City Girl, turns "Back to Nature"...

This time of year when we mow the yard... for years I have complained about the tree limbs from the neighbors trees growing over the fence that produce berries that fall all over our grass. It just makes a huge mess when you are walking in them. The dogs eat them and get purple lips. The birds eat them, and spread purple poo all over the place that makes stains and has to be hosed off the house etc.

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Our neighbor has told us they were not trees she planted, but that birds poo'd seeds there and they grew on their own. Now that they are big and huge, she doesn't want to cut them down, because they are great shade in her yard. But she has told us any branches coming over the fence we could cut back or do whatever we wanted.

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Last year, she mentioned that the berries are pretty sweet and edible... my only thought was, "whew"... because my dogs had been eating them all this time.

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This sounds really funny when I say it out loud now... because we have lived with this for over 5 years now. But I have fruit trees in my very own yard; and it's just now dawning on me that I should take advantage of the free fruit God gives us every year right in our own back yard.

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I was looking out the kitchen window and I thought that is allot of berries, then remembered last year the neighbor saying they were edible... and I had a total light bulb moment... I should make a berry pie, or jam!

This was a very strange thought to be in my head... because I don't make either... ever!!! Well except for "the peach pie disaster" in March. But I don't count that as being a pie maker.

I am not sure what kind of berries they are... I think Mulberries. But I went out and picked a big bowl full. And put them on my cottage cheese, with some nuts and flax seeds this morning... and they are sooo yummy! Look at me, city girl turns back to nature... going out and picking my own food for breakfast. I might have to go buy a new pair of Birkenstocks today (a classic sandal from the 60's.. they remind me of those back to nature, flower child girls... although I do own a pair... ha ha ha)!

Don't laugh, but I have a plum tree on the side of my house too... that has only cause the same irritating annoyance to me mowing and cleaning up the mess; until this year... I might have to make plum jam! My MIL has been telling me for years that they are good and edible... it just never stuck in my head.

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I am beginning to believe I limit my self tremendously by the thoughts in my mind. And it takes me a while to get my head out the way, so my heart can learn and I can grow as a person; but it does happen from time to time. I have been learning this principle over and over again this past year, and it is really a light bulb moment for me to understand it and carry it in my heart. It is changing how I see things, and the way that I believe in myself. I don't know who said this, but I love the quote...

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"You can have Every Dream, that captures your Heart"!

Poor planning on your part; does not constitute an emergency on my part...

The teenager is finally old enough to attend Stake Helaman Camp... which is a pre-missionary training camp for young men 16-18 years old in our church. He missed the deadline last year of being old enough by a week. So he has been pretty excited to be old enough to go this year.

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They will end a week of camp at the Temple and perform baptisms for the dead. So each boy has been asked to have 5 ancestors names temple ready. Since "the packet" was handed out months ago, but he claims he didn't get one... he is getting hit this week with all the responsibilities that should have been taken care of by now. So I am trying to support this kid and help him in his efforts to have everything ready for camp. He is at least putting forth the effort to get it done... even though it should have been done already.

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One good bit of news is that we have been doing companion study together daily since school got out in his "Preach My Gospel" manual; and we found out today that one of the requirements is to study chapters 1-5... so we are on chapter 4. It must have just been divine intervention there. Or really good luck!

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His other really lucky break is that when he found the ancestor names; we discovered the Family History Center is closed all week this week... but his Uncle Gene works there and had a key and was willing and in town... so he met us there and helped us get the submission files ready to take to the Temple. Whew! Lucky, lucky, lucky!!!

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So next we got our dress clothes on and headed to the Temple!

It was such a beautiful morning to drive to the Temple.


I can't wait until I can have this kid inside the celestial room with me!
That will be an awesome wonderful day!!!

If I wipe out of my mind the scary ambulance incident, and the guy flipping us off (for no apparent reason) on the drive over. It was a perfect outing to the Temple to get names prepared for baptism after camp.

