Baby, it's Cold Outside!

Even though the first rays of sun highlighted the icicles on our roof and cast warm light on our garage, it was a very cold morning.  In fact it is zero degrees Fahrenheit.  And this is cold for Utah! Where I live we are blessed with four distinct seasons, but when it snows in the winter, it rarely gets this cold.  Unlike many of our more northern states where snow piles up and lasts for a very long winter, in the most densely populated areas in Utah, it snows, then warms up melting most of the snow, then repeats this cycle throughout the winter months.  Only in the mountains do we have vast quantities of snow, often from November through April, and that is just fine for all the skiers, and snowboarders who flock to our world famous ski resorts.  (For those who don't remember, the Winter Olympics were held here in 2002.)  If you know me, however, you know that I'm a summer person, (give me 85 degrees F and I'm a happy camper), so this photo will go into my 'I Hate Winter' folder!!  Hope it's warmer where you are today.  And I'll spend my day at home very close to the fireplace and think about my friends in New Zealand, Australia, Tahiti, Samoa and New Caledonia.

Lake Powell Morning

If Only In My Dreams! 

(It's 3 degrees F. this morning where I live.)

Phun Phriday

BACK OFF LADY.......AND GET THAT CAMERA OUTTA MY FACE!!!

Bellagio Conservatory

Bellagio Conservatory - Spring 2011

Today the colors outside my window range from dark gray to light gray to dirty white...... that is when I can see beyond the three foot long icicles hanging off the roof.  Sigh!  I came across the photos I took in Las Vegas while we were attending a car show prior to leaving for New Zealand in 2011.  I'm hoping these bright colors taken in the conservatory of the Bellagio will brighten my day.....and yours. 

Last Rays of Sun - Lake Powell

Shortly after we returned from New Zealand, we spent two glorious weeks on our houseboat timeshare at Lake Powell.  All of the children and grandchildren were able to spend some time with us and we had the best time.  After a fun filled day of water skiing, eating, wake boarding, jet skiing, eating, swimming, tubing, eating, visiting, eating, playing games, catching fish, and more eating, the ski boat is resting for the night.  I took this photo from the back of the houseboat just as the last rays of sun raked over the red rock.  And for those of you who have never been to Lake Powell, yes, the rocks are really this red, and become positively neon at sunset.

Desktop Image and Calendar - January

January - 2013

This year I've decided to resume making Desktop Calendars.  You can find them easily at the beginning of each month by clicking on the Free For You tab below the header.  Feel free to download, enjoy and share.  But please do not use for commercial purposes.  Just click HERE, then right click to set as your desktop image.  It should fill your screen and not be pixelated or blurry.  Let me know if you need help.  

P.S.  Read the story about this photo and my little feathered friend. 

2013 - The Dawn of a NEW YEAR!

The first dawn of a new year and this is what I saw out my window.  Made me depressed, especially since I tossed and turned all night and woke up with a chest cold.  I didn't want to be depressed!  I went to bed in such a good mood because we had spent a wonderful time New Year's Eve with family, eating good food, visiting and watching a move.  (As a side note, if you have children or grandchildren from about the age of 7 up, a wonderful movie to watch as a family, especially at Christmas time, is The Ultimate Gift.)

Back to the picture and my mood.  I decided I wouldn't be depressed and I could choose to change my attitude.  And I didn't need to look at this boring photo either.   Thanks to modern technology, I can choose to change this scene in my mind's eye with a few clicks of a mouse...............

Ahhhh, that's better.  I feel happier already!  I think it's going to be a great year!!  I'll probably put this in my 'I Hate Winter' folder on my SmugMug site!  (NOTE:  as usual, when I do MAJOR edits, I always confess....well almost always!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND I WISH YOU JOY, HEALTH, PEACE AND MANY  GREAT PHOTO OPS!

4- Christmas on Temple Square - 2012

This is always a stunning sight and always my favorite Temple Square picture.

3-Christmas on Temple Square - 2012

Beautiful Color, Beautiful Reflections

2-Christmas on Temple Square-2012

Lobby of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

Christmas on Temple Square - 2012

If you are not quite ready to say goodbye to Christmas yet, you are in luck!  Come back for the next few days as I will be posting some of the photos I took on Temple Square several weeks ago.  I just didn't find enough time to post them before Christmas, so I hope you will enjoy them now.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2012!

It is Christmas Morning 2012.  I woke up early and sat in my rocking chair for a few minutes, enjoying the solitude and letting my mind wander.  I began thinking about today, anticipating our happiness and joy when we share Christmas festivities with our children and grandchildren who live close by.  I then thought about our recent trip to Arizona and the fun we had visiting our children living there and I remembered to say a prayer of thankfulness that we were able to travel through a blizzard to return home safely on Christmas eve.  And then I recalled so many memories and blessings of this past year, thinking it's hard to believe that this time last year we were enjoying a summer Christmas in New Zealand.  In my quiet thoughts this morning, I am reminded one more time of the love our Savior has for each of us, and his great atoning sacrifice so that we may each find joy in this life and the life to come.  As I was pondering these loving thoughts, I glanced out the window and saw a little flock of 'Christmas snowbirds'  feasting on tree berries.  I wanted to take a picture but knew by the time I got my camera out, changed the lens, fiddled with the controls, the magic moment would be gone, and so would they, so I didn't bother.  But to my surprise my little morning friends seemed contented to rest and feast.  Most were brown, but one was a red breasted little guy who seemed to always take center front where I could see him the best.  I think he was telling me to go ahead and find my camera, and he would wait for me.  And sure enough, he did.  After a few quick snaps, they were gone, but I have a picture and a memory to remind me.  And long after the wrapping paper is ripped, and the presents lost or broken, we can still keep a picture of Christ in our mind's eye and in our heart to remember what He has done for us.

