Come to Zion, Come to Zion (Day One)

The Hastings invited me to spend part of their spring break with them at Zion National Park, and I was game. So on Wednesday, 23 March, we headed south in two cars (because they were going on to Arizona) and left Kris alone in a very quiet house. Our first stop was in Cedar City for lunch before entering Kolob Canyon in the northwest quadrant of the park. We continued on to Toquerville, La Verkin, Virgin, Rockville, and Springdale. We entered the park again through the south entrance and proceeded up the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, through the tunnel, and on to Checkerboard Mesa with a stop for a hike to the Canyon Overlook. A near mishap with the cars keys on a high ledge left us weak in the knees, but all else went swimmingly. A lovely walk from the Human History Museum toward the Visitor Center was spectacular because of the late afternoon sun back lighting the new spring green leaves of the trees along the Virgin River.

Lunch at Cafe Rio in Cedar City

Kolob Canyon on a cold and blustery day

Photos just can't do justice to the imense scale of these stone canyons

Tri-color landscape

Jolly band of travelers

I just can't pass this poser up

At the end of the trail you can see clear to Arizona

Sillies

These guys are well-seasoned treckers

On the trail to the Canyon Overlook

Tentative, acrophobic hiker

They never met a boulder they didn't like

View from the Canyon Overlook

It's hard for an acrophobe to pose here

I like to stay away from the edge

Checkerboard Mesa

This girl!

Group photo courtesy of a friendly tourist

Beautiful white cliffs

Towers of the Virgin on a beautiful spring afternoon

The Watchman through the spring green

Treckers

With my peeps


Looking at an arch way up on the cliff

On the banks of the Virgin River

We spent the night in the Inn at St. George, which was not to everyone's liking, but sufficient for our needs. We had a really good dinner at Cappeletti's near the Tabernacle and next to a second-hand clothing shop.  That shop later proved to be a boon to Lucy Jane. That's all for now, but stay tuned.

March Catch Up

March is always blessed with lots of birthdays, and everyday is blessed with a good walk. Apart from that, Anna was in town for her friend Jenette Smith Fennimore's surprise birthday celebration. Within just a few days, she was back with the kiddos for spring break (about which more in an upcoming post).

 Beautiful morning walk

 Another morning walk

 Max and Grammy

 Did I mention morning walks?

 This walk was with Anna

 Always more fun with company

 Auntie Anna visiting Evy

 An extra-special walk with 75% of my girlies

 Celebrating Lizzie's birthday at Sunday dinner

 Evelyn comes for the morning once a week

 South county on an early morning

 Zootopia with the Hastings kids

 Good people

These cute girlies took charge of Grammy's phone and made a
change to her wallpaper

 The whole family gathered on a Tuesday evening...

 While the Hastings were here 

The whole world turned out to caucus for Bernie

A very good month, so far, but that's all for now.

OXO

D.

Mesa in February

With Deb's flight being a day earlier than she thought, we got everything put together and left for Mesa on February 17. Because storms were forecast, we took the Las Vegas route and arrived without incident, having finished all the Undisclosed podcast en route. Chip and Sandy had dinner waiting and Grandmother seemed relatively well. We spent the rest of February caring for her and making sure she was well enough to continue on her own. We saw Maren and Gavin a couple of times, spent some good time with Matt and Kim as well as Chip and Sandy. There was a mini-Boynton reunion to celebrate Mark and Matt's shared birthday the Saturday before we returned to Provo. But most of the time Kris ministered to Grandmother while I walked, shopped, and cooked. The circumstances were hard, but the trip and visit were nice.

 Off on an adventure

 Arizona is heavenly in February

 It's great to be out and walking along the canal as the sun comes up

 Kim, Brigham, and Matt are here for a few weeks

 Take away from the Dragon Wok was not as delicious as when we

ate there on Grandmothers birthday

 Lots of citrus ripe for the plucking (and I did)

 Picking up a few things at the Mesa Kirkland Temple

 Kris applying her mad skills

 A sliver extraction with Grandad's jewelry goggles on Sunday evening

 Beck and Harry sharing a Danish-Modern classic chair

 Grandmother and the Youngs

 Grammy and the Youngs

 Brigham doing his best to keep his papa from napping

 With Chip for lunch at La Parilla Suiza

 Sunrise at Greenfield Park

 Chip and Sandy joined us for spaghetti and meat balls

 Explaining APPS and everything iPhone (including selfies) 

to Grandmother

 The orange blossoms on Grandmother's tree smell heavenly

 Matt explaining something to Tyler and Nicki

 Finn spin

 Grandmother, Grammy, and Harry David

 Finn shared the magic with Brigham

 Brittany and Chris at the mini reunion

We were concerned about leaving Grandmother, but she had made excellent progress. Treatments had virtually eliminated her pain and she was sleeping very well. She was feeling confident with her walker and all seemed to be well, so we returned to Provo on February 29. That's all for now.

OXO

D.