What a difference altitude (not attitude) makes

Glen and I ventured forth to Utah once again last week. Yes, that's three times in three months. I see a habit developing! A low front was moving in so there was lots of wind as we drove north. Once in Flagstaff, we were glad to not be traveling Interstate 40 because it had been shut down due to the wind.


As we headed to Jacob's Lake from the Vermilion Cliffs we could tell there was snow up ahead. Wow, a snowstorm in May!


The sign said that the road to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon was to open on May 15. I wonder if it happened. As you will soon see, we traveled home a different way.

What a difference a little altitude makes! It continued to snow or rain off and on again all the way to Provo. Higher altitudes usually make my ankles swell up like an unopened bag of chips, but I tried something new this trip. Lynette had sent me some compression socks for my birthday so I wore them ALL day (and this trip takes a full day.) It helped!

The next morning, Glen dropped me off at the BYU campus on his way to Salt Lake City. I wandered from the BYU Bookstore (most comprehensive children's' lit section around) and up and down the Harold B. Lee Library floors until I felt hungry. I remembered the Art Museum Cafe and meandered that way. That is where I discovered what you can do with old farm crop sprinklers and pipe.

Everyone and everything can indeed enjoy a second life or maybe even several lives.

It kind of made me dizzy.

As you can see, not a sprinkler part was left out.

The cafe was pretty quiet with only three tables in use. It helps me understand why the help gets a little cranky during BYU Education Week. They are used to almost no one during Spring and Summer terms.

I managed to figure out which bus to take to get back to the townhouse after heading back to the bookstore to make my purchases. I didn't want to lug books all over campus. Like in my student days, I was in need of a nap once I made my way home. Or should I say, I laid down and read one of my new books before Glen returned.

The next morning, we worked on the basement replacing light bulbs and cleaning up. I managed to get the stove looking almost like new. I also got air beds, bedding, towels, and some dishes moved from the up upstairs to the basement for summer guests. It was a working trip for both of us.

That afternoon, I went with Glen to SLC and he dropped me off at Borders to spend my Mother's Day gift card while he went on an appointment. (Thank you "E" Jensens!) One can never have too many books!

Friday morning we headed home. It was a beautiful drive with wonderful cloud formations. We have decided that we need to make a list of short hikes or walks we can take to break up our drive. This time we stopped south of Page and walked out to see Horseshoe Bend south of the dam on the Colorado River. Who knew that one could view this just 1/2 mile from Highway 89?

I took the pictures because this man found himself standing on shaky legs! This is as close to the edge as he got. I didn't know that he had a fear of heights, but it got him this time. I had to take the last few steps by myself to get the great shot of the river.

But he was color coordinated with the sky!

There were a few plants in bloom.

And a thunderstorm rolling in from off the Paria Plateau. I wanted to get a shot of the lightening, but I'm not talented enough.

Walking up hill in sand is hard work. I finally figured out that if I walked behind Glen in his exact same footprints, it was much better going. I think that there is a parable in that somewhere.

Of course, it also meant that he beat me back to the car. Most of those vehicles were driven there by people speaking a language other than English. Good for them making this walk a part of their once in a lifetime trip! The mile walk up and down the sand hill was definitely worth it. I can't even begin to count the number of times we have driven right on by.

We arrived home. . .


to Asiatic lilies finally in bloom. . .


and ripe tomatoes! BLTs anyone?!?!

(Thanks to Nate and Nichelle for keeping the water flowing at home!)

Thoughtful gift from my sister

I received a most thoughtful Mother's Day gift from my sister, Jolene. She came across a little yellow book, with a beautiful gardenia on the cover, entitled simply "Mother" amongst my parents' books in her possession. Inside she found a card including a note from my father, Gary, to his mother, Georgianna. The book and card had been sent home from Alabama to his mother while he served as a missionary in the Spring of 1949. Jolene sent each of her siblings a packet for Mother's Day including copies of the card, note, and book including the poems by Edgar A. Guest which my father had marked as special to him. How appropriate on this day when mothers all over the world receive the gift of a telephone call from their missionary sons.

Elder Gary 'R' Ostler

Georgianna Ricks Ostler

Jolene also included a sweet letter to us expressing gratitude for the experience of finding this note which provided a glimpse into the heart of our father expressing his special feelings for his mother. When you lose your father at a far too young age, it is indeed a gift to receive some insight into his personality and his tender feelings. Thank you Jolene for your special gift!

April showers bring sunflowers

Glen planned ahead so that he might brighten up the corner. His March planting of seeds followed by a shower or two in April (but mostly his faithful watering) have resulted in these beautiful sunflowers in May.


