Pioneer Weekend

July 24th is a big deal around here - all kinds of celebrations going on to celebrate our pioneer ancestors who settled this area.

This year my family chose to whiff all the celebrations and spend a quiet week being pioneers ourselves - roughing it in the woods.

We loaded up our covered wagon (a self-contained 5th wheel trailer) and headed up the canyon.
All the way up, hubby was re-assuring the grand daughters that there were no bears where we were going - nope, never seen one here...

Meanwhile, we passed the campground by the lake and noticed that the gates were all closed. Strange, we thought, everything is usually open this time of year.
We found a spot just around the bend and up the road a bit and set up camp.

The next day when the kids came up, they told us that they had seen on the news that there was a bear attack at the lake the night we came up!
(The reason the gates had been closed.)
Apparently, grand pappy is full of... well, you know.
(We were only a mile from the girl's camp where they see bears all the time...)

Setting up camp
Melissa is who you want to have around when camping - she is a champ...

Target practice - Shooting BB guns

The dog refused to come out of the car while the kids were shooting...
(sorry, he's black - doesn't show up well.)

The great thing about camping is that OTHER people cook!
(I love my boys!)

These are evil - stay away (They're MINE!) LOL

Playing in the lake (after the bear threat was removed)

Bumps on a log
(the kids are using a very big log as a flotation device)


I'm not much for swimming (or wearing a swimsuit in public places),
so I opted to hike around the lake admiring the flora and fauna instead.

There's a really nice trail that goes all the way around the lake;

ducks

Wild Rose


The kids also enjoyed playing badminton and baseball (until we lost the ball in the weeds...), geo-caching, bike riding, chilling while watching cartoons, card games, and...

Napping


Home again and ready (?) to tackle that other mountain - laundry. *Sigh*

Miscellany

This past month, I finally finished my second story - then voluntarily ended my own writing career (at least for now.) I didn't think I'd miss it at all, but I kind of do. At least I miss having that continuous project that kept my mind semi-active and interested.

I was wandering around at odds with myself the other day, wondering what to do next, when my daughter suggested going to the nearby Barnes & Noble.

I jumped at the suggestion, because it's such a great place to look for new inspirations.
We spent a pleasant few hours wandering and perusing before she had to get home to go to work.

I came home with a fun magazine, a book of fairy tales, and a little fairy painting kit.

I've been wanting to start painting again, but it's been so long that there's that fear that I won't be able to do it anymore. (I haven't touched a paintbrush since my last baby was born.....18 years ago!)

I used to love to paint faces, and would often use photos in the doll magazines to practice techniques, and to challenge myself.
The Haute Doll magazine I got will be just the place to start trying that again (I hope.)

When I look at dolls, for some reason I always shy away from the perfect-every-hair-in-place type, and am drawn to the one that is a little different - quirky, sad, awkward - the one that needs LOVE.
These are some that I found;

Dale Zentner


I love how her dolls have such unusual faces. Their emotions seem to change depending on how the head is tilted. I also love the frizzy hair, and the fun girly fashions. Very fairly-like, don't you think?
Val Zeitler is another brilliant doll designer - she's cornered the market on quirky!
This one is from her "Attic Treasures" collection:

She also has a line called "Bitten." (Beautiful victims of Vampire bites.)

Then there's Evangeline...

Ok, maybe she's a little odd - even slightly creepy... (her best friend is a bat)

...but come on - you gotta love the shoes!



Speaking of Priceless Faces, this one is precious too...
(And I want to capture it as soon as I'm practiced up.)

(My youngest gran - this is her "not having fun, I want to go home now" face.)

We're going to attempt to go camping this week - wish us luck!
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Grandma Day

My two older grand daughters are learning to enjoy making cards, and every once in a while, they will ask to come over and "play" with grandma.

We had such a day today. It's always fun to see how excited they get when I pull out the paper and stickers (not to mention, a great way for me to use up excess supplies!)
Today they learned how to die cut and emboss with a Cuttlebug and Quikutz tools.

As you can see, they had a great time, and made special cards for everyone in their family.

Love my Girls!

Party Hardy

July is party month around here - 5 birthdays in the first week, besides Independence Day, Pioneer Days, and our own local Scottish Festival.

By the 7th, I am beginning to be slightly weary of celebrating, but that's probably due to the HEAT.

4th Follies

With the 4th of July falling on Sunday, we kept the celebration pretty low key...

We did have a family pot-luck barbecue, then we had our own little fireworks show.
My boys had been planning this for a while, and the main thing they wanted was a tank war. (Fond memory from days gone by.)

They had a hard time deciding who the opposing teams would be, but it finally boiled down to Pepsi vs. Coke. (Coke is a bad word in this house!)

The tank fireworks have been modified over the years - they don't roll or shoot as far as they used to, so it wasn't as exciting as any of the kids had hoped, still they had a good time with it. And although from the photos, you can see that Pepsi took a beating, hubby cheated and proclaimed them the winner (no surprise.)
battle
Pyro maniacs - I mean, technics

Summit meeting...

Lined up for battle...

...The bombs bursting in air

Take no prisoners...

Witnesses (girilie burrito)

Great Scott
As I mentioned, my little town is host to the Scottish Festival in July. It gets bigger every year, and people come from everywhere to see Scottish dancing contests, live folk music, bagpipe competitions, as well as games such as the caber toss, etc.

Some come to stroll the booths and buy Scottish goods, some to visit the clan booths and search out their Scottish roots, and some - merely to admire the men in skirts.

(And yes, I do have a wee bit o' Scott in me - my maternal grandmother was a McBride.)

But whatever the reason for coming, it's always interesting and always a good time, but like I said, be prepared to enjoy the heat as well.

Pioneer Days

This coming weekend is Pioneer Days. This is a state holiday, set aside to honor those brave souls who crossed the wilderness and settled here. No small act of bravery - many lost everything (some even their lives) to find a place free from religious persecution.

If you are a native Utahn (or Arizonian for that matter,) chances are good that you have ties to these people.

Lots of Parades, carnivals and fireworks, so I'm catching my breath 'till then.

Cherry Time

In the next week or so, it's also Cherry time here. Lots of local fruit growers will be harvesting and processing this years crop.

Since my job is so slow, and I've been cut back into next fall, (almost) I volunteered to work in the fruit.

In my opinion, you can't be a true Paysonite unless you have worked in the cherries at least once. (Initiation, ha ha.) It's disgusting work - long hours and hard labor, but the pay is decent, and just when you think you can't stand it anymore, it's over.

That pretty much covers things here. :-)
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Surprises

Tuesday, my youngest talked me into taking her shopping to all her favorite little haunts. We had a fun day, looking at everything and grabbing a snack at our traditional greasy spoon.
When we got home, all of my family's cars were parked in front of the house - I wondered what was going on here while I was away...

We walked in the door, and everyone yelled "Surprise!" They had thrown me an early birthday party - and I had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. What a devious bunch! :-)


(My son the artist/food stylist arranged the table aesthetically because he knew I would want photos.)
But it was lovely, the meal was tea party style, with dishes that were not only delectable, the were pretty to look at too!
...There were lace table cloths and flowers - Martha Stewart would have approved!

My daughter in law planned it and made all the food herself.
It's so touching when someone is willing to put in not only the work, but the thought that goes into something like this - it's just really special.

Thanks to my family for giving me such a wonderful day!


...A surprise that wasn't so good - doing the math and finding out that I'm actually a year older than I thought I was! Hmph.


The 4th of July weekend is upon us already, and we're having fireworks here Sunday, as well as a pot luck supper. July is such a busy, festive month!

Have a safe and happy holiday!
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