LONG NIGHTS MOON

POCKING IS SERIOUS WORK

NOT A PROMISE, REALLY.

 

WHEN THE SUN STOOD STILL

The autumn equinox is past, but once upon a time, the days were very, very long and we walked up a little hill to watch the sunset on the longest day of the year. The trees in the city were green then, and the grasses were green.  And there was still a little bit of snow in the mountains, though there is more now.  Matt still lived here, and we all looked golden, and our shadows were very long.  There were a lot of people up there in the hills that night.

TYPEWRITER: SCOOT.

It was the middle of June when I hosted my first official Salt Lake dinner party. I moved my desk/table on to the porch. I prepared an asparagus and salmon salad.  Some potatoes and baked polenta and salted caramel ice cream.  Matt, Rachel, David, and Catie came over.

Rachel demonstrated her double-jointed shoulders.

David escaped the porch for Rachel's demonstration.

Caite brought a game, which Rachel was remarkably good at.

And then there was some (nearly treeless) hiking with Matt and Lisa.

EEYORE TAKES A WALK

Sometime after we wished Matt farewell, Matt, David, Rachel and I went camping.  On the way there I determined that a milkshake would really hit the spot, and bingo! There was the Dairy Keen with perfect milkshakes for all.  I am a milkshake conjurer!

I was not quite as good at the instant conjuring of the perfect campsite. It took us a while, bumping over dirt roads in Telemachus, Rachel and David's Volvo wagon, to find it. First there was the site in the state park that was over-civilized. Then there was the perfect spot, five miles up a bumpy dirt track, but it was occupied by about 200 Mormons, reenacting the pioneer experience.  We had to turn around.

And then we found a lovely campsite beside the creek.

David, scout leader extraordinaire, built a leaf-stick boat.

It was a swift little ship, but it tipped over.

I call this my Winnie-the-Pooh shot.

The next day we looked for a good hike, but found a lot of watercress and a brief paved trail through some strangely terraced wetlands.

Such a lovely time, though.

And on our way back to town we saw the pioneers again. I took this one out the window as we drove past. The kids looked miserable, but one of the adults even waved at us. Handcarts away!