Monday, January 31, 2011

End of the Month

What have you accomplished or learned this month? Here's SOME of my experiences:

1. Keeping myself from gaining back WEIGHT lost is more difficult than losing it.
2. Daily SCRIPTURE study gives focus to my thoughts.
3. Morning pages or JOURNALING helps me organize my thinking and be more productive.
4. You can't PLEASE everyone or make them ALL happy all the time.
5. It's difficult for me to make time for WALKING everyday, but very important.
6. I love to BLOG daily and keep in touch with my blogging friends.
7. I don't have time to do everything, so I'm BUYING some homemade cards from my niece Dawn.
8. You have to schedule in FUN, it doesn't just happen: i.e. weekly Artist's Dates with Caryn.
9. I still don't like to COOK, but it's more fun when it's for a party or company.
10. OPPORTUNITIES are all around us to expand our talents, but we have to PURSUE them.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Outdoor Sculptures

As part of our Artist's Date, we stopped at a roundabout in the Ivins area of St. George and took photos of these beautiful metal sculptures set among the artificial red rocks constructed for this area.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Artist's Date IV

Another fun day with my friend Caryn as we had a serendipitous photography artist's date in the red rock country of St. George. Taking photos here and there, then enjoying a leisurely salad and soup buffet at Red Mountain Spa Resort near Snow Canyon. We talked, laughed, and shared, it was a perfect day.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Article #135 Dating and Courtship

An important part of any history is finding the humor and excitement in daily life. Dating and courtship experiences certainly added both of these qualities. Only looking back can you see the amusing aspect of those long ago teenage days when you were so seriously seeking the one and only perfect companion. Some of you may still be single or newly single through divorce or death, but you’ll have to agree that those dating days were certainly hysterical when viewed from the prospective of a few decades later, even though they seemed downright traumatic at the time. (Photo of my mom and dad when they were dating.)

I realized from writing my own history that I focused too much of my youthful energy on finding my Prince Charming when I should have enjoyed more the dating experiences with the fellows I met along the way. A poem I wrote explains: Finding Your One and Only-The fairy tales make it sound so easy/ Just kiss the frog––he becomes a charming prince/ Off you ride into the beautiful sunset together/ and live happily ever after…sounds like a cinch.// Life, you’ll find has other plans for you/ Even after you’ve married your prince/ sometimes––he mutates back into a frog/ and his misbehavior makes you wince// What’s a princess to do, but leave him?/ Set out on a new journey to find another/ Perhaps a horny toad or lizard would do/ But then you may think why even bother?// The second time around is more difficult/ Now, you may carry extra baggage/ A dependent child or two, if you’re lucky/ Plus emotional garbage to add to the marriage// Your new partner may bring his own luggage/ Whether he’s divorced, widowed or just single/ So consider it good luck when you’ve found/ Another one and only to kiss and then…gamble//

For those who are still single or never married, you may look longingly at your married friends’ lives but until you’ve walked in their shoes, you have no idea what challenges they face. Analyze your own married state whether widowed, divorced or never married. How have you coped with your circumstances? How have your hopes, dreams and expectations changed during your lifetime?

If choosing between crying and laughing at your life story, they both have their place. Usually you cry at the time, but you later may find yourself laughing at the circumstances or your naivety. Always there is a lesson to be learned and shared. (Photo above my aunt Esther and uncle Les.)

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Dinosaur Time

Sometimes I feel like an ancient dinosaur
born before time began, living in a swamp
out of synche with modern life just wading around,
resting and eating plants in an outdoor camp.

But there's always that Tyrannosaursu Rex about
the meat eater who would love to clamp his jaws
into my fatty drumsticks and have a dino feast.
If I see him coming, I'll submerge deep down.

Life is really quite simple, eat, drink, sleep,
avoid the beasts, lay low in the water bubbles
It couldn't get any easier, but wait the climate
is changing, getting drier. This could bring trouble.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

My VOICE

I gave an exercise to my poetry class to cluster or brainstorm the topic MY VOICE. Amazing the variety of answers that came then we organized them into a poem. Here's mine:

My voice is strong, honest,
looking for possibilities,
thinking of solutions,
wanting to be creative
building not tearing down,
seeking to know me,
the unique person I am.

