Beautiful Weekend at the Cabin

We, Mike and Bunni, went up to the cabin on Thursday. The weather was perfect! The chipmunks as still working hard to get in their winter supply of food and we fed them. -A LOT-
Mike and I went on a wonderful ATV ride on some new trails. It's so much fun exploring until you find that the trail you are on (with no retreat possible) is steeper than you can control. I found the rear wheels trying to outrun the front wheels. I simply stopped with white knuckles on the brake and called to Mike. "Come get me the #@(( out of this mess!" He climbed up the slope and gingerly switched places with me. He got the machine down and I walked. We had to drive through a meadow and across a stream to get back to the road. The rest of the ride was fun and uneventful. Joe, Katie and Jen (Katie's sister) came up on Saturday and we took Jen on her first ride. She is a natural. We rode to Asay Knoll which give you a 360 degree view of the area. We also took her to my favorite spot on the mountain - Mammoth Creek - If I were a pioneer I would have built my cabin right there and lived contentedly for the rest of my days. If I haven't taken you there, remind me the next time you're at the cabin. My grandkids will LOVE it. You can boulder hop across the stream and if you fall in it's only a foot or two deep. In the summer I guarantee they will fall in.

Esplins visit the cabin

We had a fun day with the Esplins today. We went on a wonderful ATV ride and had a great visit.

congratulations Ella

Big announcement -- Ella is potty trained!!

The "park" at the cabin

We are so excited about the new "park" at the cabin. George, Sheri, Ella, Preston, Papa and Grandma spent Wednesday and Thursday at the cabin constructing the new "Park". George and Papa did most of the work but they had a lot of help from Ella. The pictures are posted from last to first because I don't know what I'm doing.

Picnic!!!

Sheri, Ella, Preston, Papa and Grandma spent Friday and Saturday at the cabin. George was spending time with his Dad and brothers at the "deer hunt". We had a HUGE thunder and lightening storm on Saturday but Ella had already determined that we would have a picnic so the picnic was held on the covered deck. With rain pouring down and thunder exploding we ate our sandwiches and had a wonderful time. We also had an adventurous chipmunk sneak into the cabin. He wasn't so sure of his decision once he was inside but we opened up the door and showed him the way out.
Ella and Grandpa also took a couple of great rides on the Razor. Sheri, Preston and Grandma just relaxed in the cabin.

Chipmunks

Mike and Bunni came up to the cabin on Thursday, August 27th. We went for a really long ride on Friday. The weather was bright, sunny and just warm enough. We spent Friday afternoon reading and feeding our chipmunks (I claim them now) They come up so close to us without any fear. It's so much fun.

July 30th - August 2nd

We packed a picnic lunch and stopped beside a small "Lake" The only sound was the wind in the trees.
We stopped along the trail on our ride and took a picture. It was a beautiful day.
Mike and Bunni went to the cabin on Thursday, 7/30 through Sunday, 8/2. We had a wonderful time and went on a couple of fantastic rides. This looking up at Strawberry Point. (The highest point in the picture) Usually we stand up there and take pictures of the vistas. We were on a trail that would have taken us to Zion Park.

4 Wheeling!!!! July 24 & 25th

Mike and Bunni spent Friday and Saturday at the cabin. We were there alone except for a short visit from Joe when he delivered Mike's new jeep. We went on two fabulous, beautiful rides. I've decided that my favorite sounds are: 1) water in a small stream cascading over rocks 2) distant thunder (moving closer) 3) song birds 4) wind in the Aspen trees. I heard all of these this weekend. I can't think of a man-made noise I like half as well. There are a lot of wind chimes for sale and a lot of people use them but I don't want to hear anything but nature when I'm at the cabin. The 4-wheelers are noisy but it's easy to turn the key and just listen to the sounds of nature and they take you far back into the woods away from people.

Duck Creek Days and Chili Cook off

Mike, Bunni, Joe, & Katie spent the weekend at the cabin. Mike came up on Wednesday and was alone until Friday. He didn't like being alone but he sure loves the cabin. He is really bonding with the chipmunks. Duck Creek days is a typical small town celebration. It has lots of food booths and lots of craft booths. Some one is continually on the community stage singing country and pop. There are lots of blow-up bouncing houses for the kids. The temperature at Duck Creek is always moderate and it feels so good to walk around comfortably. This year we participated in the silent auction to the tune of $600.00. We got some good buys but . . . .

