tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90289172031492786762024-03-13T00:46:59.218-06:00Artwife Needs a LifeMy musings about places, activities, and other adventures in the art of living.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.comBlogger242125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-40811475792257624872018-03-13T16:34:00.000-06:002018-03-13T16:34:23.772-06:00Mere Illustration and Frederic RemingtonLast weekend I was cutting it close, taking a couple hours on Friday to go see the <i>Go West!</i> exhibit that ended Sunday. This was an amazing collection from the Buffalo Bill Center of the West showcased at the newly renovated UMFA (Utah Museum of Fine Art) building.<div>
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Shoshone Feather Bonnet ca. 1880</div>
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The exhibit had paintings, and also Native American bonnets, bags, and clothing. I was amazed as always by intricate bead work and quill work. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAv6FAzvtEvOVhn6XY9YGA6Ye08Qi-Cf81JiboQrV_w6TprbgvCDa2XTibmjDA_m0yFds_wiOLXqhYJLunMTfvG4u-Y5FURjbPI4ipB35Dl2ceek7opJsIXhJ5DSa0MwMIR_mwWXsCgw/s1600/porcupine+quill+bag-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="600" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAv6FAzvtEvOVhn6XY9YGA6Ye08Qi-Cf81JiboQrV_w6TprbgvCDa2XTibmjDA_m0yFds_wiOLXqhYJLunMTfvG4u-Y5FURjbPI4ipB35Dl2ceek7opJsIXhJ5DSa0MwMIR_mwWXsCgw/s320/porcupine+quill+bag-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Design made with porcupine quills on a bag</div>
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Featured artists included Charles Russell, Thomas Moran, W.H.D. Koerner, Carl Rungius, Albert Bierstadt, Rosa Bonheur, and more. Here are some of my favorite pieces from the exhibit.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGd0LUrcOs7qbotS8jfB1oZ25uEzoKlrTAG9pmOhZH_3-3sEsiG3THfjQzjpQ30Neqrw0C9HrygXSXZKxZ9_D0ESRTogmk8J0Of6hKpwJDrRMVSYe1RCsAW9tdkVWnxZ2rzd8s92wRaPY/s1600/madonna+of+the+prairie-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGd0LUrcOs7qbotS8jfB1oZ25uEzoKlrTAG9pmOhZH_3-3sEsiG3THfjQzjpQ30Neqrw0C9HrygXSXZKxZ9_D0ESRTogmk8J0Of6hKpwJDrRMVSYe1RCsAW9tdkVWnxZ2rzd8s92wRaPY/s320/madonna+of+the+prairie-sm.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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W.H.D. Koerner's Madonna of the Prairie</div>
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Carl Rungius' In the Foothills (Antelope)</div>
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As I moved through the collection reading the titles and descriptions of the art, I paused by one of Frederic Remington's works. The title of the painting is <i>The War Bridle</i> and the piece was completed late in the artist's career, in 1909. The sign by the painting read in part:<br />
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Critics praised this picture for Remington's new style and remarked that it would secure the artist's reputation as a true American painter rather than as a mere illustrator.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67jWkCi-UjCA2XtaZL_QzPQi1m_lssgqaIjlRmuxmPiycAkA7ibPO56ZXdlzeDBzwNlS-HEjptMTUWXz8qAPF4ihLoQ3n82_bTlXUEgMMjPnPVSlvLTINuhKpiNxKUKfyeIv0DPWTYD0/s1600/remington+1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="600" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67jWkCi-UjCA2XtaZL_QzPQi1m_lssgqaIjlRmuxmPiycAkA7ibPO56ZXdlzeDBzwNlS-HEjptMTUWXz8qAPF4ihLoQ3n82_bTlXUEgMMjPnPVSlvLTINuhKpiNxKUKfyeIv0DPWTYD0/s320/remington+1-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Frederic Remington's The War Bridle, 1909</div>
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It's a beautiful painting, and it has a more impressionistic feel than Remington's typical realistic style. However, I was taken aback that the body of work he had been producing for years was, in the critic's view, not what made him a "true American painter." Apparently, everything else he produced was "mere illustration." Let's take a look at another painting by Remington.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3KLp8aZo54GlsLEffsZLBNVLsJGHQjIdIOsqyBfbuHoDy2fMPpW5cHyaiCXxvzfcW5NYskUw1Aqcz1XHbGoWuXCblIaq4O3ZBvNw-_-wGbbp-RyGqKuNowogmizllFn3MisqVFfwSQc/s1600/remington+3-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3KLp8aZo54GlsLEffsZLBNVLsJGHQjIdIOsqyBfbuHoDy2fMPpW5cHyaiCXxvzfcW5NYskUw1Aqcz1XHbGoWuXCblIaq4O3ZBvNw-_-wGbbp-RyGqKuNowogmizllFn3MisqVFfwSQc/s320/remington+3-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Frederic Remington's Prospecting for Cattle Range, 1889</div>
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<i>Prospecting for Cattle Range</i> was hanging on the wall around the corner. It was a privately commissioned piece Remington painted nearly twenty years before <i>The War Bridle</i>. Is it any less the work of a true American painter?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yx9GRGXI82roeRxyaP40uKy6nU2itZQ6ykCT4MbTTBZJ-bYVL40B-aa_hwWNgLNjaccnvYxphEB0PKMHQjdErhiKz8Nemfc1RiBkhtNfq47FT52c5cXHcHKl8T64H13wrHQ2u3JSRj0/s1600/remington+3+detail-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yx9GRGXI82roeRxyaP40uKy6nU2itZQ6ykCT4MbTTBZJ-bYVL40B-aa_hwWNgLNjaccnvYxphEB0PKMHQjdErhiKz8Nemfc1RiBkhtNfq47FT52c5cXHcHKl8T64H13wrHQ2u3JSRj0/s320/remington+3+detail-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Detail from Remington's Prospecting for Cattle Range</div>
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Remington's skill in composition, drawing, and painting are all visible here. The exhibit also had one of Remington's sculptures. His poses in sculpture are dynamic, gravity defying, and beautiful from any angle. Was not his ability in drawing, painting, and sculpting what made him a true American artist? Funny to read a perspective that without his change of style, he was viewed at the time as a mere illustrator. As if illustration is not art.</div>
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<i>Go West!</i> was a wonderful exhibit, and I am glad I had the opportunity to see it. If you missed it, maybe you'll get a chance to go to the <a href="https://centerofthewest.org/">Buffalo Bill Center of the West</a> in Cody, Wyoming to see these, and many more pieces of art.</div>
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<a href="https://www.frederic-remington.org/">More of Remington's art can be viewed here</a>.</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-66799963062192711672017-12-06T15:27:00.000-07:002017-12-06T15:27:01.748-07:005 Things I Learned From NaNoWriMo<br />
I think I was in junior high the first time I began writing a novel. I don't think I even created a full chapter. I had a scene, and two characters, and wasn't sure where to go from there. In college, I typed several chapters of another novel idea that also ended up going nowhere. Both starts could have been viable drafts, but I had neither the knowledge nor inclination to stay with those ideas long enough to develop them into something more complete. Since that time, I have worked hard to convince myself I am not a writer, although I find myself daydreaming scenes, writing picture book drafts, and crafting poetry. This year, as <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/">National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)</a> rolled around, I decided to take the plunge. I created an account, signed up on the NaNoWriMo website, and on November 1, I began. Here is what I learned on my way to 50,000+ words:<br />
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<b>1) Planning matters</b>. As much as I want to be a discovery writer (or "pantser") who sits down and goes wherever the writing muse leads me, I can't write without some sort of plan. I had never made an outline for a novel before, so creating a plan was daunting. However, the value of NaNoWriMo is community, and several fellow writers posted links to helpful online sources that aided me in developing a rough map to where I wanted to go. I suspect that most writers who successfully complete NaNoWriMo have an outline.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Thumb" height="320" src="https://d3bjkcszbfqz72.cloudfront.net/covers/1284188/thumb.jpg?1509144119" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="243" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My "book cover" for NaNoWriMo</td></tr>
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<b>2) Research!</b> This is the most amazing thing I discovered on the NaNoWriMo website. A participant can post questions and other participants write answers. I am a confirmed procrastinator, and I can tell you from experience that it is possible to spend hours scrolling through the research questions in this section of the website instead of actually writing. It is very entertaining! I even found a couple questions I could answer. And, thank you to the people who took time to answer my questions about riding on a Greyhound bus. My novel is better for your input.<br />
