Merry Christmas to friends and relatives,
It was another year of work and travel and fun times…
Winter 2018
During the early part of 2018, we stuck close to home. We received very little snow, so we enjoyed a few winter hikes in nearby Capitol Reef National Park. Annette continues to teach online graduate courses in the Dept. of Library and Information Science at Indiana University in Indianapolis. In addition, her National Endowment for the Humanities grant switched into high gear with a series of cultural heritage workshops for 4-H youth and free community dinners focused on six themes: games and gaming, wood and crafting; baskets, rugs and weaving; chickens: harvesting, raising and consuming; rocks and collecting; and fish and fishing.
Spring 2018
We completed a variety of short trips in the spring. A Spring Break camping trip took us to southern NV near Laughlin and on to the Mojave National Preserve in CA. We looped up to the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, CA. A cold winter storm was coming in, so we started back home a day or two early by way of Death Valley. We enjoyed lots of hiking and back country explorations. In early May, we took ‘Nemo’ (Our tiny Camp Inn trailer has a sort of steampunk look) down the Moki Dugway and camped several nights at Goosenecks State Park (UT) overlooking the San Juan River. We spent the days hiking in Bears Ears National Monument to ruins and rock art sites including the Moon House (Cedar Mesa); Monarch, Fish Mouth Cave, Procession Panel, Wolfman (Comb Ridge) and a few others. In late May, we did some off-the-grid camping at the Chutes Canyon overlook in the San Rafael Swell. We photographed wild horses and visited the uranium mining boom era townsite of Tomsich before heading to Grand Junction CO for more hiking and movies.
Summer 2018
Other than a June trip to Austin, TX, we stayed close to home most of the summer: Arts & The Park (plein air watercolor) in May, Rathsack family from Austin in July, and photographing the Wayne County Fair in August. We also began work on building a new workshop/studio/garage including the footings, foundation, and backfill. We’re hoping to pour the floor in early 2019. We’re happy we could fit in a quick visit back in Iowa to join the Bolger reunion. Family connections are wonderful, and it was great to visit with everyone. We managed to tour some of Annette’s stomping grounds in Urbandale and Iowa State in Ames.
Fall 2018
We always enjoy visits from family and friends. In the Fall, Becky and Larry Cross (Larry’s Findlay High classmate) stopped for a visit and fall colors exploration. We also enjoyed a mountain hike and dinner with friends Pamela and John Wright. A quick trip to Vegas for Annette’s birthday involved a sushi restaurant and a Queen concert. In October, we took a leisurely excursion to Colorado and on north to Laramie to visit friends, Landra Rezabek and John Baker. From there we headed east through Nebraska, south into Kansas and on to Missouri. We camped along the way and visited museums, parks and attractions including Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Pioneer Village, the Kregel Wind Mill Company and the Warsaw Heritage Festival. Our destination goal was the AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology) ‘Georgia Mafia’ Reunion in Kansas City to renew 35+ year old professional friendships. We ended up our month-long journey at Hollister, MO visiting Nancy, Bill and Allison before heading back home. During the trip we got in a few hikes but once we were back in Utah, we committed to getting out every two or three days. We’ve done pretty well finding new places to look into such as climbing the backside of the nearby cockscomb formation, Sand Creek falls, and the Cathedrals trail. Recent cold and snowy weather has interrupted our hiking, but we plan get back out there soon.
Holiday Plans
This year saw a continuation of several years drought in our high mountain desert location. This area needs moisture! Rain or preferably snow and lots of it. A week back, the snow pack above us on Boulder Mountain was about 11 inches, but now it’s slowly melting. Last winter we only had about 20 inches total and over the summer, all reserves were depleted. However our well water source was fine. Once Annette’s grades are turned in, we’ll jump in the truck and head to Austin Texas for a Christmas visit with Arrion, Ben, Alex and Kaylee (and their puppy Bandit). Annette’s parents, Nancy and Bill, will join the Rathsack family for Christmas. Then, we’ll make a couple of family stops before arriving in Chicago and a post Christmas visit with Brooke, Blake from Barcelona, and Ben and Anna from Columbus, OH. We plan to return to Utah in early January where Larry hopes to do some landscape work during the winter thaw while Annette works on year 2 of her cultural heritage project. Have a safe and wonderful holiday season. Happy New Year 2019.
Annette and Larry