Sunday, February 7, 2010

Activities

Just to catch you up on a few of our activities lately…
We attended an organ recital at the Stake Center featuring Linda Margetts, the first female Tabernacle Choir organist and Farmington resident. She played a wonderful variety of musical numbers ranging from Danny Boy and Sousa’s Washington Post March to Handel and Toccata & Fugue in D Minor (think Captain Nemo and Fever Tree). She played for an hour and told many interesting and humorous stories of playing for the choir and as a regular with Music and the Spoken Word. She also told us the history of the organ in the Stake Center and its 1,000 pipes (the Conference Center organ has 11,000!!!) and how money was raised for the upgrade. She is a delightful person, humble and down to earth, and a fabulous musician.

BLUE SKIES!

We’ve been feeling out of the loop with no geocaching since last November and a little stir crazy being holed-up inside through the gray month of January, so we found a Caching Event a few miles up Payson Canyon (about an hour and half drive), got brave and went for it. It turned out to be a pleasant day for a drive and the 3rd Annual Winter in Pine Forest Event:

“Come join us for Cross Country Skiing and Snow Shoeing. Time: 2-5 p.m. Hot Chocolate and Donuts will be provided. This year’s event will be held in the Lodge again. For those who would like to ski or snow shoe, equipment (Skies, Poles, Ski Shoes, Snow shoes) rental is free for all attending this event. Ski shoe sizes are 3-14.”

We planned to try snow shoeing, but there were only skis left when we arrived. Neither one of us have ever been on skis, but a very patient and understanding young woman (the guide) convinced us we could do it. So we adventured off to the Pine Forest…not without several falls on the fanny or slips to a knee for each of us, but it was fun and good exercise. There were about 25 people in attendance and we were awarded a new travel bug coin to launch on its way since we had come the farthest (from Davis County). Here’s our log:
“We had fun...it was worth the drive down from Farmington. Fun to meet some new people and see a few others that we have met before. It was our first time ever on skis! Thanks to Cervine Girl for her help (particularly on the mud slide) and her patience. We were pretty tentative. Thanks also to Truecourse for helping Mrs. Geo Idiot get her feet back under her...twice!! The chocolate and donuts were good...thanks to Momma Owl. We're glad the weather was so pleasant. Let's Keep On Cachin'!! Handed off the Bilby Tower Benchmark Geocoin and we'll be happy to get the BSA 2010 “Get in the Game” Geocoin on its way next week.”

4 miles up Payson Canyon

Entrance to the Boy Scout Camp where the Geocaching Event was held.

Mom tries out cross-country skiing!!!

The Geo Idiots on skis! Look out Olympics, here we come.

Pine Forest

Our guide and helper, Cervine Girl (her real name is Fawn...Cervine means resembling a deer)

Mr. Smooth on skis.

I may be smiling here, but most of the time I was pretty serious about attempting to stay vertical.

Wild turkeys??? We saw these birds around dusk as we drove back to Provo where we enjoyed a Chinese dinner with Airie and Abram (sorry you were busy, Autumn) and a rousing game of Pinochle. The cards went all the girls' way and the boys didn't get to play a hand :(
The last hand, Airie and I were actually trying to out bid each other and it ended up with Mom taking a Shoot the Moon even though Airie had been dealt a family with 2 outside aces!!! Yeah, we were pretty poor winners.

Big Red-Tailed Hawk. We drove out to Farmington Bay on a Sunday afternoon 2 weeks ago to see the Bald Eagles (the gathering will be biggest in a week or two) and also saw some hawks.

Another hawk

3 bald eagles at Farmington Bay Bird Refuge

Back home at the bird feeder... a western scrub jay.

A pair of jays...they come for the peanuts, shelled and unshelled, then take them away and rathole them for later.

Fancy blue scrub jay

Our "friendly" sharp-shinned hawk on the deck.

3 comments:

Airie said...

Hey! I still can't believe you guys went cross-country skiing. Yay for you! It looked pretty fun. And thanks for stopping by for the surprise visit. I think I might have enjoyed the cards more than Abram, haha. :)

briton said...

Way to go on the skiing! Great opportunity. and great bird photos

Autumn said...

What fun! Would you believe that I know Fawn? She's in my ward! We've had her over a few times. She's very sweet. I went cross-country skiing once...it's hard work! I LOVE those bird pics, they're beautiful!