Butterflies and being shutter shy

We finally made our trip to see the butterflies at the Desert Botanical Garden on Saturday morning. Our previous attempt got stopped cold when I checked the web site before leaving and found "Reservations required to enter the garden." I guess there has been a great deal of excitement because of the Chihuly glass exhibit amongst the plants, so new rules. As all the grandchildren were already gathered, we went to the bird store instead and listened to those noisy macaws, silent grays, and cooing lovebirds. Then we went to the Easter Pageant at the temple.

Sadie wore her flower dress in hopes of attracting butterflies. We set free our last group of painted lady butterflies before leaving the house. Heather had covered herself in flowers hoping to attract a butterfly, which she did! One was so attracted it became a hitchhiker riding all the way with us in the car and making a somewhat shaky get away in the parking lot of the gardens after we finally found a parking spot.

Now confident in her butterfly attracting ways, Heather chose to disregard the "Do not touch the butterflies" sign. The docent also required that she relinquish grandma's flowers which she had brought with her before entering the Butterfly Pavilion.

Andrew had arrived home from California so joined us on our outing. I think his boys had missed him! I was lucky to get a shot with every one's eyes showing (well, maybe not Andrew's:) Their photog mom has made them shutter shy!

After butterflies, we stopped for a picture with a glass sculpture on our way back to the entrance. Toby wasn't too sure about the butterflies and held grandpa's hand tightly in the pavilion. Sadie loved the butterflies, but it not so sure about the glass. I really think that she had just run out of steam and it was starting to get pretty hot.

TJ is always a good sport to go along. He told me that the only plant he likes is the Venus fly trap!

Smart Heather knew how to beat the heat! Raymond tried to find a bit a shade, too, but the umbrella was a bit small.

We did a pretty good job of keeping track of everyone, something about an adult in front and another in back of the group.

The front of the group found a shady bench and luckily grandma had a drink of water for everyone.

Grandpa's lap always makes Sadie feel better. A stop at McDonalds on the way home made everyone feel better.

Ruby found some glass plants on the way out. Desert plants and glass - who knew it would be such an attraction.

For professional pictures from this outing, click here.

Heather's dress and friendship

On one of my many trips to Provo (perhaps the one when Raymond was born) I found myself at Borders. As I cruised an unfamiliar store I passed the magazine rack which I usually ignore at home. This caught my eye, an eye which couldn't believe what it had found. A high quality magazine devoted to smocking with complete patterns for each project along with gorgeous photography. "Australian Smocking & Embroidery" magazine became my new delightful pleasure. When I returned home and went online to subscribe, I felt really cheated that this magazine had been in existence so long without my knowledge. This led to the purchase some back issues as well. Now I anxiously await the delivery, from far away Australia, of my copy of this magazine each quarter. I have used it to create blessing gowns and rompers. That first magazine cover also prompted me to make this beautiful dress for Heather. It was my first attempt to smock and sew silk and the magazines multi-sized patterns allowed me to procrastinate finishing it for a couple of years before it finally became Heather's Easter dress.

I first learned to smock while a young mother in Bountiful. One of the blessings of my life occurred with the arrival of two other young mothers in the two houses across the street. We created a triangle of friendship and love and babysitting and support. I honestly don't know how I would have made it through newborns and toddlers, breast infections, knee surgery and everyday lack of adult conversation without these two beautiful women. Sharon also became my inspiration for painting and sewing myself out of the mundane of everyday. She fueled my passion for decorative painting and English smocking. She passed on what she learned at her painting lessons (and even some woodworking) and patiently taught me how to smock clothing like they do in the South. She was my Georgia peach and far better than a breath of sunshine.

Robert and Sharon Starling, Cindy and Charlie Skewes

Bountiful, Utah house about 1979
(Ignore Cindy's tongue - she was always creating waves)

Sharon recently tracked me down on my Facebook account created for me by my daughter. (My daughter-in-law created this blog for me as a birthday present - the present that keeps on giving.) It felt so good to be in touch again, but I also found myself regretting the years spent out of touch. Our children had grown, grand babies been born, and we had aged without each other. Where were the blogs and instant messaging when we could have used them? So, after I publish this post, I will then go on Sharon's wall and tell her to check out pictures of the dress I created because of her gentle guidance years ago. I will share with my friend.

Reflections on Easter Sunday

Resurrection
Photograph by Mark Mabry
from his book
"Reflections of Christ"

This morning when I partook of the sacrament, my heart was filled with love for the Savior - so full that I felt a need to share my testimony of Him. I know that Jesus Christ came to live on earth to minister and teach and show complete and perfect love for mankind. I have felt of the blessing of His atoning sacrifice both as one who has fallen short and as one who has felt great pain through the actions and choices of others. I can't explain exactly how the atonement works, but I have truly felt Christ with me as I have been freed from sorrow both as one repenting and as one needing to forgive. I also know that He truly knows me and my circumstances and that when I gain full confidence in Him and lay my burdens at His feet, He blesses me and my family in ways I could not have imagined. His perfect love has buoyed me up and helped me to love and minister to others. It has provided me great peace. On this Easter Sunday, I also marvel at the resurrection and the gift of eternal life.

Each time I read the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, I find joy in His great mission. I especially love 3rd Nephi when the Savior comes to the Americas after His resurrection and ascension to His Father. While nursing baby Nathan, I determined to read the Book of Mormon as I sat quietly with him in my bedroom. As I read of the Savior ministering to the people and especially His great love for the children while holding my baby, the tears just flowed. My heart was full of love and great tenderness, just as it is this day. Since that experience, the tears always flow when I read 3rd Nephi. My testimony continues to be strengthened each time I read.