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<b>3) Word Sprints are great. </b>This might be the most valuable tool I picked up from NaNoWriMo. In a word sprint,you set a timer and see how many words you can write in your pre-determined time limit. The benefit for me was that I figured I could write<i> something</i> for ten or fifteen minutes and then quit. However, when the time was up, I was often mid-scene and was able to continue writing. If I wanted to quit after the word sprint, at least I had written something that day. I used word sprints more than once when I felt stuck.<br />
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<b>4) I can write even when I don't feel like it and even when my mind is blank.</b> I confess, I did a novel-in-a-month plan once before, so when I entered NaNoWriMo, I was confident I could finish. However, the writing I did before had been percolating in my brain for years. It was material I knew well and it had an emotional connection for me. This time, I set out with an idea that I toyed with over the summer. It was not nearly as developed. I did not know my characters particularly well, and sometimes I really dreaded going over to my computer and typing. It was WORK to get the words down in November. But I did it anyway, and I am pretty proud of that. Accountability and those little "badges" I earned on the website were enough to keep me going on the tough days. My reward is that I have a rough draft and some notes on how to improve it.<br />
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<b>5) I am happier when I write.</b> This was a bit of a surprise. Even though my 50,000 words are a mess, even though I have a tremendous amount of daunting revisions awaiting me, and even though this "novel" may never see the light of day, it made me happy to get an idea out of my head and committed to words on a page. And I am looking forward to the revision process. Because I am not as emotionally invested in this particular project yet, it feels more like a puzzle to be solved, and I look forward to spending more time with this story I have created to see if I really can make it work.<br />
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I plan to do NaNoWriMo again. It was a great experience for me, and a lot of fun. Although I didn't participate in a local "write-in," I appreciated having online support from my home region. The beauty of NaNoWriMo participation is you can be as involved or as anonymous as you would like. And at the end of the month, there is a good chance you will have more words written than if you hadn't signed up. Happy writing!<br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-75025402531604444122017-11-15T17:24:00.002-07:002017-11-16T13:37:45.505-07:00Grateful Every DayI meant to do it this year. I really did. I was going to be one of the people who remembered to post something they were thankful for every day online. But November rolled around, and I couldn't do it. It isn't that I'm not grateful. I am. I couldn't bring myself to tell the world in a way that felt right to me. So now it is November 15, and I am enjoying feeling grateful in my own way, and I'm okay with that. Mind you, one of my friends is posting things that she is grateful for,and guess what? I love it. I love reading what she has to say, and looking at her images. Do I feel like she is bragging? Not at all. In fact, she is grateful for many things we tend to take for granted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8obxiUMMGEQ4MuhRZA96HVbuFHtkQBlGEfCKuWTctNFxIkJW_PFUil5k7hNmT9DBFpAGf6Z1RTNIbHD-WH1larI8uG-23hRkCOs6xPe3XyNTGRXRPvmuBuQYtFsoBK1Uc2S_RWnkMfo/s1600/arches1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="427" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8obxiUMMGEQ4MuhRZA96HVbuFHtkQBlGEfCKuWTctNFxIkJW_PFUil5k7hNmT9DBFpAGf6Z1RTNIbHD-WH1larI8uG-23hRkCOs6xPe3XyNTGRXRPvmuBuQYtFsoBK1Uc2S_RWnkMfo/s320/arches1-sm.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
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Tree at Arches National Park </div>
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Take health. It is easy to take health for granted. I've had some health challenges over the years. Most of us get a turn at that in life. Nothing makes me more grateful for being well than being sick. But often it takes an illness, or injury, or time on the sidelines in life to make me realize I really want to be in the game.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3yV__QY2cYjNJcAZ1DXm0ql3QG15cXSvYWa70guNN0h6USaBGk48WxzH7rQXBWlVT4UYGuCWZBEp91lhMw4nfVJgpCytn0DSdiFBJ1hdQN4CsLSIys_azFpttCAA9EQ9LiMqKm3d0AA/s1600/shuttlecock-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="600" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3yV__QY2cYjNJcAZ1DXm0ql3QG15cXSvYWa70guNN0h6USaBGk48WxzH7rQXBWlVT4UYGuCWZBEp91lhMw4nfVJgpCytn0DSdiFBJ1hdQN4CsLSIys_azFpttCAA9EQ9LiMqKm3d0AA/s320/shuttlecock-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Nelson-Atkins Museum</div>
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And that is something I have learned to appreciate more--being in the game. When I take a moment to enjoy the moment, I find it is easy to be grateful for things. For example, it is late afternoon in November, and the slant of light that illuminated the pine tree outside my picture window for a few minutes was beautiful. The little junco hopping under my bird feeder looks so dapper with his deep black hood, he makes me smile. We had a bumper crop of acorn squash in the garden this year, and while squash roasts in my oven, I have time to sit here, and write for a few minutes while my oven does the work, and for that, I am also grateful.<br />
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Indian Paintbrush</div>
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So I guess something I am really grateful for is that we get a chance to play this game of life. We all have our own strengths, and our own challenges. Some of us appear to be winning, or going in for a score, and others of us are struggling to even get in the game, or to remember which way to kick the ball. But none of that matters. What matters is that we get to play. That's what I am grateful for every day. That I get to be in the game.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-63190958515719292262017-09-04T12:43:00.000-06:002017-09-04T12:43:06.158-06:00Applesauce On Labor Day<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country." --US Department of Labor</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> While many people are enjoying their last gasp of summer today (boating, camping, etc.), I find myself once again laboring on Labor Day. The farmer's markets feature stands laden with the late summer harvest: apples, peaches, pears, melons, corn, and more. Last year I was canning peaches on Labor Day, and this year, I am bottling homemade applesauce. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Several years ago, wanting to make sugar-free applesauce for my infant son, I started using Gala apples. This apple is sweet enough that no sugar is needed, and it makes a light, beautiful applesauce.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first step in making applesauce is washing and quartering all the apples. </span><br />
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Gala apples for applesauce</div>
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Thanks to a great invention called the Victorio strainer, there is no need to peel the apples. My mom has owned her Victorio strainer for years, and my sisters and I agree that we are never making applesauce without one.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEa6FnUKhVb8gU1k4fbx73PL3hDPYbNtBryKIgUl3rhRg6rKcFTDeBKns-DZ5Gd1Il3JuIO2b4hEPRd2z1LvmJ1Zvc6d37C9xW25pdS4rMrpdAeou8q_hdEJn3z8QvOjU-7obR_bX_FJQ/s1600/applesauce4-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEa6FnUKhVb8gU1k4fbx73PL3hDPYbNtBryKIgUl3rhRg6rKcFTDeBKns-DZ5Gd1Il3JuIO2b4hEPRd2z1LvmJ1Zvc6d37C9xW25pdS4rMrpdAeou8q_hdEJn3z8QvOjU-7obR_bX_FJQ/s320/applesauce4-sm.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
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Victorio strainer</div>
