To Feel the Holy Spirit

Cortney took me to brunch at Ruth's Diner on Sunday.  We hit the mid-morning lull just right.  The bikers were leaving and the crunchy brunchers weren't there yet.

Mile High Biscuits come with every order.


We both had the biscuits and gravy.  Mine was a little long on biscuit and a little short on gravy, but it was delicious...once the band started to play (right.next.to.us) it was time to skedaddle.  (Yes, I did just say skedaddle!)

After Ruth's we headed to Temple Square.  I always like to visit Temple Square while I'm in town.  It is just such a beautiful, peaceful oasis, and The Beehive House is my first love house/museum.




 Assembly Hall


Ceiling


Assembly Hall organ


Shutter pull


Stained Glass


Stained Glass


Stained Glass


Balcony


You know I love a good twisty staircase!


Tabernacle and Temple (summer)


For Comparison - Tabernacle and Temple (winter)


Christus





Joseph Smith Memorial Building


Pink


Little Birds


Church Office Building - My Grandpa worked in this building and I remember that occasionally when I was little we would visit him at work.  I loved going up to his office (on the 15th floor - maybe) and looking down at all the little tiny ant people!


The Lion House and Beehive House...I used to live just up the street.



Back Courtyard of Beehive House/Lion House:





I didn't take any pictures on the Beehive House tour because I was too caught up in how absolutely horrible it was.  I mean really, really terrible.  As I mentioned Beehive House is my favorite.  FAVORITE!  I remember going there for a field trip in grade school and being so in love with the house, its history, and the imagery of the people who lived there.  Back then it was run by the Historical Society and the cute little Historical Society Ladies would fascinate with tells of its history.

I don't remember when, but eventually the Mormon church decided to have the Temple Square Missionaries run the tours focusing more on the spiritual and religious significance of the house.  I wasn't happy, but I understood why they made this decision - although on every tour I took I'd whisper and point out things of secular historical significance.  This tour, oh, this tour.  The missionaries focused on neither the spiritual or the secular and instead seemed intent on getting us out of there ASAP.  It was shocking to see such casual disregard for a place I love because of its overall historical importance.  I can only imagine the impression left with the other first-time, non-member visitors on our tour.  Shame on you, missionaries.  Shame on you!

Albuquerque Ain't Got Nothin' on Us

First of all I cannot believe I actually got up early enough to see the Steel Days balloon launch.  I am not a morning person and that combined with a really late night ... well let's just say if I hadn't committed to other people I probably wouldn't have gone.  Second of all, I'm glad I did go.  It started slow, but then got kind of fascinating.

After The Rain

After everyone came home from camping the campers re-pitched their tents to dry out - they had been rained on the night before (Reason #7849 that I DO NOT CAMP!).   Well, Utah had a microburst come through and after an adventure trying to get the Calls' tent a) back in their yard, b) folded down, and c) dragged to their garage we were all soaking wet.  The Calls took me home to change and we discovered that the microburst had also uprooted a tree in my parents' backyard.





Luckily the tree only damaged their fence, but it took out two other backyards (fences and swing set).  Even then it fell in the best possible place and no structures were damaged.  The funny thing about the microburst was that it uprooted this tree, but left a lawn chair sitting untouched on the other side of the yard. Crazy Utah Weather...I didn't miss you at all.

Porkfest 2013

It's been a few years since I was in Utah for the annual July 4th celebration known as Porkfest.  My brothers started calling our Independence Day breakfast that because on that day the consumption of bacon and sausage were virtually unlimited.  The Fourth of July has always been one of my favorite holidays and this year I got to celebrate it with almost all of my family and some of my favorite extended family.

Every year my mother's family goes camping.  Now, I do not camp, but I love spending time with the family and there is a legendary BINGO game played nightly during the excursion.   So, I booked it out to Utah to participate.


Janice and Ferrin bring awesome BINGO boards!


Ferrin is our BINGO caller.  This was the first time I'd seen him costume up for the gig.


There are many variations of BINGO with several winners.


Buddy BINGO is always a favorite.  You pick a buddy and they win candy if you win BINGO.  Some pairs have been buddies for over twenty years!




BINGO is INTENSE.  You better bring your "A" game if you're going to compete with this group!


Although, there is plenty of hilarity 'round the BINGO tables.



I'm so happy I got to enjoy Porkfest and BINGO with this group of spectacular people!  Viva la Independencia y Porkfest!

Dear Utah Drivers:

You suck!  Yes really, you guys are the worst.  Now, I can't say you are the worst in the whole country, but I can say that of the 40 states (plus the District of Columbia) I have driven in you guys are the worst.  I suppose it is possible that North Dakota, Minnesota, or Florida has worse drivers than you, but I can guarantee that Texas, Pennsylvania and at least 38 other states do not.

You are selfish, greedy drivers who love to tailgate, weave across multiple lanes of traffic, and cross the double white lines - all without the use of the turn signal.  I forget that Utah drivers are horrible until inevitably within miles of the border you appear.  Every rock chip, crack, and misfortune that has befallen my windshield has happened within the borders of Utah.  When you consider that I have literally driven my little car to and fro across the country (and drove regularly in the narrow, crowded streets of Philadelphia) this fact is astonishing.

It is not that you drive to fast...I am something of a speed demon myself - it is that you are blatantly unsafe while repeatedly speeding up and then slooooowing down, slamming on your brakes, and rudely refusing to let others merge, and did I mention the tailgating?!  Following distance people - learn it, live it, love it.

I know not all of you living in Utah drive this way, but the percentage of d-bags on the road is really shockingly higher than anywhere else I've driven.  I remember when my parents visited me in Pennsylvania and I was frustrated with my dad's driving through a tollbooth.  Finally I told him, "You can just go, merge smoothly into the toll lane because the people behind you are watching, they know that you have to merge, and THEY WILL LET YOU!"  He didn't believe me, but it is true.  Those drivers have your back - because you'll have theirs tomorrow.

So, drive a little bit more kindly, Utah, and remember to top of your turn signal fluid...it looks like most of you are running low!

Did you see the size of that chicken?!

Anyone who has ever gone on a road trip with me will confirm that fact that I travel by itinerary and never stop for "interesting" attractions along the way.  However, driving through New Mexico I saw a sign for Fort Sumner and thought, "Hmm, why does that sound familiar?"  Immediately followed by, "BILLY THE KID!".

That first sign was approximately 3 hours before you actually get to Fort Sumner so I didn't really think anything else about it until I saw the sign to TURN HERE for Billy the Kid's grave.  Now, I never stop for random attractions and so I smiled and thought, "Hey, my sister (and the rest of the family) LOVE the Young Guns movies (and can quote almost every line) - it'll be interesting to tell them I drove through the town."  And I continued on my way. For two miles. And then, I just couldn't help myself so I turned around and visited Billy the Kid's grave.




There were a lot of creepy, crawly, poisonous things on this little path!



When I got to Utah, the family were all jealous of my detour.  We sat around quoting our favorite bits of the movie and laughing.