Our New Bishop

The Prescotts

I suppose this is old news now, but we have a new Bishopric in the Whittier Pickering Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bishop Rodriguez was released a few months ago, and Barclay Prescott was called to serve.

Our congregation is so blessed.  We had a wonderful Bishop, and the new Bishop is a terrific guy as well.  He and his wife have been an asset to the Ward in the many years they have lived in the Ward boundaries.

Every Bishop needs a good wife. Their wives, in many ways, bear the brunt of this arduous Church calling.  Sister Prescott is very capable of handling this difficult assignment.  Jeannie and I served in the Young Women's program years ago.  She's a great lady and a good friend.

Barclay and Jeannie have three boys: Warren, Wyatt and Samuel.

I love this photo of them!  (It was taken by a member of our ward, Jared Ibey.  As a side note: Jared just got his mission call to the Paraguay Asuncion mission!  He'll be leaving for South America soon.  You go, Jared!)

In the New Testament (1 Timothy 3:2) it says:  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach.

Barclay is all those things and more.

Do you have special people in your life who make you strive to be a better person?  I hope so!

Robin Red-Breast

The Mama Robin

Once upon a time in Ottawa, Canada there lived a mama bird.  She looks like a robin with her red breast.  Robins are my favorite.  We had lots of them in Illinois where I lived for a while as a little girl.

This mama robin built a nest for her baby birds under the porch of a little house on a quiet street. That house is where my nephew and his family live.  He tried to document the bird's stay there and I believe he got some pretty good photos!

Mom!  I'm hungry!

She had three beautiful babies who were hungry all the time.

She worked very hard to keep them fed.

Mamma taking care of her babies

The little birds grew and grew!

Until one day they started leaving the little nest.

Sitting on the nest

They had a very nice nesting area, protected from the elements, don't you think?

This was the best photo Daniel could get of one of the baby robins once it left the nest:

One of the babies

They were anxious to leave and get going out into the world.  It's one of those circle of life things. It's officially summer and they're all gone now.

The empty nest

Have you ever had birds nest in your porch?

Chilling

Hi There!

It's supposed to be hot and humid here this weekend.  No doubt you're experiencing similar summer weather in your part of the world.  So, I hope you are able to chill and have a pleasant weekend

That's what Jack and I plan to do.

Just as soon as he finishes inspecting tote bags...

Maybe I'll nap a little

And when he's done checking out tote bags, he's going to nap a bit.  Then, because he's a sweetie, he'll snuggle up with his human mom under the ceiling fan where it's cool.  'Cuz we like to just chill together.

Hi

Hope you have a great weekend and someone sweet and kind to share it with!

TBT: Cousin Val

Cousin Val and my brother in the 70s

My wonderful Cousin Val passed away in December, 2014. I wanted to do a memorial blog about him then, but never quite managed to do it. I guess I have had a tough time with his passing.  It upset my deeply.  He was my handsome cousin who was always there for me and shared my love of the movies.  Losing him was hard.

Val loved people and did kind acts of service all the time.  He was an excellent cook, and was always bringing a meal to someone, or giving someone a ride.  He took special care of the older people in his congregation and was very mindful of those who were alone.

He is shown here with my brother Jay.  The photo was taken in the family room of our home in Phoenix, Arizona - I'm guessing it was the mid 1970s (no later than 1977).

Two nice looking guys, don't you agree?

Rest in peace, Val.  You are greatly missed.

Come into the Garden

Asiatic Lilies

I have friends in Utah with a very beautiful garden.  I thought I'd share some of these spectacular blooms with you, so you could enjoy them too!

Butterfly Bushes

Sometimes in the heat and rush of these summer days, we truly do forget to stop and enjoy the beauty of this world.  When was the last time you stopped to smell the flowers?

California Poppies

... And perhaps you've even forgotten to consider the lilies of the field.  Hmmm... reminds me of a song the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings:

Consider the lilies of the field,

How they grow, how they grow.

Consider the birds in the sky,

How they fly, how they fly.

He clothes the lilies of the field.

He feeds the birds in the sky.

And He will feed those who trust Him,

And guide them with His eye.

A Purple Dahlia

Consider the sheep of His fold,

How they follow where He leads.

Though the path may wind across the mountains,

He knows the meadows where they feed.

A Crimson Dahlia

Consider the sweet, tender children

Who must suffer on this earth.

The pains of all of them He carried

From the day of His birth.

Little Purple Pansies 

He clothes the lilies of the field,

He feeds the lambs in His fold,

And He will heal those who trust Him,

And make their hearts as gold.

- Composer Roger Hoffman, Consider the Lilies 

(Download the Mormon Tabernacle Choir MP3 at

 http://www.thelyricarchive.com/song/201529-25584/Consider-the-Lillies )

Blushing Summer Roses

Have a wonderful day, and don't forget to smell the roses!

-Photos Courtesy of Don and Meldee Love

Meanwhile, Back In Texas

Elder Householder and Elder Anders

We are not the ordinary,

Fearlessly extraordinary,

Workin' righteous Hari Kari,

In our Humble Way.

Humble Way now.

Humble Way, oh Humble Way

Bearing swords of truth we plunder,

slicing wicked men asunder,

We are something of a wonder,

In our Humble Way.

Humble Way now.

Humble Way, oh Humble Way.

Crooked generation, we demand your veneration.

Will you shake your heel at us as we call you to your knees?

Crooked generation, will you scoff at ordination?

We are warriors by a right, So respect us if you please!

We are not the ordinary,

Fearlessly extraordinary,

Workin' righteous Hari Kari,

In our Humble Way.

Humble Way now.

Humble Way, oh Humble Way

Humble Way, from Saturday's Warrior by Douglas Stewart & Lex de Azevedo

My nephew Anders continues to do well in the wilds of Texas, doing acts of service and teaching people the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!

The Elders and Sisters on a recent P-Day

Street Hockey

Fred playing street hockey with the neighbor kids

One thing I've missed out on by living mostly in the desert all my life is getting a chance to play hockey.  Now, don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy hockey.  What's not to like about sitting in an ice cold arena watching guys with great ankle control skate around and occasionally bash each other with sticks?

I mean that sincerely.  I love snow and cold.  I love hockey.  It's like the rain thing.  I can never get enough of it.

Mostly because I don't have to function and work in it every day.  Ever.

I actually have a friend who learned to play ice hockey - in Phoenix, Arizona of all places.  I guess you just have to want to badly enough.

But I digress.

In Ottawa, Canada, where they get their fill of snow and ice every year, the kids get a chance to hone those skills every winter.  And, apparently work on improving their game over the summer, too.

My grand-nephew Fred got a chance to learn some hockey basics recently in his Ottawa neighborhood.

Fred goes for it!

I've never seen the kids in my California neighborhood out playing in the street.  Ever.  Of course, they'd be immediately mowed down by careless motorists.

That's an incentive to stay indoors.

Excitement reigns!

We used to play outside all the time when I was a kid.  It's fun to see kids having fun like this. Don't you think?

Let me at that puck!

Go on Fred!  Make that goal!

And... try not to aim for the windshield!

Lookin' Good

Josie sees things clearly

Hey, you're looking good this morning!  My friend Josie says so, anyway, and she's seeing things very clearly these days.

Hope you have a terrific weekend!

Photo courtesy of J Edwards

Yikes, We Have a Teenager in the Family

Christian at 13

See what I mean about lots of birthdays in the month of June?  Here is my nephew Christian celebrating his 13th birthday.  Yes!  We have a teenager in the family once more.

Nope, wipe that smile off your face, the cake isn't all for you!

I have four nephews and one niece and they are some of the nicest people you will ever know.  I love them all dearly.  Christian is the caboose... the youngest of this brood.  He is a sweet, bright, and very funny kid with a lot of personality.

Getting harder to blow out all those candles!

He's also the only brunette of the bunch - I used to call them the "blond family", and then Christian came along with my coloring.

Yea, Christian!

He got a delicious Swedish Princessa Torta for his cake this year.  I say, "Yum!" and then have to add "Lucky!".

And so it begins.. Christian, the teenage years

And so it begins... Christian the Teenage Years...  Brace yourself, World!

Happy Birthday to You!

My beautiful sister-in-law, Kirsti

June is a crazy month for our family, birthday-wise.  There's a lot of cake going on for the first couple of weeks!

I'm so lucky to have a wonderful sister-in-law.  There's nobody like her.  She just celebrated another year in mortality.  Huzzah!

Here's to you, Kirsti, and another great year.

Professor Holly

Professor Holly

Hmmmmm... you look like you need a rest...

Professor Holly wants to wish you a terrific weekend.

-Photo courtesy of J. Edwards

There's a New Sheriff in Town

My great-niece Annika, one month old in this photo, is prepared to take on the reins of government.  A recent visit to the Washington, D.C., Senate offices of Senator Lee of the great State of Utah, had our little sweetie pie trying the desk on for size.

Okay, she may have had a little help there... um.... below the desk... from... um... someone... but that doesn't mean she isn't quite precocious and ready to handle anything.

As long as there is a warm bottle of milk, a clean diaper, and a nap in sight, we're good!

Last Chance this Weekend!

The WCT cast of Rumors

Just a reminder that this coming weekend is your last chance to see the Whittier Community Theatre's production of Neil Simon's play "Rumors".

Neil Simon's most popular full-length farce comes back to WCT after a long hiatus.  It was last performed in the 1997-98 season.  This show wraps up the season with a howling good time.

The plot is simple: four "sophisticated" couples gather at the home of a fifth to celebrate an anniversary. But the host is unconscious, the hostess is missing, and the next two hours will prove to be the most complicated, crazy series of misunderstandings and mistaken identities to ever make its way to the stage. Be prepared to laugh 'til you gasp once the Rumors start flying!

