I love to buy fresh fruit from one of our local outdoor stands. Especially tomatoes and watermelon locally grown. There's nothing better than fresh peaches, apricots and plums to snack on at home. Then we took a little drive around our HOT but beautiful red rock environment.
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| Frey's Outdoor Market in Santa Clara |
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| Fresh corn, watermelons, cantaloupe and more |
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| Green peppers and fresh rip tomatoes! |
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| Love fresh peaches, apricots and plums...yummy! |
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| Colorful St George red rock beauty! |
Special holiday for Utahans! July 24, 1847 was the day the first Mormon pioneers set foot in the Salt Lake Valley on their long journey from Nauvoo, Illinois after being driven out froms their beautiful city and temple because of religious persecutions. Other would arrive directly from their home countries. I and my family come from a long line of such pioneers who were converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and journeyed by wagon and handcart more than 1000 mile to settle this land.
Here's some charts I made on my maternal and paternal pedigrees with photos and info collected over 61 years of researching. I honor them and their lives. For more of their stories, see familysearch.org. CLICK to enlarge charts and read when they came to the Utah territory. (Only one ancestral line Wm. Marion Johnson Sr. was not a convert but came to Utah from Ohio on his way to California for the Gold Rush then stayed here.)
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| My Mom's pioneers were from England and Iceland |
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| My Dad's pioneers from England and Scotland |
Your Writing Life with Children by Elizabeth Jones
How do you make it work?There are some things you never forget. Losing your first job. Having babies. Trying to write with children hanging onto your legs.
Years ago, when I was amid diapers, bottles, and lack of sleep, I had a difficult time writing. My “career” had recently begun. I was an at-home Mom out of choice, and I wanted more than anything to write. I also, frankly, wanted to be a mom, and, after a few weeks of trying and failing to do both, I wanted to give up.
For you writers out there, you know this cannot be done. If writing is in your blood. If you wake and sleep it; when it’s all you think about doing when you dream of your perfect life, then you are a writer. One of my fondest dreams is to buy a beach house on the coast of Oregon and spend my time writing with NO disturbances.
This hasn’t happened – yet, though my children who were once small have grown, and are now having children of their own. No matter what they enjoy doing most, there just doesn’t seem to be the time to do that thing my adult children love.
And so, I send forth this humble list, a list, mind you, that I still have to remember though my life has grown up quite a bit.
1. Write through the noise. I mean it. Don’t use the excuse of noise to stop you from writing. Put on some headphones and listen to music if you have to. Type what you are hearing your children say, and use it for a scene in your next book, but WRITE!
2. Write when your children are asleep instead of watching T.V. I LOVE movies! I use them as the great escape of my life! And sometimes, that’s okay, but usually, I’m escaping from something I should be doing! Writing!
3. Write at the park! Summer is here. Gather your children up and take them to the playground. Sit on a bench nearby and write freehand, or bring your laptop. I have written so many things on paper and transferred them later to the computer, that I can’t even count them.
4. Don’t expect to write a novel in one week. Don’t expect it to be complete in a year. Expect that it will be completed when it’s finished. Do what you can in the moments you have. Waiting at the doctor’s office for your appointment. Speaking into your phone at the stoplight. [Have you ever received the best stuff while driving your car?] Waking up from a great dream. [Put a notepad and pen by the side of your bed].
5. Get your children interested in writing. Sit them down. Have them color or write as you do the same. Yes, you will have interruptions. You will hear, “Do you like this, Mommy?” “Look what I did!” Be okay with the breaks. Enjoy your children.
6. How can we write for children if we don’t understand them? Get to know your children better. Spend time on their level. Be a kid again. Your next book will thank you for it.
I didn't make a sugar free chocolate cake this year like I did last year to celebrate, but we stopped and bought a sugar free peach pie and with low sugar vanilla ice cream that will count for my birthday treat. Funny I don't feel any older than last year but happier in that we are now vaccinated and don't have to wear masks when out or in church. PROGRESS! We survived another year. I'm happy and blessed for the many experiences that life has brought my way and family that extends now 3 generations into the future and uncounted generations into the past. Life is GOOD!
Thinking of past holidays and family members who are no longer with us. Lots of memories. Found this fun program on familysearch.org that lets you make posters of your family tree. Interesting to realize that I am the only person on this tree still alive as my parents and grand parents are gone. My sons only knew my mother as my father died when I was five. When it comes my time to graduate my great grands probably won't remember me, but I will remember them...pray for their welfare and growth in this CRAZY WORLD of ours as I'm sure my PARENTS and GRAND PARENTS do for me and their other descendants. But in the meantime, I know it's important to reach out and let my loved ones know that I am here for them NOW.