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Now this kid is really really excited; he said "with that part out of the way"... he is ready and thinks camp should be a really fun time! He is even really excited to get to know some of the young men he doesn't know very well or at all in our Stake. He is totally convinced that the stake leaders will put him with kids he doesn't know on purpose to help them interact and get to know each other. That isn't scary to him; even as shy as he is. He really enjoys the challenge and opportunity of new things. I love that about him. He totally did not get that from me (I live in my comfortable little box, and am a total freak at new things on the "outside" of my comfort zone)!

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I am so happy today, that he has a good attitute, and that he loves me and shows me, even when I am a "freaking out" side seat driver. And that he forgives me so easily (for the "freaky hysterical" side seat driving). And that he is trying to be obedient to what is asked of him by his stake leaders. I am so happy and grateful that all my freakiness pretty much all of his life, hasn't totally corrupted him; and that he really has the best parts of me and his Dad. What a huge blessing he didn't get all our worst traits... whew; we really dodged a bullet there. And I am incredibly proud and honored for him to call me "Mom" and pray I never ever slight on the respect and humility I need to have for that priviledge. As quickly as he can make me crazy; he can also bring me to my humblest, most tender tears of love and joy.

Uncle Fred comes to town...

Jim's Uncle Fred came to visit... he lives in Louisiana and drove through St. George to visit his brother (Jim's Dad) and sis n law. Then drove up to Idaho to visit another brother and sister that live not too far from us.

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And he came over to see us last night. I remembered to have him sign our guest book, but forgot to take any pictures! Darn.

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Here is one he sent us last year.

I am amazed at his endurance to drive across country like he does every year.

He is always full of stories that are fun to listen to.

And Uncle Fred is very kind and giving... he always shares something with us when he comes. He had an extra jar of crab boil spices he brought us this year and a jar of the best peanut butter anywhere... we will savor that!

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I hope we get to see him more before he goes back home, he is staying until the end of June. He mentioned a few times how much he likes frog legs and we know a cool restaurant on the river that serves them here.... so we might have to take him out one night while he is in town.

It's not polite to POINT!

Last night the teenager noticed the two big dogs in the backyard and they were BOTH POINTING!!!

Taylor had much better form than Morgan... but still it was her form of pointing, and you could tell what she was trying to do. Impressive since neither of them have had any training. It is one of Taylors strong qualities from her breeding and we really have wanted to train with her, but obedience training had to come first and that in itself has been exhausting. So I am not sure how far she will make it in pointing class. We would also LOVE to try her out in the agility course for long distance water jumping... but that is another story for another day.

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We were trying to figure out what they were doing, and they stood perfectly still for such a long time, I was able to run in the back room get my camera, realize the battery was dead and still have time to go grab another camera and get a snap off before they began to move.

I was only able to get this one of Morgan... and by the time I got to Taylor she had started moving in.... but she has a beautiful point!When we realized they were pointing at a bird! And the bird wasn't moving!!!


What in the world... was it injured? Why wasn't it flying away, or trying to run????

Morgan soon became board and left it alone...

Taylor however, was so curious and got nose to nose to find out all she could.

She was up close and personal with it, but never attempted to eat it or even lick it!
We were rolling over laughing at her.
When my strong silent mysterious man went out to take a closer look at the situation, he found the little birds heart was beating almost out of his chest!
I can imagine why!
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He finally found out that the little bird wasn't injured, but was just a baby and couldn't fly yet; when he got close the mama bird near by began to SQUAWK and raise a huge fit, then about 50 birds in a tree on the other side of the yard all came at once and started dive bombing him as he tried to put the baby in a box to get it up off the ground so the neighborhood cat wouldn't eat it... but it hopped out of his reach under the fence and the mama stayed close by to protect it.
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I chose to think she fed it all night and it gained enough strength to fly by morning and is safe and sound now. Instead of the horrible life ending story my husband came up with. We may never know, but we did learn valuable information that our killer dogs wouldn't hurt a flea on a fly!
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Not sure if that is good or not... but we love them anyway!