From the Mountain

New York Girls Trip

2009-06-03T06:30:00.000-07:00

To celebrate my little sister's birthday we ate Begium waffles, shopped, ran & biked in Central Park, saw Guys & Dolls and Lion King from our outpost in a quaint brownstone B & B.

Exciting Week

2009-05-06T06:11:00.000-07:00

Mary (finally) pays tuition then comes home to celebrate her birthday...she gets to attend Enemy Slayer along with our house guests: Alonzo -from Quereterro and and the Composer Mark Grey, Navajo Librettist Laura Tohe and Photographer Deborah O'Grady of the Navajo Oratorio. What an amazing Week!

Deseret News article reported "Musically, "Enemy Slayer" is stunning. It moves from breathtakingly beautiful and lush passages to sections that are stringently dissonant, and finally ends peacefully and simply. Yet everything is cohesive and quite seamless. It is a hypnotic work that makes quite an impression on the listener.
With a libretto by Navajo poet Laura Tohe, the work tells a compelling story of Seeker, a Native American returning home to the reservation from the war in Iraq. He is emotionally scarred by what he has been through, including the death of his brother who was killed in action. Plagued by these inner demons, he undergoes a traditional Navajo healing ceremony to be cleansed.
The oratorio itself is the actual ceremony, and underscoring that, Seeker, sung by baritone Gary Sorenson, was dressed not in traditional concert attire but in everyday clothes: jeans, open shirt and sneakers. And Allred, symbolizing the medicine man in this ceremony, wore a ceremonial silver and turquoise necklace.
The visual element is quite forceful in this story, aided by Deborah O'Grady's photography taken on a reservation and projected on a large screen onstage to one side of the orchestra"

Escape from Mexico City

2009-05-02T10:08:00.001-07:00

We thought we were just going down to promote the school, give away some wheelchairs and visit Mary... little did we know it was to resue her from the ravages of swine flu...those who appreciate fine photography check out Christine's pics (she is the cute brunette in the front of the bus with the blue mask)

You SPOKE I listened!

2009-04-09T12:49:00.000-07:00

I have had request for pics from Scene & Cynthia's wedding and rightly so...here they are. What a fun memory it was.

We'd been back from Mexico just one day and had this great temple wedding-sealed by his grandfater; ...then a great Indian dinner & dance celebration! WE LOVE MANGO LASSIS and CYNTHIA!

back from long leave of absence

2009-03-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a wonderful meeting with relatives in Holland
The man in the pic is Harry VDBerghe and the two cute white haired sisters on right are Wil and Hennie van den Berghe.

Spent time at the den Haag archive trying to find Grt (etc) Grandfather Wilhelmus Koning who went to Curacao in the military and died there in 1802. No luck finding him in Holland...Bryson suggests we go to Curacao.

Anybody want to join us?

Matthew's Baptism

2008-12-06T19:15:00.000-08:00

Bridal Shower for "Scenethia"

2008-12-03T19:29:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the wonderful guests for comint to Cynthia's shower. Thanks to the hostess with the mostest: Aunt Carol. And thank you to the cutest bunch or servers on the planet!

Benemerito & Big Cottonwood Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T06:11:00.000-08:00

While Ann & Mary spent time together during the Thanksgiving holiday a little further from the equator we gathered at the Cabin.

2008-11-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

Women for Future working together in a Salt Lake warehouse to sort items going to Iraq.

This is the organization I went to Iraq with last May. Women for Future was selected by Paul Holton (in lower photo)the founder of Operation Give <> to distribute donations for Iraq. Not wanting the goods to end up on the black market or be pilfered Paul said he only wanted to work wtih the women we have on our F.U.T.U.R.E. board in Baghdad to distribute goods not earmarked for the soldiers since he feels confident they will then go to those truly in need.

The LDS church will be shipping the items for us. There is lots of work to do. If you would like to contribute some labor in sorting these supplies feel free to join us. Contact me for details. It is a great way to serve this time of year.

Boston, Maine & the PA Siddoways

2008-10-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

The fall colors were not the only thing we were checking out...future cruises and Leheigh University and the Siddoway's new home. ALL were FABULOUS!

A highlight for me was attending the rehearsal for next Sunday's Primary program in Siddoway's branch. I've never seen anything like it...all of the children sang and sang on pitch. How did someone ever succeed in teaching them to do that?
I was told the chorister didn't even use games or much hooplaa. Maybe that is the secret?

After Conference Afternoon Session

2008-10-06T17:09:00.001-07:00

Exploring our Utah Roots

2008-09-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

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Spent a delightful weekend with family discovering our Utah roots with the best guide possible-Genealogy Grandma!

Visited Fort Cameron to see first hand the lone remaining fort structure William Burt had helped plaster in Beaver. Mom, Dad and the twins in front of the rock home built by William for his family. House is located at 503 East on Center Street in Beaver, Utah

WE were also able to hike to the LONE PINE TREE in New Harmony which I have never before done and we even found the correct tree (it is not alone any longer.) This trip was so fun we've decided it ought to be an annual event and we hope our siblings that couldn't make it this time will be able to next year.