Memorial Day Memories

We filled our Memorial Day to the brim with food and family and outside-ness. It was the most picture perfect day and practically perfect in every way. 

We started out by bringing breakfast to Grandpa and Grandma Blanchard. On the menu: sourdough waffles, peach syrup, bacon, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and berries. Yum! While Gregg did some stucco repair from the roof, the kids and Grandma and I took a walk to the canal to visit the 30 (!!!) baby ducks that call it home. Grandpa came over with the lawnmower and trailer and the kids got to ride back home in style.

Yum!

Precarious position.

Hi, ducks!

Ready to roll.

We left West Haven and headed to Cache Valley where we visited the cemeteries in Smithfield and Hyde Park and then met up with my parents and grandparents and Ky, Michael and Zoe in Providence for a hot dog roast picnic and visiting in the shade.

Smithfield Cemetery done up right.

Visiting my Grandpa's grave for the first time since he died.

This stone is in honor of Mervin Elwood,
my grandpa's uncle, who fought and died in WWI
in France. His body is there, but a memorial to him
and others who fought is near the flagpole in the Hyde
Park Cemetery.

Hyde Park Cemetery lookin' fine.

Oh yeah, we had a pit stop at Arctic Circle for a
dipped cone - boy were they messy treats!

Dinner time!

Spring has Sprung in Eden

Monday (May 11th) was one of those gorgeous spring days that people think of when they claim spring is their favorite season.  It was certainly my favorite that day.  After lunch, Cal and Sam and I rode our bikes to pay the water bill and then continued on the bike path to the cemetery.  It was breezy, but the sky was blue and the air was warm and the views were lovely.  We rode home past my favorite trees in my neighborhood and I made the kids stop for a photo-op.  When I got home, I continued the blossom tour in my backyard and was thrilled to find so many blooms!

Meadow View Cemetery with a view of the lake.

The Hearthside church around the corner from our house is
always spectacular in May.

This tree is just down the street from us and is
practically perfect in every way.

Dandelions anyone?  (Don't tell anyone, but I actually love them.)

Our apples are blooming!

And the funny little pear tree, too.

We have a lovely view from our backyard.

Something cute blooming by the fence.

Wild grapes? Maybe?  I don't spend much time
up here in this part of the yard, but they're pretty
right now.

Look at that Bumble!

That evening, after the kids were in bed, but right when the light was golden, I told Gregg I was heading out for a quick walk.  I had my earbuds in and my phone camera out as I strolled around the neighborhood.  It was completely perfect and exactly what I needed that day.  Have I ever mentioned I LOVE where I live?!

I couldn't get enough of the evening light and
the blue sky and the blossoms down the street.

Not llamas, but deer!

Swoon!

My favorite plum tree across the street from
the Hearthside.

Up close and personal crabapples at the Hearthside.

The old apple trees at Anita's house on the corner
across from Carlos and Harley's.

Be still my heart!

A pretty picture, indeed.

Not bad at all.

Yep, I love Eden.

Melba's barn looked especially lovely right then.

Sheer perfection!

Corona Camping

After some recent "remodeling" to the teardrop that resulted in a new bunk bed set up for the kids at the front end of the trailer and a shortened shelf at the back end for storage, we needed to test it out!  The road to Monte Cristo where we've dispersed camped before is still closed, as are all of the forest service campgrounds at the bottom of that canyon just east of Huntsville, but we found the county owned and operated Memorial Park Campground was open so we decided to try it out on a mid-week overnighter.  Gregg finished up with work after lunch on Wednesday, May 6th, and we quickly loaded up our stuff, hooked the trailer on and drove less than 15 miles to the campground nestled against the mountain right below Causey Reservoir.

It's not my favorite campground ever, but it had tables and firepits and flushing restrooms, which was nice.  I didn't love the shirtless "campers" who were drinking and blasting music across the way from us, but luckily they were only day use folks anyway, and after they left things were much more peaceful.  There were a surprising number of folks camping and driving through the campground, though.  Lots of people are corona-cooped up, I guess!  And it being the only campground open, I guess that makes sense, too.  We explored the campground on bike and foot, climbed the cliff across from our site, ate beef stew from a can, roasted mallows, had a terrible night's sleep, ate a big pancake breakfast around the fire, and all around had a great time.

The kids' new bunk situation worked out really quite well.  Gregg and I still need to figure out how to get and stay comfortable and asleep in such tight quarters.  And we'll for sure remember a diaper and more blankets and figure out a way to vent things so we can stay warmer and dryer next time!

Home, sweet campsite.

Dino book reading in the shade.

On an exploration walk to the far east end of the campground.
The river is high!

We saw this old bridge and crossed it to see what we could see.

FYI

Also posted on the bathrooms.

We attempted to reach the top of that cliff, but
didn't make it too far before turning around -
it was definitely a little sketchy for the kiddos.

But Gregg did it later solo - see him up there
at the top of the red rock?

Dinnertime!

Canned beef stew and grilled cheese - and it tasted SO GOOD!

Banana boats.

Shenanigans.

Fireside breakfast - it was a chilly morning
in the 20s!

Another walk to another section of campground.
These huge guns are at the entrance to the park
but there is no signage about them so I don't know
why or how they got here.

But they made great jungle gyms for the kids.

I spy Causey Dam.