Roaming Wyoming

We are back from our trip north. We enjoyed seeing a part of the country that is new to us. Southeastern Wyoming is pretty. Pretty flat, pretty sparse on trees, pretty windy, and full of pretty scenery.

This jet hangs in the atrium of C Concourse at the Denver Airport. Dad is standing under it. Pretty cool!

It was quite impressive to drive north out of Denver with the Rockies on the left and the prairie on the right. We watched the mountains sink below the horizon by the time we got to Cheyenne. Then there was nothing but rolling hills, grass, and a whole lot of sky.

We were in Cheyenne for a SARE meeting. The focus is on "sustainable agriculture" which usually means ag with few or no chemicals, small farms, and alternate ways of growing produce. We've been to these meetings before, but not in the last few years due to conflicts with NACAA in the summer. There is always a day of tours to different farms and ranches and then a day of meetings.

Our day of tours was a loop that went north out of Cheyenne and then east along the Platte River and then back west to Cheyenne. We drove by Fort Laramie. The road follows part of the immigrant trail on the north side of the Platte. We later found a map that had the "Mormon" trail marked. The Saints came through this area to this fort for supplies on their way west. We asked the local agent if you could see where the trails went. He said no, but on his ranch, which was along the river, he knew of places where you could, only he wasn't telling anyone about them.

We saw two grass-fed beef ranches, an organic co-op farm, and the University of Wyoming experimental farm that is exploring different crop rotations and doing feeding studies on cattle, among other things.

We also saw about four of these. Guess what they are. Uncle Frank could probably get it. These are unmanned missile silos. I guess they are spotted all over Wyoming and Nebraska.

Dad likes the manure part of the tours. In this case, it's part of the composting system this farmer uses.

Don't you love the front porch? The wife of this rancher teaches K-6 long distance on her computer to students all over Wyoming.


This is called a track truck. The answer to delivering feed to cattle over 4 feet of snow.

This is the view from the front porch. M-m-m-m.

The next day, Dad did his meetings and I explored Cheyenne. It's a nice town. Fairly easy to navigate, not very big (thank heavens), and beautiful weather. There are a lot of trains in Cheyenne. (I know, I know, that's why Cheyenne exists. Very similar to how Casa Grande came into being.) Lots of cowboys and a distinct western flavor to everything. They were setting up for their Frontier Days this weekend and next week. And lots of military. Evidently there's an airbase in Cheyenne. We were informed that they have no planes or airport at this base. It exists for training and missile support.

There are about 18 of these boots around Cheyenne. Each one is painted differently and has a different theme. They are 8' high and for $3000 you can have one of your own painted to your specifications. Proceeds go to the Frontier Days museum.

I went to a train museum, the state capitol, the state museum and did some drawing in the afternoon. You get a good feel for how small the population is in Wyoming when you walk into the capitol building. The door to the governor's office is right by the front door. I'm sure you wouldn't find the same setup in Phoenix or Salt Lake.

Cheyenne by the numbers:

2 - milk cans used to cook lunch for the tour. Wyomings version of a low country boil. Warning - don't put the lid on tight or lunch will explode.

6 - members in the mariachi group that sang for us at dinner Wednesday evening.

5 - boots I found during my wanderings in Cheyenne.

0 - days the wind didn't blow. I was assured the wind ALWAYS blows in Cheyenne.

On the way back to Denver, we drove up to Estes Park through some very twisty canyons. We went from 6,000 feet elevation to 10,000 feet and then back down to the flat lands. Beautiful country.

So we're home. We're anticipating Kristy's visit this week and then I'm off to San Diego for yearbook camp. The week after, we'll see everyone in Boise. Whew!!! What a summer.

The Secret Garden has a doorway

It's finished! It's done! I'm sure you were all just positive that it would never happen. But it has, so there.

What's done? The trellis. The trellis that Jeff drew the plans for. The trellis that Jeff and Matt buried the foundation blocks for. The trellis Matt and Dad cut the lumber for. The trellis that Matt and Dad stained the pieces of and it sat in the backyard for weeks. It's done.

It took Dad and I a couple of weeks and the main part of two Saturdays to get it completed. We've stared at levels until our eyes cross. We've become adept at clamping braces and drilling in screws. Dad's A-1 modification for the base braces is absolutely beautiful. In the process of completing that modification, he made a 2"x 2" out of a piece of 2" x 4". (Sorry, random trivia)

(This is the view out the kitchen window.)

So now we wait for the rose bushes to come in. Dad ordered climbing roses from Phil Bond. They will be planted on both sides of the trellis and we're going to train them up over the top.

Why, you may ask, "Secret Garden"? How many of you spent quiet hours on a blanket or in a chair in this side area? Now it's Dad's turn. A man has to put his garden wherever he can when he loses his garden in the backyard.

It's a Wedding!!!!!

What it is about Gibson's and the special events in their lives? We can't seem to do things quietly and calmly. We make cakes, send sonograms, proclaim the news as we walk in the door. Little did we know that Dana and Matt's move north would turn into something else entirely.

