April 25, 2014

 Today I finally got to put my feet upon a trek trail.  I went with three other

sisters for a walk.  The wind was blowing and so what is new.

  This is trail #6 and they all say this is a favorite.

  Heading back to the Depot.  Flag blowing in the Breeze

Here are two pillows given to us when we left. 

The Family one is from Amy and Danny Bedard.

The other one is a 100% pillow from our friends

Gary and Sandy Johnson.  He is the authority

on 100%.

Here are all the notes we have been finding from Morgans 

family.  We are still finding them 5 days later.

They are so funny and help us think of home.

April 24, 2014

This a our first group photo!  Can you tell how cold it was?  I would be the one on the
end with 3 coats on.

First Picture was serious, then I suggested we do CRAZY and as you
can see, they do crazy.  Can you see why I am enjoying myself?

We did one of my favorite things today.  I you really know me you will
know if I'm Kidding or Serious.  Check out the train in the background.
Several passed us while we were working, and they were very long.

This would be the Fearless Leader of our group, Yep the Boss.
I think she looks like Superman getting ready to fly, Spiderman
getting ready to throw a web, or Jeff thinks she looks like she
is climbing a really steep mountain.  The truth be told she could
do any of those things, if really needed.

A front view of the Skunk shed.  Can you tell I really do think
it is a cute old building.

This morning they put up their flag.  Wow, Ray Lund what a beautiful
sight it is!  You will be so impressed when you see it for yourself
next week.  Yep, they are coming with Squirrel and Cindy to bring
us our razor.  What good friends are those?  Well, maybe.  If they
never come we'll know what good friends they are?  Ha Ha Ha.


We traveled into Evanston This afternoon.  Yes, I wore my dress!  And a interesting
things occurred.  Everyone was so OVERLY KIND AND WELCOMING!   Every where
we went, they were wanting to be our best friends.  I have to admit the BADGE does
carry real weight and I was proud to be wearing it, even in a dress! 

We woke up to this!

It was pretty cold and we decided we have actually been called to
Winter Quarters Mission instead.

Nobody said we should bring a snow shovel.

This is a beautiful tie that Sister Pratt gave to Jeff last night at our Family Home Evening.
She gives them to all the Elders who come to serve at D.L. & L.  It is so special.  It brought
tears to my eyes, we look forward to Jeff being able to wear it in St.George this winter.

Jeff's snow was back in front of the Trek Center

 Decoration continued for the dedication.  All the Sisters have some great pioneer
Dresses from the time they served in Martin's Cove.

What a transformation for the cement building, it actually looks kinda nice.

After working in the morning the Elders drove to Evanston to pick up supplies.  Some of the Sisters

drove to Ogden to go to Costco for supplies for the dedication.  They only took one truck so myself and

two others stayed here.  I've been using my time to figure out how to import and copy the

pictures I've been taking.  So this takes my full attention.  And frankly, it is nice for the

down time.  I'm alone in the trailer, (we need to name it something better, more

personal, any suggestions?)  and being quiet feels good.  Jeff is funny, he is

enjoying getting to know the Elders, already he really likes Elder Francom, they are 

from Spanish Fork and he is great, a little like Jeff.  So Miah, I guess we won't be coming

home today.  But, We continue to find notes in our things, today we found

two of them, one had a tootsie roll and it from Jackson.

We have hung all the notes up on the slideout that sits over the kitchen table

we laugh at them and enjoy having you here with us.

Our work today was to clean up and ready the place for the dedication.  This is the trek center, inside is 

where all the hand carts are kept for the winter months.  Here under the patio was parked all the water buffalo trucks.  These were all moved out from under.  The carts moved to the back of the building.  We washed cupboards, swept floors.  My job was to clean all the windows, inside and out, really only six!  But

boy were they clean.  Until it rained this evening and now they are probably water spotted.  I also spent

time removing a cardboard wrapping around each one of these poles.  THICK CARDBOARD.  Now 

they would be considered NAKIE POLES.  (That is in honor of Ruby who loves to be NAKIE!)

