Beneath the Wraps

bottom two photos found on this site:  https://churchof   jesuschristtemples.org/st.-george-utah-temple/news/   We spent Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in St. George where Kevin and Tara have been living the last year or so. They had been living near Buffalo, New York when we saw them in 2020.  Archer had been born on Jai’s 16 th  birthday.  He was three months at the time we saw him last.  Now he is almost two and has a baby brother born 2/22/22 which was on a TWOsday. Richard made breakfast each day we were there.   The first day he made french toast with bacon and eggs and Kevin made tater tots. I did some laundry on our first day there.   Jai had hoped to go to Arctic Circle sometime during our travel as she has fond memories of having gone while living in Utah.   We went to one in St. George.   I don ’ t think anyone was impressed with the food.   Afterward we went to the Alumni Creamery – a chapter of BYU creamery. ...

          Jenna had been accepted to Southern Oregon University which we toured on the 19 th . We had invited Jenna ’ s friend Kylee to go with us. We had to have proof of vaccination or else a negative result on a “ last 24 hour ” test.  I thought Kylee would have had that already but was not able to get either in time for our tour and so ended up not going with us which is really too bad.  I think she would have enjoyed it.         We arrived in Ashland very early in the morning.   The elements were dark but there were buildings lit up with Christmas  décor .   It was as though Ashland embraced us with welcoming arms.   It was so beautiful and inviting. We had arrived early and thus able to get a decent parking spot in front of the admissions building which is where the event started.  Those in charge admitted us into the building so that we would not freeze as it has been cold outside....

  There was frost on the ground and so were the chickens.   I don ’ t understand the draw.     The roosters have gotten brave enough to approach us. They will look at us in the same manner as Bonnie asking, “ Why don ’ t you feed me? ”   At least Bonnie has an excuse to look at us that way.   She has been placed in our care after all.   The fowl are all trespassers.   They are not our responsibility. I have seen their owners feed them but evidently we have better grass, better bugs, better vittles somehow.   The roosters have discovered the bird seed carelessly fallen to the ground knocked over by greedy birds eating from the bird feeder.   Roland thinks it is his job to feed all of the stray animals except for the deer.   The fowl are welcome in our yard.   The deer are not.   Right now we don’t have anything that the deer would be inter...

                After we had picked pears in Medford for the Church, we gleaned about four bags of pears for us to take home.   Roland took 24 pears to give to friends he had made at the theater, and   I took 18 to my friends.   Most of the pears were not ripe at the time.   We continued to pass them out to neighbors until they became too ripe.   It got to the point where we needed to do something - such as pear sauce or pear cake or something.   I made pear sauce last week.                 Roland is the one who loves to bake and cook.   I was disappointed that he didn't do more of it during his time off.   I prefer not being in the kitchen for a huge length of time.   But Roland has returned to work and more than just the pears have ripened - but bananas as well.   In addition t...