Thanks to Joe for signing us up to some "cute" little forest creatures made of natural material. Dad tried to change the bid and was caught by the little old lady who donated the creatures. SO EMBARRASSING. We ended up (of course) buying them and the lady loves Dad now. We also won the bid for a power saw, a bear sculpture (I love it), a trailer to pull behind the ATV, a gift certificate for the local diner and a gift certificate for the local Tru Value. It poured rain in the afternoon on Saturday but that just settled the dust and felt great. There was thunder. We always hope for a good ole thunder storm at the cabin.

Oh yeah, there was a chili cook-off -- ummmm not so great.

Our first visit - and Tanner's Birthday

We are winding up a fabulous four days at the cabin!! This is our first time up here, and we can see why mom and dad love to be up here and hate to leave. It is amazingly beautiful - both the cabin as well as it's surroundings. We've had a great time! It started out with mom, dad, Chad, Sloan, Reed, Jessica, Rachel and Tanner driving up on Wednesday. We went four wheeling, played pool and pong pong (Sloan won) :0), played Rummikub and watched Matilda. Chad, Sloan, Reed and Jessica got up early the next morning to take Reed to Parowan where he met the rest of the youth in the stake and participated in the service project that kicked off Youth Conference. We hate not having him here, but know he'll have a great time with the youth. After we got back to the cabin all of us left for a fun day at Bryce Canyon - including a yummy lunch and shopping at Ruby's Inn. When we got back to the cabin we found Sheri, George, Ella and Preston had arrived. This was Preston's first time at the cabin too!

After dinner we had a great time talking, play Hand and Foot and just enjoying each other's company.



The next morning was spent riding horses (with Ella singing, "Getty up pony ride to town" the whole way - cute girl!) . . .




and doing lots of four wheeling. Chad, Sloan, Rachel and Tanner drove the four wheelers up to Strawberry Point. Stunning!!! There are no words to describe the beauty of the terrain up here. I just love it!! Jessica is also gaining her confidence back in driving the four wheelers and later on in the evening, grandpa, Rachel and Sloan got to see tons of deer along Willis Creek Road.

Today is TANNER'S BIRTHDAY!!! Tanner and George left early, early this morning to go fishing. Is there a better way to start off your birthday? I think not. They even caught TWO fish. When they got back, we had Tanner's breakfast of choice - blueberry pancakes, orange juice and canteloupe. Now we are sadly starting to clean, packing up and getting ready to leave. I think we're going to end with a hike to Mirror Lake, and then head back to St. George so we can pick up Reed this afternoon. We have had a great time. And the best thing of all has been being with family!!

First Time This Season

Mike and I spent Thursday night, June 25th, at the cabin. After the last two months of some sad and some happy experiences it was good to get away to the quiet of the mountains. The cabin was WONDERFUL! We went for a short ATV ride and drove the jeep to Panquitch for lunch. It poured rain in the afternoon and that's OK. At least we weren't out on the ATVs during the downpour.

February 5th -- SNOW and PINGPONG

Mike and Bunni spent Thursday night at the cabin. It snowed about 4 inches overnight. Everything was soft and white when we woke up. There is probably about 3 feet now. That's not very much compared with other years but it sure is pretty. We played a rousing game of ping-pong. I taught Mike how to play in such a way that you could return the ball now and then. He likes to send it over the net like a bullet. Now that's LOTS OF FUN for the opposing player. Even playing civilized he still won.

Finally!!! we went back up to the Cabin

On Friday, January 16th, Mike and I went back up to the cabin after 6 weeks :< Because of sickness and important obligations we missed a lot of time in the mountains. It was sure wonderful to be back. The air is so clear and clean. The snow is about 3 feet deep. It has been a lot deeper but has settled. Joe and Katie came up Friday night. I finished my book and we watched 4 of 5 movies. We started watching the series on John Adams. Mike played Joe a game of Ping-pong and then I played Joe a game of ping-pong. We found a little critter had been nesting in one of the beds so we removed the sheets and washed them. Mike and I went for a nice walk in the snow. We had to come home on Sunday morning. We'll back much sooner this time (I hope)