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The Victorio strainer was originally marketed to process tomatoes into pasta sauce. The brand originated in 1937, and you can purchase Victorio products today. Eventually some smart person discovered the strainer was wonderful for making applesauce, and I am grateful they did. As a kid, I was fascinated by this mechanism that took apples placed in the top bowl, ran them through a strainer while we took turns moving the crank handle, and sent smooth applesauce out the front. Peels, stems, cores, seeds, and other apple garbage circled through the strainer and out the end. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATghi1w8FRDLH52jkSOgQPRs7ax4nq7xFz5d_WvGCLyxhlw4UvlG3PUODMC12WWmrDpFqg73c8lTLmVbOpqGMW3B-p4P44JupbqT2VngElW-gIq2tnxRZfL2_MRfrpcHrdJz0b4DhP7A/s1600/applesauce5-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="650" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATghi1w8FRDLH52jkSOgQPRs7ax4nq7xFz5d_WvGCLyxhlw4UvlG3PUODMC12WWmrDpFqg73c8lTLmVbOpqGMW3B-p4P44JupbqT2VngElW-gIq2tnxRZfL2_MRfrpcHrdJz0b4DhP7A/s320/applesauce5-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Apples in the Victorio strainer</div>
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Applesauce coming out of the strainer.</div>
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Peelings collecting out the side of the strainer.</div>
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I remember summer days when my mother, grandmother, and aunts gathered in our tiny kitchen and bottled cherries, apricots, peaches, pears, and applesauce. One year my mom and dad made apricot fruit leather and dried apricots, and our backyard held tables with screens covering the fruit while it dried in the sun. </div>
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Today I joined my mother and two sisters in that same kitchen (now expanded) and we made applesauce together. Canning is not always something I want to tackle alone, and I appreciate being able to work with a team. I could walk in to a store and buy applesauce, but there is something rewarding about putting in the work to preserve it myself. And I can control the quality of the product. More importantly, it is a great excuse to spend time with my family. That, too me, is priceless.</div>
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This year, my Gala apples were purchased from <a href="http://www.pynefarms.com/">Pyne Farms</a> at the Murray Farmer's Market. We taste-tested a few apples before selecting these. Yum! </div>
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Here is the result of my work this Labor Day. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistd9_exqpFZlQgWRvbwOvQLUEDqdLOpexTHtuSXPvj0xYz926ycDmNrdgis5qqHCfiwssvBamDQOOAK8cCdjcvg53hYJ_NkREKZXVAsYs2N2RJSB5mAYiaorffoiZYrT0V7BgaQRxME8/s1600/applesauce6-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="650" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistd9_exqpFZlQgWRvbwOvQLUEDqdLOpexTHtuSXPvj0xYz926ycDmNrdgis5qqHCfiwssvBamDQOOAK8cCdjcvg53hYJ_NkREKZXVAsYs2N2RJSB5mAYiaorffoiZYrT0V7BgaQRxME8/s320/applesauce6-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Applesauce 2017</div>
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<u><b>Applesauce with Gala Apples (my mother's recipe)</b></u></div>
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Wash and quarter apples. Let stand in cold water and lemon juice (the lemon juice keeps the apples from browning. Just a squirt or two will be enough). Fill a 6 qt. kettle with apples, heaped up. Add about 2 cups of water. (The more water, the thinner the applesauce). Cook by bringing the water to a boil, then turning the heat down and simmering the apples until tender. Stir occasionally, and be careful not to let the apples scorch. When apples are tender, pass through a Victorio strainer. Stir applesauce and see if it is the desired thickness. If necessary, pour cooking liquid through the strainer to thin the applesauce. Fill clean pint jars with hot applesauce to 3/4" from the top. Add lids and process in a water bath canner for 25 minutes.</div>
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1 box of Gala apples yields 13 - 16 pints of applesauce.</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-58894653940835508382017-05-03T16:54:00.000-06:002017-05-03T16:55:48.059-06:00Soaked Shoes in the Cemetery<div class="MsoNormal">
The
sodden grass quickly soaked through the denim fabric of my shoes. No umbrella could save my feet in this
rain. Good thing this cemetery isn’t too
big, I thought. This is sort of like
looking for a needle in a haystack, but the graves have to be here,
somewhere. I looked at my shoes and my
soaking feet. No way were they going to
dry on the hour and a half drive I had to make to get home. What was I doing here in a cemetery in Hyde
Park, Utah (nearly 100 miles from home) on a rainy Saturday afternoon,
anyway? <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyPY5r-q_-mJx_tFNq9bw-ObJyqt9m60R15rx_oHEcPf3Wg2cemAFUIfHxGPXhuMx3HnnPYOj-61cPH86f6pFFY8VFlZRSwIncpazV26ZznLrVcJKH7Yip8W0MTsA_dAT4oR1fBCLAXg/s1600/shoes-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyPY5r-q_-mJx_tFNq9bw-ObJyqt9m60R15rx_oHEcPf3Wg2cemAFUIfHxGPXhuMx3HnnPYOj-61cPH86f6pFFY8VFlZRSwIncpazV26ZznLrVcJKH7Yip8W0MTsA_dAT4oR1fBCLAXg/s320/shoes-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For as
long as I can remember, my family has gathered and gone to visit cemeteries,
usually in conjunction with Memorial Day weekend. The Murray City Cemetery was a favorite when
I was young, as monuments stretched over my head. I was fascinated by these tall tributes to a
life lived and lost. We ran freely among
the headstones, but my father taught us not to climb on the inviting grave
markers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Memorial
Estates became a mainstay in my family after the death of my brother in
1976. For a time, we visited the
cemetery weekly, on Sundays. Week after
week we arrived at the cemetery to find a flower on my brother’s grave. We never knew who placed it there. But every week we knew that someone
remembered him, and it was a great gift of comfort to us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The
list of graves to visit at Memorial Estates grew to include four former
classmates (two died in the 5<sup>th</sup> grade, one passed away in high school,
and another died at the age of 22, shortly after her marriage). Family also began filling the plots near my
brother’s resting place: my
grandparents, my aunt, my infant cousin.
The South Jordan Cemetery became a regular on the visit list as well. There we decorated graves for my father-in-law, his mother,
and other relatives, I began wandering this cemetery looking for my husband’s
ancestors who had settled this place and raised their families before ending up here, beneath the lawn. My children and I meandered through the headstones, reading names, looking for ones familiar from genealogy
charts and family stories. "If it is a Holt, Beckstead, or Newbold," I told my
kids, "they are related to you!"<o:p></o:p></div>
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I began
visiting graves on vacations and other trips:
the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C.; the Old Pioneer
Burial Ground in Nauvoo, Ill.; JFK’s grave in Arlington National Cemetery; Charles Lindbergh's grave on Maui; Sacagawea on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming (ok, so many historians
believe this is not really Sacagawea's burial place, but it is still a beautiful
cemetery); and the grave of Georges Seurat and other famous people in Pere
LaChaise in Paris, France. I have walked
through small cemeteries off the side of the road, or in small towns. I have read inscriptions and epitaphs. I love cemeteries. They are beautiful and
peaceful, and it is fascinating to me how we choose to honor our dead.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnkp7IrbzN1oTVKNl28dHoOUDI6Lg3xHupW2wCp2oLly8NPRmOit1juyElCQxlVncKk68Kej6gIuKfjXLJ256Dmzvo7GpsdvUzdbO0DCUxNKEP-kEAmRVOglOsPSBWL34nBE1qEUKYn4/s1600/seurat+family+marker-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnkp7IrbzN1oTVKNl28dHoOUDI6Lg3xHupW2wCp2oLly8NPRmOit1juyElCQxlVncKk68Kej6gIuKfjXLJ256Dmzvo7GpsdvUzdbO0DCUxNKEP-kEAmRVOglOsPSBWL34nBE1qEUKYn4/s320/seurat+family+marker-sm.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
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Seurat Family Tomb in Paris</div>
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Once I
stood, plat number and map in hand, and tried to find an ancestor in the <a href="http://artwifeneedsalife.blogspot.com/2015/04/visiting-salt-lake-city-cemetery.html">Salt Lake City Cemetery</a>, but William Lewis escaped me. No matter how hard I looked, I could not find
his grave. The day was long, and we were
all getting tired, so we left. Fast
forward a couple of years, and I was back looking for William Lewis. And there was a tall monument to him, and
other family members. Pretty hard to
miss! I have no idea why I couldn’t find
it the first time, but I was happy to see it.
