. A hundred other places, due to the gift of good books

And I am tagging:

Joanna at Headlines and Happenings
Keri at Mark & Keri Minson

Marsha at Steve and Marsha

April at April's Blog