Guided Fishing Trip

I was going to tell you about our two floats on the Blackfoot river last weekend (eat your heart out), but I forgot my camera. A post is so much more fun with pictures. Instead this post is about my guided fishing trip. This trip was a birthday present from Wilbur, so it was originally supposed to be on my birthday. But since it snowed on my birthday, we rescheduled to July 14. Thank heaven! My friend Eloise came since Wilbur had to work. I got the idea he didn't want to come anyway.

Wilbur contracted with really nice man from church who is a professional guide and outfitter. I was pessimistic about catching anything because I usually don't. Well, Eloise and I caught at least 6 or so fish each. While we didn't get to keep the fish (code of the guides, I guess), we did get to keep the pictures we took of them. Most of the fish we caught were 17 inches long. I caught two 20 inchers. This was so cool. I learned so much: how to land a fish, improve my casting, feel when I have a bite, and "mend" the line. I also learned I have a tendency to daydream and miss that I have bite which would account for me not catching anything. I had a completely wonderful time.

The first fish I caught.

Eloise caught the first fish of the day.

This was a 22 incher I caught. I didn't like to only have a picture of a fish, so my compadres are in the picture.

The Fourth

We came down from the mountains and crossed the prairie to visit Eglantine, Boris, and Peanut for the fourth of July.

Grandpa and peanut found a game they both loved to play.

Eglantine, Hermione, and Peanut all love music. Eglantine has a beautiful piano we had not seen yet.

Boris had to work, so we only were able to see him for an hour. We were glad to see him, though. When it came time to go, some old lady that hung around with us on the fourth accidentally locked the truck where Wilbur habitually keeps his keys. Fortunately, Wilbur has Onstar. After climbing through the phone tree, remembering his password, divulging his truck color, and promising never to run over a gopher in the road on purpose or litter, Wilbur persuaded Onstar to unlock our truck for us. Thanks goodness we have that service!

We got home around 9:30 just before people starting setting off fireworks. I was worried Max would react badly to the fireworks by hitching a ride down the interstate with strangers. He did that last year. Fortunately, one of our new neighbors decided to emulate us by having a campfire outside. Also fortunately, they like Max and allowed him to hang out with them until we got home. We arrived just in time for the professional fireworks display and for our neighbors' who must have sent a wad up in smoke. Hope your fourth was happy too!

She Speaks Dog

One of the delights of our having our visiting foreigners was getting to know Flash and Prudence's daughter Sparkle at age 6. I would have posted a better picture, but Sparkle has decided she doesn't want her picture taken. This was the best picture I get get without her knowledge and with the use of a zoom lens.

Sparkle loves our chocolate lab Max. Max must realize she is a sympathetic spirit because he confides in her. We would hear the things Max was saying often during the day:

Max is sad because we are leaving

Max says he wants in

Max says he likes sleeping in a tent

Max would like a hot dog

After listening to Sparkle, I realized that I am ignorant of a lot of aspects of Max's life. For instance, I know nothing about Max's spiritual life when Sparkle asked, "Does Max fast?"

It dawned on me that Max has never indicated one way or another about his artistic preferences when sparkle wanted to know, "What is Max's favorite color?"

And I saw that I have been pretty cavalier about remembering special occasions when Sparkle asked, "When is Max's birthday?"

Although she loves Max, Sparkle disapproved strongly of his eating habits when she found out he doesn't like vegetables. I loved getting to know Sparkle at age 6 and Max is suffering AWS (attention withdrawal syndrome from LOTS of attention).

Blessings

It is a great blessing to visit with our foreign family. The only thing that could be better is if the Texans and Boris were here. However, I am glad the Texans put their baby first and stayed home to take good care of her.

We were rained out camping, so we cooked our hotdogs in the fireplace at home.

Outing

We saw this headstone near an old cow camp.