It felt like quite a victory to finally locate his grave.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I love
the chase. I love finding the marker,
the place where my family member lies in repose. I love putting together pieces of
information. I soak in the sorrow and
solemnity when an infant lies alone in a plot, no family nearby, or when a
family has lost child after child to early death. Cemeteries are a wealth of information. They
are also an art exhibit, filled with poems and prose, sculpture and carvings.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I had
to go to Logan to visit the Utah State University campus that Saturday. Prior to my visit, I remembered my mom telling me about
relatives buried in the Logan area. A
quick search of the Findagrave website (a blessing to family history
researchers everywhere!), informed me that Luther C. Burnham was buried in
Hyde Park. It wasn't far from the USU campus and there might be time to visit once I was through in Logan....<o:p></o:p></div>
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So
maybe now you can understand how I ended up in Hyde Park with soaking shoes in
the rain. I held the umbrella and the
camera and looked at one marker, and then the next. Not this one. Not that one. I kept looking. “Here it is!
He’s here!” I exclaimed. My great-great grandfather. I snapped a few pictures, looked at this
beautiful place, and took a moment in the rain before returning to the car to
shed my wet shoes and dry my feet.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZuQ14EwB8V9FU_5CA1yI0mMFsSUAz_lT4gjNdlS1iumLG7s1ywuspBc3l5QdGxrI9o4RPUo-N8WbRqU9oMqRE3uE1h0jfnB6WE2O4fa_M3Lug-Gl5xcZlLIY6_t7pOthk2wgDiptl_k/s1600/headstone-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZuQ14EwB8V9FU_5CA1yI0mMFsSUAz_lT4gjNdlS1iumLG7s1ywuspBc3l5QdGxrI9o4RPUo-N8WbRqU9oMqRE3uE1h0jfnB6WE2O4fa_M3Lug-Gl5xcZlLIY6_t7pOthk2wgDiptl_k/s320/headstone-sm.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Luther C. Burnham headstone</div>
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It is
more than the love of the chase that made me drive from Logan to Hyde Park in
the rain that day before returning home to Salt Lake. It is the love of family. It is the connectedness I feel extending
through generations, linking my ancestors and my children. In cemeteries, I see not only monuments to
individuals, but stories of family. And
finding my great-great grandfather's headstone in Hyde Park was worth the soaking wet shoes. <br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-71334286413135987252016-09-05T15:55:00.000-06:002016-09-05T15:55:12.710-06:00Flying Solo on Labor Day<div class="MsoNormal">
Saturday I went to a local farmer’s market to buy produce,
specifically Early Elberta peaches. They
are always on around Labor Day, and they are <i>the</i> best peaches for canning.
Firm, tart, and freestone, they are my favorites to bottle. Three boxes
of peaches, two boxes of pears, two boxes of Gala apples, a bag of corn, and a
melon later, my wallet was a lot thinner and my project list was growing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Today I am celebrating Labor Day by working. Seems appropriate, doesn’t it? While the pears will take a few more days to
ripen, and the apples will hold for a little while, those peaches need
attention.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pears and peaches for canning.</div>
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In the fall, at harvest time, I like re-stocking my home
with canned goods and bottled produce.
We fill pantry shelves with staples we use for cooking year round, and augment
our storage with bottled salsa, green beans, pickles, peaches, pears, and
more. Canning season stretches from
mid-spring (strawberry jam) to October (corn and salsa) for me. Already this year I have put aside strawberry
jam, zucchini relish, apricot jam, and green beans. And today it is peaches. Lots of peaches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have a love/hate relationship with canning. It’s a lot of work. Certainly it is easier to walk into a grocery
store and buy a can of peaches. But have
you <i>eaten </i>commercially canned
peaches? Ick. They are processed while still a little unripe,
and therefore are overly firm and not as flavorful. Home canned peaches, on the other hand, can
be bottled at the peak of the season and when just ripe. I can be my own quality control. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My first memories of canning are vague. A canning kitchen is not the safest place for
a young child. Boiling kettles and sharp
knives can quickly lead to scalds and cuts.
I remember my mother and her sisters gathering in mom’s kitchen and
canning. As a child, I didn’t
participate, but I remember long days, dozens of quarts of fruit, and my mother
and aunts talking and working together.
My grandfather had an apricot tree.
My mother said he called apricots the “Queen of Fruit,” and that they
were a personal favorite of his. One summer,
I remember my parents getting creative when inundated
with bushels of apricots from Grandad’s tree.
Dad built screens to cover rows of apricots spread out on tables drying
in the sun. The screens let the sun in
to dry the fruit, but kept the bugs out. My parents made apricot leather and
apricot nectar. We ate a lot of apricots
that year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Another year, my folks invested in a pressure canner, and we
children were enlisted to help prepare green beans for canning. Their pressure canner now resides at my house. My family and I grow green beans in the
garden each summer, and my children work to pick, snip and wash the beans for
canning. Having more helping hands makes
the work go faster.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Green beans from the garden.</div>
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Usually I head to my mom’s house on canning days when fruit
is in season, but this year, I am processing peaches on my own. I have canned enough that the solo journey
today does not seem too daunting. It has
been a year since I last did peaches, and I scroll through the information
stored in my memory banks to lay out the necessary supplies. Preparation is important to the process. My counter
holds clean quart jars and bands to go over the lids. I have a bowl for scalded peaches and an old
pie tin to hold skins and pits. My knife
rests on the island, waiting to be pressed into service. On the stove are three pots: one heating canning lids, one holding boiled
syrup, and one with boiling water to scald the fruit. Everything is at the ready; it’s time to begin.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lids, syrup, and peaches on the stove.</div>
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I sort peaches and load the best ones into a mesh laundry
bag (these laundry bags are perfect for scalding fruit, and they wash clean
easily). I dip the peaches into the
boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer them to the bowl. When the peaches are ripe, the skins slip off
easily after scalding. I slice the peach
in half, slip the skin, pluck out the pit, and place the halves in the
bottles. Once the bottle is filled, I
pour in the syrup, check for air bubbles, wipe the rims, put on a lid, and
screw it in place with a band.
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Peeling peaches and filling jars.</div>
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I think about sitting in my mom’s kitchen with my grandmother
and sisters and canning peaches. My
sister and I would grimace as the sticky peach juice drizzled from our hands
down our forearms. My grandma could
out-pace us filling jars well into her nineties. My mom would mix syrup on the stove and scald
the peaches, bringing them to us at the table.
Canning was a social venture, and if a peach half didn’t fit in a
bottle, I would pop it in my mouth and snack as I worked. But today is quiet. I put a CD in the player, and before long, Adele
has me feeling nostalgic. 7 quarts later
I move on to Christina Perri to add a little angst to the day. Later I decide to perk things up with some
Maroon 5. Who knows? I may be hitting the Guns N Roses before the
day is through.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Once I have filled 21 quarts, I move on to a batch of
jam. Jam is all about precision and
timing. I measure the sugar and open the
pectin. My jars and lids are ready. Once those crushed peaches are on the stove,
things move quickly. Bring to a boil, and
while stirring constantly, add pectin and sugar. Continue stirring while the mixture returns
to a boil. Set the timer with one hand
while stirring, stirring, stirring. Boil
one minute, remove from the heat, skim off the foam and bottle. My little half-pints are filled and ready to
process. (And if you have never had the privilege of smearing that warm peach jam
foam on a piece of toast, you are missing out!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Two of my 21 bottles today.</div>
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Then it is on to processing in a water bath, 7 jars at a
time. Once everything is out of the canners, I line the hot jars up on clean
towels on the counter and listen for the satisfying “pop” each lid makes as it
seals. Things didn’t go perfectly smooth
this year. Some of the peaches were more
blemished than usual, and my bottles leaked syrup out the top when I removed them
from the canner. Worst case scenario is that some of the jars won’t seal. Best case is the syrup will be a little low
and I’ll have to wash off the sticky jars before putting them in the pantry.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My back aches from standing and canning for hours, but 21
quarts of fresh peaches and 7 half-pints of jam are worth it. It is a satisfying effort. This winter it will be so easy to serve
peaches and cottage cheese with lunch or dinner, or have peach jam and whip
cream on homemade waffles. Flying solo
this Labor Day was a success, but I confess I am glad my 2 boxes of apples are
at my mom’s house, and that I will be making applesauce with my mom and
sisters. I am also sure my husband will continue to lead out on salsa bottling
day, and just let me be the helper. I
can check peaches off my list, so now only pears, applesauce, salsa, and corn
remain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I think there are
good reasons why people used to gather to raise a barn, bring in the harvest,
or preserve the food. Not only were the
skills and traditions passed from generation to generation, but relationships were
renewed and strengthened as people worked side by side. Canning with my family
reminds me I am blessed with amazing people in my life, and for that, I am grateful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hmmm...now to tackle that mountain of squash!</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-74173866005952847422015-04-18T14:36:00.003-06:002015-04-18T14:36:38.540-06:00Visiting the Salt Lake City Cemetery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5J5PKpijaHzWmoHPGLll0XrWIgDsVmmdHll0zY_xA8LG8U7blLRS1Ah9yInGvOpVUQErD5yd1oTeOcNm0NRsJ7g4Igu-FHJ-Ni3ZPDh5tPGmYVF93GrIGDSIR0NnpuLU2ZWkWVO0WBMk/s1600/spring+at+the+cemetery1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5J5PKpijaHzWmoHPGLll0XrWIgDsVmmdHll0zY_xA8LG8U7blLRS1Ah9yInGvOpVUQErD5yd1oTeOcNm0NRsJ7g4Igu-FHJ-Ni3ZPDh5tPGmYVF93GrIGDSIR0NnpuLU2ZWkWVO0WBMk/s1600/spring+at+the+cemetery1-sm.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Spring at the Salt Lake City Cemetery</div>
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I love cemeteries. I always have. I know some people don't love them, but when I visit a cemetery it calls to mind all the Memorial Day trips with my parents and grandparents. As children, my siblings and I were especially partial to cemeteries with headstones of all sizes and shapes. It was amazing to see stones taller than me. Some monuments begged to be climbed on, although my parents informed us it was not allowed in cemetery etiquette.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtg5MQtwuUiLIVZXPT0iY-YyOsCpPwr45Q8dJ_6aitJWo3zi6jf9zYDn1brIzCEXyji0EUDKbtn3NyqiuFmCWszBUXW_SUYoa2RmHGYjGBIHunMeaQwgwa0eODeTOcm9hmG_kD8FUIEs/s1600/cemetery+view1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtg5MQtwuUiLIVZXPT0iY-YyOsCpPwr45Q8dJ_6aitJWo3zi6jf9zYDn1brIzCEXyji0EUDKbtn3NyqiuFmCWszBUXW_SUYoa2RmHGYjGBIHunMeaQwgwa0eODeTOcm9hmG_kD8FUIEs/s1600/cemetery+view1-sm.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a></div>
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Rolling terrain of the Salt Lake City Cemetery</div>
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Cemeteries say a lot about who we are. A Shoshone cemetery in the Wind River area in Wyoming is different from the ones I visit on Memorial Day weekend. And I love them both. Each culture has its own burial traditions. I have been to the sobering fields of Arlington and I have visited the artistic tombs of Pere Lachaise in France.Someday I really want to visit Highgate cemetery in London.</div>
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I have been to Charles Lindburgh's grave on Maui, and stopped at small family cemeteries on road trips. I have visited a Catholic cemetery and a Protestant cemetery in a small mining community in southern Utah, each with its own unique style. The Chinese cemetery was no longer there; a wealthy Chinese businessman paid to relocate it to China so that the remains of the Chinese immigrants could be buried in their ancestral homeland.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivo_bQE0kNJr4ztra9LbJEjkIsvZmiPBV5B1LO3I90Sng2fBBfnD44DZFQrsOK3qhK-BEQElWcGnVxDQuMBBUFlpKveLy0ipT04zEDxci2EjjqCpqcDPsSk3de4gysIFHK0UG9AcWTsP0/s1600/epitaph3-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivo_bQE0kNJr4ztra9LbJEjkIsvZmiPBV5B1LO3I90Sng2fBBfnD44DZFQrsOK3qhK-BEQElWcGnVxDQuMBBUFlpKveLy0ipT04zEDxci2EjjqCpqcDPsSk3de4gysIFHK0UG9AcWTsP0/s1600/epitaph3-sm.jpg" height="275" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sentiment on a headstone.</div>
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I love the poignancy of the human experience recorded in granite and sandstone: an infant buried near its parents, a family together in repose, a woman of ripe old age. I love the sculptures. The epitaphs range from humorous to profound. I like history, too. Once on a family vacation we stopped by the grave of Wild Bill Hickok. I am forever grateful to a woman I will never meet who many years ago transcribed the headstone information in the Old Abercorn Cemetery in Quebec. I gleaned so many names, dates, and other important information about ancestors from her painstaking work of recording what was carved into fading headstones.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxGeH9Cf2sLWZbIbkJFHr4txvlEHLXrFHCL9m8N8NO6FewDHTBa5AxvhQdN72bJAPTRPfjXGXtr2SNBC3pk8f-S4uXkgOxPGarQprSozMAp3qLHxcNyLzhlp1tzR-5qipESlL2D-1mNQ/s1600/boone+relative-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxGeH9Cf2sLWZbIbkJFHr4txvlEHLXrFHCL9m8N8NO6FewDHTBa5AxvhQdN72bJAPTRPfjXGXtr2SNBC3pk8f-S4uXkgOxPGarQprSozMAp3qLHxcNyLzhlp1tzR-5qipESlL2D-1mNQ/s1600/boone+relative-sm.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Apparently a relative of "The" Daniel Boone rests here.</div>
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On this visit to the Salt Lake City Cemetery, though, I had specific goals. First, a pair of great horned owls has been nesting in the cemetery for the past six years. I wanted to see an owl for my bird list. They nest in the cemetery in April, and it is easy to see why. The area has ample trees, wide open spaces for hunting squirrels and small rodents, and it is peaceful. We tromped around for quite awhile before a cemetery employee pointed us to the trees the owls prefer this year. Sure enough, we found a great horned owl resting on a branch.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPzC5kc3JsI_MHwc_vZgfhFH90MaMN4dy_n2Naw3BbQtjZtDFholQoBSSBynRvnH5QpbuaxwqXGlpM4IzaB7cQgkYyfh_Yc0E5Vnyk0RAwG3wgXj08QeIuhoPdBfhhwi20wK-2ClwAss/s1600/great+horned+owl2-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPzC5kc3JsI_MHwc_vZgfhFH90MaMN4dy_n2Naw3BbQtjZtDFholQoBSSBynRvnH5QpbuaxwqXGlpM4IzaB7cQgkYyfh_Yc0E5Vnyk0RAwG3wgXj08QeIuhoPdBfhhwi20wK-2ClwAss/s1600/great+horned+owl2-sm.jpg" height="400" width="242" /></a></div>
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Great Horned Owl</div>
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It was impossible to get a great photograph, but you get the idea. We also saw an abundance of magpies, and one brown creeper. Brown creepers are on my short list of favorite birds, so that was fun.</div>
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Several years ago, I visited the Salt Lake City Cemetery looking for the marker of my husband's ancestor, William Lewis. We were unsuccessful in locating it that day, so armed with a map and location information, I set out to try again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO1zqBWrn4ZogsxCT1ny40FL0-1Aus_GAwSC4ktTcbEQCLbXJOL2xEV3Ecm7PsRknFVeMUSOyNHoVHyjC_bdnPoRqwGW4QpSAAXlt2rLqjvkOfeCF3-NNudUaXlYgARYd6N-bSAEMZpw/s1600/lewis+monument1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO1zqBWrn4ZogsxCT1ny40FL0-1Aus_GAwSC4ktTcbEQCLbXJOL2xEV3Ecm7PsRknFVeMUSOyNHoVHyjC_bdnPoRqwGW4QpSAAXlt2rLqjvkOfeCF3-NNudUaXlYgARYd6N-bSAEMZpw/s1600/lewis+monument1-sm.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a></div>
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William Lewis marker, Salt Lake City Cemetery</div>
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It is pretty big. And prominent. I am not sure how we missed this the first time! However, it is also worn and faded, and I think the horizontal slab with detailed names and dates on the west side of this sandstone monument is new.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCrCoanRNaEyvmTNnfgQoCWbbMEMd3DRe7EvkbojuyN9OrPsitk2FcUd3UYyeWom-lV_7jy5pDp5k5q4aGz0KHMDGILWfniH7-N_L12ZquDWQrqFZQDNi_m1YCx6nq6idrIw7x7SidrI/s1600/lewis+monument2-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCrCoanRNaEyvmTNnfgQoCWbbMEMd3DRe7EvkbojuyN9OrPsitk2FcUd3UYyeWom-lV_7jy5pDp5k5q4aGz0KHMDGILWfniH7-N_L12ZquDWQrqFZQDNi_m1YCx6nq6idrIw7x7SidrI/s1600/lewis+monument2-sm.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Surely we would have noticed this if it had been there before.</div>
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But, there he is, William Lewis. This marker calls him the "Poet Laureate of Wales." Who knew? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbIQ2LjlR-Ab1fAWjBSiQUWumT4OuOKfmYirSaIyy_gi_JAnfmAvQIjxTWlf1AGMF3XwhCNchH4NJ55RscfCkgnQLqCKHGP0png-Q6oPlbfk7v1IgRHWkwN6BEVg4WVE1zoS1yYaq7ww/s1600/epitaph1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbIQ2LjlR-Ab1fAWjBSiQUWumT4OuOKfmYirSaIyy_gi_JAnfmAvQIjxTWlf1AGMF3XwhCNchH4NJ55RscfCkgnQLqCKHGP0png-Q6oPlbfk7v1IgRHWkwN6BEVg4WVE1zoS1yYaq7ww/s1600/epitaph1-sm.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Another great epitaph.</div>
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The Salt Lake City Cemetery has its share of stories. One is that a ghost will appear at Emo's grave if you go perform the proper ritual. "Emo's Grave" is really the grave of Jacob E. Moritz. (I hear cemetery security discourages people from attempting to summon the ghost. Bear in mind the cemetery closes at dusk). There are also tales of Jean Baptiste, who infamously robbed graves during his tenure as a gravedigger. He was eventually exiled to Fremont Island in the Great Salt Lake. One grave I wanted to visit is that of Lilly E. Gray. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkaikucPprk5_xh_o7MJabnsTJJTjKAk_zFvWrf4oWxNosFHMcSydlB6F26fLmmOw3m3WbqbWkc9qV3YDBBYG8PRgFvwWKx1hiW7kcl9rbAnpcn0LWPv0tLDnuaDQUCMJDMIv1l-ZCT8/s1600/lilly+headstone-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkaikucPprk5_xh_o7MJabnsTJJTjKAk_zFvWrf4oWxNosFHMcSydlB6F26fLmmOw3m3WbqbWkc9qV3YDBBYG8PRgFvwWKx1hiW7kcl9rbAnpcn0LWPv0tLDnuaDQUCMJDMIv1l-ZCT8/s1600/lilly+headstone-sm.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Grave of Lilly E. Gray in the Salt Lake City Cemetery</div>
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For some unknown reason, her gravestone is carved "Victim of the Beast 666." Lilly lived a pretty long life. The best information I came across in reading about her headstone is that her husband (who survived her) was considered to be a little bit crazy. So maybe he had this put on her marker because he was insane. I couldn't help but feel a little bit sorry for Lilly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9XnZDjg6uUpbevWMjKB6MHDNFGh46Ynu0b4lub9Mbux6ODv4rdnpitOUEmBRteVLlB-T4iKl5EApHjM26j5TNZu_F6UL-Zq5maclqrDJtugAnjF4LtMvZHA-SlpnPMjXHcsceDsKzS8/s1600/angel1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9XnZDjg6uUpbevWMjKB6MHDNFGh46Ynu0b4lub9Mbux6ODv4rdnpitOUEmBRteVLlB-T4iKl5EApHjM26j5TNZu_F6UL-Zq5maclqrDJtugAnjF4LtMvZHA-SlpnPMjXHcsceDsKzS8/s1600/angel1-sm.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sculpture in the Salt Lake City Cemetery</div>
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Overall, I thought my visit to the Salt Lake City Cemetery was a resounding success. Besides accomplishing my goals of seeing an owl and finding William Lewis' grave, I had a good walk, enjoyed great weather, soaked in the peace and solitude of the cemetery, and read several wonderful epitaphs. Also, the cemetery employees and caretakers we encountered were very nice and helpful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLOMO6eWiChFJ15_SyemtEA6QT-22RcA2n2atFnmlgF2-A4VhETPerYF4nXujBmzzY56wSoOEDdrsm6ze40fQNc-Mgi7qNaFycmGAbzGaa1SC3W6-EwmdtZ8hUP73_CZ2pnpFT70YoJM/s1600/military+section-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLOMO6eWiChFJ15_SyemtEA6QT-22RcA2n2atFnmlgF2-A4VhETPerYF4nXujBmzzY56wSoOEDdrsm6ze40fQNc-Mgi7qNaFycmGAbzGaa1SC3W6-EwmdtZ8hUP73_CZ2pnpFT70YoJM/s1600/military+section-sm.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Military section of the Salt Lake City Cemetery</div>
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If you visit the Salt Lake City Cemetery, you can pre-print a map showing the grave locations of prominent Utahns, many of them past presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Have an ancestor buried in the cemetery? I suggest a search of the online database or a visit to the cemetery office to find the grave location before heading out into the grounds. As the cemetery covers 250 acres, it is a good idea to know where you are going! The cemetery streets are laid out in a grid, so with a map, it is pretty easy to find your way around. Some of the "streets" are very narrow, so park on the wider roads and be prepared to do a little walking.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pZsCPtvtpr-ubYCoFI77I6WJf55NTSB4i42q4UhgpeJGHyA6STIfSbauG7ptE2shmXlfMk9xuNHmdPK-hNpUtGLXNJ20ebfUb-teVlEhyphenhyphenuiNyTwlzpwPvl-Y7L_bkr7t7cUxD26IcGE/s1600/message+on+stone-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pZsCPtvtpr-ubYCoFI77I6WJf55NTSB4i42q4UhgpeJGHyA6STIfSbauG7ptE2shmXlfMk9xuNHmdPK-hNpUtGLXNJ20ebfUb-teVlEhyphenhyphenuiNyTwlzpwPvl-Y7L_bkr7t7cUxD26IcGE/s1600/message+on+stone-sm.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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A request from one of the cemetery's residents!</div>
