Frosty Dixie

Dave, Michael, and I took a quick trip to St. George on February 18-20...and we found the snow and drizzle we'd left back home. It was lovely, though, as clouds wreathed the peaks of Zions Park and sun and shadow painted the trees, brush, and valleys.

We ate lunch with Dave's mom and Darrell at The Outback. We savored our marinated steaks, stuffed baked sweet potatoes, and pomegranate lemonade, as well as the stories of Grandma's and Darrell's lives, improved by quinoa, lots of water, and (usually) lots of Dixie sun!

We were then off to Zions for the afternoon. We introduced Michael to David West's photo studio in Springdale. Michael petted Charlie Brown and talked with David West's wife, Mary Jane, about Zambia, which Michael and Mary Jane had both visited. The framed photo we bought for our basement family room is behind Michael and Mary Jane in the picture.

We stopped at the Zions Park Visitors Center to rummage through the history books, such as Juanita Brooks' biographies of John D. Lee and Emma Lee.

We then watched the IMAX history of Zions, "Treasures of the Gods."

The landscape shots of Zions in the movie were spectacular, but we objected to the sloppy history. A photographer wandering through the Narrows found a gold cross supposedly dropped by a Catholic father fleeing an Indian uprising at the mines! As we waited in the Visitors Center parking lot, it was foggy, but the sun came out as we drove home. The views around us were thrilling...

that is, until we reached the fake frontier village near the Spendlove family seat, Virgin, Utah.

Chilling with the Aggies

On Saturday, February 12, Dave and I drove to Logan, Utah, just to explore. Sardine Canyon, on the way, was exquisite in its winter white.

We stopped at a honey shop as we drove into Logan. We tried the lavender and sage honeys, browsed through the bee-themed gifts, and bought chocolate-dipped strawberries, freshly prepared for Valentines Day.

We wandered through an antique shop, checking out the cowboy boots and record players and Corningware bowls.

We felt like antiques, ourselves, as we spotted the dishes and clothes from the time we were married, in the 1970s, marketed as "antiques." We then reserved a room at the Crystal Inn. Its "Welcome back, Aggies" sign reminded me of my father, who took great pride in graduating from Utah State University and being an "Aggie."

Our next adventure was driving north again, through lovely Logan Canyon, to Bear Lake.

The views at sunset from the lookout over frozen, snow-covered Bear Lake were extraordinary.

We were back in Logan in time for dinner at the Bluebird Cafe, which has been in business since 1914. Times have changed, though, in Logan. The Bluebird is now run by the Hu family.

My dad dined at the Bluebird with his Aggie friends, and probably ate Aggie bars.

It was prom night, and we enjoyed the people watching even more than our prime rib and steak.

Before driving home on Sunday morning, we wandered around Logan, admiring the temple, courthouse, and other historical buildings.

We took one last photo as we drove out of town.

Beaches

What could be finer, during a wet, cold February, than a trip to the beach? On February 4, I flew to Seattle to take Lisa and the Flindt kids to Abderdeen Washington, on the Pacific Coast.

On Friday night, before our trip began, we ate supper at the Noodle Box, a Thai restaurant in Issaquah, near Lisa's home. We filled the table with spring rolls, grilled chicken with peanut sauce, and curried noodles.

One of the servers was a very cute older Oriental woman who gave Michael some grandmotherly advice. "When you get married, you'll have two mothers," she said, "but never forget who the real one is."

Early Saturday morning, we watched Grant and Michael play basketball with their ward team. They were aggressive and talented, but their team lost to a group of older boys. Kyle took a break from work to sit on the stage and help keep score.

The team players were Bryce's heroes.

We then drove 2 1/2 hours, southwest past Tacoma and Olympia, to the coast. Aberdeen is an old logging town, and we stopped first at a "historic mansion" built by one of the timber barons in the late 1800s

The town is full of colorful wood houses.

We wandered through the town museum.

The museum had an antique fire engine, chapel from a town church, and old-time piano...

vintage clothes, including a satin evening dress and fur stole...

And even an early hair perming machine.

We then headed north along the Pacific coast, with stops to take photos on picturesque Gray's Harbor.

Finally, we reached Pacific Beach, wild and deserted on this chilly winter day.

That didn't deter the kids in the slightest. They wandered through the grass along the shore...

and walked barefoot on the beach.

Bryce was proud of the sand dollars he found.

After our beach stroll, we checked into a motel with a swimming pool and buffet breakfast, two "must haves" for a fun kids' weekend.

Safeway had great soup and sandwich bars, where we ate lunch and supper.

We were back in Seattle in time for Church and a big pork chop dinner on Sunday.