Pecans and pink wheat

And now, boys and girls, settle yourselves down for a fun tale of danger and intrigue I like to call, "The Tell-Tale Wheat" or "Why Some Church Callings Are Just Plain Fun".

As the ward "Emergency Preparedness Specialist" (are you kidding me?????), I recently helped our stake with the annual bulk food order from the bishop's storehouse. Sounded simple. Pass out a few forms, collect checks, turn them into the stake. How hard can it be???

Trust me! It can be very hard when the little addendum to the form offers "local wheat from Semilole, Tx--- 50 lbs for $15".

When our ward members, many of them new to food storage, picked up their local wheat they were surprised to find it in bags marked with warnings such as: "Do not feed to livestock" and "if consumed, induce vomiting". As this all happened when I was in Utah, Vicki got a call asking her advise and she, not knowing, referred the call to the stake. (I did not raise a dummy). Shortly after I got home, I began to get the picture. The stake contracted with a seed producing facility in Semilole that was going out of business for their leftover wheat. Now, seed wheat is processed a little differently from wheat which is destined for consumption. It is treated with fertilizer and chemicals to discourage insects and to encourage quick germination in the soil. Seeds that are treated and might pose a danger if ingested are are also tinted a bright, florescent pink as a signal that they are poisonous. Our wheat not only came in bags marked poison, but was also tinted the bright, florescent pink.... causing a few scardey-cats to question it.

I am trying to straighten the whole mess out, and, believe me... it is a mess. I called and got wonderful advise from our "what to do in your calling" gurus, Bill and Linda, and am well on the way to extricating myself from the debacle.

And now, boys and girls, PECANS! Chip has a friend with a pecan orchard needing to unload last year's crop. We have 3 lb. sealed bags of shelled pecans, excellent size and quality, for 15.oo. That's 5 bucks a pound. Anyone interested???

Wonderful Trip Home

John and I had a truly wonderful trip home from a very restful and pleasant visit with Harry, Bill, and their families. I wish we could have all been together, but maybe some other time...

John and I left early Friday morning and began our drive with a trip through Zion National Park. I had forgotten just how beautiful it is!

We made our way to highway 89 and took off through Indian country, once again through pretty spectacular scenery. I wondered what first, second, and third mesa meant on the map. As we descended from each mesa, I began to realize that they were high and huge. We stopped in one of the villages for gasoline and lunch. I was very tempted by the pottery and jewelry for sale in the store. It is a good thing that we were in a hurry. I could have spent lots of money.



When we turned onto I-40 at Gallup, I began to notice a bank of dark clouds in the east and wondered if we would drive into rain. The night before, it had stormed in the North Texas area. Amarillo had had very high winds, hail, and lots of rain. Lubbock avoided the damaging wind and hail, but had had rain. This was on my mind as we made our way east. We turned off toward Vaughn, NM and drove into really amazing clouds. I looked them up on the internet and have found a similar picture, though it is really not nearly as spectacular as the ones that completely covered the skies over New Mexico.



Just after sundown, we drove under a spectacular rainbow. It was really quite an experience. I was so grateful for a safe, beautiful trip home.

Thanks to Sarah for sharing her sweet Ashton with me for our transformer party, to Harry and Rhonda for the hospitality and fun, to John for the traveling company, and to Bill and Linda for teaching us how to play golf. It was really fun.

I've Sunk To A New Low

You know you have officially become an "old lady" when you start eagerly anticipating the next installment of "Groomer Has It". I can't imagine that any of you watch it, but believe me it is your loss.

The groomers are an eclectic group and are down to the "final four" with the grand finale next week where the "Groomer of the Year" will be crowned and awarded $50,000 and a mobile grooming truck.

Two weeks ago, Sonya Fitzpatrick, the famous pet psychic (a gig I wish I had thought of...) was the guest. The groomers worked with dogs, who were the judges. Sonya, channeling the thoughts of the dogs, helped the groomers understand whether they were gentle enough, whether the dogs were proud of their new look, etc. The dog with the happiest outlook chose the winner... What a racket. But, there I was, baited breath, eagerly awaiting the results...

I am torn as to who to root for. Jorge is a Latin gentleman with many tattoos and a very heavy accent. He is a little effeminate, but I am sure he is a sweet gentleman.

Artist, the black father of several children, is maybe my favorite. He won me over the very first episode when he could identify dog breeds by smelling their turds while blindfolded. Now, there is a man who knows dogs!!

Just thought I'd share and let you know what's in store for all of you when you get old.

Big Blog News!

Vicki and Josh have joined the blogging world. Vicki requests that Emily, the blogging queen, help her make her blog pretty like hers...

Joshua just needs your praise.... and understanding of his warped little mind.

Hope everyone enjoys their visit home with mom and dad.

Vicki.... hvbacon.blogspot.com

Josh.... ydkjosh.blogspot.com

We're On!!!

I guess our plans are as final as any plans are when a bunch of Reeds are involved. We will gather June 14-15 in St. George.

John and I plan to embark from Lubbock the 9th or 10th and drive to Brigham City. We will caravan with Harry and Rhonda for the weekend retreat and gathering in St. George.

I plan to bring things to share with the rest of you.

Be careful, stay healthy, and think positive thoughts; maybe this thing will work out!

Family Reunion

So... If we are going to try to get us all together somewhere this summer we had better get started with the planning. Bill and Harry wonder if we all want to try to get together in St. George. It has the obvious advantage of having at least three homes to help bed us all. I understand that we can also have a tent in the backyard of the condo, so that would be additional sleeping room for maybe some of the boys.

If I do not hear from anyone with another location suggestion, I will assume that St. George is not out of the question for any of you.

The next obvious thing to plan is a date. The weekend of the fourth of July is not good for Fleur, but should not be eliminated on her account. She has other reunions that weekend, but will miss ours if the fourth of July weekend is best for the rest of us. I need suggestions soon.

Once the date and place are established, I will turn the rest of the planning over to one of you to continue the plans... I am not a good cruise director.

Let me hear from you.............

Eliza Carleton Green

I am still going through pictures and family papers. I spent a few hours yesterday scanning a file into the picassa account of pictures of Uncle Sam. I am sending out invitations to view the pictures for all of you that I have email addresses for. I don't have Carl, Sarah, or Clair's addresses. Nor do I have addresses for the Harry Reed nieces and nephews. If any are interested in viewing the albums, let me have email addresses...

I am finding a lot of writing done by Eliza Carleton Green. They are not dated, but some of them have been sent off somewhere and have criticism written in the margins.

This is one of her poems:

The Wood Lot

Of all the past enjoyments
That still to memory cling,
I love most to ponder o'er
The wood lot in the spring.

Far down across the meadow,
Close beside the brook,
The oak tree and the willow
Their leafy branches shook.

In the soft and gentle breeze
That whispered low and clear --
Awake and grow! feel now at ease,
For summer days are near.

The birdies held a banquet.
The bunnies gave a ball.
Both were staged beneath the trees
Close by the waterfall,

Which laughed and gurgled as it fell
In sparkling radiant mood,
And hurried on to join the creek
That wound on through the wood.

There close beside its rocky bank
The violet beds we found
And farther on the sunny slopes
In lilies did abound.

I close my eyes and ponder --
A million memories cling;
And once again I wander
In the wood lot; and it's Spring.