 MERRY CHRISTMAS

       

Almost the LAST Sunset!!!

We have been so busy with travel and assignments that I've been MIA here for several weeks.  We have been to Wellington, then to Christchurch and we have just returned from a week in beautiful Tahiti.  And yes, we were really working......well most of the time.  The weather was perfect, the scenery magnificent and we took two extra days to celebrate the wonderful experiences we have had on our mission and take a break from our busy schedule.   (It was lucky for us that flights to Tahiti are only scheduled on certain days of the week, so we had no choice but to stay a few extra days.)  Photos from this trip will have to come later.  For now we are trying to cram 3 weeks of work into the few last days as we count down the number of sunsets we have left here in beautiful New Zealand.  And we have THREE!  Tomorrow we pick up our replacements at the airport, (at 5:30 am), and will have three days to train them, clean the flat and pack.  This photo is to remind me of the beautiful sunsets we have seen in the wonderful islands of the South Pacific.  

Sunset in Wellington, New Zealand

Charity Never Faileth

Here is one of my favorite photos from New Zealand.  This little boy, wearing his red gum boots, was helping to paint a school.  A large group of members of the local LDS Church, (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), spent a Saturday painting and sprucing up a local school.  There were old people, young people, families and teenagers all involved.  We attended and I took many photos.  This little guy was very serious about his work!

I have given the Church permission to use many of my photos as stock for their various websites and publications.   They added the quote and posted this one on the mormonchannel.org facebook page.  

Below is the original:

We have been so busy lately that it was nice to have a leisurely Saturday.  We took a bike ride along beautiful Mission Bay, ate Mexican food (or so it was called), and visited with the pigeons and seagulls.  Can you see the Sky Tower in the distance??  It was just the break we needed before gearing up for our final assignments.  This coming week we head to Christchurch, and then we spend a week in Tahiti.  The day after we return, our replacements come.  We will spend several days training them, and then we fly home!  Several of you have asked how much longer we will be here, and the answer is less than three weeks!!!!  It is so hard to believe that a year and a half could race by so fast.  We have had an amazing experience and have seen and done things that we never thought would be possible.  The time we are reminded how long we've been gone is when we 'skype' with our family and see our youngest grandson who was just a couple of months old when we left, and is now a darling, active, talkative toddler.  Time to get reacquainted!!

Spring in Christchurch

A memory of our first trip to Christchurch was one of shock and sadness as we viewed crumbled buildings and devastation beyond imagination, everywhere we traveled, caused by multiple major earthquakes that hit the Christchurch area several years ago.   

Our last trip to Christchurch was filled with the beauty of spring, renewal, and the tenacity and determination of the wonderful people living here who are rebuilding their homes, their city and their lives.

Eileen

Eileen, our amazing Director of Public Affairs in Wellington.  She is a writer and hopes to soon have her first novel published.  She asked me to take some photos she can use for promotion and book cover.  These are a few of my favorites.

Hamilton, New Zealand Temple

 Hamilton, New Zealand Temple

This was our last visit to the temple before returning home.

Elder & Sister Larsen

Public Affairs Missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Auckland Harbor at Sunset

Auckland - City of Sails

I've mentioned before that Auckland Harbor is often filled with sailboats.  When we cross the Harbor Bridge I always see this scene with the sailboats in dock and the Sky Tower in the background.  Today was a beautiful day, and I took this photo just before the sun set.  I love how the sun is highlighting the city buildings and the Sky Tower.

East Cape, New Zealand

East Cape, New Zealand

East Cape is the easternmost point of the main island of New Zealand.  It is a wild, remote, isolated and beautiful area.  It  has the distinction of being the first mainland place in the world to see the sun each day, according to numerous sources.  I'm not sure what 'mainland place' is referring to, but points in Japan, Fiji and Kiribati also claim that honor.  What I can say, is we were probably the first 2 people in New Zealand to see the sun rise on that day, even though we didn't make it there until some time after sunrise.  Since we saw no other people for miles before we arrived, it is probably safe to assume no one was there before us that day!   So we were standing near the edge of tomorrow!  After walking up the 757 steps we stepped into a small clearing with this glorious view.  I did not saturate or alter the color of the water.  It was just beautiful to see the layers and shades of turquoise stretching to the horizon.  Behind me is a small lighthouse.  Even with a wide angle lens, however, there was not enough room for me to stand and get a decent shot of the entire lighthouse and the ocean in one frame.  The lighthouse used to be on the little island called East Island, or Whangaokeno or Motu o Kaiawa by the local Maori.  Landing on the island and building the lighthouse was a very hazardous job, taking the lives of at least 4 men.  Also, a boat transporting equipment to the island capsized in the treacherous waves.  The lighthouse was completed and the light was first lit on August 9, 1900.  The Maori, however, considered the island sacred and forbidden and said it did not want humans to be there.   No Maori would ever lived there.  The island was continually beset with hardship and tragedy.  Equipment was washed away in heavy rains.  The lightkeeper could not grow a garden or raise cattle to provide for his family because of the poor soil.  Three of his children died.  Ships wrecked on the rugged shoreline causing more deaths.  The island suffered numerous landslides and earthquakes, eventually weakening the structure of the lighthouse.  In 1922 the light was extinguished, and the lighthouse dismantled and moved to the main island where it stands today.
Once the lighthouse was removed and the island was abandoned, all landslides and earthquakes stopped!