What strengths do I have?
How can I build on my
weaknesses to become better?
What is the best me I can be?
Only with my Heavenly Father's help,
listening to His voice, can I find
the path to my eternal growth.

Tell me about YOUR VOICE...

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Artist's Date III

Off to Kayenta, a fun area for shopping, lunch and upscale
Southwestern architecture plus a labyrinth.

I've never walked a complete laybrinth before.
There are three stages of walking one.

Instructions and explanations above, click to enlarge.

Love the metal sculptures, they add so much to the labyrinth area.

Very imaginative artists.

They fit right in with the desert landscape.

Caryn ready to start walking on the labyrinth.

Entrance to the Coyote Gulch-shopping area, artist's studio and restaurant.

I would love to have one of these but they are quite expensive.

Inside lots of shops to explore and imaginative artwork to discover.

Fascinating artwork out of old bolts, nuts, etc.

Enjoying lunch and talking. Then off to shop some more.

You just got to love this warm in winter red rock country.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Artist's Date II

Shopping-always a fun activity and especially at this store called Way Cool-Dirt Cheap-it features outdoor and indoor southwestern decor bought in Mexico at low prices. I couldn't resist and bought some pots to decorate my home. Looking around was almost as much fun as buying. Caryn hiding below in the photo exhibited great self control and just windowed shopped. Lol!



Located in Santa Clara they have such fun stuff
and their prices are quite reasonable.

Lamps, rugs, pots, you name it they have a wide variety of Southwestern stuff.

Some stuff is more expensive, but very popular with
retirees furnishing their new places.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Artist's Date I

As part of the Artist's Way class I'm taking taught by my friend Mary, we are required to have an artist's date weekly where we do or go somewhere to fill our well. Since I love to be with my BFF Caryn who is taking the class also, we have been doing our outings together. We went to nearby Santa Clara to visit a neat historic mural in their city hall, then shopping at a fun store and lastly to a labyrinth in Kayenta. What fun! It will take me three days to show all we did.

This elaborate mural tells the history of the settlement of this area by Europeans, Mormon converts mostly from Switzerland who were sent to Southern Utah territory to build homes.

They planted apples and peaches, raised large gardens to sell their produce to No. Utahans.

Painted by Utah artist Julie Rogers, her mural represents the pioneers leaving their homeland of Switzerland, traveling across the sea then across America by handcarts or wagon to finally settle by the barren Santa Clara River valley. Their family names are listed on the borders of the mural as well as the values they demonstrated in their lives: love, courage, charity, faith, hope, posterity, prayer, work and joy through music, dance and worship. The young girl's apron above symbolizes the fruits of these generations-values and posterity.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Hubby's new HOBBY

My husband has taken up pool
not the wading kind but the
pool table in our community center.
I'm thrilled-a new fun hobby for him.

I have a gazillion hobbies I do
like: writing, photography, blogging,
card making, poetry, teaching, and
genealogy just to name a few.

I like to travel anywhere, visit family,
hike and explore rock art, shop,
eat out, talk to friends and just
enjoy this retirement time forever.

After years of parenting, working,
serving and struggling with issues,
it's delightful to have ME time to
explore my talents and interests.

What are your favorite hobbies?

Friday, January 21, 2011

Article #134 One Bite At A Time

Any large project can easily become overwhelming, unless you break it down into manageable parts or pieces. “Don’t try to eat the elephant at one sitting.” Writing a life history is no exception. Each week this column will give you an important piece of the total writing process: a topic to explore or some suggestions for accomplishing this important task.

You do not have to write chronologically starting with your birth and continuing until your old age or death. There are other options like making a collection of vignettes or episodes. Let’s start with that approach and then later you can edit the parts into any format that you desire including the chronological layout or timeline.

Maybe there’s a special experience you’d like to share with your loved ones: your military experiences, courtship days, work challenges, religious conversion, etc. Start writing today about what interests you. Small note cards or an electronic device carried around can be helpful to capture bits and pieces as they occur to you. If you are interviewing someone else to write his or her history, have a storage device (notebook, tapes, CDs, etc.) to preserve your writings. (Photos of me as a baby and with my dad.)

Start compiling these notes at the computer or with paper and pen in hand or with some kind of audio or video recorder to capture details of your story. It doesn’t have to be perfect now. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar or punctuation that comes later when you edit and put together your rough draft. I know you still have your own manual or electric typewriter that you could use, but at some point you will need to transfer all your writings to a computer for easier editing and publishing. Even if you don’t own such a device, someone in your family or neighborhood has one that can assist you.

Find a support buddy, a spouse or trusted friend, even a grandchild who is willing to help you and keep you on tract with this quest to share what you’ve learned along the way as you’ve lived your life. If you’ve already finished your life history,congratulations. Choose someone in your family that needs their story written and work on that project, perhaps a grandparent or parent or even a loved one who has recently passed on. Each person’s life is a unique story that needs to be told and valued as a family legacy.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

EXPECTATIONS...

Expectations follow me about
I trip over them,
dream and worry about them,
feel guilty when
I don’t realize them;
but who demands
that they have to be fulfilled?
Only me, when I stop to listen
those who really love me,
including God
accept me
as I am
without reservations or expectations.

I am me, just myself
imperfect yet striving
to become more perfect
in this earthly environment
with stumbling blocks and
weaknesses to overcome.
I can only trust in
God’s love and power
my works and faith
to make of me
what He envisions.

(Click on links above for past poetry
on this topic and more of my photos.)

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The NEW AIRPORT

We were excited to go to the dedication of the airport and live about seven miles away in Sunriver by Exit 2 on I-15. However, it took us 2 hours of bumper to bumper traffic to get to our destination because of the 2 mph rate that cars were moving on the Southern parkway.

Since the weather was sunny and warmer we persisted to our destination but many participants got discouraged and returned home without seeing the new airport. I wrote a little something to express my frustration:

Blue Angels fly over the airport for it's dedication.
It’s a slow processional as long lines of cars crawl
toward the new airport hoping to get there before
dark descends on our beloved city of St. George.

It's the dedication and open house of our long awaited
new airport bringing progress and linking us by jets
to the outside world and new business. For now we're
stuck in a massive traffic jam wondering when and if
we'll get a glimpse of the terminal or its parking lot
At 2 miles/hour we could walk there much faster...


Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Taking the CHALLENGE

I regularly read an impressive blog by a young talented mother Jocelyn of three little ones who lives in Pennsylvania. She would have been my niece except I divorced her uncle-my first husband but through blogging we have gotten better acquainted. Yesterday on her blog she challenged her readers to read the complete Book of Mormon as a gift to self and to the Savior before Easter this year April 24, 2011. By reading five pages a day this can be done easily.

Having read the book before several times, I decided to take the challenge because each time I read this book or any scriptures I am more than well paid. Right now in my church's Sunday School classes we are studying the New Testament and I thoroughly enjoy the bible learning more about Jesus Christ.

Perhaps you'd like to find out more about this mostly unknown Book of Mormon that gives us members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints our nickname Mormons. I enjoy reading it online because my eyesight isn't as sharp as it used to be. It's also available in audio recordings. It's the account of a group of Israelites who were warned of God about 600 BC to flee Jerusalem because it was going to be destroyed and the people carried off by the Babylonians.

The book begins with Lehi a prophet who is told to leave Jerusalem and take his family into the desert by the Red Sea. They camped in tents and eventually build a boat and crossed the ocean to settle in the Americas to become the ancestors of the modern South American peoples. It's a fascinating account that tells of the coming of Christ to visit them after his death and becomes a second witness of the Savior along with the Bible. (Artwork by Arnold Friberg.)

Monday, January 17, 2011

New LESSONS to LEARN

Each day brings new experiences
understandings of self enlightens
possibilities for growing, changing
becoming more. Giving up old dreams
and creating new ones is needed.

Broken dreams sometimes should be
buried and released into the universe
as the learning tools they could be.
On to new adventures and visions
focused less on expectations of others.

(Photos by Lin by the new airport.)