Scorpion Hunting

 

In the heat of Arizona the scorpions come out at night.  They typically go to walls where it is warm.  A black light shows exactly where they are as they glow!  Who knew?

We went out with Kevin and he found one almost immediately.  It was fortunately the only one we found.  It glowed, we examined and Kevin gave it some "death spray."  I'm glad we don't have to go out at night and look for venomous critters in my yard.

Mesa Temple Visitors’ Center

We spent some time on Sunday visiting the Mesa Visitors' Center.  It is very interactive.  

The first interactive piece is this giant mural on the wall.  The sides and top are all colored but then the middle is left for people to color.  When it is full, they erase it with some sort of cleaner.  

Pat left his message. 

And I left mine.

Upstairs there is an activity that I think is so inspired.  It is difficult to see but when you put your phone up to take a picture you can see the words.  On one side it says: TODAY

On the back side it says:  FUTURE

These pegs are moveable.  I stood next to them and pushed them backwards. 

So what's left when I walked away was a depression of the shape of my body.  I look so short!

On the back side is the same shape but pushed out.  I thought about how when our children we young I did my best to teach them that all choices have a consequence.  We can make the choice but we can't choose the consequence.  Obviously in this demonstration, one knows exactly what will show on the other side.  But it doesn't disappoint in showing that for every action there is a reaction.  It is a very visual way to teach the concept.

I LOVED IT!

It is a very interesting Visitors' Center. So many hands on activities and places to visit, meet, play, study and teach.  It makes me wonder what will be in Salt Lake City when the temple is finished and the Visitors' Center rebuilt and open. 

 

Gilbert Temple

The Gilbert temple is stunning sitting where is does.  Of course all of the newly built temples are located in a place where they can be a focal point in the city.

Again the grounds are filled with native plants.

When the temple is closed, the gates are closed so we didn't have the chance to walk around the grounds.  

I love the walkway with the palm trees on either side of the walk.  It just looks so majestic to me.  It is evident to me that the landscaping always has to be as impressive as the structure itself.  

 

Topo

Kevin and Mary took us to downtown Old Gilbert for a Saturday night activity.  I don't know why but this water tower was all lit up with strings of lights.  Maybe so a person can find the main drag?

We waited in line at Topo for at least half an hour to get prickly pear ice cream.  I wasn't sure I'd want that flavor but it was delicious.  It tastes like a zippy raspberry.  I got mine swirled with vanilla which I think was the best choice.  The vanilla cut down the zip.

Why is this place called Topo and why is there a giant gopher on top?  Who better to ask the owner working inside than my husband and Kevin Ballard?

So the story goes that the owner and his partner used to hunt gophers and so they named their shop "gopher" in Spanish.  Those lighted eyes are quite creepy.  

 

Alyssa Roe & Stephen Johnstun

Saturday afternoon was the reason we went to Arizona.  Alyssa Roe married Stephen Johnstun in January and now that her sister Meckenzie was home from her mission, they were being sealed for eternity in the Mesa temple. 

The Mesa temple has only been open for a short time since it's rededication.  It is very southwest in it's appearance both inside and out.  Beautiful!  What temple isn't?

It was wonderful to see Alyssa.  This was the first time we've seen her since she returned from her mission.  It was only fitting that we see her in the temple.

I believe there were more people waiting outside the temple than were inside for the sealing.  Either way, I'm glad she has such a great support system.  

We had lunch in the park across the street afterward.  This young woman just touched my heart somewhere in her teenage years and I love her.  There are a few of the former youth that I would like to support in this way.  She's at the top of the list. 

I had an enjoyable time in the waiting room visiting with Jason.  He's a good guy.  I've missed Laura's hugs.  She makes a person feel so loved.  I wish we could've had time to spend with the two of them but life is busy and she had so much family visiting that it just wasn't possible.  I am grateful that we could reunite once again.  It was worth the trip.

 

Goldfield

We went to an old west town called Goldfield.  It is a place full of shops where a person could display and sell their wares.  We didn't pan for gold or gems but saw how it was done.  I can see how this would be a fun place for the family.  There was a train which little Henry would have loved. 

This cactus was probably the largest one with the most arms of all that I saw.  Perhaps not the largest but for certain the one with the most arms.  It stands in the street of Goldfield.  While we were there we stuck around long enough to watch a very cheesy old west shootout.  Loud for sure. 

There is a functioning church in this "town."  On the outside of the building there are the 10 commandments.  Since Pat had just studied these with his seminary class, I had to have a picture so he could share them with his class.  

They make me giggle on how they are written.

 

Hiking Silly Mountain

The Ballards took us to a place called Silly Mountain to do some mild hiking.

We could get a feel for the landscape that is Arizona.

Who knew that there were so many different kinds of cacti?

MaryEllen Traeger used to live in this area and did a ton of hiking.  These mountains behind us are the ones she hiked.  

It was interesting that we both wore shorts while the Ballards wore long pants.

