This and That

I am loving this time of year.  Our skies are full of clouds, wind, rain and sun.  We had the most amazing lightening storm last Tuesday night, just at dark, about 10 PM.  Lightening flashed between the clouds every few seconds for what seemed like a long time.  The sky lit up above us and thunder filled the air.  It was amazing.  I've never experienced anything like that before.  California, you know, has no such sky works.  A hard rain soon accompanied and then followed the lightning, along with lots of wind.  It was impossible to ignore such a show.

Our neighbors, the Wintersteens, invited us to visit a park full of American flags on Memorial Day last Monday.  The field there held flags for a large number of veterans.  We discovered that we could buy flags and attach a name and military organization to each one, and post it with the other flags.  So I bought one for Layne and one for my father.  We labeled each one and placed them with the other flags.  As I walked through those flags I could see the soldiers they represented in my mind.  It was an emotional experience for me.  I could feel the spirits of those soldiers.  Being surrounded by those flags brought such feelings of love and gratitude that we have men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line for us.  For our country.  I'm so grateful for them!  And that we have military men in our family.  We were able to bring our two flags home once the display was over.  I plan to display them in the yard when the occasion calls for it.

Layne holding his flag on Memorial Day at the Park.

Layne and I among the Flags.

We've been playing with our ATVs a bit lately.  Playing.  Layne also.  Layne.  He isn't much of a player you know.  Yet, for some reason, he is into this.  I'm happy to see it.  So we are joining friends and going on several ATV trips this summer.  I think I'm excited.  It is fun to drive them.  We rode through the foothills next to our development this past week.  It was great until I had to drive down what appeared to me to be a pretty steep hill.  That scared me.  But I did it, once Layne led the way.  And I made it out alive and unscratched.  So perhaps I can manage this.

View of our neighborhood from the foothills, when ATVing.

We are still taking singing lessons from our opera-oriented teachers.  Brett and Sue Hamilton are professionals and we are lucky enough to have them teach us.  It has been a revelation to me.  I'm actually learning how to use my voice and how to breathe better.  My mediocre voice is also improving somewhat, although I wouldn't want to display it too openly.  The Hamiltons performed at a local hotel Friday night and we were lucky enough to get tickets for it.  Wow, what fun to see professional singers up close and observe how they handled themselves, mistakes and all, in stride.  It was such fun!  There were even people there that I knew, which is such a joyous thing considering our limited experience here.  Since we don't get out to things like this much, it was an experience worth noting, and, hopefully, repeating.

I will say that Idaho is providing us with a multitude of new experiences and new friendships.  I'm enjoying that.

Treble Clef

I've been singing with my singing group, the Treble Clef Singers, for three weeks now.  Saturday night was our last performance, for family and friends.  We've been singing mostly in Old Folks Homes, and a couple other places.  It has all been very comfortable as the audiences are easy to please.  It is a great format for growing confidence.  I'm definitely not as scared of singing in front of people as I used to be.  In informal situations that is.  Singing for friends and family was a bit more stressful, even in a group.  But, much like giving a talk, once we got going the fear left.  My ladies are a lovely group ranging in age from 30s to 70s.  We costume up, make up some choreography and sing.  It has become a very rewarding and fun activity for me.  Our group has adopted Layne as their token male and he performs something at each of our concerts.  So we are the "couple"of the group.  This time around Layne and I sang a duet, "Old Black Magic".  My ladies were very supportive of our efforts.  I found my courage singing this with Layne and learned to belt out my part.  This is a major step for me.  My usual singing effort involves blending in and, if possible, not being heard.  So this was a milestone.  I found that I liked it and was not nervous.  It feels good to face this fear.

Our singing instructors have committed us to sing as a quartet at Church.  Hum.  That is an altogether different kind of singing and it scares me to death.  I may be about over Treble Clef fear but singing in Church crosses the line.  Except in the choir.  Lots of voices there and I can hide if I want to.  But before the summer is over we will be singing in a quartet during sacrament meeting. Sigh.  Face the fear, right?  I'm afraid my voice will turn to a frog.  I'm afraid of singing flat.  I'm afraid of losing my breath.  All the fears overcome in Treble Clef are alive and well in Church.  Can I possibly get over this?

It has been stormy this week.  I love it.  Thunder storms are to continue throughout the coming week. It is an open week!  I have all sorts of plans for accomplishing my own personal goals.  Here's hoping I can stay the course.

Our singing group at the Friends and Family performance.
I'm in the back, in the green hat.  Good view, eh?

 

Mother's Day

I don't like being in Idaho for holidays.  Mother's Day fits that as well.  No family is here to celebrate with.  But friends are abundant.  We had dinner with our Fremont group last night and one of them, Lisa Young, invited us to dinner today.  So, in spite of Layne's willingness to fix me dinner, we will share our Mother's Day meal with the Youngs.  Even without family here, I rejoice in the family I have.  My children and grandchildren bring me nothing but pleasure and gratitude.  They are all such good people.  There are many here who have such family heartaches.  But we are not among them.  So, even without family here, I am rejoicing today that I have a family and that they bring me joy, not sorrow.

My Mother's Day Treasures

Our week has been full of singing.  It takes lots of time and energy, so I find that I am getting little else done.  But I believe we are doing a good job of bringing some pleasure to those we sing to.  And the money we make will go to a doctor who fixes cleft palates in developing countries.  And I'm learning not to be afraid to sing in front of people.  Except that our singing teacher wants us to sing in a Sacrament meeting at Church. That scares me.  We are scheduled to sing next month.  Can I pull through without being scared out of my wits?  I keep telling myself that I should face my fears.  I'll let you know how that turns out.

Me on one of our new ATVs.

Dad enjoying an ATV ride in the neighborhood.

Layne and I tried out our ATVs by driving through the neighborhood.  I can see that they are going to be a lot of fun.  Layne is hot to use them and has already ordered helmets and goggles for us.  We will join a group to go ATVing later this month.  Singing and ATVing; who knew that we would be doing these things?  I have Idaho to thank for these grand adventures.

"Must Change"

The blossoms of spring are gone and replaced by the green leaves of early summer.  Our yard is bursting forth with life of all sorts.  The sound of birds fill the air, along with the sweet smells of our lilac trees.  Green fills my vision as I look out on our expanse of grass.  Layne's care has turned our yard into a green heaven.  Several neighbors have told us that we have the loveliest lawn in the neighborhood!  As I look upon all this beauty, I imagine how nice it would be if we could add a gazebo, redo the deteriorating deck left over by the previous owners, plant more flowers and trees.  "Must change," Layne tells me, mocking my dream.  He is slow to share my vision!  Of course it would probably work better for me if I simply appreciated all that he has already done.  I'm trying to do that.  I do appreciate it.  I really do.  But I have this vision...

The kitties are spending some of their nights
outside now.  But by morning they are eager
for breakfast.  Here is one of them looking in
our bedroom window, greeting us as we get up and
pleading for food.

Our spring.  One of the lilac bushes is at left.

Our spring concert has begun.  My singing group has performed 8 times already.  It is uplifting, energizing and exhausting all at the same time.  The duet that Layne and I sing is so far going pretty well I think.  We even sang it at a wedding reception on Friday.  I'm rambling on about this because I am usually scared to death to sing in front of people.  Unless I'm part of a good sized group.  But I don't feel afraid singing with Layne.  Maybe it is the song.  We are singing "Old Black Magic".  It is not serious, but fun to sing.  Mistakes can be absorbed into the presentation.  I like that.  So, amazing as I find it to be, I'm actually enjoying singing!

Layne, you know, is a serious kind of guy.  He isn't much into recreation but prefers to be productive. That is where his joy comes.  I've become more of that kind of person also.  His influence is pretty powerful.  With is in mind, I was amazed to hear him talk about buying a couple of ATVs from a couple we served in the temple with.  It seems they want to go on a mission and decided to sell their ATVs and trailer to finance it.  The price was very good, so Layne went for it.  Us and ATVs.  Who knew?  Layne is talking about going on ATV trips with another temple buddy and actually having some recreational fun!  I'm amazed.  And pleased.  Is this an example of "must change" perhaps?

Lately I am filled with thoughts about how much our lives have changed since moving here.  We are doing things we've never done before.  I never thought that, by this time in our lives, so many new experiences would present themselves.  While I still miss my family, I can't help but enjoy and be grateful for these new adventures.  I feel myself expanding, in good ways.  I'm grateful for it.

Daughter's art.  This was done by Jessica.

Audrey drew this.  I love them both and have framed
them alike to hang together.  My daughters, the artists!