Our Texas Visitor

Debra Sue Darling Gibbs arrived from Texas on Monday, 26 September, for an autumnal visit. There have been Alpine-Loop trips, shopping, visiting, movies, and lots of good food. We managed to squeeze in an evening at Bombay House, which is always a treat, and Debby joined us for our weekly dinner exchange with Phillip, Meagan and kids, as well as Emily's family's dinner with us.

Today we followed Debby to the the SLC airport where she had dropped her rental car, and then drove to Brigham City for lunch at Maddox. We were joined by Paula Curtis, who Debby met in Kuala Lumpur while visiting Hilary, Ian, and family. Paula and her husband, Carl, are in the Brown's branch and they have become good friends. Debby has gone to Logan to spend the weekend with Paula before she returns to Texas on Sunday. On the way home, Kris and I made a loop around the construction site of the Brigham City Temple.

Today is Friday, it is conference weekend, and tonight is the Utah State/BYU game in Provo, so the roads home were CRAZY CROWDED. It took us forever to get home. The back roads were as crowded as I-15. It was insane.

The view of Stewart's Cirque

Timpanogos from Aspen Grove

The aspens are just turning gold

A view back across Sundance toward Provo Peak

The Timpooneke side of Timp

Debby and Kris high above American Fork Canyon

Paula, Debby, and Kris at Maddox

The same three ladies with leftovers

Rear view of the Brigham City Temple

Front/side view of the new temple

These wonderful mountains above the Willard Cemetery
are spectacular; I couldn't resist a photo

The fun will continue this weekend with conference and the arrival of the Youngs from Arizona on Sunday. So stay tuned for even more adventures.

That, however, is all for now.

OXO

D.

Anna's Had Another Birthday

You've had another birthday, a happy one we know.... That September day in the 70s seems like it was not all that long ago. But there has been lots of water under the bridge since then and it's all good. What a great mom you are. How much fun it is to spend time with you. What a great daughter you are. I am so excited to have you visit in October, and even more excited to have you on the other side of the great basin. Having the wonderful Hastings family near by (relatively) will be super dooper!

September 1975

I love you, Anna, and hope your birthday is (was) great.

OXO

Dad

Snow in September, Part Two

Late yesterday afternoon, just in time for Emily's Wasatch School Fall Festival, it started to rain. It rained on and off all through the night and this morning, Timpanogos was dusted with the first snow of the year. It is remarkable that the last snow and the first snow were within days of each other. Oh, and by the way, have I ever told you how much I love this mountain?

Shot this morning on my walk

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Finally!

We have been concerned because the leaves were so slow to change color in the mountains and in the valley this year. There is a theory that the earth was knocked of its axis by two degrees during the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. That caused a two week delay in all the seasons. Sounds a bit radical to me, but who knows? Regardless, the point of this post is that today we finally have changing leaves. We will look forward to visits from several of you during the delayed-fall-leaves season.


That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Snow in September

I can't find any official records, but this is the latest I remember last winter's snow, albeit blessed little, on the face of Mount Timpanogos. It is really quite remarkable because the snow is often gone by the 4th of July, and certainly by the end of July. I was secretly hoping there would be a tiny bit left by the time of the first snow, but I don't think it will happen.

September 2nd

I'm small, I know, but wherever I go . . .
(You thought that was about a stream, didn't you?)

We should be seeing red on the mountains any day now. Until then, that's all for now.

OXO

D.