Dateline: Phoenix AZ - Tuesday, January 24, 2012 - #797

California poppies are in bloom in some yards

We love the winter time in Phoenix because we can enjoy all the flowers coming out. Many plants cannot blossom in the summer, but in winter they really show their stuff. And January is when the blooming starts.

The California poppies are starting to bloom in some yards while the plants are just starting in others. This means we'll be seeing poppies for several months as more and more come into bloom. And bougainvillea are just covered with color; bougainvillea blossoms are really tiny yellow flowers and the real showy color comes from the bracts - the leaves just below the flowers.

Dateline: Phoenix AZ - Sunday, January 22, 2012 - #795

My current computer: Dell Vostro

I have spent two days mostly doing computer updates and cleanup. Elaine's computer is running somewhat slowly, she says, and it is time to take it to Data Doctors for a good going-over. We have a service agreement with that chain and they do great work.

But since her computer will be tied up for a couple of days I got out my old computer and am setting it up for her to use in the interim. But that computer had not been used for many months and needed much updating.

Dateline: Phoenix AZ - Friday, January 20, 2012 - #796

Bobby Jo and Kerby having a love-in

We don't see them for several months and then we see them twice in one month! Elaine's sister, Jo Behrman, and Jo's daughter, Bobbi Jo, came to Phoenix for a wedding this weekend, so we got a chance to see them again though we had just visited with them in Wyoming a couple of weeks ago.

Coming to Phoenix was easy for Jo, because she had lived here for about a year shortly after we bought our house on Sweetwater Ave. She had also visited us in Phoenix several times before and after. Jo came to like Phoenix and I expect that this visit in the middle of winter made her consider coming back here.

Dateline: Phoenix AZ - Saturday, January 14, 2012 - #792

Gerri opening gifts under her banner

Gerri Clark turned 65 recently and they threw a birthday part for her this evening. Actually, Gerri did most of the preparation and organizing for her party - she is at her best when putting together these soirees and does a marvelous job!

For those who don't know, Gerri is the wife of my cousin Jim Clark. They moved to Phoenix about ten years ago and we get to see them fairly often. Gerri loves to cook and always serves such excellent food at her house, and it is always a gustatory pleasure to visit them to say nothing of the fun of being with Jim and Gerri.

Dateline: Phoenix AZ - Friday, January 13, 2012 - #794

An old house in Panguitch UT

It wasn't as cold in Beaver UT this morning as it was in Green River yesterday, but even 16 degrees is a shock when we stepped out to get on our way. Sure glad when heat started kicking in; Kerby was shivering mightily when we first got in the car even though he was wrapped up in Elaine's lap.

From Beaver we head south on I-15 then cross over the mountain range on UT 20 and into Panguitch. We like traveling US 89 and sometimes use I-70 to connect to it from I-15, sometimes UT 20, and sometimes UT 14. The UT 20 route is the shortest, and UT 14 was closed over the pass.

Dateline: Beaver UT - Thursday, January 12, 2012 - #793

This is southwest Wyoming, in the Bridger Valley area

Having had enough of cold - make that frigidly cold - weather in Green River WY we left today on our return trip to Phoenix. We got as far as Beaver UT again and will stay overnight here and continue to Phoenix in the morning.

But our departure was delayed by an hour and a half this morning due to car problems. Part of our cooling system froze. The engine started fine but we did not get any heat in the cabin and the temp continued to rise on the indicator until it almost pegged at the top and a warning came on about hot temps. We stopped at Oil Can LLC to check it out and they fixed it and got us on the road again.

