Last Saturday...

 Worked the opening of our new park Thunder Junction.  Caught these guys waiting for a ride on the train.  Dorks!

 Love this.  Can't wait to stand under it.  Probably be next summer though.

 Our volcano erupting.  Rumbles, and shoots steam out the top.

 Love these flowers.  Last hold outs till it gets to cold for any flowers.

 These are awesome guys. I told them I was doing a beefcake calendar for the city, so pose for me.  I don't think they believed me, and smiled anyway.  They come into our office to tell me about graffiti they found or ask a question that I have no idea how to answer.

I love this.  Such detail. I was surprised to see it on the door going into the pump room for the water feature.  So cute!

Desert in the fall...

 The desert here is so beautiful in the fall.  You can always tell that fall is here when the desert plants start turning yellow.

 My big girl.  I can't believe Tiah will be 5 years old on Thanksgiving Day.  She is such a sweet girl and a great defender.  No one, except my family whom she wiggles are over when they come over, gets in the front door unless I tell her to stand down.  Even then she'll growl every once in awhile.

 Took a picture of these prints.  I think the bird people out there can tell me what made these prints.  I'm not sure about the prints below, don't look like Tiah's prints.  Not sure if it's a dog, coyote, or whatever.  Tell me what you think.

Just out and about....

 Took Tiah for an early walk one morning.

Then, last night we had the most spectacular skies!

New park....

 Took this at the park.  It is a mimosa tree.  

Our new park (All Abilities Park) that we (the Parks Division and the City of St. George) have been building for the past two years, is nearly done.  It's going to be called Thunder Junction.  The bottom picture reminded me of the Matterhorn at Disneyland.  It is actually a volcano that will erupt with water mist and make sounds like it's erupting, so with the train we have, that will take kids on a ride around the park, and the volcano, well that is where the name of the park came from.  It is a park that will accommodate handicapped children and adults as well as children without handicaps.  

Conversation with a crow.....

 Heard a ruckus outside, and went out to see what the heck was going on.  There was this huge crow sitting in my tree making a lot of noise.  I looked up at him and said, "what the heck is wrong?  I kept asking him if he had a problem.

 He started cocking his head to listen to me.  As I talked with him, he started talking back, making sounds that sounded like he was having a conversation with me.

 After a little while I ran inside for my camera, hoping he wouldn't disappear on me.  He was there waiting for me.  I talked to him while I was taking pictures, and I swear he responded.

 It was totally awesome!

 Though I'm sure neither one of us understood each other, I felt that there really was a conversation going on and that the understanding between us went deeper than language.

Maybe he was complaining about Squeek sitting beneath the tree.  She's not much bigger than he is.

Awesome skies tonight...

It's dark now, and as I submit this I can see flashes of lightening and hear distant thunder.  The air is cool.  The strong breezes are refreshing for once. Such an totally awesome summer evening.

Thought I'd show some happy pictures....

 My youngest grand-daughter, Mila.  Such a character! 

 Grandson Ryan   He had a ball. 

 Love going to Quail Lake, it has beautiful blue clear water to swim in.

 My three daughters just hanging out on the water.

I took this picture this morning before I left for work.  I love being able to see this mountain from my front yard.

Just some pictures of one of our City parks...this one is called Cottonwood Cove

Just pictures and some sadness....

Everyday when I come home from work, and turn down the road to my house I am always inspired by the Red Mountain ( top picture).  It towers over my little town.  It has been through winds, storms, hot sun, cold winters and even a landslide or two, but it stands strong and beautiful.  We all have those times when we're pretty darn sure we will not make it, that we will succumb to the anxiety, panic, fears, tiredness, feeling overwhelmed with heartache and worry.  I just have to think that I just need to take one more step forward, sometimes I go backward, but then I get up and take that tiny step forward.  My sister, Sylvia died last Friday morning.  She was in so much pain.  The tumors in her pancreas were more than could be counted.  No pain medicine worked.  I prayed that she be released from the pain, and she was.  While contemplating what she went through, and what others go through, I thought of Jesus Christ and the pain he went through in the Garden of Gethsemane taking on all of our sins, our problems, our pains.  I can't even imagine the pain he went through for all of us, and I can't tell you the depth of my feeling for our Savior and what he does for me each and everyday.  I know my sister is now free of pain and has much joy to be with those that have gone on before her.  My sister Sylvia, you are precious to me, and I will see you again when my time comes.

Susan

For my friend....

This is for a special friend who is struggling with life right now.  

I want you to know I love you and think of you everyday.

Don't You Quit!  

Just a few pics while out taking pictures of parks.....

Forest Park

While out taking pictures of our Parks I went to a park, which I got lost looking for and called one of the Parks Supervisor's and asked her where the hell is Forest Park?, and anyway, this park is a real gem.  Hidden at the end of a street, this park is awesome with flowers, a pond, and pathways that you can walk and eventually end up at a large grassy area with benches to watch the wildlife around the pond.    Anyway, here are a few pictures I took there.

These overgrown goldfish are awesome.