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This cemetery is a wonderful place to visit for all ages. It is beautiful, well-maintained, and contains wonderful parts of our local history. You just might see some great birds as well!</div>
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<a href="http://www.ci.slc.ut.us/cemetery/cemetery-maps">Link to cemetery maps</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ci.slc.ut.us/cemetery">Information on the Salt Lake City cemetery</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.enjoyutah.org/2011/07/salt-lake-city-cemetery-history.html">Historical information about the cemetery</a>,</div>
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<a href="http://www.enjoyutah.org/2011/08/salt-lake-city-cemetery-utahs-hidden.html">Stories from the SLC Cemetery</a></div>
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<a href="http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/pioneers_and_cowboys/thecaseofgraverobberjeanbaptiste.html">Read more about Jean Baptiste. </a></div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-78863756664999533522015-03-21T10:02:00.000-06:002015-03-21T10:02:07.131-06:00Visiting The Lego Americana RoadshowIconic American buildings and memorials built out of Lego--what's not to love? Yesterday I checked out the displays at a local mall, and was amazed by the intricacy and detail of these models.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmS6Y1jXdEfgwbSqlJTyxtH5cR7a5VQxESMi8RaUhSbi0SeTtuKjz_4G5UicUwJWkxumHrTehXoQPipfds0u1YwE_VpPpYOrvPPXgZVooUuRUm3Xs6_-v9L9pTnNeItsx_W0lOzNHGFA/s1600/capitol-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmS6Y1jXdEfgwbSqlJTyxtH5cR7a5VQxESMi8RaUhSbi0SeTtuKjz_4G5UicUwJWkxumHrTehXoQPipfds0u1YwE_VpPpYOrvPPXgZVooUuRUm3Xs6_-v9L9pTnNeItsx_W0lOzNHGFA/s1600/capitol-sm.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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A view of the Capitol building</div>
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The Lego Americana Roadshow is touring malls around the country. This stop, in Utah, is the second mall on the tour. The displays feature nine incredible models of American landmarks: the Capitol, the White House, the Supreme Court building, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Old North Church, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmRke0s0ylq3I10L3PDujgNpyPf_ORn4FgszHtkLiwmFue57BeUSi6aZnLwMJWYQn8_zn6WBS-xUT668ahZDEDy0-VHAR6b_lMzPtA6x1x1cifsKHH6KJyvJBTSkLX4YEEgqwzF05wGI/s1600/statue+of+liberty-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmRke0s0ylq3I10L3PDujgNpyPf_ORn4FgszHtkLiwmFue57BeUSi6aZnLwMJWYQn8_zn6WBS-xUT668ahZDEDy0-VHAR6b_lMzPtA6x1x1cifsKHH6KJyvJBTSkLX4YEEgqwzF05wGI/s1600/statue+of+liberty-sm.jpg" height="640" width="304" /></a></div>
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The Statue of Liberty</div>
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Master Builders spent many hours creating these wonderful models. I found the fabric design in the Statue of Liberty's dress particularly interesting. The design skill that went into forming Lego bricks into convincing fabric folds is pretty spectacular. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiey9qLqWKQNzX1Avhs7h8t6gucF1EEJrTR99-bXBbJ7aMtd1WsfOsiobS7yw-3COEQieOzaTHq7pDiH9WnW19jcDZYWRdyIPOmCUH8W1SUWzOxLfKGQ2FUG3eifQOCJa_OT2RM4GJNYU8/s1600/independence+hall-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiey9qLqWKQNzX1Avhs7h8t6gucF1EEJrTR99-bXBbJ7aMtd1WsfOsiobS7yw-3COEQieOzaTHq7pDiH9WnW19jcDZYWRdyIPOmCUH8W1SUWzOxLfKGQ2FUG3eifQOCJa_OT2RM4GJNYU8/s1600/independence+hall-sm.jpg" height="400" width="337" /></a></div>
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Independence Hall</div>
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There are signs near each model giving the details about the construction, as well as information about the historical building or monument. For example, the Liberty Bell took two Lego Master Builders 430 hours to complete. The sign also informs the visitor that the spelling of Pensylvania with one "n" was correct for the time period. The words are formed in Lego brick on the model bell.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik69ZJDU7LTlVeCrrYDYoYlntxqtVlkbjqrODtzqQn9XmTyAG1EWaGjg4LvOf4q0ZJiXS-gNFkquloTtFdtDff-MOy8G5sV7i16UHK6TWx4SBaeTrXBPklQ_-BzV0nsNADSdRLh0otWLc/s1600/liberty+bell+1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik69ZJDU7LTlVeCrrYDYoYlntxqtVlkbjqrODtzqQn9XmTyAG1EWaGjg4LvOf4q0ZJiXS-gNFkquloTtFdtDff-MOy8G5sV7i16UHK6TWx4SBaeTrXBPklQ_-BzV0nsNADSdRLh0otWLc/s1600/liberty+bell+1-sm.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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The Liberty Bell</div>
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The Liberty Bell is a 1:1 ratio construction, meaning this model is the same size as the actual Liberty Bell. The infamous crack on the bell is captured in brick. Each model has incredible attention to detail.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24miZrDRilC-YaMV0i0mhaJsrXbd6ZleHeLiE-GJm2Zht-LmitU6qex-15oFCa3S2xvkZeXC3MkYolYLwDNxuY_8wlAxeU97FjUcpVyuOtl_aGspBBsmb4_g3-M8qh651j42uJU-Xpps/s1600/lego+washington+monument-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24miZrDRilC-YaMV0i0mhaJsrXbd6ZleHeLiE-GJm2Zht-LmitU6qex-15oFCa3S2xvkZeXC3MkYolYLwDNxuY_8wlAxeU97FjUcpVyuOtl_aGspBBsmb4_g3-M8qh651j42uJU-Xpps/s1600/lego+washington+monument-sm.jpg" height="640" width="208" /></a></div>
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The Washington Monument</div>
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The Washington Monument towers over mall visitors. This giant obelisk may not have the intricate details of some of the other buildings, but is still impressive.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbyudhyphenhyphenf5utqf2k8Ei5Y3iMGFMXbGyNB5tIBnnQ0V4SeGkyaUNBwO7A45vkdTN_ZfrJ3RX5vX5LrhrW7x2Xp84QhI1lAzEnzM7REwj-BmDBeDFtBimH55LMEP9zr3kasAoggXuUGtel4/s1600/white+house-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbyudhyphenhyphenf5utqf2k8Ei5Y3iMGFMXbGyNB5tIBnnQ0V4SeGkyaUNBwO7A45vkdTN_ZfrJ3RX5vX5LrhrW7x2Xp84QhI1lAzEnzM7REwj-BmDBeDFtBimH55LMEP9zr3kasAoggXuUGtel4/s1600/white+house-sm.jpg" height="242" width="400" /></a></div>
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The White House</div>
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The White House compound includes the annex buildings. Make sure you walk around these buildings to see the details on all sides. I loved the little doorknobs on the building doors.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLYCdfcE4gEDiqIm6yQPDstoZofdSg2IxVqRiLlozMf16O4ja_ZwCUaUN03jTAedi4f2QsfJvaxtnfhrEadyg2qbpqjhcKm8vS8Fvhu-cmktQZQLpYsETEziGWHHCvCgt635xRpHMie4/s1600/supreme+court-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLYCdfcE4gEDiqIm6yQPDstoZofdSg2IxVqRiLlozMf16O4ja_ZwCUaUN03jTAedi4f2QsfJvaxtnfhrEadyg2qbpqjhcKm8vS8Fvhu-cmktQZQLpYsETEziGWHHCvCgt635xRpHMie4/s1600/supreme+court-sm.jpg" height="213" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Supreme Court</div>
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The model builders even built the relief sculptures on the building facades. The Lincoln Memorial has a Lego Lincoln inside. Mall patrons tossed pennies inside the model. I liked the statues outside the Supreme Court building.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEurVIA_3uJHv-ZLf2kYPPzygnul4YjMO5POL-aDjvjhtvNTUh0i-pljayXQmqLB7ZNNVn_Hp8Om-mLoLQauwz5Bok_0xaNQgk8yPByu93iqxa1IM-KhjhyphenhyphenJlbpgs3whDxJx7habRP0wQ/s1600/statue-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEurVIA_3uJHv-ZLf2kYPPzygnul4YjMO5POL-aDjvjhtvNTUh0i-pljayXQmqLB7ZNNVn_Hp8Om-mLoLQauwz5Bok_0xaNQgk8yPByu93iqxa1IM-KhjhyphenhyphenJlbpgs3whDxJx7habRP0wQ/s1600/statue-sm.jpg" height="391" width="400" /></a></div>
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Statue in front of the Supreme Court</div>
