Photo Tag Time

Photo Tag
Here is how you play. Open your photos folder or program.
Go to the first folder that comes up.
Go to the 10th picture in that folder.
Post that picture and tell about it.

One of the things I love about my job is that I get to travel all over the state visitng customers and putting together bids for unusual types of fire protection systems. Last week I visited a power plant in Bonanza (yes, that's in Utah), next week I will be at top secret sites at Dugway Proving Grounds. This week I was up in Cache Valley putting together a proposal for an explosion suppression system in a machine that creates aluminum dust at an electric sign company. While I was there I stopped and took this photo.

I don't know why it is, but Cache Valley seems to have the best barn signs in the state. There is this one outside of Wellsville and several other good ones up by Richmond. I've always wanted to do a kind of photo essay on all of them, but that somehow seems to be at the bottom of my "to do" list. Thursday, I thought it wouldn't take me too long to stop on my way back and at least take a picture of this one.
This will need to be the early spring picture in the photo essay since it's not a very picturesque time of year.

Now it's your turn ... I tag Brooke, Heather, Crystal and Chad, Lisa and Jesse and Joe and Marie.

A Wolf, A Racoon, and an Angel

Max earned his Cub Scout Wolf Award yesterday too. He is serving as the Assistant Den Chief and was awarded a bunch of arrow points. He got to pin the award on his mom right there in front of everybody. He then got to lead the "sneeze applause" given by placing your hands in front of your mouth in cupping shape, sneezing loudly, and then because you have no place to wipe your hands, you rub the deposit into your hair.

Mel would have nothing to do with it and rubbed hers in Max's hair! Shon, Mel and the whole family were especially proud of Max and his achievements. Max wrote a nice thank you note for the help he got working on the rocket written on special "I Love Grandpa" stationary. There was a lot of waiting time while others raced their rockets.

Jake spent his time playing with the elastic bands that were used for the rocket motors. He fired them off at just about everyone and even spent some time pretending to be a propeller blade for a while and a racoon with little beady eyes.. I'm not sure that he knew his brother was racing a rocket in the middle of all his fun.

Isabel was an angel the whole time. We asked her if she wished she could race a rocket. She said she didn't go for those boy things. She got several chapters of her book read while she was there amid the pandemonium. Hmmm - sounds just like a Phillips girl.

We love being able to be involved in the lives of our grandkids. Last Sunday, we walked over to my Mom and Dad's house. Along the way, we stopped at Heather and Joseph's home and picked up Elsie, Cy, Andrew and Caleb and all eight of us went to visit Tammy and Mom and Dad. As we were walking the last part back to our home, Janene and I commented on how happy we are to be surrounded by our children. We know that very few American families are so blessed. Angie and her kids were here today along with Brooke and her two and a half children. Chelane was here yesterday. As parents, we feel like we don't see each other enough, yet we know many families see each other only one or two times a year. We thank the Lord for these blessings in our lives.

"Ground Control to Major Max"

Grandpa and Max have been hanging out in the garage working on a project together. Max had a Cub Scout Space Derby coming up and asked his Grandpa to help him, so we have spent a few nights working on the thing. We couldn't figure out at first how to sand the bulky block of wood they gave us, but we came up with the idea of putting it on the drill press. With it on the drill press, Max was able to wrap sandpaper around it an give it the sleek shape he wanted.

It was like having a lathe. It made it super easy to paint too! Just turn on the drill press a push the button on the spray paint. Max decided to name it the Max 38 Rocket. When I asked him why he wanted "38" he said, "I like it". It was a good enough reason for me.

Last night was the official race over at Max's church. Max was really proud of his rocket and Grandpa was surprised to see so many other gold colored rockets. We both thought his would be the only one there. He got to race it three times and it performed well each time.

Here it is at the start leading all the other rockets. It went so fast that I couldn't catch a picture of it as it went by. They changed the rules so that each boy had chance of winning and set an arbitrary point about 2/3 of the way down the course. The boy who came closest to that point was the winner. Even though we didn't win we had a lot of fun with Max's whole family.

Phillips Campmobile

Janene and I have been watching the Ken Burns series "National Parks - America's Best Idea" . It has brought to my memory the way my family used to go camping. My grandfather said that we didn't need a lot of money to see the beauty of our country. My family consisted of five kids and Mom and Dad. The first time we all went to Yellowstone, we went in our blue and white ford (seen below). My dad rigged up a couple of sheets of plywood that he laid from the rear deck across to the front seats forming a second level in the back. My brother and I slept on the top with the windows (lucky us) and from this viewpoint, we could watch the bears destroy our camp.

Vikki slept on the back seat, with Tammy and Julia curled up in the recesses on each side of the "hump" in the middle. Sometimes Vikki traded with Morton to get a turn on the top level. Mom and Dad each slept in the front seats sitting up. I don't know how they ever got any sleep. It seems unbearable now, but all I remember was how fun it was to see bears, and elk and geysers with my family. We had a great time. One night, we got to sleep in a park service cabin because a couple of park service employees saw our sleeping arrangements and felt sorry for us! I now own a motor home that I never use and at least four tents, but nothing can compare with that first trip to Yellowstone. In the years to come, we would go on to visit all of the National Parks in the western United States ranging as far away as Olympic National Park in Washington and the Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde. It truly was a great idea, this national park thing.

