Freeze Tag

Just in time for the new year!... Photos from Halloweeen. I may or may not have the will to post some sort of recap for 2011 in the next few hours, but I did want to take a moment to throw these photos in a place that might stick. As late as they are, the moment they represent was something of a highlight... maybe one of the better things I did all year. While that fact or thought may reflect badly on me,  I think it will be nice to have it up here, rather than filed away on my computer.

Alfredo (first picture below) invited me to help him shoot photos for his stake Halloween party. A couple of things about the last sentence:

1) Alfredo didn't need my help. I'm pretty sure he had it covered. I think he mostly invited me along to teach me a little more about lighting (he's kind that way) and maybe to share in an experience he knew would be worthwhile (he's also kind that way).

2) His stake is more diverse than most... at least ours anyway. Among the four or five wards, there is at least one Spanish speaking ward and another that is special needs focused.

White it was just a few hours of pointing and shooting, it felt more like a gift.
The cast of characters... The costumes... An utter lack of sarcasm...
Meh... A more talented writer could explain why.

I just have these photos.

What the What?

This is the sort of thing that happens at our house.

In fact, it happened tonight.

We have no explanation.

There is no explanation.

While I'm not sure we would say were proud.

We are not embarrassed.

Do normal people do this sort of thing?

Probably not.

Do we want it to stop?

Not yet.

Battenkill

This is an old post that's been stuck in draft limbo for a long time. Rather than just kill it off, I thought I'd cripple it forever with some really surface level thinking. I won't write a novel. I couldn't even write an essay. 

Maybe just bullet points?

- The upper Provo
- A bamboo rod that's been in the family for almost 50 years
- Very modest success (lost one on the line, a couple of strikes)
- Some of my favorite people ever
- Freddy looking wider than usual (sorry man... my bad)
- Jordan looking creepy (sorry man... it's you)
- Nate as his usual, hyper-generous, river-guide self
- A camera to fall back on when fishing was slow
- The lightest of rain

Called to Swerve

I teach Sunday School every few weeks at church. It's also sometimes called Gospel Doctrine. I like the sound of that better. Sunday School? I mean, anyone can teach that, right? But the Gospel stuff... combined with the Doctrine part? You really have to know what you're doing to tackle that sort of thing. Wouldn't you? You would think so. And yet... they have me teach Sunday School every few weeks at church.

The image above is a remedial photo-finger-painting I made on my iPad while Anne (a fellow instructor) was teaching two weeks ago. Thinking she might enjoy the image, I emailed it to her after church. I almost emailed it during church, but thought she might think badly of me for sending her emails from the back row while she taught her lesson. I'm pretty sure she's impressed with my self control.

Invasive Species

We've been to Pocatello twice in the past couple of months. Once in late October and again at Thanksgiving. I suppose eastern Idaho won't sound all that alluring to most... but for us it is. It's a short drive to a place that feels like having a country house (sorry Ken and Annie)... much in the same way that St. George (sorry Todd and Bill) feels like going to a beach house. Pathetic? Probably, but you have to make the best of things.

Hopefully we haven't quite worn out our welcome yet up there, but we'd have to be close. Inviting oneself somewhere frequently can have that effect. An important note: If you're going to impose on friends or family living in the country, fall is a great time to do it.

A few photos below of what one sees and does... and please don't drop off before the end. I wouldn't want you to miss one of the few fish I've caught in recent memory.

Falling Off

Apparently I haven't posted since October 15th. Ugh. Not sure what's been holding me back. Guess I just haven't been feeling it lately. I suppose I put pressure on myself to be clever or insightful or something. Not a good idea... those moments are too few and far between to rely on for content.

We've been busy mostly. Fall was beautiful here and it actually lasted more than a week. Or maybe summer just ran long. Either way, it was something to be grateful for. It's only just now getting truly cold and the snow has yet to really fly. Those with season passes get uptight, the rest of us who only dabble in winter sports don't seem to mind.

I don't know that I have a million things to say about the last couple of months, but I do have a fair amount of photos. Everything I post may be way overdue, but still worthwhile I think. Guess I consider this a bit more time capsule than news report.

Lamb's Canyon

Fall is my favorite season by far. 

To be honest, I go a bit mental about seeing the leaves at their peak. Of course, I never actually see them during this time. I see them later... when I remember what month it is... and when they look more like they are diseased than autumnal. Fortunately, I also like this kind of thing too... (photos in a minute). Not sure the family feels the same way about all this as I do, but they graciously, briefly humor me anyway. This time we took a quick trip up to Lamb's Canyon to see what there was to see. See for yourself what we saw. Not pictured: The squirrel that assaulted Eden after she quite logically decided to straddle it's home. Pictured: Eden's semi-terrified reaction. Hailey couldn't make this little adventure so she went up later on her own initiative. Atta girl Hailey... I knew I liked you best.

And Yet...

Another year of poor gardening comes to a close. The chile peppers didn't go anywhere. The basil was a bust. Even the tomatoes went down in flames. Who can't grow tomatoes? Apparently us.

And yet... Just when we were ready to completely write off the whole endeavor... hope has been ever so slightly restored.

While the strawberries didn't exactly yield a lot of fruit, they didn't die. And because they are perennials, they might have even established a firm footing with next season in mind.

The pumpkins pulled off a comeback in the nick of time. There won't be many of them and they won't win any prizes. They will however, make Tracy happy whenever she goes out to check on them. This is, for me, almost entirely the point.

And perhaps best of all... Blackberries. In an unexpected turn, the vines I hate have produced something I love. Will there be more? Enough to make a truce? Or better yet a pie? Stay tuned...