...in rich measure...: July 2010

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

1 Down, 57 To Go!

We recently drove over Tioga Pass at:

Back in July of 1983 Dan was a young bishop who took the Young Men on a bike ride through the Sierras where they had quite an adventure in Yosemite because the "sag wagon"(containing all their clothes, gear and food) couldn't get over the pass. Then they found out the campground on the other side of the pass was closed because of snow so they had to keep riding their bikes many more hours down into the valley. It was now getting late but some kindly Rangers took pity on them and let them use some sleeping bags from the lost and found so they wouldn't freeze to death.

Here we are 27 years later heading over Tioga Pass!

But this time our only adventure was Dan buying his official National Parks Senior Pass for U. S. citizens age 62 and over! For the one-time fee of ten bucks we can now get in free to any National Park!

( His pass lets him take me in as well since it will be such a loooooong time before I am eligible!)

So many parks to see, so little time--let's roll!!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Happy Pioneer Day!

Something to think about this July 24, 2010!

"What does the Church mean to you? Imagine it without beautiful buildings, banquets, plays, basketball, softball, Eagle Scouts, the Mormon Tabernacle choir, Brigham Young University, beautiful flowers on Temple Square, Young Women medallions, Church magazines, canneries, seminary and super activities for the youth, Christmas lights on Temple Square, and so forth. If this list, and many more items that could be added, is what the Church means to us, we are failing in teaching the gospel.

All of these can be helpful, but they are only a means to an end.

The early members of the Church had few of the things that we now supply for our members in so many programs, and yet thousands of them were willing to die for their beliefs--and many did. Do we have the spiritual depth they had? We do, but I fear it may be dormant. Could we have endured what they did with the testimony we now have? More importantly, can we go through that which is at our doorstep with the depth of spirituality we now possess?"

pp. 64-65 Spiritual Plateaus by Glenn L. Pace

Friday, July 23, 2010

Decisons! Decisions!

As we contemplated the 2nd day of our trip home from Arizona, we thought of either taking the same way we came which was on Interstate 5 through the Central Valley where we would see this the whole way:

Or we could take a few hours longer and go up 395 on the eastern side of California and across to Highway 49 where we would see things like this:

It was an EASY decision!

(East side of the Sierras through the Mojave Desert, past Mt Whitney, and then drive across the top of Yosemite starting at Tioga Pass, then on to Sonora, Angel's Camp and home)

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Worth A Trip to Southern Arizona!

October 1979:

November 2000:

Ever since we made our first trip to Tucson, Arizona in 1979

I have been fascinated by the Saguaro cactus!

They grow only in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona, part of northwestern Mexico and a few in the extreme southeast of California. Although it seems to be the symbol of anything to do with the west, there are none in New Mexico, Texas, Utah or Nevada. This recent trip to Tucson in the middle of the summer was extremely hot, but seeing the cactus along our way made it worthwhile! I love to see them!!

There is literally a forest of Saguaro cactus in the mountains overlooking Tucson:

The Saguaro is the largest cactus in the United States.

When water is absorbed, the outer pulp of the Saguaro can expand like an accordion, increasing its weight by up to a ton!

But they grow very slowly--about an inch a year--but to a great height, 15 to 50 feet! The largest plants, with more than 5 arms, are estimated to be close to 200 years old! They take up to 75 years to develop the first side arm!

Now that's a creative Creator!

P.S. I don't know how Dan feels about this post. In taking one of the pictures he fell against a Saguaro cactus from his shoulder down to his hand. He was wearing a long-sleeved shirt but many, many needles got into his arm through his shirt! He pulled all of them out that he could find, but was in a lot of pain the rest of the evening!

P.P.S. Special thanks to the Moellers. We enjoyed seeing their new home!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

International Trip?

On our recent trip to Riverside, California I was out doing some shopping and I told Dan I felt like I was in Mexico. Everyone was speaking Spanish! I felt like a foreigner. Then we stayed at this hotel:

The original owner's son, Frank Miller, kept adding to the hotel just like the Winchester Mystery House. Then he traveled the world buying artifacts to display in the hotel. The architecture and art reflects Mediterranean, Chinese, Turkish, Spanish, Italian Renaissance and several others. Many famous people have stayed in the hotel including 10 U.S. Presidents. Richard Nixon and his wife, Pat, were married here. These are some photos we took one evening on our way to a dinner in the Spanish art gallery.

Here I am sitting in the chair that was made especially for President Taft

So many interesting nooks and crannies---it was easy to get lost!

Just outside our room:

Here I am standing by one of the pieces of art I liked. I agreed to have my picture taken with it so you could see how large the painting was:

It really felt like we were in staying in Europe!

Then after leaving Riverside we drove through the desert and it was 113 degrees for many hours! We stopped in the town of Mecca where we saw many date palm trees including these two: