HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

A happy Jack.

We were home for the Trick-or-Treaters...it's been a few years. We put the monster masks in the living room window, the big stuffed Pumpkin Man in the study (lighted with a lamp from underneath), the Jack O'lantern on a bar stool and the boombox with the old spooky cassette on the porch. We probably had about 50+ kids. It was raining at 5:45pm, but cleared up later. We ate chili and cheesebread and watched football and had fun.

Winsome Witch

Don't miss the bat or the M&Ms and mini Hershey bars.

On top of the TV.

Decked out for Halloween.

Sunset the night before from the deck...kind of an interesting firey effect.

Francis Peak

On Friday, October 22nd, we decided to drive up Farmington Canyon to see if there were a few colorful leaves still clinging to the trees. We were pressing our luck, knew we had waited past their prime and we weren't too hopeful, but ended up being pleasantly surprised! It was a gray day, so the photos don't have the benefit of a blue sky, but perhaps the overcast conditions kept the colors from looking washed-out by the sun. We got a late start...didn't drive by Farmington Pond until 3:00pm and we didn't get back until half an hour after sunset, around 7:30pm. We had fun and decided to go all the way up to Francis Peak...it's been a long time. The temperatures were perfect, until we got on the tippy-top and there was a cold wind blowing. The canyon was pretty busy for a Friday afternoon, but it was Deer Hunt Eve and hunters were setting up camps. We managed to work in 6 fun geocaches, of course. We are so glad we went, 'cause the next day Francis Peak was covered with snow! Here are a couple dozen photos to whip through...

Maybe you'll recognize this area (and the next 9 photos). It's Sunset Campground...a great picnicing spot and fall photo venue from the past.

Two opposing benches have been placed at the end of a trail (jutting out into the canyon), one facing east for viewing the sunrise (this one) and one facing west to view the sunset.

This photo is taken from the west-facing bench, looking down Farmington Canyon.

Dad's photo of fallen leaves...almost as good as Autumn's.

Last shot of the Sunset Campground area, near the start of the short trail that goes out to the benches and a geocache.

Colorful Quakies.

We're getting higher up now, near the turnoff to the continuing along Skyline Loop (south to Bountiful) or onto Francis Peak Road to the north.

Here's the weather station at the end of the drive on top of Francis Peak...9,560'.

The view to the west...Farmington Bay and Antelope Island.

View to the east...you can see Morgan.

At the top of the ridge, hair blowing, Morgan in the background.

Looking back north to Francis Peak from a geocache. Can you see our "little mule'?

On the path to another cache at another campground on top.

This is the largest geocache ammo can we have ever seen!!! It was huge and pretty much right out in the open...no place to conceal it! The first thing Dad pulled out was a vacuum attachment!!!

Mom in the woods...notice the twisted aspen trunks at ground level.

One last shot looking west from Francis Peak at sunset.

And here I am in the yard the next day..."Just pruning in the rain." There are little leaves all over my back from standing under the willow. The crisp-dry days of fall are over.

I wondered if Oregon people were used to gardening in the rain. It was a new and short-lived experience for me. Luckily, the BYU football game started shortly after this shot.

Lehi & Lawyer

Abram, the attorney, at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City on October 13th, 2010...sworn into the Utah State Bar Association. Dad and I and Airie watched him take his oath and enjoyed cookies and lunch together afterwards.

He's official.

Mr. and Mrs. Attorney...we're all proud of you Abram!

Abram, standing after his name has been called...white collar, right of the exit sign, looking right.

On Saturday, October 2nd, Dad and I drove to Lehi, Utah, to pick up a copy of The Journals of George Kirkham, a newly published book of the journals written by my great-grandfather between 1865 and 1923. It includes quite a few good family photos, some fun illustrations by him, and letters written to him and by him while he was in the Utah State Peniteniary for polygamy when he was 35 years old. While we were there, cousin Connie took us and another couple out to visit 2 historical spots. This is the site of the Jordan River ferry boat crossing in Lehi where the Kirkhams first lived in a dugout.

Me at the ferry crossing.

Bend in the Jordan River...looking northeast.

Jordan River looking southeast.

This is the site of the Indian Massacre on June 9, 1865, witnessed by my great-grandfather George. There is a ridge with a few green trees just beyond the white buildings. George, age 12, was herding cattle on the ridge when the Overland Mail stagecoach approached from the west (left) headed toward "point of the mountain" in Salt Lake. The Indians shot the two lead horses in order to stop the coach and then killed the driver and passenger (shot them with arrows, scalped them and cut their hearts out) as George watched. He ran home to the dugout on the Jordan River to deliver the news. Porter Rockwell of the Overland Company was the first to arrive at the scene. Evidently the details of this story appeared in the Deseret News.

Me and 2 cousins...Connie Nielsen, we're both descendants of George and Sarah Kirkham, and Peggy Williamson, descendant of George's younger brother Hyrum.

The ST. GEORGE MARATHON--October 2nd

What a fun opportunity to share this event with Briton & Robin and especially to spend time with Sydney and Clara. They were lots of fun and easy to care for. Here we are with Ed Eyestone, 2-time Olympian Marathon Runner (and brother to Mary Jo Naylor and son of Bob and Virginia Eyestone in our old 19th Ward), who was the keynote speaker on Friday afternoon. He told lots of fun and motivational stories from his running days. He has been the track coach at BYU for 10 years. We talked to him afterwards. Then we spent some time at the Expo checking out running stuff.

The stylin' rental car!!! Would you believe a Chevy HHR...wonder what that stands for?

We had our "pasta load" at Iggy's. Check out the size of that meatball!

Sydney enjoying her spaghetti. Grandma's Sicilian lasagna is in front.

Grandma and Sydney reading.

This is Briton's old ABC Golden Book. (There's a video at the end.)

The girls slept in our room. Sydney finally crashed at 12:30am!

We had to wake the girls up early on Saturday morning. It was a hard thing to do, especially when someone was enjoying sleeping with legs extended off the bottom of the bed.

Sleepy Clara.

Awake and ready to go after her 6oz. bottle.

Dad and I and the girls made it to Mile 16 at the north entrance to Snow Canyon where we intercepted runner 706 around 10:00am. Briton said a quick "Good Morning!"

He grabbed some treats...pretzels, crackers and blackberries...

And was on his way for the final 10 miles. His head is under the far rectangular sign! He was just too fast for the camera!

Grandpa with S & C in the stroller at Mile 16.

Grandma with the balloon (to catch Briton's attention).

Strollering back down to the car in beautiful Snow Canyon...at the non-steep part.

At last...the FINISH LINE!!!

The happy Marathoner...happy that it is all over. He comes bearing gifts of ice cream, peanuts, bread, yogurt, etc.

The Harold Abrams pose. He ran them off their feet in 3 hours and 21 minutes! How is that possible?

Sydney with an ice cream face checks out the medal.

Chillin' on the grass...I wonder if that unwatched ice cream sandwich is going to reach its target?

The runners' reunion! We're sad we didn't get to see Robin on the course, but she overestimated her time and was able to finish sooner than she thought--in 5 hours flat and didn't seem a bit "worse for wear." The 2010 version of the St. George Marathon had the hottest start time on record (in 34 years) and temps reached 98 degrees that day. The newspaper said that 16 people were taken to medical emergency at the hospital. Dad and I were hot and sweaty and all we did was walk around!

Robin and Briton reached their goals and finished in style. We're proud of them. Congratulations on a great Marathon! How bold (or insane) of you to choose to run 26.2 miles!!! Hard to fathom.

Back at the motel for a rest...well not for Clara.

Clara absolutely adored the balloon. It held her attention forever. (See video at the end.)

On Sunday, we decided to drive 30 minutes north to see Kolob Canyon. What a beautiful day.

Great views.

Robin & Chubby Legs. Grandpa got some great shots of Miss Clara in her red hat. I just had to post all 3 of the next photos.

#1 Proud of herself.

#2 Havin' a Good Time.

#3 Perfectly Pleased. Don't you just love this one? I start laughing everytime I look at it!

Getting the hat just right.

The Hillsboro Barkers in Kolob Canyon in Zion's National Park.

Going for a one-mile hike on the Timber Creek Trail.

Sydney, the conductor, on a big rock.

Baby in the Bjorn.

"Where in the world is Sydney San Diego?" She's hiding pretty well.

Actually, hiking wasn't a very good activity choice for the 2 marthoners. With aching quads, they were good sports to hobble up and down (especially hard) the trail. Sydney was a real trouper, too, taking lots of little steps before we stopped for a picnic lunch.

What scenery!

The lighter green band winding around the mountains is Timber Creek.

Pinon pinecones all along the trail.

We couldn't resist harvesting some pinenuts (if you look hard you can see some). Boy did they taste good and fresh. We had to find creative ways to try to clean the pine gum off our hands, but it was worth it.


Balloon Video:

Reading the ABC Book together: