Victor's Patriarchal Moments

I love it when Victor thinks lofty thoughts on his walks. The following is his latest home evening food for thought:

Between the growing glow of each dawn and the laying on your pillow each night, give to those who surround you a balanced measure of the best life has:
---Touch your special mate with romance
---Invent entertainment that gives learning and love to little ones
---Seek enlightenment, that you may inspire others
---Read or Watch something that stimulates your thoughts or emotions
---Create a thing of beauty
---Dwell on the gratitude you feel and speak your appreciation to others
---Make something clean
---Invest some hours in tasks, but not too many
---Savor variety and novelty in edibles
---Serve and edify others
---Share humor

You won't do each of these things every day, but over the span of a week include these activities.
Enrich your life with loving, childplay, learning, inspiration, loveliness, thankfulness, cleansing, work, delectibles and helping.

Good thoughts, huh? And you know what? He practices what he preaches. A right good man!

OCTOBER SNOWS

Most of the fall leaves are gone from Cedar Mountain but here at our little cabin cul-de-sac we still have gorgous oranges and yellows. It snowed this morning briefly...so we are a little confused about what season we are really supposed to enjoy. I love the tree out our bedroom window which I can keep an eye on while I do this computer work.

NEW CHRISTMAS TREE IDEA

Well - as if we didn't have enough kinds of possible tree decorations.... I got the idea recently that I wanted to have a Family Tree...no, I mean the ancestral kind. So when we were all up at the cabin for General Conference we started painting some wooden ornaments I bought last year. I quickly realized that even at 99 cents each it was too much money and too labor-intensive...so I am reverting to another type and get to use up some old scrapbooking supplies besides. We are back at the cabin to winterize and have our last few days of peace before the big holiday onslaught. Here are pictures of both types of ornaments that will go on the tree:

KID CUTENESS! How dull life would be without the refreshing little perks of children!

Two year old Audrey knows a good deal when she sees it! She was pushing one year old cousin Aly around in her walker then decided to climb on and take a ride! Aly seemed to have no problem pulling the weight of TWO over and over again around the island of the cabin kitchen! Fun to see them at an age where they share and like each other!

Nathan Austin, ESQUIRE

It's official. Son Nathan is now a lawyer. Swearing-in ceremony took place October 1st in Boise. Now he would like to be a practicing attorney! Keep those fingers crossed and prayers coming that a job will be forthcoming! He cleans up pretty good doesn't he?

ANOTHER VICTOR BLESSING

Once again Victor has a brush with death. I guess it is just not his time to go, thank goodness! Victor and Reed went to pick up the Polaris (ATV) from Duck Creek where it had been repaired. In trying to run it up the ramps into the back of the pick-up something went haywire, the ATV fell and rose up in the front. Victor, who was holding on still, was seconds away from being crushed under the weight of it as he fell onto his back. If Reed had not been there to give a steadying hand we would have lost him! The Polaris remained vertical and did not fall. I am grateful that he is OK and that it is only the tailgate of the pickup which will have to be fixed. Husbands/fathers/grandfathers are not so easily replaced! I am glad I was not there to see it.

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!

Conference watching time at our wonderful Mammoth Creek residence! Good to be back up to the cabin for a few days after nearly a month of being away. Fall colors bring me joy. Autumn is still my favorite time of year. Colors range from already gone to just starting their brilliant changes...so we have a gorgeous variety of reds, yellows and greens.

And sheep! We have sheep! Everyone who has come to join us has commented that they have encountered the herd on the roads as they migrate toward their winter home, nibbling all the way.

We are hosting a gang as usual. The more, the merrier, right? Lucille and Reed were here overnight and around for an ATV ride before heading north to mission reunions. Charles, Becky and Audrey arrived today in the afternoon. Peter, Jill and Aly and friends James, Tamara and Emma West are en route. We made pies all day in honor of the nice fall weather.