We expected to see Jeff and Melanie after we arrived at Rodney's Wednesday night. Although it was after 10, they were anxious to come over. We were sitting and talking about stuff when Jeff asked when I start school (Note here: This is my remembery of events. The details will be different from someone else, but the gist will be the same.) I told him August 5th and he wanted to know what I would be doing the weekend before. When I asked why he said that it had something to do with this and he pulled Melanie's hand forward. There's a beautiful engagement ring and they both wore big smiles.

We were all excited about the news. We're glad to have Melanie in the family. She and Jeff go well together. The bad part of this is that Marja was in the kitchen when this went down and had to hurry back to catch up on events.

So, the stage is set for another family get-together. The wedding will be August 1 in the Boise temple. There will be a reception in Boise after the wedding and one in Casa Grande August 8. Everyone is moving into high gear to take care of details. There won't be a long receiving line. There will be dancing. Jeff has requested a chocolate fountain at the Boise reception and a pit cook in Casa Grande. Melanie's colors are rose red and daisy yellow. We'll have more information as the day gets closer.

Melanie and Jeff talked with Grandad and Grandma Gibson on Skype Friday morning after their photography session. We were able to meet Melanie's parents Friday night. They were on their way to Park City and detoured to Provo so we could get together.

This is a good beginning to a summer of frentic activity. We'll have lots of things to do before August 1. We'll need to coordinate family travel and make plans for Boise. We are looking forward to this wedding.

I do have a few words for those of you who called while we were traveling north. It was a surprise to have you ask how the trip was going. I didn't know taking Dana and Matt to Provo was of such interest to their siblings. I'm sorry we took so long on the trip that you couldn't talk to us after we received the news, but it's only fair, since you knew the news before your parents.

The Real Reason we went to Provo

We are now "empty-nesters". Well, only temporarily. Dana and Matt are transplanted in beautiful, rainy, Utah valley and Dad and I are home.

We loaded up the car and drove up on Wednesday, June 17. As you can see, the car was really loaded. Trust me, the trunk was FULL. We had a good trip. The weather was cool. We stopped off at Lee's Ferry to pay homage, as Dad puts it, to those early ancestors who crossed the Colorado at that point.

Rain does have benefits. More than reviving thirsty plants. Why are rainbows so fun?

We arrived at Rodney & Marja's about 10:30 pm, tired, a little damp, but very glad to share Jeff and Melanie's news with them.

We parked Dana in Alpine Court Apts on Thursday. Took about 3 trips up the stairs to the third floor to get everything up to her room. No one was in, but they had left a note welcoming her.

Matt went to SLC with Jeff to catch the wedding of one of his companions in the SL temple.

Friday, I did grocery shopping for Dana while Dad and the boys had adventures in Spanish Fork and Springville. The shopping was fun. Macey's has all kinds of neat stuff. I'm talking food storage stuff, although the bath poof critters were cute. Dad found an old friend who works with rocks gone from his shop and Jeff couldn't find the printer he was assured was in Springville. The address was in the middle of an alfalfa field.

We got Matt's books and moved him into his room. Sorry, Dana took photos, I didn't, but if you've seen one cinderblock-walled dorm room, you've seen them all.

We met Melanie's parents Friday night as they stopped on their way to Park City. Then Saturday, Dad and I were headed south again. In the rain. We had fun along the way with a motorcycle "gang".

We spent about an hour in their company, either behind them or in the middle of them before we could pass them. This was between Hatch and Junction. This are not a lot of passing lanes through the canyons there. They were riding along about the speed limit. There was about 12-15 cycles, most carrying double riders. Got very frustrating.

We got home about 5:30, Arizona time, and were able to get unpacked and back into the groove.

There is one good thing to come out of this change. I am getting faster at texting. We had text sessions going with Matt and Dana on the way home, mostly checking of move-in questions. But Dana helped speed the day along.

About Kanab came a message, "Mom, how do you make no-bakes?" "Call your sisters."

Then Flagstaff, "Mom, how do you make no-bakes?" "I don't remember. We'll be home in 3 hours."

Then Phoenix. Low battery signal. "Are you home yet?" "1 hour. Low battery." "So? Tell Dad to put the pedal to the metal." "He's pedalling as fast as he can." "What. Dad's speeding?" "LOL" "No! I forbid you to use LOL."

Riggs Road. "Are you there yet?" "20 minutes. What is this? 'Are we there yet?'." "Sure!"

We laughed. It sure helped Dad and I stay awake and alert the last bit to home. She did finally get the recipe and the cookies turned out fine.

So Matt and Dana are spreading their wings and Dad and I are going to learn how to do things with just the two of us again. Life is good.

It's Emma's turn!

Same event. Different place and people. Same fun. Does that make you feel like you are interchangeable? Naw, you are all unique and we're glad it's that way. So . . . Ohio. Beautiful weekend. Nice temperatures and, as Dana says, "It's green!"