Farewell, Tom

Our dear friend, Tom Ure, returned to his Father in Heaven tonight. He got up from the table after dinner and collapsed. By the time he arrived at Lakeview Hospital, he was no longer living. Apparently, he suffered an aneurysm similar to to the same thing that killed his youngest son, Justin several years ago, and almost took Jenny as well. Well we remember Tom's wry sense of humor and his excellent singing voice. He and Judy were diehard Utes, and all their boys, Tom and Daniel have followed in their footsteps. Judy will need all of our help in the coming days months and years. Help us pray for Judy and her family. Our prayers will be with them.

100 Years of Scouting Gala

Scouting began in the United States 100 years ago. To celebrate , we attended a gala dinner with 2500 others in the Salt Palace. Joseph was able to get us tickets through a neighbor in his ward. The ceremony began with a choir of Eagle Scouts conducted by Michael Huff. Pretty impressive. Did I mention that I want an Eagle choir at my funeral? Then a young man was awarded a special lifesaving award for trying to save his mother's life after she fell a thousand feet off of Mt. Olympus.

Little Caleb was an angel through the entire night. We sat right up front. The only problem with up front is that we were also right next to the loudspeakers. There was a keynote speaker who just happened to be the president of the Boy Scouts of America. Lt. Governor Greg Bell spoke and got a laugh when he said that BSA headquarters may be in Irving, Texas - but Utah is the capitol. Utah, with only 1% of the population of the United States has more than 10% of all Eagle Scouts.

We were entertained by a group of former scouts from Utah named Eclipse. They also performed at the 2002 Olympics. It was a little weird to hear scouts really sing out.

Joseph and Caleb enjoyed the evening - and so did we.

Is San Rafael Next?

A memo is floating around in the Obama administration indicating that two locations in Utah may be being considered for designation as National Monuments. This news infuriated members of the Utah State Legislature who are still smarting after the designation of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. But I wonder, why all the fuss? The San Rafael Swell has some of the most stunning scenery in the world.

The view from the Wedge Overlook is something someone never forgets. The campground is right on the rim, something that would probably change if this was a National Monument.

The view of Bottleneck Peak from the San Rafael River is only one of the incredible vistas from this single point. To the north is a view up a narrow winding canyon, to the east is the rugged Mexican Mountain and the eastern ridge of the Swell, and the southern view is one of Assembly Hall Peak.

Hidden throughout the Swell are Barrier Canyon style petroglyphs, many of them still untouched by vandals. We have enjoyed hiking in the Black Box, exploring the slot canyons of the Bell and Little Wild Horse drainages and watching the stars of the Milky Way from one of the most remote areas in the country. If this doesn't qualify for monument status, I don't know what would.

On the Road Again

From the day I bought my first car, I wanted to use it to explore the wild areas of Utah. Janene and I drove our 67 Mustang through the dirt roads of the Uintas, even once going to the shore of Haystack Lake. That trip resulted in a hole in the oil pan. I longed to own the kind of vehicle that would allow me to truly explore. Shortly before Angie was born, we bought this 1951 Willy's Station Wagon. It cost $900 - a small amount that was dwarfed by the money we (I should say "I", because Janene was against it from day one) would eventually pour into it. It was in this vehicle that we first explored the Burr Trail, the Fisher Trail, and the Murdock Basin Road. Unfortunately, this was also the vehicle that broke down on just about every scenic road in Utah.

One trip on the Burr Trail with Julia and Tammy was particularly memorable because the rear leaf springs broke after we loaded up with petrified wood. Janene was badly sunburned, pregnant and miserable and she felt every single rock on that rough road. When we arrived home, it was time to repair the vehicle. While I was working on it, the vehicle fell off the stands with me under it, badly crushing my left hand. Janene and the neighbor came out to the sounds of my screams. Our neighbor picked up ( yes, I said "picked it up") the car while I scrambled out. Miraculously, though my hand was as big as a basketball, no bones were broken. I have since had to have three or four cysts removed from that hand. Maybe connected, maybe not.

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For several years, every weekend was a new adventure for us. We went often to the Uintas with Steve and Sherry Kubisch in their 56 Ford truck. We used the CB radio to communicate with each other and to talk to people all over the world using the "skip" that we could reach from the high mountain peaks. We never camped in a campground, but instead searched for remote sites where we could be alone. Janene was truly a good sport about this. For a man, the whole world is his urinal. For Janene, with two kids in diapers, it must have been a great ordeal, an ordeal that she endured for my sake. I loved this car, but eventually we could no longer afford to maintain a vehicle that was older than I was, and we sold it to another young family for $1000.00. It was a steal for both of us.

Will you be my Valentine?

This year will be our 42nd Valentine's Day together. After all these years we both still love to be together. We never run out of things to talk about. We had a big bunch of the time with a handful of kids in the middle, and we used to wonder if we would still like each other when the diapers, soccer practice, senior proms, and weddings were over. Our last little vacation showed that we still have the spark. We always have our little differences. Janene thinks a vacation is a time to relax, and she thinks that I always want to go go go. Somehow we balance each other out and still have fun. We are looking forward to another 42 years together. If we are lucky, we might just remember who we are by then.

Like Father, Like Son?

I was trying out the facial recognition software again and both of these guys ended up in the same folder. Of course, the top one is me and the bottom one is our son Doug. The funny thing is - Doug and I are not related at all. Doug joined our family when he was about 15 years old. Doug used to work with me in the fire business, and everyone would always comment on how much we looked alike. There usually was no question until they heard Doug's last name. We have a lot of fun too, pretending to be the Dynamic Duo. Whenever Doug calls, I always respond with "Batman!" to his "Hello, Good Citizen". Since those pictures came up together, I thought I would take this chance to record that memory. Back to the Bat Cave!

What to do .... What to do?

Ok, so I'm home sick with the flu, I feel miserable and wanted something to drink to help my sore throat. Janene has gone with friends to a cabin for the weekend and I'm home alone. I found this nice bottle of vino blanc in the fridge (it's just carbonated grape juice) It was a Christmas gift. It is a fine Italian make from a French importer. This would soothe my aching throat and get some much needed liquids into my feverish system. There's only one problem....

Beginning at the first of the year, my son in law, Stephen began the year with a resolution to avoid soda pop. He tried to get lots of people to join him in his efforts - kind of like an AA group. Nobody would join him. We all liked our Diet Cokes or our Dr. Peppers, too much. Well, I finally gave in and joined him. It has now been over a month without a Diet Coke. The first two weeks were miserable. I had a caffeine headache the whole two weeks. So now my dilemma... Is this really considered soda pop? And does it really matter if it's used for medicinal purposes? Besides, I'm home alone. Who will ever know?

Well, to quote from Clarence in It's a Wonderful Life, " No, I didn't take a drink". Ok, I'm headed for the Alka-Seltzer. Plop,Plop, Fizz, Fizz! Curses - foiled again!

Swimming with Sharks

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be snorkeling or diving and come face to face with a great white shark?

Maybe with a more docile tiger shark?

Or a hammerhead?

If you go to the aquarium in Maui, you can get a little bit of an idea of what that would feel like. Many of you asked how I learned to do underwater photography. It was easy - I just took my camera and paid my $25 admission to the aquarium. Are you kidding? Me with a camera underwater? It's all I can do to bring myself to get in the water with those bizarre creations. I could never do that AND hold a camera. I would probably forget to breathe.

ADCD Fishes?

When we went to Hawaii, we took our snorkeling gear. I don't really recommend doing that. It's bulky and heavy and you can rent snorkel, mask and fins in Hawaii for $1.50 a day. I have this weird fear that I am going to suffocate every time I put that mask on.

So, the second day we were there, we headed out to La Perousse Bay to test the waters. I didn't have my fins. It was cold and the water was kind of rough. I couldn't see anything. It was murky and muddy and I thought I was going to drown. I kept at it though, and pretty soon I discovered an area where it was all rocky and there were fish everywhere. As soon as there was something to see, I forgot all about my fear of drowning. Janene didn't really want to be out there, so she went back and sat on the rocks.

Later, we went out the island of Lanai in a big rubber raft and went to three different spots to snorkel. Janene went with me on the second one in Manele Bay, and then when we went to Lighthouse, she was too cold to get back in. Janene says she doesn't mind being in the water. She just doesn't like the idea of all those crazy critters being in there with her. On our way there, a flying fish came out of the water and flew alongside the boat. It was pretty impressive. It flew for about 300 feet in the air. Weirdness!

Another day, we went to a cool looking bay and were on the way down to snorkel when someone advised us not to go. "There's someone dead down there" she said. It was true. Someone had just died down there and we saw the body bag with the paramedics later. We never found out how they died. It was a little creepy, but two days later, we went back and I explored that bay while Janene sat on the rocks. It was pretty cool and there were lots of fish. We don't know what its real name is, but I call it Dead Man's Bay now.

Random sights on a full moon eve

I came home from work to the sight of a full moon rising over the mountains behind our home. I must get out the camera was my thought. I did and then realized that it would be another hour before it came up over our hill. That meant only one thing. I had to hike up the hill to the garden in the snow. I only fell twice on the way up, but once I got up there,there was no good angle on the moonrise, so I got it coming up over Dee Winegar's old home. I built that chimney, so it seemed only fitting.

While I was up there I got to see what happens to Brussell Sprouts if you leave them through the winter. We probably won't be eating any of these now. At least I think the aphids are finally dead.

Turning to the west, I watched the sun set over the Oquirrh Mountains as planes landed at the airport.

And then watched as the urban rats invaded our neighborhood. About ten of these guys were in the field across the street. I thought I was going to get a good picture because I saw two four or five year old boys out on their balcony looking at the deer. Suddenly they disappeared into the house only to return with toy squirt guns - and began firing away. I couldn't get both the deer and their attackers in the same picture, but it would have been pretty cool. Oh well, there is always tomorrow.