Diamond Fork Hot Springs

My kids have their memory buckets
loaded
with family trips to HOT SPRINGS.

The Diamond Fork hot springs rank among our favorites.
Just up river from the springs, there's a sizable thundering waterfall.

Arian - 1992

Me - different year, more water.

Sometimes we brought along friends to SOAK with us.

This summer, it was definitely a friendship event.

3 girlfriends and 3 friendly dogs!

Lee looks so MELLOW after a good soak.

Notice the great soaking posture of my other friend.

* * *
It's a 2 - 3 mile hike to the springs . The scenic trail along the river is 50% of the delight.
This time, the hike included a chance to hold a big ole snake around my neck.
(Too bad I closed my eyes and got tangled up in my dog leash!)

Little Rin Tin Tin (aka Chica La Magnifica)
enjoyed the outing just as much as I did.

P.S.
If you want to go, just google Diamond Fork Hot Springs and get directions.

Gloria Came Home

When Gloria was 17 years old (-almost 30 years ago-) she left her native Spain
and lived with our family for a year of cultural immersion.

She was as sweet as Utah peach in the month of August.
Still is.

I am Gloria's 'American Mommy'
and I'm always THRILLED when my Spanish daughter shows up in Utah.

We gabbed for five solid days.
First at my place and then at my brother's cabin

We were NOT alone in the wilderness.

These baby birds were a delight. The neighborhood bear was NOT.
Did NOT obtain a photo of the growling black bear outside the cabin. It was too close for comfort.

Just 20 minutes down the a dirt road,
my brother Scott was vacationing in a cabin belonging to his wife's family.

On our second day, we moseyed on over.

We managed to get MOST of Scott's family in this shot,
including Frodo who was my mom's beloved pet in days gone by.
(Gloria is standing to my left.)

* * *

My friend Bonsey showed up later that day.

More merriment . . .
hikes, culinary adventures, riding the ATVs.

We played hard.

Remember the spectacular waterfalls Bonsey and I discovered
during our 'High Uintas' trip in June?

We generously shared our discovery with Gloria.

Fallen logs made it possible to cross the river,
on more than one occasion.

I just love pigmentation of the bedrock under the flowing water.

Before heading back to civilization,
we hiked around Mirror Lake.

Great wooden path, probably constructed by enthusiastic young boys
from the nearby scout camp.


* * *

After taking Gloria back to the airport yesterday morning,
I stuffed my Honda Element with groceries
and prepared for an evening barbecue with the kinfolk at my place.

Here's a shot of the young cousins hanging around the HOT tub on an extra HOT day.
Good thing they had COLD Creamies to keep them from combusting.

(If you don't know about CREAMIES, you aren't from Utah.)

After getting this shot, I caught some of the Inside Crowd BELOW:

Parting shot.

I Love My Honda Element

It looks funky. Some say it looks downright ugly.

I don't care what people think.

It handles mountain roads where conventional vehicles dare not travel.

I can get an eagle eye view of my hometown in under 30 minutes flat.

And that's just what I did this week . . .

with my 15 year-old niece, along for the buggy ride.

Did I mention that a PICNIC DINNER was thrown into the deal?

And do you notice this teenager wearing a Jacket in July?

You see, it's generally about 20 degrees cooler up there.
Grace didn't believe me when I suggested a jacket.
(Good thing I brought two.)

* * *

Take a look at the SCENERY in the shot below.
It's the canyon I hike every single day with my puppy dog.
Looks entirely different from above.

BTW, I removed my fleece for this shot.
The brown shirt provided a nice backdrop for those BONNIE BLUE wildflowers.

(I was shivering.)

* * *

We headed home just as the sun was setting.

We passed through three luscious meadows as we descended.

As we arrived at the third one,
my niece gazed BEYOND the grassy carpet and exclaimed,
"There really ARE
purple mountains!"

And they really ARE majestic!

4th of July, Back Then

My kids grew up on on the 4th of July parade route.

They've got Red, White and Blue coursing through their veins.

Grandma, Grandpa, Aunts, Uncles . . .

They were all thrilled to call us KIN, since we provided prime seating on the route -
directly under two colossal sycamores, planted by pioneers 150 years ago.

* * * * *
Living on the parade route provided some unique opportunities
for my young entrepreneurs.

Could you resist these kids?

And of course you'd be persuaded to buy lemonaide
if you read a sign like the one BELOW . . .

(Yes. That's ME on that ladder. What else does a mom do in these situations?)

Truth be told, we DID make enough $$$ to replace that bicycle.

(Good thing.)

Oh the exhilaration, the passion of Independence Day!

We felt it deeply back then.

And we still have those stirrings.