 Jeff worked on the trucks, moving the water trucks and all the handcarts.

 This is part of them

 These are the water tanks

 And more carts, 126 to be exact.  Plans to build 10 more this year plus two more that will be 

handicap available.

 So do you think Jeff moved these all by himself?  Doesn't he look cool?

 Yes, the weather turned really cold, lots and lots of WIND, and I mean WIND.  Remember We are 

from Cedar City!  Thunder and lightening and rain and wind.  

We ended the evening with a group dinner and then a Family Home Evening program.  All the 

couples shared their family stories and it was funny, serious, spiritual, original and there were

so many 100% moments.  (You know what I mean when I say that?)

 I almost missed this picture, remember the snow bank in front of the Trek Center, Well Jeff

took it on and destroyed it!  Look back to the first picture, notice no snow.  They said that 

snow bank would last for weeks, oh no, not on Grandpa Cowan's watch.  So there are

things we can do.

We found out today that the building we meet in is actually a old train depot that was

moved from the tracks up here on the ranch.  It was used as a hunting lodge and later as 

a trek center.  Now they have the bigger version on the hill.  It is cool with the old wood in

it and the pictures on the wall of the old building are awesome.

And something else we learned.  The shed that is next to our trailer, the one we hung the

weather thermometer on, is actually called the skunk shed, yes , you guessed it.  Skunks

love to live under it and yes, we went in it today and yes it does smell like

skunk.  But it is a pretty yellow color.  Old wood also, it was moved from another location and

has history to it.  A guy hid in it after robbing a bank and the sheriff found him there and the

robber shot the sheriff.  We also saw another old building out on the ranch today that 

they call the "Dance Hall of the Dead"  It is called this because there are all kinds of 

bones in the bottom the the building!  What fun times we'll have this summer, Dancing with the 

Dead.

 I have to say I'm sorry, I didn't spell check my blog I just wrote, Figure It is a mind on overload.

These a HUGE holes we saw everywhere.  No walking in the dark around here.  

 This would be the Town Home collection of badger homes

Little Ruby could disappear down the HOLE.

Well, I am finished with this, I still need to label all our blue shirts (13) of them, with our names

so they can take them into Evanston tomorrow to get the handcart logo put on them.  Then we will be

Official.  Yes, we have been wearing our tags all day, in fact, Mine is still on!

 The official entrance into the Ranch

 Notice all the trees and vegetation

 Big snow banks in some area's 

 That is Elder Pratt next to Jeff, He is the boss, We had lots of help hooking up our trailer,

What rookies we were!

 Here are the handcarts, lots of them

 Our job this week is to move them all out of the building so the dedication can take place there.

here.  All of the past missionaries are invited to attend on Sunday evening.

Metal hand carts are on most of the fence gates

I

I Believe this is the skeleton of a lost, slow trekker!  Better keep up.

The trailer on the right of the red truck is ours.  On the fence post right next to this tool shed

Jeff hung up our outdoor thermometer.  Yes, we have taken possesion.

This is the building where we have meetings and eat dinner together.  Beautiful views from all sides,

views of open plains.

The remains of an old shearing shed.

Another picture of all the helpers, yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

A picture hanging in the big warehouse.  It is  MY Picture that hangs in the St. George Temple.

I told everyone to wave at me each week as they pass by it, so here am I, Waving to all of you!

Another view of our trailer group site coming back from the Sheep shearing building.

So we are in our new abode, Jeff has showered in our new spacest shower and he is heading to bed.

So little Miah, I guess Grandpa isn't running home tonight, maybe tomorrow.

 We put our name on our new home so you can

find us when you come, or we can find

ourselves!

We are going to be taking a lot more than the 

pioneers did.  Plus we have a way nice mattress inside.