Actually these dinosaur eggs are really called Concretions. On our way back from Boulder we had a great time hunting them. They are formed from Iron separating from the sand and forming a shell. I wish I understood more of the particulars but I don't. Kelly really enjoyed this part of our trip!
Settler's early use of Calf Creek was for weaned calves. They were turned into the natural pasture created by the box canyon, hence the name "Calf Creek." The creek runs on the sandstone filtering it to make a very clean, clear water. Next time I want to camp so I can take the time to go up to the falls. It was hot and Clara was the only one that got the shade. Look underneath the picnic table!
After coming back from the Grand Canyon we dropped by these beautiful dunes to walk in the soft sand. The plants are very interesting because of the moving sand they have to be able to grow faster then sand that moves and gathers around them. I think in the first photo the plants are going to get wiped out because of the big dune that is moving there direction. The photos don't show the scale.
Beautiful, Incredible, Amazing, Awe inspiring, Huge! We listened to the Grand Canyon Suite on the way back and I am going to have to reread Brighty of the Grand Canyon. What a great experience. Don't miss it.
Clara had a very grand first birthday. We went on a trip to southern Utah, and so her birthday was really spread out and extravagant! The Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Calf Creek, Boulder, Parawan Gap, Iron Town, Fathers Day, Flag Day, and Mom's Birthday all in one package! Mom and Clara shared a scumpoiusly beautiful cake!
For Young Womens we did a service project of pulling and leaving Dyer's Woad to stop it from spreading. It is a noxious weed that came over from eastern Europe and Tibet in the 1700's. It makes a dark blue pigment hence the dyers part of the name. Shayla and I had a good time also looking for other stuff too. She found all these white snail shells all over the place.
Clara's first official word is book. She said mama, dada and so forth but book is the first real word that we know for sure she knows what it means. It is the first thing she says in the morning and the last thing she says at night. She loves Mother Goose and a cute book that she can pull the flaps down to reveal what is underneath. She endlessly turns the pages and looks at the pictures.
This is Clara doing the sign for "more." She also recognizes the signs for up, cheerios, marshmallow, book, milk, change your diaper, yes, and eat. It has been really fun to see her respond when we do signs she wants.
The first two landscapes were taken on our way back from Idaho Falls yesterday. The next two were taken in my in-laws backyard. The last is a bouquet of lilacs. I liked them so much I made a similar arrangement today and used it at Young Womens.
It rained yesterday evening and it has been gloomy today. I am bummed because I was going to go the park with Clara.
Murex is a genus of medium to large sized predatory tropical sea snails. These are carnivorous marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murexes or rock snails. The word murex was used by Aristotle in reference to these kinds of snails, thus Murex is arguably one of the oldest classical shell names still in use by the scientific community. They live in the shallow subtidal zone, among rocks and corals.
I had no idea what the shells were called so I looked it up.
Kelly and I have some news. Kelly got into a medical school in Pomona, California called Western University. So we are moving at the end of June. We are very pleased and excited. It will be sad to leave Idaho but are looking forward to having some new experiences in a new place. I am excited to be living by my cousin Kassie and her husband Allen. Allen also goes to Western U.
We went down to Salt Lake again! We had a fun dinner Saturday evening and party at Lauren's house after the blessing. I love all my family. Samantha, Tate, Maryn, Seth, Jackson, Clara, Daniel, and James.
So colorful and so dynamic. It changes with every step!
Some photos from this weekend.