Dana and I flew into Columbus on Thursday evening and were able to spend the next three days with Katie & Michael and kids. We enjoyed playing with Jacob and Rachel. Had a good time at the zoo and really got a kick out of watching the menagerie that lives in their backyard. Sorry. When all you're used to seeing is lizards, occasional cats and birds, and the odd scorpion, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, and cardinals are very interesting.

Our trip to the zoo was fun, especially for Jacob and the boatride. He was so enthralled by the boats that he watched them more than the animals. I liked the aquarium and the clear sides that let you see all the fish.

One afternoon we played in the backyard, blew bubbles, watered the garden and other stuff.

The fun doubled Saturday evening when Peter and Kristy and family and the Simpson grandparents came in. Katelyn and Josh moved right in and all the cousins had fun playing together.

The blessing Sunday went off without a hitch. Emma was quiet during the whole thing and didn't protest until we took pictures. Sound familiar?

We had a great time, just visiting and talking about families, jobs and other stuff. It's amazing what kind of conversation you can have about someone's cell phone directory. Ask Dana about it.

One thing we girls decided was that we need a girl's day, night, or weekend (right, Janessa?). We just need to figure out when and where. We realize that may need to be postponed a bit until the babies are bigger and can be left with daddies, but put your thinking caps on and let's see what we can come up with.

A note to close with. I am just a little annoyed when the pilot of my airplane does a sales pitch over the intercom for a company credit card. It's bad enough that my knees are scrunched and it's a four hour flight. I just wish I had my caller ID so I could "Mo-o-o!" back.

Richard the Fourth

So the fourth Richard Gibson has been added to the line. What fun. Dad and I went out to Dallas and its environs to attend the happy event. We flew into Dallas in the middle of thunderclouds and then spent 2 hours struggling with map directions from the internet and Texas highway reality to make a 45 minutes trip down to Mansfield to spend the weekend with Craig, Janessa and the kids.

Mansfield is a nice little town. We enjoyed the clouds, the greenery, the critters (saw squirrels and rabbits), the rain and the company. Craig has some swallows that have taken up residence in the roof of their patio. It's a beautiful nest. They like to perch on the fan and go around as the wind blows the vanes.

Janessa's family came in on Saturday also so there were cousins galore and lots of talking, stories and food which makes for a good visit. Craig grilled hamburgers and hotdogs Saturday evening and we had Janessa's yummy enchiladas (in three versions: chicken, beef, and veggie) Sunday.

Corban slept through his blessing and Sacrament meeting. When it came time for pictures he was ready for dinner and yelled through the whole thing.

We got to take time for walks on Sunday and Monday before everyone took off. Sunday evening was fun with lightning bugs and rain. Monday was cool and a nice stretch of the legs before we had to leave for the airport. It was too short. We'll have to go back.

Does he not look like his Daddy? I've got find the baby pictures!

IT'S FOR REAL!!!! As if there was any doubt.

As Jeff commented, he can now put "Engineer" on his resume instead of "student". It was a fun weekend and I'm sorry I'm so slow on this. The end of school is always crazy. I can see all your heads nodding in agreement.

We had a great visit in Provo. The weather, as usual, played along and gave us a beautiful graduation day that degenerated into a wet, snowy weekend just for Dana's benefit. Heaven knows that the rest of Provo and environs was heartily tired of the white fluffy stuff. Allison Leybas spent her Spring break from Alpine Elementary just the week before in Arizona with her Mom and Dad because she was tired of the snow. I know, Peter, there's no accounting for taste.

Back to Jeff and the reason we were in Provo in the first place. Elizabeth and Grandparents Larsen went with us (us being Mom, Dad, Matt and Dana) to the Smith Field House to watch the commencement excercises for the School of Engineering. It was a very nice program and it moved along nicely. I guess they have to if they have 3 or 4 taking place in the same building and you have to move all those people in and out in a timely manner.

We were sitting and waiting for "Pomp and Circumstance" when I realized that we had failed to find out from Jeff which side he would be on. Someone said to just look for a real tall graduate. That lasted about the first 30 seconds. Do you know how many tall robed men there were? And quite a few were taller than Jeff. However, we found him and watched him walk. So now it's official. He's a grad student! Check out our graduate.

We got together at Rodney & Marja's Friday evening for dinner. Jeff cooked the steaks and Marja and Whitney provided the salads and dessert. Austin and his fiancee came with Whitney and Craig. Jeff's friend, Melanie Bird, came also to share the event.

We had a good time, although it was too short. Dad and I came home Saturday morning. Dad was officiating at Marilyn Cooper's wedding in the afternoon and I was taking my editors to meet with the Herff-Jones artist to create our cover for next year's yearbook. Matt and Dana stayed over until Sunday evening. Dad's instructions to Jeff were to show them a typical BYU weekend. From what I've gathered, they helped Melanie move, went bowling, walked to church in the rain and walked out in snow. Sounds typical to me.

We enjoyed the visit. We enjoyed meeting Melanie and spending time with Jeff and the rest of the Larsen clan. We are very grateful to Rodney and Marja for opening their home for us. Let's see. . . what's next? Oh yes, baby blessings. The fun never ends.