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Thursday, September 5, 2013

iPhone Photos


Today, for no particular reason, I'm going through photos on my phone. Here are some I've taken over the last few months that make me smile. I like some of them because I think the photo is awesome (don't worry, so far I haven't dislocated my elbow patting myself on the back). For some, its the memory that makes me smile.
This was the view during the first 5K fail Chris and I tried this year. This was about mile 3 of the 5K. (For all of you who are not great at converting kilometers and miles...that is WAY over 5K!) We sort of started with the half-marathon folks. Oops.
My parents were gone during the springtime this year. I was over at their house one day and I snapped a few photos of the garden and trees as everything came to life. This is one of the fruit trees.
One evening as I was driving back from Education Week, this was the cloud that hung over the western horizon. Honestly, can Utah get any prettier sometimes? I don't think so.
I think its in my genetic build to occasionally take on projects that are a little too big for me. One Saturday I decided to re-plant the front flower bed. And expand it. Lucky for me, I have a loving sister and roommate who decided that helping me in the yard was a good plan for that day! I think we ended up with a pretty good result. I'm sorry to say the twisty topiaries didn't make it.
During one of the summer rain storms, I was out on the front porch and saw these ghostly footprints. Spooky! I'm sure there is a perfectly rational explanation like someone waterproofing their shoes on the cement. But I prefer to think this is the exact location where the troubled spirit of a size-9 ghost stands to watch out over my street.
I recently took up a new craft - bow making. (Please see above comment about me being unable to take on projects of an appropriate size!) I think I now own enough ribbon, glue, and clips to make "swag" for about 100 little girls. Please don't judge me.
The Salt Lake temple really lends itself to texture shots. Like pictures you take at night and make black and white.
During one of the summer storms, this amazing double rainbow showed up right over the mountains. I was driving, but stopped my car to watch and take a couple of pictures.
Did I mention these are in no particular order? Jumping back to spring, it seems like the blossoms on Temple Square only last about a week. During one of those days, I ventured out on my lunch break. I'm sure I looked like a dork as I crawled around the flower beds to find just that one shot where the flowers framed the spires of the temple. I think I got it!
Summer storm - part 2. I love it when these happen during the late afternoon hours, and the setting sun catches the clouds just so.

Ok, technically this might not be an actual iPhone picture. But it might still be my favorite! This is a beautiful drawing by my niece. It is of her, me, and my 2 sisters being sucked into a tornado. And I am one of the little guys up at the top. We are smaller because we have been sucked further into the tornado. And we all have capes! If that doesn't make you smile, you should check your pulse. :)

Friday, August 23, 2013

BYU Reminiscing

It has been 10 years since I graduated college with my bachelors degree. On one hand, I can't believe it's been that long! On the other, every one of those years has been amazing and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

This week I had a chance to go walk around campus for a little bit. I love going down for Education Week!


These stone panel things line the walls of the library stairwell. I forgot how awesomely 70's they are.
I spent many hours on the top floor of this library. These desks make a handy place to catch a nap between classes.
 This library has stacks and stacks of books...
 A plethora of books. A gaggle of books. A heap-load of books.
Have I mentioned how cool the library is on this campus? It has some of the best reading and studying spots.
It has skylights that make the basement levels bright and cheery. Bright enough to grow trees.
They hang cool sculptures, just because. It's the thing to do.
 The demographic is a little older, but the scene of crowded paths is familiar.
The hike up to the Y is perfect for a Monday night Family Home Evening.
I was pretty happy the clouds decided to roll in yesterday. It cooled things off.
Sometimes I forget how tall the mountains are in Utah County. One of my goals is to make it to the top of Timp in the near future. Near is a flexible term. Like, before I die.
Ah...the bell tower. Chimes out "Come, Come Ye Saints" every hour on the hour.
Universities are so darn photogenic! I hope to keep having the chance to visit every now and then.
Salt Lake is a pretty cool place to visit too.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Weber County Fair

Last week I went to the Weber County Fair. I'm not sure why, but I've never watched horse pulling at a fair before.
 They are beautiful creatures.
 I'm talking about the horses.
 This little guy was pretty cute too.
They hook the horses up to a sled with more and more weight, and the winner is the team who pulls the most weight.
 The surroundings were breathtaking as the sun went down.
 Did I mention the sky was amazing?
It was pretty cool.
 These were the heavy weight class. I learned they weigh the horses as a team.
I think I might have mentioned I liked the sky.

I didn't get any pictures, but I rounded out the night by watching the hypnotist with some cute pre-teen girls. It was an awesome night.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Food Quotes and Other Randomness

I'm going through some electronic clutter at work. I came across this list of food quotes I compiled a while back. They make me smile. And what better reason to post for the first time in 6 months than to make it about food!!



All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.
Charles M. Schulz


I love you like a fat kid loves cake!
                 Scott Adams

Popcorn for breakfast! Why not? It’s a grain. It’s like, like, grits, but with high self esteem
                 James Patterson, The Angel Experiment

Writers fish for the right words like fishermen fish for, um, whatever those aquatic creatures with fins and gills are called
                Jarod Kintz, This is the best book I’ve ever written, and it still sucks

The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.
                Julia Child

Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.
                Mark Twain

What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow.
                A.A. Milne

I am not a glutton – I am an explorer of food.
                Erma Bombeck

We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.
                David Mamet, Boston Marriage

How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?
                Charles de Gaulle

Ice cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn’t illegal.
                Voltair

I had a missed call. It’s probably the all you can eat buffet calling to say, “Come back! We know you can eat just a little bit more.”
                Jarod Kintz, At even one penny, this book would be overpriced. In fact, free is too expensive, because you’d still waste time by reading it.

I am at the moment writing a lengthy indictment against our century. When my brain begins to reel from my literary labors, I make an occasional cheese dip.
                John Kennedy Toole, A Confederacy of Dunces

Blood may be thicker than water, but it’s certainly not as thick as ketchup. Nor does it go as well with French fries.
                Jarod Kintz

You can tell a lot about a lot about a fellow’s character by his way of eating jellybeans.
                Ronald Regan

Whoever thought a tiny candy bar should be called fun size was a moron.
                Glenn Beck

Tofu tacos are not Mexican. I think putting tofu on anything and calling it Mexican is an insult to my people.
                Simone Elkeles, Rules of Attraction

If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.
                Julia Child

The thought of two thousand people crunching celery at the same time horrified me.
                George Bernard Shaw

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.
                Alice May Brock

Always serve too much hot fudge on hot fudge sundaes. It makes people overjoyed, and puts them in your debt.
                Judith Olney

A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness.
                Elsa Schiaparelli

The cucumber and the tomato are both fruit; the avocado is a nut. To assist with the dietary requirements of vegetarians, on the first Tuesday of the month a chicken is officially a vegetable.
                Jasper Fforde, Shades of Grey

Waffles are like pancakes with syrup traps.
                Mitch Hedberg

“Have you tried the cinnamon things?” Poppet asks. “They’re rather new. What are they called Widge?”
“Fantastically delicious cinnamon things?”
                Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus

Thanks cow. I appreciate your tastiness.
                Craig Ferguson

He was chugging brown pop from a can Jack handed him while he stuffed nacho cheese Doritos in his face. I was glad to see he looked lots better, almost completely like himself, which proves Doritos and brown pop really are health foods.
                P.C. Cast, Hunted

Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.
                Ruth Reichl

Bacon is the candy of meat.
                Kevin Taggart

What kind of person doesn’t let you have gummi bears?
                LIbba Bray, Beauty Queens

I suppose there are people who can pass up free guacamole, but they’re either allergic to avocado or too joyless to live.
                Frank Bruni, Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-time Eater

I like food that speaks to me. Food like French toast, English muffins, and Deviled eggs. Oh, oval embryonic spawn of chicken, why has thou deceived me?
                Jarod Kintz, $3.33

First we eat, then we do everything else.
                M.F.K. Fisher

I’m pretty sure that eating chocolate keeps wrinkles away because I have never seen a 10 year old with a Hershey bar and crows feet.
                Amy Neftzger

Fruit and vegetables and the sort of things that Uncle Vernon called “rabit food”
                J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire