Another month rushes by...

This past MARCH has been too busy with workshops, meetings, and new responsibilities. I'm trying to regroup and prioritize. It's not possible to do it all, but I think I did this past month....lol!

1. TAUGHT two Saturday classes at AHA-Life Story and Healing from Divorce, also Family Tree: how to upload photos and stories for Sunriver Computer Club,

2. TOOK classes I-Pad computer class, Creativity class at AHA plus an OPEN HOUSE there, attended Heritage Writers Guild class on WEB DESIGN, pioneer history class at DUP-Daughters of Utah Pioneers, and three day workshop with Genius Boot Camp on how to achieve your dreams.

3. CHURCH-attended Sunday meetings, Relief Society Birthday party, Got called into church leadership as RS 1st Counselor in charge of teachers, went to RS LUNCH BUNCH and WOMEN'S CONFERENCE, attended the temple, and Italian Birth Record Indexing.

4. EXERCISE-Managed to get to most of my MWF seated arthritis classes plus walked almost daily.

5. WON AWARDS at Mesquite Fine Arts Gallery, attended reception and wrote press release about it.

6. HOME IMPROVEMENT- bought flat screen TV installed, new fan, bamboo beaded curtain in closet.

7. POETRY-Successful POETRY in THE PARK and attended REDROCK WRITERS Creative Writing Seminar, and Dixie Poets meetings.

8. FUN Wednesdays with Caryn window shopping around town

9. WROTE my columns for Sr. Sampler, BLOGGED, had more LIFE STORY books printed

10. COOKED meals, cleaned house and SURVIVED with hubby's support and a few dinner dates thrown in! I resolved to do less next month and enjoy it more. Family is coming to visit-hurrah!

What were the highlights of your MARCH activities? Leave a comment.

Winter Kill and Boat Report

 

The boat builder is sanding both sides before painting the prime coat

Lots of winter kill from our December snow and frost...

Day lilies survived but the bush next to it is dead. 

This was once a beautiful palm plant but no more...

The grass plant on the left will regrow but the other plants are gone.

Most of our large shrubs and the Live Oak tree next to the casita are gone.

Our neighbors evergreens are red, not sure they will green up.

Even the Texas Sage bush is dry and brittle.

Our Oleander bushes aren't growing anymore but the honeysuckle survived.

Preserving your FAMILY TREE

Today I'm teaching a class about using FAMILY TREE to upload and save forever your genealogical information. I've been waiting for this development for years since the LDS Church began its website http://www.familysearch.org. At first. it was only for members that were Mormons. Now, it's open to the whole world. The resources available there are FANTASTIC and when completed it will contain the history of the world back to ADAM.

Article #286 Courtship and Marriage Stories

        Linda Lees of St. George shares this fun story of how her parents met: Dad used to say, "You need to know what you want––then go get it!"  This is just what my Dad did when starting to court my Mother. Saturday night dances in Shelly, Idaho were the highlight of the week for the youth in the area.  Dad usually played in the live band which furnished the music for the evening.  Several Saturday nights went by as he observed a "cute little thing" come to the dances.  (Sometimes she even came with his buddies).

     "Enough is enough", said Dad.  One Saturday night when Mother's date left her seated at a table to go get her refreshments, Dad made his move.  He sauntered up to that table, introduced himself, engaged in small talk and even held her hand.  Little did Mother know that he was moving the hands on her wristwatch ahead.  When her date returned, Dad watched with glee as they checked the time and then dashed out the door.  Obviously Mother and her date thought her parents curfew was soon to be compromised.  (And her father would not tolerate that.)

     Surprise, surprise when later that same evening my Dad showed up at her home on horseback.  A walk in the moonlight, a bit more hand holding, and as the saying goes, "the rest is history."  Oh, and Dad didn't play with the band much anymore.  He was on the dance floor snuggling with that "cute little thing." My Mother (Nelda Jolley Jensen) is still living in Ammon , Idaho at 97 years young. My Dad (Virgil Phillip Jensen) left mother on the dance floor 5 years ago.  He is waiting for her curfew.

            Dances were the place to meet during summer weekends when youth from small rural communities would gather to socialize at outdoor dances. That’s how my parents and maternal grandparents met. Lin Floyd’s Grandma Johnson recalled that she was with her fiancé when she met Grandpa William at a dance. He monopolized her time, then came to visit her the next evening when her fiancé was there. It didn’t take long for Grandma to decide she was in love with this new suitor. They were married, had five children together before Grandpa died of stomach cancer at 36 years of age, leaving Grandma a widow at age 30. Tell us about your parents or grandparents romance and marriage. NEXT TIME: Family Memories. 

POETRY in THE PARK 2014

Time for our annual Poetry in the Park at Zion Park. My second year being in charge.

Early morning 7 am drive to Zion Park, about 30 miles away

LaVerna Johnson introduces our guest poet John Rezmerski

Twenty-three poets of all ages-high school through retirees.

