As April closes ...

We are heading to Europe!  An epic journey, originally planned for 2020 until the pandemic shut down the world.  (Of course, we have been to the UK since then to visit my in-laws, and we will start and end our visit with them!)  A sneak peek:  several days with one of our former au pairs in France, then a driving tour through Switzerland, Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic.  In Poland, we will visit another one of our former au pairs.  The list of sights and activities is too long to mention here!  And it also worked out that we will experience Bruce Springsteen in concert in Prague!

So, I just wanted to post a few highlights from April, and wish you much joy in the month of May!

Below - back side of Snowbird Resort, which is east of Salt Lake City, Utah.  I was in the area for a climate conference, and several fellow volunteers gave me a fabulous skiing tour of the mountain.

While in Utah, I stayed with my brother and my sister-in-law, so of course it was the perfect excuse to go skiing at Snowbasin again!
 

 

And Idaho Falls is a perfect stopping spot on the way home - such a blessing to get to see #1 Son, and wish him an early birthday!  He took me to Reed's Dairy, which began its family-owned milk delivery business in 1955 in Idaho Falls.  Larry Reed, in the collage below, started and operated the dairy while his two brothers managed the farming side of their business.  And yes, I managed to eat these two massive scoops of ice cream!

And wouldn't you know that Spousal Unit had flowers for me when I got home?  I should go away for six days more often!

April is highway clean-up time in Montana - the snow is gone and all the ugliness of winter trash is revealed ... and you have to get in there before the grass gets too high!  Don't my neighbors and friends look so happy?  This is before they picked up 130 bags of garbage along a 6-mile stretch!  I got reports later of swollen knees and aching backs ... we need some younger recruits!  (Please note that not everyone is in the picture ... a shout-out to all the pickers!)  And do you see the little Grouse to the left of the crew - oddest thing - that grouse followed me around for at least an hour in that area!

Most of you know that April 22 was Earth Day.  I volunteer with Citizens' Climate Lobby, and our local chapter hosted an ambitious Earth Day event at the local community college on April 20.  As part of our pre-event publicity, I was on the radio with my friend Denny, Flathead Audubon Conservation Educator.  I am so grateful to all the people who made this event possible - over 100 community members contributed to financial sponsorship, panel discussions, workshops, tabling and our Electric Vehicle Showcase.  And our volunteers - so many hours of work to put this together, not to mention support from 8 - 5 on the day itself.  I am ready for a vacation, and I am retired!!!

I mentioned that I was in Utah for a climate conference.  One of the presenters shared this quote:

"When any environmental issue is pursued to its origins, it reveals an inescapable truth - that the root cause of the crisis is not to be found in how men interact with nature, but in how they interact with each other - that, to solve the environmental crisis we must solve the problems of poverty, racial injustice and war."  Barry Commoner, 1973

The more things change, the more they stay the same!  If you can and if you dare, be part of the change.

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Joining LeeAnna's I Like Thursday - Prompt for May 2 - What does your name mean? Are you named for someone?  Do you like your name?  Have you ever changed your name?  Would you like a different name?  A Google of Angela yields "messenger, messenger of God."  I am not aware of anyone else in my family with my name, and my Dad always said they named me Angela because I was his "angel".  He certainly did not appreciate it when I adopted Angie - I can still hear him calling me Angela!  I am very happy with my name (Angie) and cannot imagine being called anything else.

Linking to Thankful Thursday

Linking to Mosaic Monday

MM# 185: An Idaho Falls Fourth of July

Is anyone else around here in shock that it's already AUGUST???  Since I am deep in denial, this post is re-winding to our Fourth of July weekend with #1 Son in Idaho Falls.  Between classic patriotic events such as the parade and fireworks, plus typical tourist attractions (the Zoo!), we were on the go, go, go. And the time spent with #1 Son was the cherry on the sundae!