Last week I finished my first ever reading of "Jesus the Christ" by James E. Talmage, the 1967 version leather bound and presented to Glen by the Hawthorne Ward before he left on his mission. I love books that display a history of the reader or readers. It was a pleasure to see what Glen had underlined or starred as he read. I loved his written notes in the margins. Most of all, I loved this detailed account of the life of the Savior with the many footnotes providing so much background information. I have also been blessed as I have attended the Mesa East Stake adult education class on Thursday mornings this school year as we have been lead by Joyce Wold in our study of the New Testament. As I come to know and learn more of the Savior, His life, and His mission; my heart can barely contain the great love I feel for my Elder Brother.

Glen and I wanted our children and their families to have a framed print of "Resurrection" by Mark Mabry for their home this Easter as a reminder of the great gifts provided by our Father in Heaven through His Son. He lives!

House guests

Meet this weeks house guests. They emerged from their chrysalis on Monday.

Yesterday afternoon, the grandkids came to help set them free. The painted ladies seemed hesitant at first, but once they realized their visit with us was over, they skedaddled up and away.
(Thanks to Janae for the picture.)

Here are my house guests of a couple of weeks ago. Simone and her friend were here to spend their spring break shopping! I merely provided a place to sleep and shower, oh, and a good breakfast to send them off on their long drive back to Albuquerque with Eveline.

We've had other guests as well recently. Nate and Nichelle spent a weekend. Farrell drove Simone and friend over and then he and Eveline did a Sunday switch out at the airport. Both TJ and Heather have had separate overnights. We welcomed them all!

We were not so welcoming to the cockroaches which appeared in my compost pile. Glen showed them the door pronto!

For Glen

My sweet hubby made a special request of me this week. "Could you take some pictures of my bougainvillea blooms before the wind blows them to smithereens?" I obliged. Enjoy the color!



And this last picture is for me. Gardening magazines often have "container recipes." They show a flower pot, etc., with beautiful plants and then list the plants (ingredients) used. I especially like this combination or recipe of plants that I recently combined in hanging baskets placed on plant stands instead.

I think I will call it "Citrus Morning." I love all the citrusey yellow and bright green with a splash of burgundy.

Hanging with the ladies

It has been a busy week, too busy for blogging. I rode back to Provo with Nate and Nichelle after their weekend visit on Monday. They patiently listened as I chatted away pointing out all the family history sites in southern Utah. Nate drove me to downtown Salt Lake City on Tuesday morning so that I might meet up with these ladies, my new partners in service. We attended Relief Society Auxiliary Training in the Tabernacle that afternoon. Then we enjoyed 24 hours of bonding together as we talked and ate and slept and visited some more while becoming true sisters in the gospel in downtown Salt Lake City.

April Wiezbowski - Education Counselor, Lisa Compton - President, Kellie Bowman - Enrichment Counselor, Laurel - Secretary

These are the women whom I will now serve with in the Relief Society Presidency of the Mesa East Stake.

A picture at our farewell luncheon at Sweet Cakes
Laurel, Linda Smith - President, Gail Evans - Education Counselor, Marsha Snow - Enrichment Counselor

I was called to take the place of a departing RS Stake secretary leaving to serve with her husband as missionaries at BYU-Idaho a little over a year ago. I grew to love serving with the women in the picture above. They were amazing women from whom I learned so much. They had already served together for four years, so I really couldn't expect to serve with them forever! But I truly mourned when I learned of their release. I was asked to remain. I feel like a foster child changing families. I am learning that the true blessing is that I will come to love additional sisters in the gospel.

I hope that you have enjoyed listening to General Conference as much as I have this weekend!

Garden tours

Laurel in the garden near Sugar City, Idaho

May 14, 1954

We never planned on giving garden tours when we began upgrading the garden upon my retirement from education. It has been a joy and so rewarding to have time to study and attempt to container garden in the Arizona desert. Now I find myself teaching once again, showing and telling others what has worked in our garden. And even better, meeting more of my neighbors as the color and projects draw them into the garden.

I always remember loving gardens. As you can see, I was hefting a garden hoe at less than 2 years of age. My parents' Idaho garden was huge. It bordered the length of the entire lawn. A hay field lay on the other side of the fence (a snow fence to help control blowing snow.) Every Spring, my father would disc it with his tractor and harrow. We would go to the Sugar City Merc, owned by my great uncle Emery Thomas, to buy the seed in bulk and by the pound. We brought it home in brown paper bags with the seed type printed on the bag. The corn patch of many rows made a great place to play hide and seek as it grew taller than we were. We ate peas by the mouthful right out in the garden. We were also allowed to pull the carrots and radishes at will. We were also expected to weed and hoe and harvest.

It made my heart glad to read of Michelle Obama and her White House garden this week. As I studied their garden layout, I imagined it must be as large as my parents' garden, although I might be remembering it through my little girl eyes. I also liked her comment that the whole family would be expected to do weeding, including Barack.

Laurel in her garden, Bountiful, Utah in 1978

When possible, I always sought to have a garden. I had a small garden in back of the detached garage when we were BYU students living in the basement of a house which bordered the garden of the Hugh B. Nibley family. Their garden was one to match that of my parents. Mine was small enough that I could mentally count each plant as I attempted an out of body experience during my first try at natural childbirth. My garden in Bountiful was fairly large and run across the whole backyard. Glen rented a sod cutter to cut me out a spot where I could plant my heart out. Utah summer gardens seem to grow at will. Gardening in Arizona has proven to be more of a challenge as I had to become seasonally adjusted over the years, planting a winter garden and a spring garden then resting during the hot hot summer. Here are a few shots of what caught my eye this morning.

Pomegranate blooms above the new garden gate.

Glen's golden coins which made it through last summer and are blooming again!

Glen's first lily of the year

Laurel's first day lily of the year

Don Juan climbing roses from under the arbor.

Happy Spring!