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.