This view gives a good perspective on just how big the Saguaro cactuses can get.  I'm sure there must be a way to tell how old they are by their height.

What looks like random fence posts down below are really Saguaro cacti.

This is the four of us on the highest point we hiked.  

We got really lucky with the weather while we were there.  The end of April isn't typically high 70's and low 80's.

The sunshine and warmth felt so good on my skin.

Our country is so diverse in the landscapes.  While the desert is filled with scrub brush and cactus and rocks and dirt, we have green fields and trees.  I love how God created this world.  Each space has things that thrive in their own space.

I was in Arizona when I was six so this was a real treat.  To have people who live there give us a flavor of the area was even better.  

 

Dinner with the Rizleys

Pat and I made a trip to Arizona to attend a sealing.  With that in mind, we contacted other wonderful people that we know.  Kevin and Mary Ballard invited us to stay with them.  Such kind people.  Marilyn Rizley, ever the hostess, invited all of us to their home for dinner.  It was so fun to see them again.

Dinner was delicious and as always, she made way too much food and we went away stuffed.  I didn't even want breakfast the next morning as I was still full from the night before.  Even better than the food was the company.  Listening to Stephen tell so many stories about events and their family and the missionaries and their work in sacred Nauvoo was inspiring!  How we love the people!

Pat asked me if we go on too many vacations.  How could that be?  We just know so many good people that we want to stay connected to.

 

A Man-made Lake

Last week Frank put a hose out of his basement window and started his sump pump.  The morning Tom and I went out and raked that part of the lawn.  There was a promise of some rain coming and I wanted it cleaned up as much as possible prior to that.

As that pump worked, the water spread more and more over the lot.  It is hard to believe that all that water came out of the basement next door.  I do recall going down those basement stairs one time as a kid and seeing the water was up over several stairs.

This is the kind of water we've had here in the past.  Usually it happens when the ground is already saturated and then it rains inches in a short time.  The ground was saturated and this wasn't rain but it surely showed up in a short time.

Pat went out with his pump and hose and started pumping the water across the street into the pond.  It took about four hours to pump it out.  The water wasn't deep enough and the pump was sucking air so I shut it down.

 This is what it looked like after the pump was shut off and put away.  The water comes and goes.  Since Frank filled in the hill on his side, we get more of the water on our side but so far it hasn't come up the drain in our basement so I'm ok with it.  Waterfront for a day!

Florida 2022

Dennis and Phyllis Allsop purchased a home in Bonita Springs, Florida about five years ago and have invited us to visit each year.  We have gone each Spring for about a week.  This was the latest we've gone as it was April before we went.  

Dennis loves sto take us out on a boat.  We spent one entire day on the water.  It was lovely.  Of course I got sunburned.  Not my face, just my neck and arms.

The water was a bit chilly so I didn't go in.  The wind was not too bad but still pretty breezy that it blew our umbrella down.  Thus, my sunburn.

It doesn't matter the temperature of the water, my sweetheart loves the beach and goes in.  

The rest of the week was far too windy to go boating so we just went to the beach.  Pat attempted to find sand dollars.  The waves were just too big and each time he found one, he was swept into a different spot and didn't get it.

I attempted to go out by him and each time the waves crashed over me I just giggled.  The salty water was barely out of my eyes when the next wave would come crashing over me and I started laughing all over again.  We got some good beach time even if I only went in the water once. 

Each morning we got up early and went for a walk.  I saw this giant plant that I think looks like an aloe and sent it to Erin.  I needed Pat in it to get the proper size. 

Some of the places in Village Walk (where the Allsops live) have these magnificent palm trees.  I didn't know this, but there is only one palm indigenous to Florida and this is NOT it.  I love these stately, royal palms. 

Since I was sunburned and didn't want to be out in the sun, we went to TopGolf and tried our hand.  

Each person gets 20 balls and we just took turns hitting them.  Points are awarded depending on if your ball goes into one of the holes and which hole.  I was the only person to get a hole in one.  Still, I just barely got beat as every other set of balls was a bust.  I'm either great or horrible.

I absolutely adore this man and spending time on vacation with him.

These are some of the greatest, most generous friends we know.  We love them and their family.

The "golf course" is behind us.

It makes me nervous when the size of these waves is so big.

Dennis has some beautiful hibiscus plants on either side of his driveway.  This plant has three different colors!

Even though this one is only pink, it's blooms make me happy.

On one of our early morning walks, the sun was coming up and I could see the colors of the sky reflected in the water.  Just beautiful!

Pat climbed this tree in order to pull down a piece of palm that was dead and flapping in the breeze.

Several times during our walks we heard the cranes honking.  On two separate occasions we saw one taking up residence on top of the walking bridges over the water.  We walked right past this guy and then turned and took his photo.  Then he flew away.

We cannot afford to live in Florida and nor do I want to.  It is a beautiful place to visit especially when our weather is still cold.  Good thing we have friends who request us to visit them each year.