Dateline: - Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - #789

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Dateline: Green River WY - Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - #788

Statue of John Wesley Powell in front of the Sweetwater County Museum in Green River WY

It was a bold and exuberant time in 1869. The Civil War was over, a railroad had been built crossing our great continent, and people were curious about what we had inherited and purchased. John Wesley Powell had joined the Union forces as a private and ended up a major by the end; he lost his right arm due to injuries during the War. He had a restless spirit to match the nation; "in 1855, he spent four months walking across Wisconsin. During 1856, he rowed the Mississippi from St. Anthony, Minnesota, to the sea. In 1857, he rowed down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh to St. Louis; and in 1858 down the Illinois River, then up the Mississippi and the Des Moines River to central Iowa. At age 25 he was elected to the Illinois Natural History Society in 1859." (from Wikipedia) But in this neck of the woods he is better known for his expeditions down the Green and Colorado Rivers in 1869 and 1871, for his embarkation point both time was an island in the Green River at Green River City in Wyoming.

Dateline: Rock Springs WY - Monday, January 09, 2012 - #790

Alicia and great-grandmother Elaine

We visited with Stacie and her family while in Rock Springs. Her two children, Carlos and Alicia, are our great-grandchildren. Stacie is Shane's daughter.

Besides being a busy Mom, Stacie is also taking a college-level distance-learning course in medical transcription and is doing very well so far. Her husband, Jeremiah, works for Pacific Steel in Rock Springs.

Dateline: Green River WY - Sunday, January 08, 2012 - #791

Kyle and Shane Ogden

Shane has three boys, Kyle, Cameron, and Christian. We were able to visit with Kyle when he came to see us with his Dad one evening but we have not been able to see the other two.

Kerby was delighted to see Shane, because they used to romp and play a lot when Shane stayed with us in Phoenix. It did not take them long to get back into their play routines again!

It is amazing to see grandkids all grown up, and Kyle is a good example. He is almost as tall as his Dad, and Shane is no small person. Kyle also has a great physique from high school sports and development.

Dateline: Green River WY - Saturday, January 07, 2012 - #787

Elaine, Dave, Shauna, Shane

We went for dinner at Don Pedro's, a great restaurant in Green River WY, with Shauna after she got off work and her brother Shane called and joined us. Shauna and Shane are Elaine's twins and the middle children.

We had a great time catching up with news from both of their families and hearing about their jobs, kids, and lives.

Dateline: Green River WY - Friday, January 06, 2012 - #786

Before: Elaine's hair has not been cut for more than ten years and had grown out to 27 inches.

Elaine has let her hair grow for more than ten years without anything but a minor trim once in a while to fix the ends. She insisted that she would never cut it again but then at times she said she wanted it shorter. She likes it long but wanted to reduce the work in caring for long hair.

For some reason she decided recently that it was time.

So today she had an appointment at her daughter Shauna's place - Appearances Salon in Green River WY - and had it cut! I like the result and I think she does, too.

Dateline: Green River WY - Friday, January 06, 2012 - #785

Tollgate Rock at the right, and Palisades beyond, line the Green River

You soon learn when you come to Green River the names of various rock formations around the city. The Green River flows through the valley and over the eons has cut away from the sandstone layers, exposing the depths. And wind and rain have done further sculpting to create these fascinating formations. I don't know how early in the exploration of the region these particular formations got their names, but I am sure it was from the earliest for many names like these have shown up on Wyoming maps for generations. And not just in this area - the same is true throughout the region where the westward migration trails led. Remember that those earlier travelers were going at a rate of 5-6 miles per hour, not the 75 we do today. So those formations were in sight for far longer and with nothing else to do while "on the road" I am sure it was easy to dream up names for the shapes. After all, these shapes stay in place far longer than the clouds that humans have often found shapes in!

Dateline: Green River WY - Thursday, January 05, 2012 - #784

The central part of Utah is a broad plain bordered with mountains on both sides. The center lands are farm lands.

I always enjoy driving through central Utah, no matter what the season. Interstate 15 traverses a broad plain which is mostly range land, and at this time of year everything is in shades of tan and brown. With a low sun angle such as in the morning or evening, the land seems to glow with warmth. That was the situation as we headed north this morning.

We got off the Interstate in Spanish Fork so Elaine could check out a scrapbooking store we found online, but (1) we could not find it and (2) they are wholesale only she learned later.