Sweet Remembrances of Home

We're all born into a family. By the time I entered the picture I had a dad, mom, sister, and a brother. We would add two more sisters and one more brother to make our family complete. When I look back on all the memories of home and my childhood, I contribute all the sweet remembrances to two people.... Mom and Dad.

My parents brought their children into the world with a purpose. To love, guide, teach, nurture, and provide experiences that would allow for growth, exploration and creativity. They came together and brought unique characteristics from their families. They brought some traditions and created some of their own that have been and continue to be a part of my life, my children's lives, and now my grandchildren's lives. 

Memories of home and my childhood have etched deep in my heart and soul and have shaped me into the person I am today. My parents are gone now, but I hope they are looking down from the heavens with pride and like the person I am becoming... much because of them.

My dad was full of adventure. He was a biologist and big game manager for Utah State Fish and Game. He was one of those rare dad's. He actually took his family to work when he could. We spent our summer months in the mountains camping, riding horses, and playing games like kick the can. Dad took us canoeing, fishing, hunting, and counting deer. And he planned big excursions of river rafting when we got older. Us kids didn't think it was work at all! 

It was not unusual for dad to bring home animals that needed rescued until they could be taken to a place of rehabilitation. He also had a soft, tender side and taught his children to love and respect all God's creatures and the world we live in.

Dad taught his family how to be part of a team. We worked together and played together. That was what families did! We planted a garden, raised animals to care for and eat, sang silly songs as we traveled, and slept under the stars listening to the call of coyotes. So many adventures and the list could go on and on and on...  

Mom also loved the outdoors, but her heart was in her home, surrounded by her children. She was an excellent manager of home. Our house seemed to shine with cleanliness and truth! She taught her girls how to make beds, dust, clean the bathroom, wash dishes, vacuum, hang clothes on the line, bottle fruits and vegetables, and sew clothes. 

Mom was a beautiful woman. I never saw her without her lipstick on. She loved flowers and pretty things. Mom made us barbie couches and chairs and clothes. And then played with us! She made every birthday and occasion a holiday. She created magic in the simple things... like losing a tooth. Christmas, Easter, and every holiday throughout the year was so magical and memorable. Us kids may not have recognized it at the time, but great care and thought was put into every single holiday... from home decorations and displays to matching clothes and perfectly arranged gifts. I completely adore my mother. 

Both my father and mother worked together to give their children opportunities to learn skills and talents. They bought apartment buildings and rented them out. We picked seed together as a family to earn money for extracurricular activities. And the list goes on...

With dedication and hard work as a family and the foresight and wisdom of great parents, us kids were able to participate in dance, baton twirling, piano lessons, playing in school band, sports, 4-H, and other worthy endeavors.

My parents told us "you can be anything you want to be!" And... I always believed that!

Most importantly, my parents taught their children truth. The truth about God, about making right choices, about service, and love for each other and all people. 

From my dad, I take away sweet remembrances of adventure, hard work, tenderness, love and respect for nature, service, and what it means to lead a family.

From my mom, I take away sweet remembrances of home, love of family, magic in the simple things, beauty, compassion, and service. 

Is it any wonder that I enjoy and teach my family the same things. 

          Inspired by Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop

Bucket List

Spring comes 'round once every year. With it comes spring cleaning, yard work, and chores I'd rather not do. But, there's an upside to that. Hard work pays off!

I recently finished the yard work. Pruning bushes, plants, and perennial flowers. The weather was perfect. Not too cold; just warm enough to work up a sweat in the late afternoon. Now, I get to relax and watch pretty things grow! 

Farmer D worked hard in the orchard. All the prep work for a bounteous season is done. The fertilizing, pruning, spraying, cultivating, and planting of new trees. He has a month off before he needs to thin the fruit. But his hard work has paid off. He is off on a trip to Germany to relax and rejuvenate both body and mind.

Now that the chores are done, it's time to play! I do have a bucket list this year. Some are done, others still to do. It never includes just myself. It's all about family.

1. Eastering on the desert. Check! 

Going to the desert to picnic, climb rocks, hunt for eggs, and eat good food has been a long-standing tradition in my family. I live a couple of hundred miles from the desert of my childhood days and have wanted to go back for some time now. This was our year to go! A daughter and son-in-law live just minutes away from the desert and were awesome hosts. It was a memorable year in more ways than one this year. Gathering with all my children and grandchildren, and exploring all that the desert has to offer, was an adventure we will always remember. And I hope to do again in future years.

2. Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Check!