Playing at the Whittier Community Center Theatre in Whittier

June 12 and 13, 2015 at 8:00 pm

Directed by Justin Patrick Murphy 

Produced by Roxie Lee

The Cast

          Ken Gorman:               Jay Miramontes

         Chris Gorman:               Michelle Pedersen

           Claire Ganz:              Kerri Malmgren

       Lenny Ganz:              Jason Falske

               Ernie Cusack:             Richard De Vicariis

    Cookie Cusack:               Cleta Cohen

        Glenn Cooper:               Michael Moore

       Cassie Cooper:              Lindsay Marsh

          Officer Welch:               Andy Kresowski

        Officer Pudney:              Amy Miramontes

It's been 17 years since the Community Theatre presented this play, and 17 years ago it was carefully edited to make it more community friendly.  Today, you get to see it in all it's original vulgarity.  To me, this is not a good thing, and I'm surprised this normally conservative group was willing to perform it as written.  I find neither charm nor wit in this kind of language.

In any event, be forewarned.  Granted, the play is hysterically funny and it is performed well, however, it also contains colorful "adult" language which, to me, only detracts from the hilarity. Proceed at your own risk.

TANJ It!

The Salt Lake area got rain in buckets over the weekend

'TANJ it!', as author Larry Niven would say.  In other words, 'There Ain't No Justice!'  We're in dire need of water, but it's in the news falling everywhere but here in Southern California.  We hear of flooding in places, all over the country, even places where it usually doesn't flood.  Even Arizona has been getting record amounts of rain - in months where it hasn't rained EVER in recorded history.

But do we get any?  No.

I repeat: TANJ It!

So, Mother Nature, just to irritate me further, has really been dumping the rain on Salt Lake City and environs. Over the weekend, my family there reported it coming down in buckets.

They also sent a photo (above) just to taunt me. (They think this is funny.  I'll leave you to decide.)

Of course, the Universe got them back with a power outage!  Yes, it rained that much, that fast.

My family during the power outage

Power outages are no fun.  Have you noticed lately how dependent we are on electricity?  Yeah, it's downright scary how dependent we are on electricity and electrical devices for our sanity.  Well, and our lives and any sense of normalcy.

That's not to say they weren't prepared for the emergency!  They got out the candles right away. As you can see below, they did an awesome job of making things cozy by candlelight.

Nils and his friend contemplating the Universe by candlelight

So, maybe, all things considered, there's some justice after all.

And, Yes.  I am a brat.

Tulip Festival!

Livia (not looking very happy!), Mommy and Fredrik

The Canadian Tulip Festival is held every year in Ottawa, Canada at the end of May.  This year Livia and Fredrik were able to attend.

This is touted as the world's largest tulip festival, featuring over one million tulips and an attendance of more than 500,000 visitors annually.

Crowds attending the festival

According to Wikipedia, large displays of tulips are planted throughout the city for this event.  The festival also includes music, speakers, and all kinds of good food to eat.

 The blossoms speak for themselves.  Aren't they beautiful?

Are these Delphiniums?  I'm not sure

 A few different kinds of flowers snuck into the tulip festival, I see...

I'm not sure what kind of flowers these yellow ones are, either, but they're beautiful.  Anyone want to weigh in?

My favorites are the red and pink and purple tulips below!  Don't they look like they were painted by a master artist's skilled hand?

Oh yes!  Love these!

The tulips have an interesting story, and are a reminder of World War II, when Canadians gave refuge to Princess Juliana of the Netherlands and her daughters.  In thanks, the Dutch people sent 100,000 tulip bulbs to the Canadian government in Ottawa.

Princess Juliana gave birth to Princess Margriet while she was there (1943), and in 1946, after the war, she sent another 20,500 bulbs to Canada, asking that a display be created for the hospital where she had the baby.  The Dutch have continued to send 10,000 more bulbs every year since.

I think that's lovely.

Aren't they just gorgeous?

Years later, the festival began and a series of outdoor music concerts were later added to the fun. Although some years the cold and rainy weather has been a problem for the concert venues, the festival has continued through the years.  It looks like the weather was beautiful this year.

I love these photos.  My nephew Daniel took them.  (Thanks, Daniel!)

To quote Gerard Manley Hopkins, "The world is charged with the grandeur of God"!

Now that we've seen the flowers, we need to stop for a snack, don't you think?  There is Bongou Lemonade (Bon Gout: good taste, get it?) to quench that thirst.

Fred and Livia wait their turn for some lemonade

No Festival would be complete without a Beaver Tail, or Queues de Castor!  BeaverTails are a fried dough pastry, individually stretched to resemble the tail of a beaver.  BeaverTails are a Canadian chain  of pastry stands.

Beavertails come topped with a variety of yummy toppings, such as whipped cream, banana slices, crumbled Oreos and (my favorite!) Nutella.

Fred diving into his BeaverTail

Sounds good, doesn't it?  I'll have two.

Livia and Fred enjoying their Bongou Lemonade

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of the Tulip Festival.

Have a great week, everyone!