I like this shot of the sun shining behind them in late afternoon.


As you can see the sunflowers were planted in clay pots just behind the decorative fence. Dan and Rachel helped Glen with this project. He originally got a bid on a planter to be built behind the fence which was pretty pricey, so this was his solution. It worked!

Captain Glen

Glen treated his siblings and spouses to a vacation trip on the "Powell Pride." I understand that they had a laughing good time until it was time to bring the houseboat back in on a very windy morning. They went far enough north on the lake to visit Rainbow Bridge.

(Thanks for the picture Cory.)
To see more of Cory's pictures, go here.

Hollyhocks and great-grandma Lucy

I have always adored this painting. That is why a small print hangs in the master bedroom in Provo. It reminds me of my Scottish great grandma Lucy, mother of my paternal grandfather. She lived a block or so just north of the Old Rock Schoolhouse in Sugar City. Sometimes I would walk to her house instead of taking the bus home from school. I loved spending time with her. I loved the garden plantings which surrounded her house, especially the hollyhocks that lined the back walkway. I imagine that I am the little girl in the painting (not hard to do since my mother kept my dark hair in french braids.)

I've always wanted to grow hollyhocks. I planted some plants from the nursery two years ago. This year they just volunteered! They are making me very happy!

350,000 tulips celebrate 35 years

Yesterday was our 35th wedding anniversary. We celebrated in Utah over the weekend. We've celebrated our anniversary several times while visiting Utah. When one gets married at the end of a BYU semester in April, twenty some years later they will find themselves celebrating the graduation of BYU student children as well as their anniversary several times over the years. In fact, it will become somewhat of a tradition for just the two of you to sneak away to Temple Square to see the tulips sometime during the graduation festivities in honor of your wedding day.

There were no graduations this year, but Glen was in Salt Lake City on a business trip so I flew up Friday afternoon to join him in celebrating our day by seeing the tulips! It just seemed like the right thing to do!

The gardeners at Temple Square and the office building plaza have an artist eye. The combinations of tulips and other spring flowers are just stunning. My pictures don't even begin to do the flower beds justice.



Doesn't this reflecting pool look like it belongs in our backyard?


Glen and I were basically the only couple in jeans and tennis shoes early on a Saturday morning. Everyone else seemed to be in church clothes as they attended the temple or came to join a wedding party. After being stopped by and visiting with three sets of sister missionaries we politely declined more or we could have spent all our time with the sisters!


Here is the view from in front of the visitor's center. I just remembered that we forgot to enter and walk up to the Christus statue, the spot where Glen asked me to marry him! The trees in bloom were also beautiful.


We then crossed South Temple to visit the new Deseret Book store.


There is a wonderful display in the front of the store honoring the Tabernacle Choir.


This is the plaza outside the store. There is a great deal of construction going on in downtown Salt Lake City.

I liked the unfinished colorful buildings amongst the gray.

Our next stop was Thanksgiving Point in Utah County. Glen's sister, Wylene, wanted to catch a ride back to St. George with us later, so we talked her into meeting up with us at the Point.


She brought Leanna, Peyton, Malia, and Malia's mom, Lindsi with her. It was not only the Tulip Festival but Dutch Days, too, so it was pretty crowded. I guess we have become spoiled by our quiet weekday visits in the past.

Peyton and Malia had a splashing good time in the secret garden. It doesn't seem as secret when the trees are without leaves!

Monet's garden pond was just barely getting back the lily pads and the fish were few, but the girls still had fun feeding the koi.


Malia copies the brass girl tip toeing her way across the stream.

Glen is happiest with his grandchildren, even when he has to borrow some from his sister!

We spent the night in St. George, visited Phil and Lynette on the way out of town the next morning, and spent our time driving across the Navajo Reservation discussing what we might have wanted to change about our 35 years of marriage. There wasn't much!

Garden salad

I am mostly sharing this photo with you because looking at Nichelle's car makes me feel sad and irritated, not just for myself but for N & N, too.

This salad is made up veggies, ALL of which are from my garden. This is a bit trickier than it appears. You are looking at the first cucumber of the season which has finally arrived to join the cherry tomatoes which have been available a handful at a time for weeks. Usually I don't have lettuce by the end of April (having gone to seed), but this year I replanted in March just to see how it would go. Viola, a complete "from the garden" salad!

Now I'm hoping for enough tomatoes to make salsa before the cilantro goes to seed. See, it really is tricky coordinating timing and praying for cooperating weather!