Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Follow Your Dreams

Off to vacation in Bonners Ferry, idaho
Well, we've now lived here in St. George for 10+ years as I've followed my dreams of writing, becoming a weekly newspaper columnist (6 years), and self publishing 5 books. It's been fun, but lots of hard work. I've taught several classes on writing your life story, creativity and poetry. Then I decided several years ago to focus on poetry so during those years I've served as president of Dixie Poets, started a Youth Poetry Contest for our community and chaired Poetry in the Park for 6+ years plus served in the Utah State Poetry Society as Chapter Coordinator and Blogmaster. See http://utahpoetry.blogspot.com Did I mention the other blogs I do also Letters from Lin where you are now will soon be 10  years old. Now it's time to focus elsewhere at least for the summers.

All these years my hubby has supported me in living in this metropolitan area although his dreams were somewhere else-he wants to homestead in the woods of Northern Idaho. So we are going to explore that possibility for our hot summers at least to have a summer place in coolness surrounded by green pines and clear streams. It's a good reason for a vacation up north this coming weekend. Who knows....serendipity awaits.

Saturday, May 27, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Emilee and Heather

Last year at this time, my oldest grand daughters graduated from high school-just found those photos hidden in Google photos. This year they have both finished successfully a year of college. On to the future. Emilee is off on a mission to Paris France and Heather will be continuing her college training at Utah Valley University.

Happy 18th birthday last year, now they are 19!
Proud grandma and l-r Heather and Emilee
Happy Hatch parents!
High school graduation photos
Heather got accepted to Snow College and Emilee to BYU-Idaho

Monday, May 22, 2017

Published Again

This time in the Southern Quill-literary and arts magazine for Dixie State University. No poems but two photographs. They had a launch party-reception where some of our local poets were honored and read their poems. I showed off my two photos.

Local poets featured: Markay, Marie and phtotgrapher––me.
This year's issue has a fun cover with a local photo not mine!
My photo of a Century plant entitled Century!
Shadow Cages-mine also
Dr. Cindy King-faculty advisor for the DSU magazine

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Happy Birthday #5 for EDDIE

Love all my grand
kids and especially these two.

Big sister Lorien and Eddie now five years old
They sure grow up fast, miss not seeing them often enough...

Monday, May 15, 2017

Daughters of Utah Pioneers

Closing social and meeting till September included a lesson on Mormon pioneers and a lovely potluck luncheon plus lots of visiting. I've been a DUP member for 20+ years now, joining in Roosevelt Utah after I retired from being a school librarian. I have lots of pioneers in my family tree from both my matriarchal and patriarchal lines.

Time to socialize after our lesson and histories
Tasty potluck with lots of casserole/desserts
There are DUP camps all over the USA, about 20 in St. George

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Comey is a CLASS ACT

I was so impressed by the farewell letter that newly fired FBI Director Comey wrote to his fellow FBI workers  because there is no bitterness, anger but only acceptance and looking forward. I don't understand or agree with all the politics involved, but I like his reaction to this unexpected turn in his life.

(CNN)Former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired Tuesday by President Donald Trump, on Wednesday sent a letter to friends and agents. Here is the text of that letter, which was obtained by CNN.

To all:
I have long believed that a President can fire an FBI Director for any reason, or for no reason at all. I'm not going to spend time on the decision or the way it was executed. I hope you won't either. It is done, and I will be fine, although I will miss you and the mission deeply.

I have said to you before that, in times of turbulence, the American people should see the FBI as a rock of competence, honesty, and independence. What makes leaving the FBI hard is the nature and quality of its people, who together make it that rock for America.

It is very hard to leave a group of people who are committed only to doing the right thing. My hope is that you will continue to live our values and the mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution.
If you do that, you too will be sad when you leave, and the American people will be safer.
Working with you has been one of the great joys of my life. Thank you for that gift.

Jim Comey

Monday, May 8, 2017

Party Time with Friends

Today we had a pot luck party at Caryn's home with some of our Creativity class members. Enjoying a fun repast of food and art journaling, we created covers for our Morning Pages journals at Caryn's new place on the patio. The weather has cooled and it was in the low 80s just perfect for outdoor activities and listening to their waterfall and sharing thoughts.

Enjoying our friendship on the pation for lunch and art journaling.
Pat shows off her creative collage
Akemi's journal cover had a unique flavor to it.
My cover and some words to inspire me this month.
Akemi's closeup collage pasted together
All four journals each unique and different from the others.
Caryn's lovely backyard with waterfall and desert landscaping
Even a shaded birdbath awaits
This is going to be extraordinary when it blooms
Little splashs of color amid the rocks and sand.

Friday, May 5, 2017

Nothing to SAY...

It's been a week since I've blogged after almost 10 years of blogging 3-7 times a week. Could it be that recovering from a head cold has slowed me down? All I want to do is nap and sleep, eat occasionally, but that requires energy to cook, shop and organize. I keep getting feeling a little better, but still I'm not my old self or maybe I am my OLDER self. As the years go by, it seems I have had to slow down a little and do less than when I was younger. Choosing activities and eliminating some activities has become necessary.

A trip to my foot doctor to check out my swollen ankles and tingling feet from neuropathy hasn't solved any problems. So next I will go to a vein specialist to see if that is what is causing my problems. Varicose veins were inherited from my grandmother Johnson. I always remember her each day putting on her support hose and sturdy shoes before she began her day of work on her feet cooking for the railroad boarders and taking care of others. I have it much easier in that I am retired and can relax on my recliner and put my feet up. Old age and the ailments that come with it definitely aren't for sissies....lol!

Monday, May 1, 2017

Flying Home

Amazing how fast it is to fly home to St. George from Salt Lake City...only 43 minutes while it takes about 5 hours to drive. Love the views from above though it was quite cloudy. Great to get home except I brought back with me a nasty head cold which is certainly slowing me down a bit with coughing and tiredness but it's warmer here and lots of sunshine.

Utah Lake from Highland, UTah, what a view!
Leaving Salt Lake City airport flying from the valley, note snow mtns.
Cloudy up above but clearing
Kolob Mountains of Southern Utah
We used to see these rock fingers while living in New Harmony
Gorgeous colors from above
Quail Lake and Sand Hollow both reservoirs near St. George