The Hills are alive with avalanches!

So today, Jamie, Morgan, Don Trop and I decided to go snowshoeing at Tibble Fork.  We knew we could find some safe hills to adventure into.

 We were not disappointed!  Breathtaking scenery!

The snow is not very deep this year, creating some interesting subjects for pictures!

 Go ahead Morgan, Shake that limb!

 Lunch Break!

A little sun, great views, And the occasional whump of snow settling on the open hills above us.  This winter has had great conditions for creating avalanches.

First it snows.  Then we don't get any snow for days and the weather either warms up or the wind blows, making unstable snow.  Finally another snow storm and, wala, avalance's are created.

But we took care to stay in the trees, at lower elevations, with minimal exposed open areas and we had a great, safe day!

Walking through a winter wonderland!

Jamie and I went up to Alta to try our new Alpine skiis.  We got there about 3 on a Friday afternoon.  Hiked up Grizzly Gulch for an hour and then came back down as the sun was setting.

 Can you say "Beautiful, Beautiful"

Ray's funeral was Monday and today was Friday,  we were reflecting on the funeral days events.  Grateful for the love shown by family and friends.  Moments spent with Ray.  Concern for some family members, when we were given this gift.  The light breaking through the clouds, a sunset of a different sort, just when the air was turning gray, quiet and cold.  We were not alone!  We were filled with Love!

Sharing memories and paying our respects to Dad!

You know the day is coming when a member of your family will no longer dwell here on earth with you, but when that day arrives.  It feels surreal.  The life you led day to day, just got a ripple in it.  A space where a presence once was, has been filled with the energy from other sources.  But our memories linger and we rejoice in the time we had together, the lessons we learned from each other, and look forward to the reunion we will have.

My beloved "father-in-law", Ray, Kevin's Dad, rode off into the sunset to finish the ride of his life this evening. He was graced with 75 years of a good ride! Full Throttle, foot peg to foot peg turns along the way, family and friends for riding buddies. His last months were hard hill climbs, but he made it to the top. Rest in peace. You will be missed!

I went out to feed the critters this morning and found Button the goat had passed on to greener ditches. I recollected his cute little face with that tongue flicking back and forth and his rope being wrapped around my ankles on the way to the ditch for the day.

I know Button was at least 10 years old.

Rest in peace Button!

Coyotes in Dimpledell.  It was a beautiful sunny, warm day today.  Kevin and Adam were flying the plane from Salt Lake to Fillmore, so Kim and I went on a horse ride in Dimple Dell Park.
We meandered our way up to the bridge and were heading back when two pup coyotes came up and over the river bank cut out and headed our way.
Kim and I stopped the horses and watched as the pups trotted back and forth across the grassy open space, looking for a mice morsel or rabbit lunch.
It was a moment in time that reminded me, "I'm alive!"

Our house - According to Cadence:

Tiff and Rob came in for Christmas!  The first week they were here, over Christmas, they stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Johnson, then just before Rob had to go home, They came to our house and stayed.  After Rob went home, Tiff and Cadence stayed with us for another week.  This is a picture story of our favorite memories.

Every morning, Kevin, aka. PaPa. left early to go to work, Cadence got up pretty early to start her day.  Most mornings she wanted to come outside and help me feed.

I loved having her follow me around the yard and say good morning to the critters.

 Cadence took Skittles an apple one morning, but this was as close as she wanted to get to Skittles.  The apple didn't quite make it to her and Cadence was trying to get Skittles to come and get the apple.  The horses were big and little scary!  Cadence called them "neigh neigh's."

 But goats aren't so scary!  She didn't mind climbing in the pen and helping throw a little hay!  These are the "baa baa's".

 The "bauck bauck's" however, were her favorite!

She shooed them out of the chicken coop.

 Tried to pick them up!

 And told them "down", when they were walking along their roosts.

Cadence turned her back on the roost one time and a chicken jumped on her shoulder.

She bent her knees and waited for her to get off, then continued with her chicken rounds.

 It didn't matter how cold it was, she wanted to go outside, multiple times during the day and see the "bauck bauck's".

Ohno was her buddy and she made sure he got a good morning pat every morning.

Ohno is the only one she called by name!

Great Grandma and Grandpa Leake have two kitties.  This soon became "Grandma meow, meow".  Here Cadence is giving Milly a hug.  Grandma says she hasn't seen Milly let any of the other little kids hug her.  Milly must like Cadence. 

 Cadence is telling Milly a story!

 These are some of my favorite pictures of the silly things Cadence did.  She knows how to make us smile.  I have a white ceramic garbage can next to the toilet.  Cadence would sit in the garbage can, like she was sitting on the toilet, and then smile.

 Here she tried on some big boots!  Have you ever seen a tongue that long on a little girl!

 The weather was very nice so we loaded the horses up and went to Dimple Dell for a ride.  Cadence did great.  She did get a little restless when we were about half way back and kept telling us that she wanted to walk.

 Go Rusty, Go! 

 I got this look one morning during breakfast.

We met Kevin for lunch, so he could have a few more moments of awe and wonder at this cute little "punky bug"!

Sending them back to Oklahoma is really hard. 

Thank goodness for cameras.

We shoot in an archery league on tuesday evenings and I have an amazing partner.

Tonight she Robin Hood'd my arrow.  She shot her arrow right into the end of my arrow.  Way to shoot, Jodee!