Eleven days till the 1940 census is here...

Here is a photo of crocus.  Early each morning they are closed tightly.  Then as the sun warms them up they open.

I think these small plants are so beautiful.  I hope they grow in Utah.  I think if we get a house I'll be wanting to plant them.  I'm reading a new book called "The language of Flowers" By Vanessa Diffenbaugh.  It is a very interesting book and I love all the references to flowers.  I had just been thinking I need to read "Garden Spells" again when this came along.  A new flower related book to read.  Just loving it.

The language of flowers says that Crocus mean : youthful gladness. They certainly make me feel happy when I look at them.

Crocus are an early spring flowers.  Sometimes they pop out under the snow and bloom.  Making it that much harder to deal with snow, when you want warm sunny weather.

So my title is 11 days till the 1940 census.  But I've spent more time showing you photo's of flowers.  If you are into family history the wait is almost over.  Soon Ancestry.com will have the 1940 census available.  I can not wait to see what I will find going on with my family during this time. 

I just finished the book " The Holy Temple" By Boyd K. Packer.  The last chapters are all about family history.  I've dog eared so many of the pages that if I worked at the library still I'd be in big trouble. As that's a big "NO" with librarians.  There were so many ideas that I just loved.

One thing I read was that many people do not do their family history because they become overwhelmed by the details.  They take a class and the instructor puts all these pedigree charts up and begins talking about things that seem so confusing to the beginner.  I remember that happening.  But I still went forward anyways.  I have learned so much on my own.  I had always wished I could have taught family history.  I would have done it much differently but I never have.  Start with yourself and do the best you can.   Talk to family members, collect stories and learn about those who came before you.  Doors will open as you seek.

My mother loves flowers and flower gardening.  I always watched her garden when I was young.  I never wanted to get my hands in the dirt though.  Now I miss it so.  It is something we share in our daily e-mails.  The flowers, and her quilt projects.  I wonder how many of my ancestors also enjoyed flowers.  On my husbands side one whole family has all the daughters named after flowers, I will have to see what all their names mean in the language of flowers.

Have a good day.

G.G.

Two weeks left and the house may be sold!

Here is a photo of my "dream home".   It is located right behind the Draper Temple.  I just think it is the prettiest house I've seen.  Well from the outside that is.  It's not for sale and it is probably way out of my price range, but it is what I would love to own. Our house seems set to sell on the 30th of March.  Please keep praying for us.

My in-laws wanted to see what the neighborhoods and houses look like out by where we live.  This is a house in our neighbor hood.  It is a bit big to me, but I like this style.

Here is a view of some other houses near us.  The "Welcome to my Garage" design.  though they are starting to grow on me.  I could see us getting a house like these.  This is a very quiet and pretty area.

Here is a house that is in an older section of the neighbor hood.  I don't really like this type of house, my husband doesn't like how the drive way slopes down.

Another older house.  I like the newer ones better don't you?

Here is another older brick type house.  My husband kind of likes these.  I'm not to sure I do.  I guess I'd have to see what they look like inside.  Note every house has a "garage". Which is something he wants. I want a house that is not a fixer-upper, and not a duplex.  My bed is still not put together even though my husband has fixed numerous cars while out here.  I told him the other day, don't put it together it will be a reminder to me that I don't want a fixer-upper house!

Here is the view from the top of the apartment complex.  You would think that mountain is very close.  But it is not.  When you get up where the flag is the mountains are still very far away.  I love to see the flag flying with the mountains behind every day.  Very cool.
Well I hope you enjoyed the photo's of the houses in our area.  Once the house sells and I rest for awhile, I'll put in photo's of houses that we are actually looking to buy.  That may be awhile though.  I'm just not ready yet.
G.G.

Can the garden survive without the gardener?

Sorry no family history today.  It's spring, and it's warm, the sun is warm, and I wonder what is happening in my garden.  We left before the Chrysanthemum bloomed.  Usually by now I would have gone out and cut them back. Are they all standing dead in the front flower box?  Oh how I wish I could go cut them.  Have the crocus bloomed yet.  This is a photo of what they look like in the morning before the sun wakens them.

Here they are open.  When the sun leaves for the day they will close again.  I miss that.  Taking my kids out to the bus stop and then sitting on the edge of the garden and watching them open.  My camera ready to take photo's of the transformation.  I miss the feel of sun warmed soil, of looking for the baby plants.  I learned to know what each plant looked like in every stage.  I learned when to cut them back, and when to leave them alone.  I learned what bugs were good and what bugs were bad.  I learned so much in my garden.

I miss Mr. Frog and his rock pond.  There actually is reason why he is placed here.  I can't remember if I took Mr. Frog or if I left him. If I took him, he is lost amid the boxes and bubble wrap in our storage unit.

Here is a baby plant.  Do you know what it is?  It's a baby sunflower.  It actually grew because of the bird feeder.  A delightful surprise.  I can see the leaves of the Black Eyed Susan right in the front of it.

Here is the back garden.  Can it survive without my daily care?  Many of the plants come back each year on their own, but others I would buy and plant each year.  The little stone paths from our yard to my neighbors yard.  All the mornings of working and talking to a good friend are missed dearly. This garden was special as it wasn't just for me, it was for my neighbor too.  We pulled all the hedges out and I planted the garden.  Trying to put flowers in that I knew my neighbor would love.  Oh how it hurt us both that I was moving. I sit here weeping as I write and remember.

So will my garden survive?  My husband he misses the house.  He put so much time and effort into fixing the house.  I was never allowed to help in it.  I, I miss the garden. (click on garden to see video and song by Brad Paisley).  If there is any part of me left at the house it is in the garden.  That is where I went when life was hard, that is where I went when I needed peace.  I went to the garden.  I weeded, and debugged, and scared the rabbit away.  I planed, and planted new flowers each year.  Winter was always to long, because there was nothing to do.  But when spring came, there was the garden. Will the new owner enjoy the flowers or rip them out?  I can only give myself moments to think of it, and then I need to leave it.  But it does make me think, and ponder.  Like a garden that needs to be tended, so does our faith.  I always learned that each spring, my faith grew stronger as seeds I planted grew.  I knew just like the seeds, my faith too needed tending to.

There needs to be care, weeding, pruning, and replanting in your walk of belief.  Just as in the garden.  If the gardener stops the care, the garden will not stay beautiful.  If you don't work with God your faith will stop growing.  For some reason God wants me here in Utah.  He has transplanted me and I work hard to keep growing.  I've been reading a book about temples.

"The Holy Temple" By Boyd K. Packer.

Yesterday as I read I came upon a passage about being called to move far away by the Lord.  People in our Church sometimes get called to serve missions in far away countries.  They have to have faith that the Lord will provide for them. That all will be taken care of.  They have to leave family,friends, houses and gardens.  Although the Prophet did not call me to move, the spirit told me I was going to move.  And I can tell you it's been hard.  Living without the help of my husband for months was hard. Fixing the last of the house on my own was hard. Packing a house pretty much by myself was hard.  Saying goodbye to friends and family was hard. Moving across the country was hard, starting over has been hard.  Paying mortgage, rent, and all my health care has been hard.  And then selling this house and fixing little things left and right with almost no savings left has been hard.  So I spend a lot of time praying and going to the temple.  Because if anything I will be more faithful than less. Because God will help me.  God will make all things work out for the best. 

Oh so the house is in the last stages of being sold.  And what is the issue?  Non-existent termites.  And one exterminate who is playing on the fact that we are 2000 miles away and wants to take a large amount of money from us.  Isn't that just sad.  I'm to the point that I want him to go with one of our trusted friends and pull me out a termite!  I know what issues that house has,and termites are not one of them.  Please let this house be sold by March 30th.  I really can't say I ever want to buy a house again.  But perhaps after some rest I'll change my mind.  It certainly won't be a fixer upper.

Are my tulips blooming?

Hope you are all doing well.  Pray our house sells for us.

G.G.

Draper Temple: My favorite Temple

Yesterday I went to the Draper Temple.  I love the peace I find within it's walls.  I thought to myself I want to do a blog about the Draper Temple.   So I spent some time looking up information about it and found some beautiful quotes.

" One thing have I desired of the Lord...

that I may dwell in the HOUSE OF THE LORD

all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the Lord,

and to enquire in his Temple.

Psalms 27:4

" You are never lost when you can see the Temple. The Temple will provide direction for you and your family in a world filled with chaos. (and isn't that so with our world right now?) It is an eternal guidepost which will help you from getting lost in the 'mist of darkness.'

Gary E. Stevenson

" The Temple is concerned with things of immortality.  It is a bridge between this life and the next.  All of the ordinances that take place in The House Of The Lord are expressions of our belief in the immortality of the human soul.

Gordon B. Hinckley

 I especially needed that quote today.  My Grandfather passed to the other side of the veil yesterday.  I was at the Temple when this happened.  I was there praying for him.   The Temple is such a sacred place I can not share the things done inside but there was a connection of my grandfathers passing and my temple experience.  Kept in my heart.  I will later on make a blog on my Grandfather.  I need to gather photo's and think of memories. To celebrate his earth life.  But I am so lucky to know with out a doubt that he is now in a new phase of his eternal life.  His spirit lives on, he still exists.  What comfort the Temple gives to those who have lost a loved one. 

Here is a link to a movie on The Blessings of the Temple.  I love it even more because all the photo's you see are of the Draper Temple.  I love the rooms in the Temple with the mountain scenes.  I know now that they are of the surrounding area, but I often feel as if I'm back in Vermont, on top of the mountain I lived on.  There is symbolism in this.  I'm learning that there is symbolism in everything.

I hope that you enjoyed this little blog on the Draper Temple.  I love it.  Though I haven't been to the Salt Lake Temple yet, and so I could find I like that one better.  But I love that it is smaller and I love all the art work. But most of all I love the connection that I get to God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

G.G.