Weekly Wonders

A Mule Deer doe and her twins enjoying the south slope during warm weather. They look like kangaroos.

The color guard comes to show the scouts how to present the colors.

The cavalry gives the cubs some state history. Did you know that during Teddy Roosevelt's time, one of the cavalry's assignments was to keep the ranchers from grazing cows in Yellowstone Park?

Things I Resist

Who says I have no self discipline? There are plenty of things I am tempted to do, but I never have done them....yet. Here are a few:

• After going through the checkout at Costco, I am always tempted to run as fast as I can pushing my shopping cart. When the cart achieves maximum speed, I want to jump on top of it and fly through the doors.
• Covering my ears and loudly humming when a speaker won't wrap up his (usually a him) talk and runs sacrament meeting over.
• Doing pirouettes, leaps, and curtsying to the trees as I walk up a hiking trail.
• Offering the Kirby vacuum salemen the opportunity to kneel and kiss my ring.
• After hearing an annoying, preachy speaker, yelling, "Oh yeah? Make Me!"
• Gathering all the 7 and 8 year olds to do the Charleston with me as a half time show during Men's church ball.
• Billing the doctor for time I've spent in the waiting room.
• Throwing myself on the floor in the prayer position and yelling "Salami! Salami! Yes, master!" when I am being scolded.
• Diving in the middle of the clothes racks at the department store and yelling "It's got me! Help! Help!"
• Sticking out my tongue at a rude sale person.
• On a very windy day, putting on my ice skates and finding a big sheet of ice. Then unfurling a parachute to see if it will fill up with wind and pull me.

The Road to Eglantine's

I went to see Eglantine on Friday. These pictures give you an idea what the drive is like after the halfway point

Homesteads and shelter belts
Looking west to the mountains

Grain elevators galore

Pumping oil

River bluffs

Eglantine & Peanut.

Sourdough Pancakes & Starter

Starter:
1 tablespoon yeast
2 cups warm water
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar

Let stand in a glass container for 48 hours before using.

#1 Mix:
2 cups flour
2 cups milk
sourdough starter

#2
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs 2 tablespoons melted butter

Mix #1 together and leave at room temperature overnight. In the morning take out 1/2 cup starter and add the ingredients listed in #2. Let sit for ten minutes. Cook pancakes.

Family Resemblances

The Ugly Toes

Clothes Baskets can be hazardous to your toes. Dad stubbed his toe on a basket but didn't think anything about it. He noticed his toe pinched a little during the day. When he took off his sock that evening, his toe looked like it was suffering from toe abuse. The picture below shows you how it looks after two days. Hopefully, the blister will re-absorb someday.

In the Pep Club

As a high school student, I was deprived. My parents never once decorated my locker. On top of this deprivation, my parents never once made bus treats when I rode a school-chartered bus anywhere to do anything.

Parents in those days didn’t care about their kids. My parents had me convinced that putting a roof over my head, teaching me right and wrong, attending my school music and sports events, and tending to me when I was sick meant they cared. I was such a patsie. Good thing Mrs. Pepclub came along and set me straight. I ran into Mrs. Pepclub when she collared me in the school parking lot as I picked up my Freshman from her first day of High School.

“Your kid playing basketball?” she demanded as she planted her body, clad in school colors, in front of my car. I eyed the billy club she was swinging from one hand to the other and fearfully replied,
“Y…yes…”
“You’ve already missed three parent meetings. You better haul your fanny down to the school tonight to paint posters for the gym.”
“Posters?” I asked nervously. I vividly imagined Mrs. Pepclub covering me with a shotgun while I fought a losing battle with a paintbrush and wracked my brain to think up a clever jingle.
“Yeah! Parents need to support the basketball team! We need to show these kids we care about them! Each player needs her own poster in the gym.”
“But I paid for three different basketball camps. I drove 500 miles and stayed for a week in a town where they don’t even speak English so my kid could go to a good basketball camp. We mounted a basketball hoop to the top of my china closet! I swear, I care about my kids!”
“Hmmph!” She snorted, “Parents who TRULY care about their kids paint posters for the gym. Be there!”

After making out my will, I left for the school. I met up with the other caring parents in the school cafeteria where we stared blankly at the poster paper and tempera paints. This situation was desperate. Three year olds jeer when I draw stick figures. I consider the Sunday funnies inspirational reading. Shuddering, I picked up a brush and started. I painted my daughter’s name in red with letters two feet high. But my clever sayings repository was empty. Then, inspiration hit. I scribed the slogan “Give a hoot! Don’t pollute!” I’d seen these wise words on a small sign in my best friend’s bathroom next to a can of air freshener. After attempting to draw a few decorative basketballs that ended up looking like pizzas run over by a road grader, I was finished. Another caring parent had finished another caring poster job.

The other day, the kids told me the high school doesn’t allow the parents to hang posters in the gym anymore. Just when I was getting the hang of being a caring parent.