We have one of the largest bird refuge's in North America that sits practically in our back yard. It's just west of Brigham City and north of The Great Salt Lake. I've never made the four hour plus auto tour around it. This year I did! With two of my grandchildren. It was so worth it! I'll be doing it again and again. We saw Blue Heron, Canadian Geese, American Coot, Cinnamon Teal, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and the Pelican to name just a few. 

3. Tulip Festival

Every year in the spring Thanksgiving Point Gardens opens its gates to a spectacular show of tulips. Walking among the tulips, wandering brick paths, finding the door that leads to the Secret Garden, and weaving through waterfalls and fountains is extremely relaxing and soul healing. Before our day begins, we usually have a picnic centered around things such as the Mad Hatter's Tea from Alice In Wonderland, Fairies, etc. The entire family is invited. We make it one of the best day adventures of the year. I can't wait for this year's Tulip Festival to begin! 

If you are ever in the state of Utah during April and May, this is a place that should be put on your list. 

4. Mother's Day Tea

My girls and I started a tradition several years ago. We have a tea party for Mother's Day. Some years it's just we girls and the granddaughters. Other years it has included extended family. Whichever way it is carried out, it is definitely on my spring bucket list every year that I am home. This year will be centered around fairies. We have been Pinteresting and brainstorming ideas but would love any and all suggestions to make this year's tea party one that all little girls will remember.

5. Camping

I haven't been camping for over 20 years! I mean the real camping... in a trailer or a tent. This is my year! I am in charge of a family reunion and set a day in June for all extended family members to meet at a large water park for picnicing and water play. But my own children and I are camping up a nearby canyon for several days. I can't wait! Now... I just have to find a trailer...

Now you've seen my Spring Bucket list. What does your's look like?

Inspired by Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop

Spring

There's nothing I like better than the first blooms that come in spring. The apricot tree is my absolute favorite!

Just as a favorite childhood song goes.... I could take an armful and make a treat. A popcorn ball that would smell so sweet!

Refuge

Welcome to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge! 

This large, expansive feeding and breeding grounds for migratory waterfowl practically sits in our backyard. It is located just west of Brigham City and north of the Great Salt Lake and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior. The new education center is full of interactive displays that both young and old will like. We loved it! Another great bonus... it's completely FREE! 

Springtime is an excellent time to welcome returning cinnamon teal ducks, the American white pelican, killldeer, Clark's grebes, meadowlarks, yellow-headed blackbirds, swallows, Blue Heron, swans, and so much more.

This year there was a special sighting... an owl nesting on eggs, underneath the eaves of the building. We didn't get pictures, but it would have been a sight to see! We heard a mass of frogs croaking, doing their mating calls. No sightings... just sounds.

It was spring break so a couple of the grandkids and I took advantage of the warm weather and took an auto tour around the refuge. 

Watching birds is a very enjoyable experience! 

The national refuge is a system of lands set aside to conserve wildlife and habitat. The marshes, rivers, and lakes are intertwined for miles. The road around the refuge is well maintained and provides designated parking in many spots that allow for quality bird watching experiences. Being out among the birds and natural habitat is both exhilarating and peaceful. Listening to their different chirps and songs makes you disappear into their world. That is all you hear!

Bird watching through binoculars brings the birds up-close and personal.

Cinnamon Teal and American Coot dotted the waterways of the refuge.

A lone Killdeer standing on the edge of a small water hole.

Yellow-headed Blackbird.

Canadian Geese are nesting among the willows along the shorelines.

Pelicans

Blue Heron

California Gull

Our state bird. The Seagull flies overhead as we are leaving.

List of birds we saw today: Blue Heron, Canadian Goose, American Coot, Killdeer, Cinnamon Teal, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Re-winged Blackbird, Clark's Grebe, Lincoln's Sparrow, Pelican, Seagull. Surely there were many more we did not see or identify.

Croaking frogs.

The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is a must see when planning your trip to Utah!

Inspired by Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop

April

April brings showers. I have always loved the rain in the Spring. 

A year after Shaniel passed away, and on her birth date, we went to the Salt Lake Temple to do her temple work. There was a gentle rain that day. The blessings, or rainbows, of heaven were gently showering down on us... as family from both sides of the veil came together and celebrated with Shaniel on receiving her saving ordinances. 

Rain cleanses the earth and makes everything fresh and new again. Now, whenever a gentle shower from heaven comes, it is a wonderful reminder of that day. Just as the earth received a gentle washing, so did Shaniel. A renewal of faith, a cleansing of soul, and the opportunity to move forward in the great plan of happiness is, indeed, a gift and blessing from heaven.

Gentle rain does bring the rainbows of heaven! What joy!