Looking into the Madison Range

Ruby Reservoir

This week we went to Ruby Reservoir. The fishing was lousy, but the four wheeling and flowers in the mountains were wonderful. The Ruby Valley is really, really green. Although I am getting an idea about the Ruby Valley and Ruby Range. Since we have been four wheeling, we have seen two rattlesnakes - both times near Sheridan. On Friday was saw a four foot rattler in the road. Fortunately, we were in the truck. We stopped while it rattled at us and disappeared toward the creek. I wish I could have zipped out my camera out fast enough to get a picture.

We enjoyed visiting with Jose and Sophia and then zipped home for a restful Sabbath. While our trip was fun, it sure doesn't approach all the cute kid stories my kids have to tell. Pretty soon you will have time to camp on the weekends , but no cute stories. ENJOY!

Wet & Wild

This weekend Eglantine, Eglantine's friend, Ariel, and Hermione ran the 5 K in a local race. June 6 arrived with rain that eventually turned to snow, for the coldest Governor's Cup ever. I baby-sat Peanut because I was afraid he would freeze sitting for a long time in his stroller. It was 36 degrees and he wouldn't be warm from exercise like the runners. Poor Peanut he had a few hard moments being away from his Mom and Dad. I found out he likes Sponge Bob. I also found out Sponge Bob is kind of a crude cartoon. I wonder why producers of children's shows want to have their characters talk about boogers etc.? This teaches children great social behavior, I suppose?

After the race, we ate at the Real Food Store and took Ariel to the Pan Handler. Next time she comes, we will go to some of the other stores.

Today arrived kind of cloudy and wet, so our new neighbor took this opportunity to burn some of the trees he knocked down to build his house.

Mischievous Max

The other day I just caught myself before I said, "Would you pick those matches up off the floor, so Max doesn't get them and start lighting fires?" I have decided that there is no reason an 80 pound chocolate lab needs to spend all day inside the house during nice weather. I have been demanding he spend the better part of the day outside. The result is that Mischievous Max is often up to no good.

He swiped the neighbor's deer head off his porch. Twice. (Don't ask me why our neighbor still has the head of the deer he got last hunting season. Maybe he wants the antlers. Maybe his wife finally demanded he get it out of the freezer?) He adorns our yard with all kinds of gross stuff. You'll feel better if I don't describe it. Suffice it to say that I had to have him wormed. I really don't want to know where he got the unfamiliar yogurt containers, but I hope none of the neighbors saw him do it. They might welcome his next foray with a shotgun.

When not in search of food, he is digging spots in the lawn to lay in or rototilling my flower beds in search of bones he buried last fall. The only mischief I acquit him of is the peach pit I found buried in the raspberries when we moved them Saturday. Orville probably did that.

The Expert Hike

My hiking buddies and I found a new book with more hikes withing 20 miles of where we live. I chose one near a Lake where we used to take our boat. Most of the hikes are not trailheads, or even trails, so we end up bushwacking a lot. The book stated that even book authors could get lost on this week's hike. The author recommened this hike for experts. So, I set a waypoint on my GPS and off we went

We enjoyed beautiful views.

We found a siphon from the gold mining days. My Greatgrandfather mined near here used a siphon for hydraulic mining. Do think...?
When we were confused about which way to go, we ran into Sacajewa to point out the correct way.

We enjoyed good company. Max is the most interesting conversationalist of our group. He is a very well read dog and can converse on a number of subjects. Max keeps us updated on the best new authors publishing. Additionally, he knows a lot of then history of the area and tells us stories about early-day pioneers as we hike.

We followed the siphon to this canyon. When the book directed us to climb up the canyon to continue the hike, we grasped the full meaning of an "expert" hike. We decided we are not experts.

As we tried to find a way out of the canyon, we ended up down by the river. There's never a boat around when you need one. We ended up having a VERY steep climb back up to the trail. Maybe that was where the six wood ticks Max, Hermione, and Eloise had came from.

We only hiked 3.29 miles, but we were exhausted at the end of the day.

