Our Garden

You have to know that gardening is my hobby and outlet. It has been really killing me that I can't get out and garden. After being at the ward garden party I was feeling very sad that I couldn't plant my garden. I'd given up the idea of having a garden after many years of having one. Between having a bad back and having knee surgery I just decided that I couldn't have one this year. We love having a years supply of our own onions and having lots of tomatoes to eat and give away. When I was standing up at the ward planting party Sister Wilson handed me a bunch on onions and said, "Here take these, we have thousands, and no one will care." After we got home Duane started in tilling up the garden and getting it ready for planting again.

You can tell he used to be a cement finisher by the way he levels the garden.

You can see the holes that were made by Lloyd's onion planting tool. It digs the holes the perfect depth and distance apart. It makes it so much easier and quicker to plant.

Duane planted 65 red onions but I wanted some yellow ones as well. Another neighbor came by and said she had a lot left and she would bring them over and give them to us. We ended up planting around 250 yellow onions and then I wanted tomatoes. I went to Overton and got some tomatoes and then Duane planted 15 tomatoe plants too. So there you have it. We weren't even going to have a garden and now we have at least onions and tomatoes. Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ward Luncheon Part 2

Duane and I demonstrated how to use our sun oven. We were going to cook something but the day before we tried to cook a dessert and it was just too cloudy. The highest we got the temperature was 200 degrees. When we woke up Saturday it was very cloudy and the weatherman said it would rain so we didn't even try. While we were working the garden it was very cloudy and then as we started the luncheon is got sunny. We got the temperature up to 350 but then it was too late to cook anything so we just explained how to use it.

Dutch oven chicken was spicy and "fingerlickin" good.

Terry and Sandy Leavitt are eyeing the yummy food.

Everyone had a delicious lunch and enjoyed visiting with each other. After we ate we had a demonstration on pruning our new trees which many in the ward bought and planted. Our bishop wanted the families to buy fruit trees and plant them. Over 100 trees were purchased by different families and planted. All in all it was a very fun and successful day.

Our Ward Luncheon Part 1

After our ward gardening project we went over to the bishop's back yard and had a luncheon. They demonstrated alternative ways to cook outdoors. This is a volcano cooker and another kind of cooker which I don't know the name of. The tall cooker was cooking pork which we later ate. It was really good.

This is Delmar Leatham and Matt Stankowsky demonstrating cooking with the dutch ovens on the propane cookers.

Bishop Terril is tasting the food and thinks it's pretty tasty.

Delmar made this delicious cake called 3 milks cake cooked in the dutch oven. You bake two cake mixes and then poke holes in the cake and pour a mixture of 1/2 and 1/2 cream, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk over the top. It's pretty yummy.

Ward Garden Project Part 2

This is a very large plot of land. I don't know how many acres but it's huge. We should be able to feed a lot of people off this land.

Lloyd had a tool that dug the holes for the onions that made planting a whole lot faster. It helps to have a farmer giving you pointers and advice and also have the equipment to help make it much faster and easier.

You can see the beginning of the crops planted. The weather couldn't have been nicer. It was overcast but perfect temperature. The day was so pleasant. Everyone was happy and feeling good even if they were tired and sore from bending over so much.

This is Peggy Wilson. She was separating many of the thousands of onions to be planted. What a great lady.

A Productive Saturday - Part 1

Last Saturday, Feb. 20th, was a fun and productive day. To start off on the way to our ward project I drove past the church, or should I say where our church was before it burnt down, where our poor burnt steeple has been sitting there waiting for someone to come and rescue it. There was enough of the steeple left that the church wants to restore it and put it in a memorial park for all of us to remember our dear sweet church. This was the day that it was taken away to a spot where it would be protected and restored. I just happened to pass by as they were trying to very carefully load it up and haul it away. Because I was heading down the road with my camera I swung around and took this picture.

Our ward is such a great ward and we have such a wonderful bishop. We have so many dedicated people who care about being prepared for whatever and want to help serve others. We have a man in our ward named Lloyd Marshall who has farmed all his life. Because his back is so bad, he can't farm anymore so he volunteered to let the ward use his land to grow a ward/community garden. A couple of men in the ward plowed the field and got it ready and then this last Saturday we all got together and planted this huge field by hand. Of course I wasn't able to actually get down and plant but I could certainly go and take pictures and visit and give encouragement. There were about 60 people there to plant. A lot was accomplished. They planted tomatoes, onions by the thousands, different varieties of lettuce, corn, beans, squash, cabbage, broccoli and lots more.

Here's my better half that does so much of our work. He's my representative. Duane is always willing to serve in whatever way he can. He's a very good and kind man.

By the time I arrived many of the women were pretty tuckered out bending over and planting by they just kept going until it was done.

Thanks For Such Great Service!

I don't know how many know this but I spent several very painful days with a bad back. On Thursday, Feb. 11th, I ended up in the emergency room because I could barely walk. I went in with a walker and was in terrible pain. Even though I look pretty happy in this picture, I wasn't feeling very well at the time. I found out that I have 4 bulging discs, L2-3, L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1. I was sent home with pain medicine and patches for my back to reduce swelling. I promised my family that I would rest well and behave myself for 5 days. I was obedient and did just that. I was supposed to see a doctor the following Tuesday, but changed my mind on the doctor so that didn't happen. Even though I was in horrific pain, I did get to benefit from many friends bringing dinners in and being so kind. Last Sunday, my sweet friend Laena brought in this delicious turkey dinner with all the trimmings. I've had dinners before but my goodness, Laena outdid herself. She even brought the sparkling cider with everything to make the dinner complete. I was so surprised to have such a terrific meal that I even took pictures.

Thank you so much Laena for such a beautiful, and delicious meal. You are the sweetest thing ever.

I don't want to leave out all my other friends that also brought in beautiful and delicious meals. I even had a meal brought to me at school in the evening because I was working late and when they came to deliver, I wasn't home. (I didn't know I was getting another dinner.) They figured they would find me at school and luckily someone was just leaving so they could get in. Thanks Sandy for hunting me down.

I had meals brought in for the freezer to be used anytime we needed a meal and other delicious meals. Thanks so much Melissa, and Liz. To all my friends and those concerned, know that I love you and appreciate your kindness. Meals are only part of the service that I've enjoyed. I've also had help at school to make my days a little easier. I have wonderful mother helpers who give to me on a weekly basis. And, last but not least, thanks mom for driving to pick me up and take me to the hospital, thanks to Duane for leaving Provo (work) early to get to the hospital and for all the loving care you always give me. You do so much on a daily basis to help me in every way. Thank you Heidi for pampering me and making sure I'm as comfortable as I can be. You're a wonderful caring daughter. Thanks Shawna for the delicious food and visits you paid me too. It's always so fun to have you come and visit. It's so fun to have you around. We always have lots to talk about. Thanks to Heidi Baker too for teaching my lesson on Sunday at the last minute. Thanks for my home teachers for a blessing and to Carol for your love and concern. I'm afraid I'm going to leave someone out and I certainly don't mean to but gosh, how much love and concern can one person receive anyway? I love you all, family and friends! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Our Next Yard Project

Duane worked yesterday moving sprinkler lines so they would be near the newly planted fruit tree. As you can see there were many, many roots to get out of the way because the trenches could be moved.

Here is one line dug going to the peach tree.

Another line being moved to water the new apricot tree. Luckily it was a gorgeous day for the weather. I wish I could have been out more but I spent most of the day in the house.

Tree Day Part 4

The other day when we finished cutting our trees down, I forgot to take pictures of the end result. I realized what I had done after it was dark so I took some after pictures today. As you can see the result looks very bare but hopefully when we get completely finished, it will look a lot better. When the morning sun arrives I notice how much brighter it is now that our shade is gone. I guess we'll just have to get used to it.

Notice the cracking and pushed out ditch. It was definately time for these gigantic trees with gigantic roots to come out.

I'm now looking around and trying to get ideas for some desert landscaping. Duane's tired of so much mowing. Getting rid of the front lawn is only a small part but every little bit helps. I'm kind of sad to be losing my lawn but I think we can make it look good if I plan well enough.

This is our gigantic side yard. Notice that the two trees in the front are gone but two new holes have been dug for a peach and apricot tree. Duane's going to move the water line down the hill so our little trees can have a regular drink. The stumps and logs will be picked up by the man that took the trees out later on this week. If I still had a wood burning stove I'd keep them but now we just have an electric fireplace. It's much cleaner and easier. Well there you have it folks. It will be nice when spring comes and our lawn can be green again instead of dormant.