Nature hike through Zion Canyon was lovely, leaves are just greening

Our nature hike guide Michael Plyler explains the history of Zion Park

Love those red rocks and clear blue skies 

Time for our picnic lunch and it's even warm enough outside

Our guest poet teacher, retired professor of English John Rezmerski 

Great surroundings in the Zion Nature Center

Sharing our poems with one another ended our day

More SPRING changes

Spring has sprung again and it's soon summertime!

Spring is come as these bunnies and blossoms can attest to...

A new chandelier calls for a new fan, a new form of spring cleaning!

Eric our favorite electrician takes down the old fan and installs the new one

And just like that a new classier look to our living dining area

Next project, replace winter killed plants and palm...

Changes COMING...

We're usually at least 3 years behind in technicology. Just recently I got an I-pad-still learning how to use it. Now we have a HD flat TV screen, no I-phone yet or texting...lol

Before-old huge TV we bought 7 years ago for $150 when moving in...

We finally decided to get one from Best Buy an LG 42 inch LED screen.

Weren't sure a HD flat screen TV would work in our built in shelves.

Now hubby is going to built a wooden shelf to go under it and paint it black.

It looks small but it's a 36 inch screen diagonally and heavy!

Article #285 Example of Parents

Sherilyn Tyler of St. George remembers My Daddy Could Do Anything: A lot of little girls think that their daddy can do anything, but mine really could.  He could, and did, build a house. He probably learned how to lay the cinder block from his cousin-a stone mason, but Daddy also did the plumbing, electrical, cement and cabinet work.  He knew how to skin a chicken, milk a cow and butcher a hog.  He knew how to raise veggies and fruit, and could even keep bees.  He could chop wood, fight forest fires and plant a lawn. Dad was told that someone who could raise strawberries like he could had no business working in an office.

 He could edit a magazine, laying out the pages with precision.  Although the magazine was printed on large presses, he could set type and run an offset press.  If they needed someone to get information for an article, they didn’t need to send a photographer along, Dad could write the article and do the photography too. My daddy could do anything.  Oh wait, maybe not.  He never was very good at making a bed.

            Kenneth Robbins of St. George recalls his industrious grandfather Seymour Bicknell Robbins who was quite the businessman in early Salt Lake City. In 1907, Seymour founded Keeley’s Ice Cream Factory and Restaurant Café stores. He devoted his time to the expansion of the business, which at one time grossed $1.5 million a year. There were three stores in Salt Lake, one in Ogden and in Provo. I remember and enjoyed the many trips to the chocolate, and ice cream factories in Salt Lake City, and in Provo. My favorite treat was the baked halibut fish, French fries and limeade ordered in the restaurant.       

             Many times on Saturday mornings we would drive to the SLC store where Grandpa would treat me to pancakes and ice cream while he counted silver coins in the upstairs president’s office. After finishing my breakfast, I would climb the stairs to the offices above the restaurant and watch him count the weekly income from the five stores. Today, I think back of all the silver dollars and dimes that passed from the cashier to the banker’s vaults and their value in today’s market. Other memories of my Grandpa are the many hours we spent camping, fishing, doing puzzles, playing games and building model airplanes. NEXT TIME: Courtship & Marriage Stories. 

Mesquite Art Salon Reception

Every year since 2009, I've participated in the Mesquite Fine Arts Salon competition. Submitting poems that are then selected by artists to make some kinds of painting or art project. It's always fun and exciting. Last year and this year I received an Honorable Mention Award for my poem with its accompanying artwork. This year there were 70 poems submitted and 40 were selected. I had 5 that were displayed.

"Garden of Balm" was my poem used for a watercolor by a talented artist
whose name I can't read from the photo-sorry! We both won HM awards.

Gary Christian, a very talented poet, who is a retired lawyer

My poem entitled "Woman's Hands" with a charcoal
drawing of an elderly woman's hands.

Creative interpretation of Gary Christian's poem entitled
"Coolest Jazz in Town"-love the colors!

Another poem of mine called "Cosmic Mystery"

Fellow poets:( l-r) Leah Zollinger and Marilyn Ball

Marilyn Ball won Honorable Mention and Sponsor's Choice
for her poem "Missing Piece." Notice the gorgeous oil painting that resulted.

Tasty buffet too was enjoyed by all. It was fun to intermingle

Getting my Honorable Mention award and meeting an artist inspired by my poem

Most of us are retired people, this is Karlynn Jones' interpretation
of my poem entitled "Tumbleweed." She did a great job I think!

My poem is entitled "Wildfires" but the art was wilder..lol!

Best of show was captured by the cowboy with hat above.

He made a miniature saddle of leather with all the details

Fun with FRIENDS

Another shopping day with my friend Caryn at the Urban Renewal store

Old books sawn into alphabet letters for displaying on shelves

I love their colorful displays of used furniture and antiques

Painted Easter eggs and spring decor abound for home decorating

My friend Carolyn- lunch together in the fall

My favorite chicken salad with avocado-yum!

Enjoying retirement with friends