The Ugly Apple Tree

Many moons ago, one of my precious children was eating an apple in the back yard. This child (Orville, I have information that YOU were the culprit) had the bright idea of planting a seed from the apple in my flower bed. Lo and behold, a little apple tree began grow. I let it grow because when something other than a weed starts to grow here, I don't have the heart to kill it. Besides, I was sure it would winter kill. Instead over the next several years it developed into a VERY ugly apple tree that I could not dig out. Wilbur assured me that he and his equipment were more than capable of dealing with a small apple tree. Yesterday, he removed it for me.

This is the punishment reserved for any other unauthorized seed planting in my flower beds. Orville, this means YOU.

Mother's Day Talks

I am so GLAD Mother’s Day has changed since the 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s. My mother used to detest Mother’s Day with a passion, and I don’t blame her. In those days, our Mother’s Day Sacrament Meeting would include at least one talk about someone’s “angel mother.” This woman slaved away her entire thankless life until she evaporated into a pile of dust that disappeared in a nasty thunderstorm. She never: rested, had one of her needs fulfilled, got anything she wanted, had a decent meal, had a dress that wasn’t a rag, or participated in one activity that was pleasant enough to warrant a smile on her face during her entire life. Oh, and she never complained. She sacrificed all so her kids would have a bag of marbles to play with. And this is what truly worthy mothers should aspire to.

Usually, the second speaker would weave a tale about a mother who: never raised her voice, always wore a dress and make up, kept an immaculate house, even though she had ten boisterous children, was adored as the President of the Community Garden Club, was a fabulous cook, and on, and on…. After one such talk, Gail Blodgett looked at me and said, “Just once I wish a speaker would say, ‘My mother yelled at me, but I loved her anyway.’”

My Mom and I would leave church in a depression so deep the Grand Canyon seemed like a shallow little furrow. Whew! Truth is always better than a lie. To have your kids know you have faults but love you anyway is so much better than to have someone cast you as a paragon.

She Mastered It

While waiting for the graduation ceremony to begin, Wilbur contemplates becoming a vegetarian.

Hooding Ceremony.

Hermione waiting in line to get her degree.

Grandma and Hermione.

The rest of the family.

Proof of mastery.



Ready to take the bull by the horns.

We Decided Not to Barbecue Tonight

Drama

We ventured out camping this weekend and immediately encountered drama on the highway. On our way up over a pass on the way to our camping spot we immediately ran into semi wreck. Jose was one of the first people on the scene. He was directing traffic. Sophia was decked out in her volunteer fire department gear as she hauled a hose up a hill. A semi, traveling at a too high a speed on a curve, tipped over on its side and slid down the guard rail for a few hundred feet down the high way. The driver was killed. This was a sad, sad event.

We waited for Jose and Sophia to complete their civic duties and proceeded to our camp site. Then Wilbur and Jose built a very large fire and reminisced about Flash's fire building proclivities.

I am still dealing with fluid in my ears, crackling ear drums, and trying to get over the infamous bug. While I was camping, I got markedly better - at least until I went four wheeling. Wilbur said we would return to camp at noon, so I planned to four wheel a half a day and take it easy in the afternoon. About 11:30 he and Jose changed plans. We ended up going 40 miles, up hill and down. Ear plug, ear pop.

Since I was better during camping the first day, I am wondering if I am allergic to Barak's hair? I reluctantly asked Eglantine and Boris to board him with a friend until they have ther own place. I feel very badly about this since Barak is such a kind, nice dog, did nothing wrong, and he was used to us. I am grasping at straws for the cause of my ear fluid, trying to get better, and don't know what else to do. I don't know if I will ever get on another airplane. Seeing what flying in a pressurized plane did to my ears, I can't imagine how Flash ever flew in an unpressurized plane with a cold. I completely understand how he ended up with a ruptured eardrum. Next week will be better!

Little Known Facts

Cub Scouts are actually artists in disguise.


The main reason for pruning apple trees is to supply dogs with "tug o' war" sticks. Shootingstars hide under the snow. If you look closely at the ground when the snow melts, they are on the ground grinning at you. Their message is, "Don't lose hope. Spring will come!"

Dogs are avid gardeners.