Friday, October 15, 2010

Sara's Visit-Day Three: Red Rock and Snowbird

Swedish pancakes for breakfast (Thanks IKEA frozen food aisle!) and we were off to explore again, this time with blindingly blue sky overhead. Bernie and I had just discovered the "red rock" area north east of our house, and of course wanted to let Sara apply her artistic photographic skills to the scenes.

The area is accessed via a rest stop, and it only took a few moments for us to begin frame up pictures...everywhere!
Such subtle colors after the autumn forest scenes, yet the scenes were beautiful in their own way.
One of Utah's controversial road side crosses: A few years ago crosses were placed near places where peace officers (police, highway patrol, sheriffs) had lost their lives in the performance of their duties.
This cross has information about such a person; it is bit unsettling to read about how he was shot, but it does make one remember that yes, these officers do put their lives at risk every day.
Well, wouldn't you know it; some atheist complained because some of the crosses are on public land.
Can't have that...establishing a religion and all...
They will all have to be taken down.
Here's the nutty part: Montana has a similar memorializing program, yet the government is letting those crosses stay because they are smaller.
(So exactly how big does a cross have to be to "establish" a religion???)
Personally, if I had been asked, I would have suggested a neutral shape for the memorializing of fallen officers on public land, simply because I think a cross suggests where someone is buried.
We hadn't realized that there was a two lane highway closer to the red rock walls. B. and I will definitely be seeking access to that road soon.

Can't wait to take pictures of this scene in snow.
Last year I had a blog header of this view, with rainbow like stripes of fall color.
I think we were either too late or two early to catch the red bands.
We will have to try taking another look this weekend.
(It is only about 20 minutes from our house...just a nice short drive to take for the fun of it.)
Then off to a higher plane...Snowbird at the end of Little Cottonwood Canyon.
The last time I was here with Vicki and Doc this meadow was green and had a rainbow of wildflowers blooming.
The high clouds tickled the mountain tops around us, and caused ever changing shadows upon the dappled colors.
Sara just couldn't stop smiling!
We all couldn't stop smiling, and really, we didn't even try to stop!
Sara and Bernie knew each other back in 1973-1976, when they both attended the same small Bible college in San Diego, and visited Israel as part of a school related tour back in 1974.
I was attending college in Oregon at the time, and didn't really get to know Sara very well before she left the school and married.
We both had our first children the same week...in San Diego, but didn't know it at the time.
It wasn't until a few years ago when Sara retired and began to blog that she re-discovered us, because I had noted that I like Messianic music.
That showed up in a search, and she recognized us. We began to get to know each other through our blogs, (and our cat's blogs).
Bernie had been out of town during Sara's first visit to SLC last December; their "class reunion" after some 33 years was quite fun!
Such views...
Aspen gold flaming the mountainside: Um..we will be here taking pictures for awhile....
Group shot via a camera exchange with two young ladies up enjoying the scenery.
Horrible Bernie to the girl taking our picture: Yes, my "sister wives...say, how about you, are you married?
Sara and I should have "Gibbs" slapped him!

Snowbird resort and hotels as we seen as we came down on the ski lift chairs.

I forgot to mention that it was Octoberfest time at Snowbird. Before we took the tram up the mountain we had a Bratwurst and sauerkraut lunch while listening to a German band and watching folks in full German costume dancing about. There was yodeling, and the long alpenhorns, and it was announced that at 3:30 the horns would be taken up to the mountain top for an open air concert.

Sigh. Sara's plane left at 3...maybe we can hear them next year.

How is it that the horns are played in the mountains every fall and yet I have missed hearing them each year?

Eventually it was time to go. As we walked back to our car, we passed Snowbird's fishing pond that is for children only.
Look closely at the tip of the reflected tall fir tree and you will see a shadowy trout.
Bernie says it is really funny to see kids fishing with plastic toy rod hook up the enormous planted trout!
And so our time with Sara drew to a close.
We had planned to take a jaunt through the Temple Square Gardens on the way to the airport. Shock: all the flowering plants had been torn out; the flower beds were just bare dirt awaiting the next round of seasonal planting.
Well, that settled it for me.
Sara will just have to make a trip out next spring to see the Temple Grounds in full bloom.
I don't think not seeing them this time made any difference at all.
It is awfully hard to top the fall colors and scenes that we saw in a 50 hour visit!
(Favorite memory: Sara and I singing an impromptu chorus of "How Great Thou Art" up in the Timpanogos forest!)

10 comments:

Lovella ♥ said...

Oh what did you each sing? I could have done the alto. . .I see a reunion on our future.
MGCC sang Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow. .in the fields. .around the tables. .it was wonderful.
Your time together really looks like it was wonderful. I so enjoyed the review of how you got to know each other too.
Sara and you do have beautiful smiles. .and B. .well ..he's just a funny guy.

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Yes, my smiling muscles got a great workout during those 50 hours....what a wonderful time we had! I"m still floating along on the memories of it all.

PS: You should blog about those fabulous pork chops you made for dinner. And your beautiful autumn soup too. How silly of us to forget all about taking food photos!

ellen b. said...

LOL...I love Bernie's humor! And yes a Gibbs smack would have been appropriate, too! I didn't know about the history you have with Sara...cool.

Judy said...

How fun that you two (three?) go way back! It looks like you made the most of 50 hours...and I can almost hear you singing "How Great Thou Art!"

Willow said...

I love the back story about Sara, Bernie and you! I didn't know. Beautiful photos! I really must take a trip to SLU one of these days!

Kimmie said...

What a nice visit it looks like you had...and what fun places to go and visit with each other.

Pancakes from Ikea...wow, that must be fun.

Glad to have you share the Friendship journey with me, boy has it been a tear jerker for me.


((hug))

Kimmie
mama to 8
one homemade and 7 adopted

Vicki said...

Yep, Doc agreed that Bernie deserves a Gibbs-slap for that comment. :)
He also wanted to know if you and Sara gave him a Jenny-to-Jethro stare-down.

It looks like you two, er, three, had a great time during the 50-hour visit. (I agree with Sara...blog about your pork chops and soup, and while you're at it, include the breakfast casserole recipe that you made for us!)

We really enjoyed seeing the seasonal changes around Snowbird, too! I am soooo ready to come back!!

Vee said...

How fun it must have been to share your corner with a friend. And very interesting to read about your how you all found each other again through blogging.

RoeH said...

I'm not sure how I found your blog but glad I did. Makes me homesick for Utah. The crosses are interesting in the fact that when I grew up in Idaho and being so close to Montana, there were crosses put on the highway for every car accidental death at one time. We never thought anything about it and it was always a reminder in the back of the brain to drive a little safer. Now that you mention this, I wonder if any of them are even up anymore. There is always somebody who comes along and puts more into it than was ever needed. Here in Phoenix years ago there was a Christmas star on top of a very high hill that was lit up through the season. Sadly, it's gone. :(( Thanks for letting me stop by.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

I dropped by from Sara's blog. What a wonderful trip you all had! Such beautiful photos of such a beautiful state. I have not visited Utah as yet but it is definitely on my list.