Given Friday was his day off, we drove down on Thursday, and were greeted by the newest members of our family, Daisy and Ruby.  #1 Son has been dying to have cats.  Once he secured his job and his own apartment, he was ready.  He waited until after our family trip to Cayman (but even in Cayman I was helping him scour the 'net for cat trees and other products), and by then he had identified two adoption candidates at a nearby shelter.  He was so thrilled they were still available when he went for his appointment!

We parted with the girls just long enough for a little outdoor dining at Smokin' Fins.

 

In the past, I have written posts about the love that #1 Son and I have for museums.  We were delighted to find that the Museum of Idaho was hosting the "Genghis Khan: Conquest and Culture" exhibit - bingo!  #1 Son has a particular interest in all things Asian.  Friday morning we headed to this display, showcasing more than 300 original artifacts including ancient weapons, jewelry and domestic items. 

The exhibit presented multiple facets of Genghis Khan, including his unprecedented leadership capability, even if some of his practices might be considered barbaric by today's standards.  Being a Mongol meant being a warrior, but Genghis Khan turned individual warriors into an army.  He also incorporated defeated soldiers, mixing them in with his troops to help ensure individual loyalty.  To facilitate discipline and provide a clear chain of command, the troops were organized by tens.  The ten men in the basic unit were responsible for each other - if one failed, all were punished.  An imperial guard served the Khan.  To be selected was considered a great honor - it was the military academy for the next generation of elite leaders.  Each young officer-in-training, chosen from the sons of regimental leaders, was also a kind of hostage, guaranteeing the fathers' loyalty to the Khan. 

The morin khur (horse-head fiddle) is the national instrument of Mongolia.  In Genghis Khan's time, every man was expected to know how to play it.  (see left side of collage below)  While at the museum, a gentleman was playing a horse-head fiddle, sometimes accompanied by a woman on a dulcimer-like instrument.

At its peak, the Mongol Empire revived and controlled the "Silk Routes" that united Asia with Europe.  That control meant more than just access to essential supplies and tariffs to support the Empire.  It also allowed Genghis Khan to spread innovations between cultures.  Many features of modern Western life were brought from the East by Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire.  Genghis introduced the concept of the printing press, diplomatic immunity, the pony express and the use of passports.  These innovations sped transit and safeguarded trade across his vast Empire.  The next time you eat a hamburger, put on your pants, shout "Hooray" or play the violin, remember to thank Genghis Khan!

You can click on the photo below to enlarge it and read more about these cultural contributions.

These papier mache masks are among 108 fashioned by dozens of Mongolian artisans under the direction of the exhibit curator.  The Tsam Dance is an elaborate ritual performance of masked dancers performed on the 9th day of the last month of summer.  The dancing figures represent the demons which protect the soul after death in the journey to rebirth.

Tsam was banned during the 20th Century Russian domination of Mongolia.  These masks were worn in the first public performance of the Buddhist Tsam Festival after Mongolia won independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.

We went searching for some lunch in downtown Idaho Falls, and along the way I saw these two murals.

And our day was not over yet; the Zoo was holding an evening fundraiser with live music and access to all the normal exhibits.  Given the cooler evening temperatures, many of the animals were lively.  Check out the video of the Serval.

These cats are just a LITTLE bigger than the kitties back at the apartment.  And yes, I only took pictures of cats ...

The next day, we went to the Farmer's Market.  I was fascinated by these Chimney Cakes, which I had never seen before.  Labeled as "Transylvanian Treats", the batter was slathered on the skewers and baked over a charcoal fire.  When done, the skewers "rested" upright on the table, and then your selected coating (cinnamon sugar was popular) was applied.  Final step was to bang the skewer on the table, and the cake would magically slide off into the bag.  Voila!  Too bad I closed my eyes for the photo! 

That afternoon, we took a break from the heat and went to the movies - have you see the Elvis movie with Austin Butler and Tom Hanks?  A terrific film - even though it was hard to watch Tom Hanks in a "bad guy" role!

On Sunday, we went to church and had a lazy afternoon (more time with the cats!) before an evening baseball game.  The Idaho Falls Chukars are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball but is an MLB Partner League.  What is more American than hot dogs, popcorn and baseball for the Fourth?

And then it was the Fourth!  We began our day early, staking out a spot to watch the Parade, which began at 9 am.  The theme was "Let Freedom Ring".

There were several "cheer" floats, and all of them had the cheerleaders on these boxes - didn't seem too safe if the trailer needed to stop suddenly.

We are partial to marching bands since #1 Son was in his high school marching band all through high school.  If you are similarly inclined, here is one video for you.

And I know #1 Daughter would love this VW bus.

Idaho Falls is home to the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, the largest Independence Day fireworks show west of the Mississippi River.  Leading up to the 10 p.m. "high-flying, ground-shaking, adrenaline-filled display", the Snake River Landing venue is home to live music, a massive Kids Zone (I have never seen so many bouncy houses in one place), and a plethora of food and beverage vendors. As chance would have it, #1 Son's apartment is within 5 minutes' walk of the venue!  We alternated between the venue and the pool at his apartment complex - it was HOT.  We wondered how the cats would deal with the booming noise of the pyrotechnics, but when we returned to the apartment close to 11 p.m., they did not seem distressed.

And then, as quickly as it started, the weekend was over.  #1 Son leaves quite early for work, so we left at the same time.  The Idaho sunrise greeted us as we navigated northward on the mostly empty highway.  We were thrilled to have this time with #1 Son, and to see him so content in his home.  

"I hope you realize that every day is a fresh start for you.  That every sunrise is a new chapter in your life waiting to be written."  Juansen Dizon 

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.

Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.

The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain time).

Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.

Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.

As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.

Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.

Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Mosaic Monday #168: A Little Getaway

Dear readers: strap on your seatbelts, we're going for a ride!  Skiing?  Check.  Flying?  Check.  Delectable eats?  Check.  Retail therapy?  Check.  Family time?  Check.  Our getaway in Idaho and Utah was delightful in every way you can imagine.  Come take a look!

We drove to Idaho Falls to visit #1 Son, and the temperature gauge never exceeded 5 degrees F.  He met us at his apartment, and his pride was evident as he showed us the new digs.  We delivered a few more boxes and other possessions, which we could not squeeze into either vehicle during the original move (see January 23 post), and then we headed out for dinner.  He was excited to share one of his favorite restaurants, The Cuban Table.  And he warned Spousal Unit: "Don't even get out your wallet!"

The next day, we continued heading south for three hours, aiming for the Utah mountain home of my oldest brother and his wife.  After unloading the 4Runner, we chatted about the plan for the upcoming week, and quickly came to the conclusion that the afternoon would be one of the best opportunities for my sister-in-law and I to pop into Shepherd's Bush.  If this sounds familiar, it is because I wrote about it in December 2020, recounting our previous Utah road trip.  On that occasion, we were not able to enter this fine needlework store due to the pandemic.  So, just like a kid that is only allowed to look at candy through a shop window, my anticipation was at a fever pitch.  And, I was not disappointed.  I could have bought many more projects, but I limited myself to these four, all fairly small in size.  For some time, I have wanted some "seasonal" cross-stitch that I can hang/swap out with the progression of the year, and these fit the bill perfectly.

Full of a delicious dinner of pulled pork, baked beans and squash boats, we slept like babies until it was time to rise and shine for our first day of skiing.  Snowbasin is the closest ski area, and the "home" resort for my brother and his wife.  Collectively, we decided to travel a little farther, to Park City, reasoning that crowds would be smaller there on a Thursday as compared to a Friday.  The bitterly cold temperatures continued, but that didn't prevent us from enjoying the robin's egg-blue skies and the silky smooth groomed runs.

A hot tub, margaritas and another fine meal, featuring salmon pasta, soothed aching muscles from a day on the slopes!  The next day, a 15-minute drive brought us to Snowbasin, and we were treated to a view of a moose along the way.  AND - Mother Nature had delivered six inches of fresh snow to the mountain overnight.  Could it get any better?

