More Than We Expected

Yesterday I went up into Corner Canyon with a friend hoping for some pictures of the sunset.

The sky did not cooperate at all (very hazy, and sadly no sun or sunset was visible).

We decided we'd walk along a trail hoping for some fall colors. While there were a few very pretty trees, we didn't get the amount we were hoping for.

Here's what I did get -

Then on our way back to the car, we saw these lovelies who posed for us for quite a while -
(disclaimer - some of the pictures are fuzzy because I had to shoot at a really slow shutter speed since it was pretty dark by this time. also, I used iphoto to lighten them up a little since even with a slow shutter, the pictures were fairly dark.)

the 1 buck with 4 does. the does all ran away when we came across them, but he stayed for a solo photo shoot.

then one of the does ventured back.

the buck walked away...

the doe got a solo shoot.

and then she walked to where the other three were waiting.

And lastly, I "found" a view of the Draper temple that I hadn't ever seen before -

Turned out to be a great night for shooting, missed sunset and all.

Turns Out I Wasn't Lying

I have never liked fish.

Never.

Occasionally I've eaten salmon made by my dad, and I give it the highest compliment I've ever given fish - it doesn't make me gag.

While serving my mission in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi, if I was ever offered/served fish, I told them I was allergic to it. I figured it was safer to lie, then to eat it and throw up in front of them.

Fast forward many years later, and you see me going to a kinesiologist yesterday. They're kind of voodoo doctors, but not. But it is really crazy what they do.

Anyway, he went through allergy/sensitivity things with me and fish/shellfish came up. He told me I should never eat it. I told him that I've never liked it, but my family has occasionally pressed me to try it.

Vindicated.

I feel like sometimes dislikes are formed because your body knows better than you do. I don't think it works all across the board, but it was really interesting some of the things that came up for me.

The saddest one of all was avocados. Apparently my body ranks a 3+ on his scale of 1-5 as having an allergy to avocados. Funny thing is, I didn't like them/eat them at all until my mission. So I'm wondering if maybe my body knew something I didn't know and then finally gave in.

I don't know.

It's kinda bizarre stuff that those doctors do. My brain kind of exploded last night after my 2-hour visit with him.

But I do feel pretty good about knowing I wasn't lying to people like I thought I was for 18 months. (:

Blankets

I follow a couple of blogs that make me wish I was crafty. This is one of them - maybematilda.com

I'm not crafty.

In fact, I sat out of the craft night my beehives had this past Wednesday. I went to observe and visit, but didn't want to subject any of the impressionable young girls to my frustrations or swearing (just kidding, I don't swear - much).

Anyway, back in April she posted this and I loved the pattern (from a different blogger with very easy-to-follow instructions), and really wanted to try it out. My friend Sharla was the only pregnant person I knew at the time, so by default - and because I really, really like her (: - she became my target. I asked her for her favorite colors for a baby boy blanket and she told me blues whites and grays.

The result -

The baby -

Then I mentioned the pattern to my sister and she said she'd like one. I asked her for colors.

After months of on-and-off working on it (more off than on), I finally cowboyed up (I'm not a cowboy, but I like that phrase) (: and knocked it out during General Conference - bonus it kept me awake (not that conference is boring, but sometimes it's hard staying awake while you're sitting on a couch in your pajamas or scrubs).

ignore the foot in the background - and take my word for it that it's not disembodied, it's just shoddy photography.

I must say, I really like them both. I like the bigger sections mixed in with the smaller sections. (another friend gave me that suggestion when I was starting the first one, and then my sister was in town when I was starting hers, so we figured out that pattern together).

If you too are dying for a ripple blanket provided by me, then just give me an order and then give me time - lots of time - and you'll eventually get one. Next on my list is one for a friend's baby girl, and then one for me. Those will be followed by a pink and green one and a pink and purple one for two of my nieces. They placed their orders back in June when I was babysitting and they saw me working on the first one. Of course, since they're 4 and 2 I'm hoping that they won't remember so when I finally give them one in 5-10 years --- or for their first baby --- they'll be super excited and surprised. (:

Here's hoping.

There's a Reason I'm Writing This at 3:51 am

And it's not because Max is really Batman in disguise -

after his first grooming session my sister pointed out the bat symbol across his chest. it happens every time, regardless of who grooms him.

It's not because his Halloween identity is Super Dog (obviously we can't let everyone know he's BatMax) -

And it's not even because Satan kitty has been playing with her stuffed mouse - all night - keeping me awake (I was afraid that would happen, but she ended up sleeping when the rest of us did).

It's because he endured me yelling at him and telling him to go back to sleep for over an hour (about an hour and a half) before I finally gave in to the repeated restlessness, panting, whimpering and whining and let him outside.

Where he proceeded to be sick. Very sick.


Let me back up.


I was telling a friend a while ago that sometimes he and or Belle would wake me up needing to go to the bathroom or get a drink of water. I was getting sick of it, and my friend reminded me that I needed to be alpha. I thought - 'I'm alpha in every other aspect of their lives, why can't I figure this out?!' So I started forcefully telling them to go back to sleep when they'd wake me up. It doesn't happen very often, but the few times that it has happened in the last month or so, it's worked.

So tonight (this morning), Max wakes me up before 3 wanting to get out of the room. I tell him to go back to sleep. Cue repeat of this exact scenario for an hour and a half. He starts panting (a sign, I learned from Dingo, that they're trying to hold it). Occasionally Max would come and put his head on my bed. I'd shove him away and tell him to go back to sleep. He was really restless the whole time and then I finally realized that I wasn't sleeping through all of this, so I may as well get up and let him outside.

So I did.

But only after I made sure he knew I was really upset with him (cue grabbing his muzzle and telling him I was mad, following a smacking of his side - my only defense... dog hides are tough and he probably didn't feel it much).

After leaving my room he ran - RAN - to the back door in my parent's room (their door, often closed at night, was left open). I wasn't about to walk through there to let him out so I snapped my fingers at him, said his name, and kept walking. He ran - RAN - out of their room and toward the other back door. By this time (I know, I deserve a medal) I knew something really wasn't normal.

I followed him outside and witnessed the above.

And I felt so bad. So incredibly bad.

I put him for a while outside apologizing and telling him he was amazingly awesome for not making me suffer the consequences of not letting him outside when he needed to go outside. I could hear his stomach gurgling while petting him and felt even worse.

We came inside, back to my bedroom, and a 15-minute petting and apologizing session began. Accompanied by more stomach gurgles.

Seriously, this dog deserves a 'major award.' Except for real.

I cannot tell you - but you can probably imagine - how different this blog post would have been had he not been such an amazing dog and left me to deal with the consequences of telling him to 'just lie down and go back to sleep!' when he was sick like that.

Mega-alpha-fail.

Poor, poor puppy.

I sure hope he's over it now.

Update at 4:45 -

He's still sick. I had barely turned off my light when he ran over to the bed. I responded much faster this time (see, I can learn even in the early morning hours) and let him outside. This time, when he was done, he decided to stay outside. Can't blame him, especially considering what he has to work with (me). 

Poor Max. 

Good night sweet pup. 

Tonight's Walk

the newly groomed pups.

a deer (right behind that weed bush).

pretty.

nice sunset.

fall colors.