In case you missed it

Some of you have heard about the destructive snowstorm we had on April 15th. Trees that were in bloom or already leafing-out held on to so much snow that they were damaged. Lots of broken limbs, split trees and tipped trees. I didn’t have time to write anything about it then, but if you weren’t here to see what happened, here are a few pictures.


Looking east from our front porch


Looking northwest from our porch



The willow that shaded our driveway. It was too badly damaged to leave in place. We will have to remove it and plant a new tree.


Loading up what broke away. It is early evening and most of the snow has melted.



A few other trees in our neighborhood

Road trip- day nineteen

We slept in today. After breakfast we went to the Sierra Trading Post outlet store and browsed for a while. We each got a few things and then we got back on I-80 and headed for home. Once again, we saw lots of antelope and lots of grazing land, but almost no farming land because Wyoming is dry and hilly and rugged. We arrived home safe and sound in the early evening.

Two people, 3413.1 miles and 11 pounds. Overall, a very good road trip.

Road trip- day eighteen

Today we went to the Winter Quarter’s temple in the morning. It is one of the small temples but it is built into a hillside so there are two stories. This temple has beautiful stained-glass windows.



After the temple, we changed our clothes as the Winter Quarter’s visitor’s Center and hit the road again.

Nebraska has some of the flattest landscape that I have ever seen! The only thing that blocked our view of the horizon was the trees that grew along the rivers and streams.

It was very, very windy for most of our drive through Nebraska and into Wyoming. The car would bounce around in the wind sometimes and our average MPG dropped from 27 to about 20 because of the wind. Every time we passed a big truck we could feel the car speed up a little while we were in its ‘wind shadow’ and then slow back down again once we finished passing the truck. The wind wasn’t so bad by the time we got to Cheyenne and we stopped there for the night.

Road trip- day seventeen

We started home today. On our way out of town, we drove through Sheboygan Falls to look at the upper and lower falls on the Sheboygan River. Pretty, but not tall falls like we have in the west. They are more like rally big riffles and short drop-offs. After a quick look at the falls we took the back roads through farm country until we reached the freeway.

Once again we saw lots of planting going on. In the fall there will be lots of corn to harvest. Another thing that the farmers in Wisconsin and Nebraska harvest is the wind.

There were lots of farms with windmills on them. Sometimes you would see a factory or warehouse with its own windmill.


When we stopped for the night in Omaha, we went to the pioneer cemetery by the temple to take pictures of a sculpture. The sculpture is a couple standing over the open grave of their child. Behind them the roots of grief reach up for them.


The sculpture sits over the graves of an unidentified child and several other pioneers.


Wherever there was a marked grave, the paving around the sculpture was placed around it.

Road trip- day sixteen

We all got a lot done today- planting, pruning, cleaning, shopping. Fortunately, we got all of our jobs done before it got cold and windy. Then we had some heavy rain a couple of times this evening and also a hailstorm.

Today's project: a handrail for the deck steps- little boy height.



Underway


Support crew



Finished project

Tomorrow, we hit the road.

Road trip-day fifteen

Yes, I know I skipped day fourteen.

Yesterday we ran lots of errands and got some things ready for gardening. then we went out for dinner at Horse and Plow, a local eatery.

Today, we ran some errands, fixed three flat tires on a stroller, started working on a nadrail for the steps on the deck, had a waffle-fest and a video chat with Tita.

Big news of the day- During our waffle-fest dinner, we saw a fox in the backyard! Pretty cool.

According to Bean

This is a picture of where we are sleeping while we visit with LL and family. It's a hide-a-bed sofa. We do not call it "our bed" because Bean corrected us once and told us it was Tita's bed.



On Thursday, Bean got into bed with us to snuggle for a minute. Then he started scooting our pillows to each side and explained, "This side is grandpa's, this side is Nana's and here," he said as he pointed to the middle, "is where Tita will sleep."

And that's the way it is.

Road trip-day thirteen

Today is Sunday and this Sunday is a special day for the Bean. He gave his very first talk in Primary today. Mama wrote a nice little talk for him and he practiced a lot before we went to church.



Bean marched right up to the front to sit by the podium. He gave a nice talk about baptism.


Moo is looking forward to giving a talk someday, too.

After church, LL made a yummy shredded pork burrito bar. Everyone loved it.


Bug has been wowing everyone by letting go of whatever he's holding on to and practicing his standing. He's almost ready to believe he can do it!

It's been a nice Sunday.

Road trip-day twelve

A nice, laid-back kind of day. Mostly sitting around, watching the tots be tots. In the early afternoon we went for a walk. Bean showed us how he will walk to school and showed us where the door to his classroom is. He is excited to start his little summer K-4 class next month.

Here is Javier by door number 9 where he can go in to his classroom


Moo found a tennis ball at the playground



We spent a few minutes on the play equipment at the school and then we walked over to the village market for a donut.

Road trip-day eleven

Today was yard sale day. In one of the nearby towns, a group had organized a multi-home yard sale. Lots of other people in town had also done yard sales. We drove to a few homes that were out of town and then went in to town and parked in front of one garage sale and then walk to eight others that were nearby.

Bean and Moo each had a dollar to use for a treat and they decided to shop instead. Bean got a Ty snake and Moo got a softball and a red basket. While the boys and Nana walked to the farthest yard sale, Mama went and got the car to park it nearby. Next to this yard sale was a great park with lots of fun play equipment. Nana and the boys walked over to the park while Mama made a surprise purchase for the boys. Then we went to a sandwich shop, played at the park again and drove back home.

Road trip-day ten

Today we went on the Kohler plant tour and then hung out with the boys until late afternoon. The tour was interesting. When Papat came home, we all went to an indoor water park to check it out for an hour. Bean and Moo were unsure at first, but once they discovered the kid’s slides, they were hooked. Papat stood at the top to help them onto the slides and Grandpa stood at the bottom to catch them. Mama, Nana and the little guy were at the bottom to cheer. By the time we left (two hours later) Bean and Moo were tubing down the big slides with anyone who would take them and Bean even went down the tubeless, single-rider slide twice.

Needless to say, everyone got to bed late, but the boys had one of their best nights ever! I think they will be taking Mama and Papat there again.

Road trip- day nine

This was the last day of the conference- a half day. Today’s sessions:
Collaborative Planning for a Healthy Community” and “Planning’s Impact on Neighborhood Crime.”

After the last session, I skipped the closing speaker and we headed out for Wisconsin. We arrived in time to play with the boys before bedtime and they were big helpers while we unloaded the car.

Road trip- day eight

This was the last full day of sessions. Today’s sessions:
“Agricultural Conservation Easements,” “Zoning for Healthy Foods,” “Cleaner Water Through Improved Farming Practices” and “Public Markets and Street Vendors.”

It was a nice, sunny day and we went for a walk downtown and along a greenway to a neighborhood around a little lake (really a large pond), then back up into the downtown area until we found a place where we wanted to stop for dinner. It was a nice evening.


Here is a picture from the park at the little lake

Road trip- day seven

Today’s sessions:
“Sustainable City Planning,” “Small Wind Energy System Ordinances,” “Closing the Gap In Diverse Communities,” “A Planners Guide to Community and Regional Food Planning” and “Latino Communities Across the Americas.” Plenty of variety.

After the sessions we joined another Orem Commissioner and walked over to the riverfront district. We crossed the Mississippi on an old stone bridge, walked up the opposite side along a parkway and came back across on a different bridge. Then we walked up Nicollet Mall, a street that has been turned into a pedestrian area with extra–wide sidewalks, buses and a narrow area where cars are limited to about 10 mph.

This is a picture of us near the start of some small falls


The old stone bridge


A very tame deer that must live along the river parkway



The Mary Tyler Moore statue on the spot where her character, Mary Richards, tossed her tam into the air at the end of the opening credits to the show

Road trip- day six

This was the first full day of conference sessions. There are a little over 4000 people attending the conference. After the keynote speaker I went to sessions on ‘The Job of the Planning Commissioner,” “Site Plan Review for Officials,” “Planning for Urban Agriculture” and finished up with “Religion, Zoning and the Courts.” There was something interesting in each one.

There was a big opening reception in the evening. My ticket was free, but a ticket for O would be $70! So we dashed down the street to a little bistro to get him some dinner. Then I went to the reception (can you say LOUD and crowded?) and ate a little roast beef, prosciutto-wrapped shrimp in apricot glaze, lemon chicken and bacon-wrapped scallops. There weren’t really many fruits or veggies, so I guess it was a good thing I had eaten a salad while O ate his dinner. I didn’t get $70 worth of value out of the event, probably because I didn’t take advantage of the open bar or cold beer on tap.

Road trip-day five

After our walk at The Mall today we loaded up our stuff and headed into downtown Minneapolis. We parked at the Hilton Minneapolis and walked the Skyway system over to the Convention Center to pick up my conference packet. Then I went to a session for people who had never been to the conference before while O hung out in the hotel lobby until check-in time. The Hilton is a nice hotel- very close to the convention center and connected to the Skyway system. It is in the heart of the most walkable part of downtown Minneapolis.


Here are some pictures of parts of the Skyway system. It is really convenient if you need to get around downtown. The Skyway hallways connect many different buildings on the second floor level. You can walk for miles from building to building without going out onto the streets. In the buildings that have Skyway connections, there are usually small shops, restaurants, and open plaza-like areas that look like you are outdoors (even though you aren’t) all the way along the hallways, except where the skyways go over the streets between buildings. These businesses, courtyards and plazas all open onto the hallways. Most of the restaurants in the connected buildings open onto the skyway on one side and onto the street on another side. One of the skyways that I used every day went along a parking structure. Instead of just opening into the structure, the hallway was still a carpeted 'concourse' with windows on one side and doors into the parking area.

This is a picture of the part of the Skyway system that we could see from our room on the 14th floor. I put lines on it to show the path that I used to go to the conference each day. The Convention Center is the red building at the top.