That evening, Taggart's Grill, a favorite local dining establishment, gave our hostess some relief from kitchen duties.  Friday night specials typically include prime rib and pot roast, and we enjoyed both of them.  I felt like I was back in my Mom's dining room as I tucked into the skillet of pot roast!  If you click on the picture at right, you can read about this historic location, which began as a quaint campground with a pet Bobcat, and developed into a restaurant famous for its individual cheesecakes, pies, cookies, coconut macaroons and carrot cake.

The next day, we took a break from skiing.  My sister-in-law went to Salt Lake City airport to collect my niece, and my brother took me flying in his newly acquired airplane!  I have flown with him a number of other times, mostly in a sailplane.  The new plane has the advantage of an engine (!), which allows options such as flying close to interesting land features, including this canyon with red rocks.

In the afternoon, my brother flew with Spousal Unit.  Since my dear hubby has been taking flying lessons and is nearing his solo flight, my brother had him take the left-hand seat - most of the instruments are there and that is typically the seat of the "pilot".  Below is a video of the plane on take-off.  

During the flight, Spousal Unit performed three rolls!  With my brother at the helm, he also experienced a backwards loop, practice stalls and more rolls.  Needless to say, he was over the moon!

A fabulous sunset was the perfect ending to this day.

On Sunday and Monday, we skied at Snowbasin, and our niece joined in.

The temperatures had re-bounded but not enough to spoil the conditions.

Salt Lake City was the site of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, and Snowbasin was chosen as the venue for the men's and women's downhill, super G and combined races.  The Allen Peak tram takes intrepid skiers to the starting point for the downhill races.  (Fortunately, you can also take the tram back down if you change your mind!)  In the collage below, Spousal Unit and I are standing to one side of the tram with a vista spread behind us.  The hut in the second picture is the starting point for the men's downhill.  My brother told us that he once sped down the course as quickly as he could, finishing in about 5 minutes.  The winning time in the 2002 Olympics was 1:39.13!!!!

We returned on the tram owing to rocky conditions at the summit, but not before catching a glimpse of the (disappearing) Great Salt Lake to the west.

Snowbasin has two gondolas, and something about watching them pass before a massive mountain appeals to the romantic in me.

One of the first dates I had with Spousal Unit (before he was Spousal Unit) was to a ski resort in Scotland - Aviemore.  He had never skied before, and spent most of the time on his bum.  That, together with his strong dislike for ski boots, probably explains why he is now a snowboarder.  But we still enjoy skiing/riding together!

On our final full day in Utah, Spousal Unit and my brother spent another day at Park City.  My sister-in-law took our niece to the airport, and then we engaged in a little more retail therapy.  The first stop was the New World Distillery in Eden.  Unfortunately, the Distillery is not offering tastings and tours at the moment, but the owner took the time to review the products.  I opted for the Apple Brandy - he suggested that it is a perfect base for a Sangria, and referred us to liquor.com for recipes.  I will have to wait until after Lent to try it since I have decided to give up all alcohol until Easter!

Our next destination was the Rainbow Gardens Gift Shop.  It is the ideal place for a unique gift, and delightful for people who like gourmet goodies, kitchen essentials, gardening items, candles, soaps, toys and fashions, not to mention a full line of Vera Bradley handbags and travel accessories.  I can't show you everything I bought because some of the items were gifts, but I can share three of their spectacular window displays, and the new garden flag that is already hanging outside!

After returning to the house, several pleasurable hours were spent cross-stitching and chatting with my sister-in-law.  In fact, quite a bit of progress was made on #1 Daughter's adult Christmas stocking on this trip - in the car, while in conversation and during various TV programs that we watched as a group.  It was one of many blessings of this getaway.  On our way back to Montana, we met up with #1 Son for another meal, this time at an Indian restaurant.  It wasn't too difficult to say good-bye since we will see him again in 78 days - in Grand Cayman.  But that's another getaway and another post!

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.

Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.

The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain time).

Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.

Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.

As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.

Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.

Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter