Bliss Part 3

A few days ago, I talked about my joy in enjoying fresh Utah peas, tomatoes, and peaches. Today, the third part of that succulent triad was realized as I purchased the first box of early peaches. They are called "early red haven" and are "cling" variety (as opposed to "freestone"). They are quite juicy but not as flavorful as later varieties. But when you've been on a 9-month famine, any fresh peach is a wonderful peach!

In years past, our family tradition was to have a peach milkshake at bedtime almost every night. That involves cutting up several peaches, placing them in the blender with vanilla ice cream, and then enjoying. We even had a special set of glasses that were reserved for our peach milkshakes. What a great tradition! However, it's also a high-calorie tradition. More recently, Bonnie has convinced me to go the "peach slushie" route, mixing the peaches with ice cubes and sugar substitute. You get almost the same flavor enjoyment, but at a fraction of the calories. (I confess to "cheating" once in a while and having an ice cream version when Bonnie isn't watching...)

I am convinced that peas, tomatoes, and peaches are among the signs of God's love for His children. I am grateful!

Timpanogos Hike

Today was Pioneer Day, and I had the day off work; Bonnie wasn't so lucky. So in honor of the pioneers, I got up early, strapped on my boots, grabbed my hiking poles, and headed for a trek in the mountains.

Not just any mountain, of course. My FAVORITE mountain — Mt. Timpanogos. I long ago lost count of how many times I have been to the summit (fiftyish?), or how many times I have hiked the various trails. I never tire of the spectacular scenery, the refreshing waterfalls, the beautiful wildflowers, the fresh mountain air. I love having the chance to return.

I'm anticipating another Timp hike with friends & relatives the day after Sarah's wedding (Saturday August 8), so I wasn't particularly motivated to go to the summit. This hike was mostly to help me get in shape, to check out the wildflower status, to look for mountain goats, and to play with my new camera. It was a very successful morning, with the exception of the goats, who were nowhere to be seen (unlike last year when I spent an hour roaming amid the herd near Emerald Lake — see photos here).

I hiked up the Timpanooke trail, across the basin and up to Emerald Lake, then back. It was about 15 miles according to my GPS, and I managed to take over 600 photos during that time. Here are two sets (it was hard to limit the selection). The first contains a few general views of the mountain, the hike, the waterfalls, and the vistas:



The second is all flowers; I had lots of fun with closeups. I think I've only once or twice seen more beautiful flowers on Timp than this year (perhaps because of the very rainy spring season). Many of the best flowers were below the basin, so I'm hoping they are still peaking at the higher altitudes and we might have an even better show in a couple of weeks. This was REALLY hard to limit; here are a few of the very best:



If someone really likes flowers and wants to see a larger set of my 78 favorites (including the 22 very favorites shown above) click here.

Bliss Part 2

I live for three things each summer:

1. Peas
2. Tomatoes
3. Peaches

They come in that order, as the season progresses. Each holds a place in my heart, and brings its own deep satisfaction. Peas come early and are the "firstfruits" of an early garden planting; but their season is relatively short. Tomatoes come next, and last the duration of the summer until some time past the first frost (with care and planning). Then sweet juicy peaches, in their several varieties, and all the goodness of milkshakes, smoothies, desserts, ice cream, etc.

Of course, each of these can be preserved in some ways, and each can be obtained "out of season" thanks to our modern system of national and international supply. But there is nothing that can compare with the fresh homegrown Utah variety, just off the plant or vine or tree.

This week, I was thrilled to enter phase 2 of my summer bliss, as we began harvesting tomatoes from the garden in earnest. I know that for the next three or four months, I'll be "popping" the sweet candy-like cherry tomatoes, enjoying sandwiches with thick slices of meaty fruit, relishing the cucumber/tomato salads, and so on.

Early peaches should be coming soon. Then my summer bliss with be into high gear.

End of an era, start of an era

When my employment was transferred to BYU about 7 or 8 years ago, I was given an office with most of the rest of the engineers in the IT group in a building located just west of campus on University Avenue and about 1300 North. We knew the building as "B-77" — not a very warm or inspiring name, but that was appropriate for the building. Originally, the campus of Utah Technical College (known as "Trade Tech" in my youth) was here. I remember going there for things like merit badge classes and traffic school.

When UTC outgrew their facilities and moved to western Orem (becoming Utah Valley Community College, Utah Valley State College, and eventually Utah Valley University), BYU purchased the Provo campus. The buildings were used for a number of things through the years; when I started working on the first floor, they were still teaching home economics classes (cooking, sewing, etc.) upstairs, and they still had a preschool as part of the main floor.

The building was old and had lots of issues. But office space at BYU was at a premium and OIT (the Office of Information Technology) didn't have any other options. So we made do, hoping through the years for a better facility. That dream eventually became a reality with the construction of the new Information Technology Building (ITB) which we began to occupy at the start of this summer. It's been very nice to be in new, up-to-date facilities with much more comfort and flexibility. (This photo shows the exterior work mostly completed; the interior is further along. The landscaping and parking will be the last to finish.) The new building is just to the west of the old one, in what used to be the parking lot.

Today, with somewhat mixed emotions, we watched the demolition of the old B-77 building, making space (eventually) for a parking lot for all of us now occupying the new building. It was quite a scene from our viewpoint in the ITB, with Y Mountain and the upper campus in the background. A large backhoe tore through the roof, walls, floors, and ceilings, gradually reducing the structure to a pile of rubble. We watched them moved methodically from north to south, knowing who used to occupy each room that took its turn disappearing into memories. Quite a sight!

I'm sure those who have longer memories than I do of this place (back to its UTC days) are feeling much more nostalgia than I am.

Moon day plus 40 years

Today was the 40th anniversary of the day man first walked on the moon. I have vivid memories of that Sunday evening, July 20, 1969. I was 12 years old, and went to a friend's home to watch the events. (It was not a particularly close friend - not sure how I ended up there. I think they were in our ward. I remember two sons, David and Dale Johnson.)

The black and white video was extremely grainy and the audio scratchy, but there was no denying the historic import of what was taking place. We didn't see images as clear as these at the time (the higher-resolution stuff was not able to be transmitted live) — but they convey the emotions that we experienced. This first one shows the moon landing module (Eagle) detaching from the command module (Columbia) and starting the descent, with the earth rising (setting?) over the moon in the background.

There was a lot of drama during the descent; computer errors being reported, fuel gauges running low (they eventually landed with less than a minute of fuel to spare), Neil Armstrong having to land the craft manually. There was discussion of how critical it was to land level; if they came down on a boulder or the side of a crater, they might not be able to lift off again. They didn't know how far they would sink into the dust. Lots of uncertainty — pretty high drama!

They did finally land safely in spite of all those issues ("Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."). I recall the excitement when they decided to prepare right away to exit the vehicle; the original schedule had a rest period first, but there was too much excitement for sleep. That worked great for American TV viewers. It was about 9 p.m. in Utah when the first footstep on the moon was taken. ("That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.")


As I see these photos now, the Eagle looks so tiny and primitive. It's astonishing that men could travel a quarter of a million miles through space, then trust their fate to a little craft like that, to not only get them safely to the moon's surface, but then back to the command module!

What a miraculous event this was. Through my youth, we witnessed five more lunar landings plus the aborted Apollo 13 mission. There was a great deal of "American pride" in having beaten the Russians in the moon race.

The last moon landing happened in 1972. Since then, no human has left low earth orbit.

Grilled Zucchini

In the ongoing series of "Zucchini Appreciation and Consumption" during the peak zucchini harvest months of summer, this is another family favorite recipe. It works well for all kinds of fresh vegetables. The key is the delicious sauce, and then having a grilling basket to put the vegetables in the barbecue grill and be able to easily flip them over. They get a nice crisp texture and slightly smoky flavor that is delicious.

Grilled Mixed Vegetables

2 T brown sugar

1 1/2 t basil

1 1/2 t garlic salt

1/2 t Season-All Seasoned salt

1/8 t ground red pepper (cayenne pepper)

Sliced ripe vegetables such as zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, squash, potatoes, onion, asparagus, etc.

(Siggestion: mix the above spices in larger quantities and keep it in a tupperware container for quick use.)

Put vegetables in a ziploc bag, drizzle with olive oil. Shake until well coated. Sprinkle sugar/seasonings on vegetables and shake to distribute; grill about 10 minutes.

Here are some photos of the process:


That's a nice pork loin cooking next to the zucchini in the last photo - YUM.

Happy anniversary!

Bonnie and I have been married 22 years as of today. It's been a wonderful beginning! We have pondered much about the way time has passed, and marvel at the thought that we are already at this phase of our lives together. With Sarah getting married in only three weeks, and Matt well-established on his mission in Chile, we are well into the "empty nest" phase.

The thing that seems somehow surprising to us is that we spent only 22 years in that child-rearing phase. Somehow, that seems way too short. We expect and hope to have much more than that in the rest of our earthly relationship together; and while we already miss the chance to have influence on our children, we are eager for all that's ahead. In the words of the old toast:

“If it's half as good as the half we've known,
here's Hail! to the rest of the road.”

We celebrated this weekend by taking a hike at the Heber Valley Camp, along the Eagle Loop — a relatively new area where we've never hiked before. We have enjoyed the outdoors as a significant part of our marriage, and the HVC has been "near and dear" for the past several years as well. This was a delightful way to spend an afternoon. Here are a few photos:


We spent the evening in a delightful little bed & breakfast in Midway called the "Invited Inn" which is near some of the large resorts but much more intimate and friendly. We were very pleased with these accommodations, and are eager to return in the winter.


For our Friday evening celebration, we enjoyed an incredible seafood buffet at the nearby Zermatt Resort. Good food, and especially seafood, also has many memories in our relationship, so this was particularly nice. Our diets were forgotten as we enjoyed an incredible variety of delicious selections.


I love you, sweetheart, and can't wait for the next 22 years, and all those that will follow those, into eternity!

Walter David Kenison

Today would have been my father's 90th birthday. He was killed in a farm accident when he was 45; so the years since his birth in primitive Talmage, Utah have been split on both sides of the veil. I have often missed him through the years, wishing I could have known him better, wishing he could have taught me and helped me and guided me. I look forward to that opportunity to get reacquainted some day in the future.

Here are a few of my favorite photos of my Dad. The first was taken as he left on his honeymoon in October 1952:


This shows him in a particularly "manly" outfit. I love the message it conveys, of a man willing to help in the house:


This, however, is a more familiar appearance — hard at work.


This is a great profile shot, with my Mom and two older sisters:


Probably the only "formal" portrait we have:


Finally, the newspaper articles about his death:


He is buried in Payson; I try to go there when I can.

Happy muffin day!

Having a few minutes to spare this evening, and being eager to make good use of the garden produce that is starting to become abundant, I pulled out a favorite old recipe and made some "whole wheat zucchini honey muffins." I found a recipe along these lines a few years ago, and modified it during a few attempts to fit my liking. I discovered that I really like them with fresh-ground wheat flour - using the coarse setting on the grinder. I really look forward to zucchini season so I can appreciate this opportunity!

Honey Zucchini Muffins

3 c. whole wheat flour (about 2 1/4 c wheat before grinding)
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 T ground cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
2 c. grated zucchini
1 1/3 c. honey
2/3 c. oil
2 tsp vanilla

Mix until moistened. Spoon into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes. Yield: 24 muffins

Here are some photos, first of the batter:


And now the finished product:

Saturday hikes

A number of years ago, we helped Sarah start a tradition of an overnight backpack trip with her girlfriends. We went along the first few years, but recently they've preferred to go on their own — they are old enough and confident to take care of most problems. They usually only hike in a few miles — just enough to feel they've gotten off the beaten track. They pitch a tent and make their dinner, enjoy a campfire where permitted, and crowd into a tent to chatter away and enjoy each other's company. It's a nice tradition.

My assignment is to find good destinations for them that fit those criteria. So I scouted out a couple of options for her this morning and afternoon, in expectation of next weekend's hike. Sarah often comes with me on these "scout-out" hikes, but today she's still recovering from a bout with flu and didn't quite have the energy today. So I went alone and took lots of photos.

The first hike was a close one — just up the Battle Creek canyon above Pleasant Grove. It's only 10 minutes from our home, and is a delightful little canyon. The first portion, up to a very nice double waterfall, is pleasant and gentle. The trail gets somewhat steeper after that; unfortunately, it's pretty high up before there are some nice campsite areas. So probably a little too far for Sarah's group.



After checking in at home, I tried the second option. I had vague memories of a hike during my scout days to a place called Red Lake, up the mountain from Maple Bench in Payson Canyon. Not having maps or detailed descriptions, I hoped to find directions where I expected the trailhead to be. So I drove to Payson Canyon (ah, so many sweet memories!) and started searching. I eventually found a trail which seemed to head the direction I wanted to go, and followed it to the lake (just under 2 miles away). Unfortunately, the lake has "gone downhill" since my childhood, and was more of a swampy marsh. But it was a delightful hike, nonetheless.



One of the highlights of the hikes was to be able to view an incredible array of wildflowers. Even at this lower altitude, they were present in abundance and glorious variety. I think the unusually wet spring we had was a wonderful gift this year. Now, I need to get up into some higher elevations to see what it looks like there!

Uncertainty, Certainty

Two experiences this week have given me great cause for thought.

UNCERTAINTY: Early Thursday morning, I was returning from the gym when I received a phone call from a bishop about a member of our stake who had passed away. I was close to the neighborhood, and seeing the police cars, stopped to talk with the family. This wonderful brother was 56 years old and lived with his parents. He had a number of physical challenges, and had never married; but was wonderful and faithful in every way. Earlier this spring, he was one of a few brethren the stake presidency recommended be ordained high priests, and he was sustained just last month in our Stake Priesthood meeting. He served as a temple worker, contributed in various stake and ward callings, and was a kind and gentle man. He apparently passed away last evening while mowing the lawn. Since no one else was home until later in the evening, they didn't discover his body until early this morning. His mother was pretty stunned when she went out to the back yard at 6:30 and found him. But they are wonderful, faithful Saints and have great hope and confidence in the Great Plan of Happiness. They know that all is well; they mourn his loss, but they know he has "fought the good fight" and they will learn to move on.

I was reminded how uncertain this life is; no one of us knows if today is our day. No matter our age, no matter our physical condition — we hope to live to a "ripe old age" but there are no guarantees. Today might be the day for any one of us to move on!

CERTAINTY: Then on Friday, we learned the stunning news that a brother who has taught many of our youth in the Orem High seminary had been arrested and was being charged with having a several-month, ongoing sexual relationship with one of the 16-year-old girls at the school where he is now teaching. He had been a dynamic and much-loved teacher at our school before transferring; no one can imagine him behaving like this. Many of the youth are in shock over the situation, and heartbroken about the consequences. It's been hard for some of them to understand and accept, but they've done well in supporting each other. I watched conversations like this on Facebook:

I don't know what to think about it. I still love and respect him.

Always will. He changed many of our lives.

I'm saddened by recent news, not sure what to believe or think. I can only pray for all those involved.

I considered him a spiritual giant. He touched so many people's lives. He was always there to counsel and help those who needed it most. We all loved him then and we all need to love him now, more than ever. Satan works hardest on those that strive the hardest to be good.

Pray for Brother Xxxxx and his family! And for the girl and her family!

While our youth were stunned, they have reacted with compassion and forgiveness. And they've felt the stern reminder of the need to "cling" to the rod.

I was reminded how certain it is that we will all be tempted, that the adversary is strong and subtle and persuasive, and that the battle will continue to rage! No one is exempt; no one is safe. We all need to be vigilant and all need to fortify ourselves spiritually in every way we can.

Invitations in the mail!

We spent much of the weekend finalizing our address lists and then "stuffing" almost 600 envelopes for delivery! We are very happy with how the invitation turned out. It was a long process getting to here; but it was a lot of fun, and I was glad to be able to contribute some of my skills.

We are all so happy about the photo that was eventually chosen by unanimous acclaim! We had already taken about 400 photos, and scrutinized them thoroughly. There were several that really "stood out" from the bunch. But there wasn't a single one that we all liked.

So last Sunday evening (June 28), we decided to give it one last shot (aided by the fact that I had a new camera!). We went to the Mount Timpanogos temple and took about another hundred photos. The first bunch were on the east side of the temple, where it was shady in the late afternoon; then we headed over to the park west of the temple. On the way, we stopped and took just three shots of the couple sitting in front of the temple near a flower bed. The light wasn't great there, and Bonnie was actually standing so that her shadow protected their faces. We didn't think much of it.

Then we came back home to review the results. There were some pretty good shots, but when we got to the flower shots, we all immediately fell in love with what we saw! The expressions and smiles were wonderful; the colorful background was just enough to give some good contrast and add interest. I did some minor retouching of the photo, but it fit right in, and we are all thrilled.

Shrine to Matt?

I became aware that Bonnie was spending a lot of time in the kitchen, when I was recuperating in the family room. I knew she was working with candles, but wasn't really sure what she was doing. When I went in to investigate, the photo at the right shows what I found. Hmm... I think she misses that boy. (Click on photo to view enlargement.)

Actually, she was busy preparing some of the table decorations which will be part of Sarah's wedding reception. Bonnie has been doing lots of good things. The reception is going to be just beautiful.

Flu, but is it swine?

It has not been a good week. I woke up on Monday morning with stomach cramps, diarrhea, weakness, fatigue. I stayed home from work and rested — it just felt like a "stomach flu" or something. On Tuesday I felt somewhat better, and by afternoon, was in pretty good shape - I went to Church assignments on Tuesday evening and was fine. I went in to work on Wednesday morning.

But after coming home at lunchtime, I felt like I was hit by a truck — fever, dizzyness, alternating sweating and chills, various aches and pains. So I made an appointment to see the family doctor. He doctor said it's not classic swine flu symptoms (no sore throat and cough, for example) but that it likely could be anyway, and suggested I treat it as if it were. They made me wear that cute face mask when I was in the office; luckily, I didn't have to wear it around the house.

So I took the rest of the week off. That meant no work on Thursday, and no Church meetings on Thursday evening (I did participate in stake presidency meeting via telephone). I did LOTS of sleeping, which was good for me. Fortunately, Friday was a holiday (July 3) which meant a "free" day off.

It's nice to have some "down time" now and then, but one of my symptoms was a real lack of motivation. I just wasn't eager to read, write, or anything else — and that never happens to me. So it was really some "down time" for me. I guess that was good. I enjoyed watching some Wimbledon tennis matches — that was helpful. The diarrhea eventually ended, but I managed to lose a few pounds in the process.

My sweet wife took good care of me. She got annoyed at how often I nagged her to wash her hands with anti-bacterial stuff, but so far, she's escaped the infection. We'll hope it lasts! Meanwhile, not only was she fixing me good things to eat and watching out for me, she was even performing all kinds of "manly" duties to try to "cover" for me. What a sweetie she is!

Spring sweetness

One of the sweetest joys of spring is when I first get to eat some sweet peas! I always try to plant some in my garden; they can be planted before most other vegetables when it's still quite cool, and then are among the very first things to harvest. That's a good thing by itself.

This year, I didn't do well in getting peas planted. There were just too many things going on, there was too much rain when I had free time, etc. However, my brother is watching out for me; Keven Stratton brought me a large bag of fresh-picked peas that has kept me very happy!

But my appreciation runs deeper than that. I have distinct memories from my early childhood of my Dad having a great love for peas. I remember one year that there was a field planted with peas just to the south of our house, and he was very happy about it. My memory is that it was fairly large, so I assume he had enough to sell commercially; but I also remember him eating lots of them, and that I picked some once and shelled them for him because I knew he liked them so much. So, every time I eat some fresh peas, I feel a connection to my dear father!