Let's see, where was I? Oh yes, I wanted to share this cute photo of how the family helps each other out. Good going, HollySue!
Congrats to Katie who hardly broke a sweat when completing in the 26.2 mi Big Cottonwood marathon in SLC two weeks ago. First time she's done a 26 miler and I'm glad it worked out that I could go down to support her. I'm looking forward to when she does the Boston marathon so I can go support her there also. Good going, Katie!
It's harvest time and Holly and I are reaping the fruits of our labors. We have pears, peaches, apples, cucumbers, beets, tomatoes, kale, lettuce and spinach. . Here's poor college student,Eric (Katie's brother) hanging out in the delicious spartan apple tree. He helped pick the top, hard to reach apples for me so I could share with family, friends, neighbors, can and store some for HS and I.
I've been doing lots of dill pickles, HollySue found a delicious dill pickle relish recipe and we worked together to bottle some for her use this year. So much faster with two people on the job. Good going Holly - you're a canner like younger sis Reb.
We've had more AZ type monsoon rain storms this week and roads still aren't repaired from last month's heavy rain. Yesterday we got 1.7 inches (i thought I was back on Guam)! Had lots more flooding downstairs and mopped up two separate times - Holly helped me sop it up faster with very large heavy towels. She was heading to work and I noticed that there was a river behind Japanese maple tree next to garage. It hit me that the problem wasn't crack in cement below front porch, but the RAIN GUTTER since there was a water fall next to the rain spout. Who to call? Everyone I could think of was ill, out-of -town, too old or usually never home when I needed help. But this tme my neighbors to south were home, came right over. Bruce climbed up ladder and with two swipes of his hand in gutter, Gayle and I were relieved to hear the loud swoosh of plugged up water going down the drain under the front lawn.
The tree had gotten so tall and when trimmed last spring it left leaves, etc in to cause the problem. I'm so grateful to them for helping me out. We've had more rain today, but no more in the basement, yea! I just removed their thank you dessert from the oven.
Congratulations to two family members with significant milestone birthdays this past week!
"I'm loving 40, it's great!! .. and at 18 voting adult Hannah says, "Rats, I'll never be a child again!!!!!"
(That was soooooo easy).
The trek 2 1/2 weeks ago through WY I took with Lance, Becky, Lonnie (Becky's brother and his wife Marsha was great and really gave me the essence and pictures of what my great grandparents and papa's great grandparents went through to come across those desolate plains and mountainous trails.
Becky and I pulled Lonnie who played the part of great grandfather, Hopkin Matthews (first land owner in Providence) because he was ill and his wife, Margaret and daughter, Elizabeth, had to do it for him.
At Martin's Cover, after I watched a large rattle snake crawl right in front of me. Then on the way back Lance nearly stepped on another one while pulling the cart. Such excitement!
Here's Lance and I at Independence Rock where another great grandmother,Mattie, gave birth to Peter who lived only one month. He made the 7th child she and Mads had buried: three in Denmark, one at sea and and two others who died of diseases after they arrived in America. I'm in awe of her as she had been raised in a wealthy home and wouldn't have had to do any physical work. She was remarkable that she could still keep going - must have been in her strong will.
The flat tire on Lances's car surely threw a wrench into our well oiled trip schedule. But, it happened where he could get off highway on level ground and spare put on just before it got dark. We had to cancel hotel reservations (too far) as spare requires only 50 mph on highway and the place we were going for best deal in USA to get huge ice cream cones for little money was closed. Found famous Little America had rooms and they all ate at midnight. Next morning he had to drive about 30 miles and bought two new tires and returned to pick us up.
Oh, oh times up - canning of pears is calling. To be continued.....
