Day 30: Da Moose Da Moose

Alan and Marivic (brother and sister-in-law) are visiting from California. The other day they drove to Bountiful Peak and happened upon this moose. While telling Mike and I the story (and it's a funny one), Marivic tried unsuccessfully to show us pictures of the moose on her laptop. Later that night, I received this notification from facebook along with the following photo:


Marivic Cuyos Marsden added a photo of you.

At least I'm drinking water and not soda pop!!!

A Bit of Heaven On Earth

I think pretty much anyone who knows me really well, or reads my blog... knows that I love the ocean (t'ocean). But does anyone know how much Mike equally loves Yellowstone? And that Mike loves to take me to the ocean, and that I love to take him to Yellowstone?... which is what we did this weekend. It was especially fun this time to join our kids Jeremy and Emily, and our handsome grandsons Mason and Tanner. We also took a side-trip to Yellowstone Bear World in Rexburg (one of those places you drive by on every trip and say, "one of these days we'll stop there", well... "one of these days" finally arrived).



Mike at his favorite place in the park... Hayden Valley. He, Jeremy and Mason spent a couple of hours sitting patiently waiting for a grizzly bear and a pack of wolves. The bear was a no-show, but seven wolves appeared and joined an eighth and the guys watched them make their way across the valley.



This was one of very few elk we saw on this trip, which was very unusual, we usually see so many.



We spent one night at the lake hotel. This is a great spot to sit and capture the beauty of the lake... although I just wanted to capture a picture of the family (just ask the guy that took the picture for me).



Last look at Hayden Valley on our way out.

We sat and watched this grizzly playing in the water for several minutes at Bear World.

A "tour truck" at Bear World, filled with people feeding the bears. It reminds me of what Yellowstone was like years, and years ago.

The Eagles Have Landed

Every winter for the past ten years we have driven down Pages Lane to go see the Farmington Bay Eagles. From November through February they come daily to these trees; I refer to the trees as their "timeshares".

When we found our new home we quickly discovered that we had a front row seat to this marvelous scene. One of the first things I've done every morning this winter is to go to my bedroom window to see how many Eagles are in the trees.

Mike set up his spotting scope in the living room so that we could have an even better view of these birds, it really is an amazing sight (I was hoping the neighbors didn't think that we were trying to get a better view of them). Often we see them flying around after they've taken off, or just before they land on the branch of a tree. Our neighbors told us that there have been as many as 60+ Eagles in these trees at one time, recently I saw 19 and that was quite a sight to see. Last Saturday I saw one and that was it, Mike said they are gone until next November.

Those of you who know how I feel about the "feathered variety" may be surprised that I wrote this post. I don't really think of these as birds, but more of a majestic animal; in fact, recently as I looked through the spotting scope and observed an Eagle turning it's head and blinking it's eye I said to Mike, "It is so beautiful, I want to hug it." Mike said to me, "it would claw your eye out." Ouch. At least I had a kind thought for one species of the "feathered variety."

This picture is taken from my house

This is from my corner

Across the street from my corner

This is a "birds-eye" view of my house

Mike & Les: Horsing Around

Up to this point in our story I have left out a significant detail about Mike that has to be revealed....he was a "cowboy"....I know, but let me emphasize the word was....he wore a big cowboy hat, cowboy boots, and a denim jacket (although a very popular article of clothing now....in the 70's a denim jacket was only worn by cowboys). But most importantly, Mike had a horse. His very own, bought and paid for by himself....horse. She was a Thoroughbred and Arabian mix and her name was Persian. Mike really wanted me to go horseback riding with him....but I really didn't. I have always been afraid of horses, they are so big and powerful and if you stand behind them they will kick you (at least that's what I was always told). But he was my boyfriend and I didn't want to appear....scared. So I agreed.

The day of the horseback riding date came. It was with much courage (really fear) that I got on the back of that beast. Mike was in the saddle and I was right behind hanging on to him for dear life. Things got off to a smooth start as our adventure began. Mike was certainly knowledgeable and experienced where horses were concerned and I must admit that I was impressed; but in the few months that we had been dating Mike hadn't ridden Persian as often as he used to. Being a female herself, maybe she was a little jealous of me, or maybe she just didn't like me at all, but as we were riding along 800 West in West Bountiful (basically the "Main Street" of our community), and right as we were in front of City Hall, Persian started to get a little excited. She started to hop and jump a bit, keeping in time with the hopping and jumping my heart was doing. Hopping and jumping quickly became bucking. I was hanging on to my boyfriend for dear life as his horse BUCKED like crazy, but the next thing I knew, I was flying through the air and then landing on the road as the horse continued to jump all around me. At some point the horse stepped on my left arm at the inside of my elbow. It's amazing that it wasn't broken and it is truly a miracle that I wasn't more seriously hurt. It was humiliating. Cars were screeching to a halt and people were running out of their houses to see what they could do to help, including a woman who came with strips of clean sheets to wrap around my arm.

Our Moms miraculously appeared on the scene and I was driven to the ER where my arm was scrubbed (literally) with a scrub brush to remove tiny pieces of gravel that were embedded deep into the open wound. It was an extremely painful process (I was very brave....I was). I left the hospital with my arm wrapped up so professionally, to the onlooker it would appear that it was much more serious than it was (I liked that part). For many years I had a huge, bumpy, purple scar with the horses hoof mark imprinted on my arm; it has faded now (a benefit of aging) but is still there as a reminder of my adventure underneath a bucking horse.

Epilogue: As the years have passed and I've occasionally reflected on that day, I'm still amazed that I wasn't more seriously hurt. It seemed like I was on the ground for an eternity as the horse bucked and jumped all over me. It could have kicked my head or even stepped on my head, but all I received was the wound on my arm (not even a break). Several months after the incident Mike sold Persian to a young husband and father in our ward by the name of John Salmon (now President Salmon in our stake presidency), he frequently reminisces with Mike about Persian and says that she was the best horse he ever had.

30 years later I got on a horse for the first time since the bucking experience; and I had a great time.

Next time: A two week separation

Yellowstone: Mike's Happiest Place On Earth

We just returned from a four day trip to Yellowstone National Park. Granpa and Granma were there as well as Uncle Derek and Auntie Dorothy who were visiting from England.And of course....us!!On the way we stopped at the Rexburg Temple and then to see Sean who is attending BYU-I. Later that day Sean received his mission call to the Austrailia, Adelaide Mission.While in the park we saw lots and lots of these.
Including this one that was practically on my front doorstep!! Come in!We didn't see many of these, which was very unusual.But Caitlin managed to get this one eating out of the palm of her hand.Sadly we didn't see any of these (this was last years trip).Unfortunately I saw to many of these!! This picture may have to be deleted!We saw three of these.But most of all I saw these....and I love these!!