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The grandest model of all, by far, is the Capitol. It spans 25 feet 7 inches in the mall, and it took a team of eight builders 1700 hours to complete. It is a stunning centerpiece to this exhibit.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUBElCbRTpu_0dF7sWkmlVqYtx08BG5XMTZ__0K9vbUXREgK1VBm5np_rrnmeGq4rN9uUgtZotjVKvXmPBHYEAFpqrz2K8KnpHGS4pV-KPYg7CmLiK83QeHfNpD0DSTO7RaDoNFI07IQ/s1600/lego+capitol+building-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUBElCbRTpu_0dF7sWkmlVqYtx08BG5XMTZ__0K9vbUXREgK1VBm5np_rrnmeGq4rN9uUgtZotjVKvXmPBHYEAFpqrz2K8KnpHGS4pV-KPYg7CmLiK83QeHfNpD0DSTO7RaDoNFI07IQ/s1600/lego+capitol+building-sm.jpg" height="255" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Lego Capitol Building</div>
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If you need something to do this weekend with the kids, stop by Fashion Place Mall and check out the Lego. These models are impressive for visitors of all ages. There is also a Lego play area in the mall where your little builders can try their hand at building their own creations. </div>
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The Lego Americana Roadshow has been at the Fashion Place Mall since March 7. This exhibit closes in Utah on the 22nd, so if you haven't had a chance to see it, swing by the mall today. The construction is amazing, and best of all, the event is free. The tour will continue in Colorado. For the complete roadshow schedule, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/778829728863351/">check out the event's Facebook page</a>. For information about Fashion Place Mall, including a map,<a href="http://www.fashionplace.com/visit"> click here.</a>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-55419297690334072942015-03-07T17:23:00.000-07:002015-03-07T17:23:29.425-07:0052 Weeks to a Clean House - Week 10: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Cleaning, and Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2syf0XGT22malk8P6OFtP5lggKorwS0bDhvuZWaNh0s1BrZMGz72e8IyOgdmLscLBXArTsxm7yO65wWCbDt7tGCRUsvbXY6WD-JUxQVX5LNqajVj_U6FBCrEAt1ABQC0EZAdnhu2Hw0/s1600/garth+williams+illustration-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2syf0XGT22malk8P6OFtP5lggKorwS0bDhvuZWaNh0s1BrZMGz72e8IyOgdmLscLBXArTsxm7yO65wWCbDt7tGCRUsvbXY6WD-JUxQVX5LNqajVj_U6FBCrEAt1ABQC0EZAdnhu2Hw0/s1600/garth+williams+illustration-sm.jpg" height="400" width="380" /></a></div>
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Mary & Laura Ingalls doing chores - illustration by Garth Williams</div>
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In the novel, Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Laura describes her mother's cleaning schedule. After the beds are made and the dishes are done, Caroline tackles the work for that day.</div>
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<li>Wash on Monday</li>
<li>Iron on Tuesday</li>
<li>Mend on Wednesday</li>
<li>Churn on Thursday</li>
<li>Clean on Friday</li>
<li>Bake on Saturday</li>
<li>Rest on Sunday</li>
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I love the simplicity and rhythm of her routine. My days vary so much, I have not yet successfully assigned a particular chore to a set day. I am learning, though, that I need to accomplish basic chores early in the week. My chores also differ from Caroline's. She didn't have such items as "pay the bills," "clean the bathrooms," and "go to the grocery store" on her schedule. But then again, I don't have to devote entire days to ironing and mending clothes, either.</div>
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This week I struggled to fit in regular cleaning with the other things on my calendar and then inspiration hit. Mary and Laura are doing the chores. I have children! I assigned out some Saturday jobs and while they were being done, I got another file drawer under control. </div>
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I might even have time to do some reading today! </div>
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-29320843313937501322015-02-28T15:53:00.000-07:002015-02-28T15:53:11.271-07:0052 Weeks to a Clean House: Week 9 - Creative Names for Filing Labels, and Other "Assign"-ments!I am still de-junking the office! I haven't finished yet, but I haven't quit yet either. The sorting and purging goes on...and on...and on. How on earth did I ever accumulate so much stuff? On the bright side, I have purged enough papers that some of my file drawers are pretty empty and ready for the next step. Under Julie Morgenstern's <a href="http://www.artwifeneedsalife.blogspot.com/2015/02/52-weeks-to-clean-house-week-6-if-i.html">SPACE organization acronym</a>, "Assign" follows "Sort" and "Purge. With 2015 financial papers piling up, it was time to assign them a new home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7OxNDkOf7Zdk7ruZhysXgwjMts0vnQ0xLXtm9xNu8mye4D2MatMzlh9hZz9Zitvr-NRD0AC3MJqOq2qaxBhlT2PR0hFiy-xHWNPLwFccHpVpgnHrohCM1ODsIv0ZQk1EwKvHGtf6ARc/s1600/lots+of+room-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7OxNDkOf7Zdk7ruZhysXgwjMts0vnQ0xLXtm9xNu8mye4D2MatMzlh9hZz9Zitvr-NRD0AC3MJqOq2qaxBhlT2PR0hFiy-xHWNPLwFccHpVpgnHrohCM1ODsIv0ZQk1EwKvHGtf6ARc/s1600/lots+of+room-sm.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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There is room in the file drawer!</div>
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Of course, assigning means no more files labeled "Papers to File" or my favorite, <a href="http://www.artwifeneedsalife.blogspot.com/2015/02/52-weeks-to-clean-house-week-8.html">"Miscellaneous."</a> I had to actually make decisions about the papers. In the book "One Year to An Organized Life," Regina Leeds suggests several filing categories to contain the paper tornadoes that whirl through our lives. I read her ideas, and then went to work on my own system.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WkQ8sdxQ_blH7rszOzxplVEkDDNBRe4Mwp_LLEmW8SUfmQ4kT5de_M6vhsEKo8iWrmIvVMHkVEp4KxE29CgJGajDAPMNlaZCyTuMsicHqcXSevQKYDz3ZcoLlGQYtuoKkES260sAAvg/s1600/file+drawer+all+organized-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WkQ8sdxQ_blH7rszOzxplVEkDDNBRe4Mwp_LLEmW8SUfmQ4kT5de_M6vhsEKo8iWrmIvVMHkVEp4KxE29CgJGajDAPMNlaZCyTuMsicHqcXSevQKYDz3ZcoLlGQYtuoKkES260sAAvg/s1600/file+drawer+all+organized-sm.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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There just isn't a way to make file drawer photos interesting. But it IS all organized.</div>
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I have my prior-year financial information in one drawer, along with old tax returns, and then have my current financial files in the other drawer. Yes, that should keep me from searching frantically for my 2015 papers during next year's tax season. I also made files for insurance information (life, auto, homeowner's, health, and the insurance I bought on our aging water line that could disintegrate at any time). Then I ran into paperwork on my AAA membership. Where, exactly, am I supposed to file that? Hmmm. Miscellaneous? No, not again. I am NOT making new "miscellaneous" files.<br />
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I ultimately decided to file the AAA papers in a file near my auto insurance. After all, AAA is my insurance for roadside assistance, right? And I decided I am more likely to look for the information near my insurance policies than in a paid bill file.<br />
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After my files were set up, I took my stack of 2015 documents and filed them away. It takes a little time to get used to a new system, and it felt a little awkward at first. I am sure I will make adjustments to my files along the way. I am hoping as I use these files regularly, I will get more efficient at my filing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dbf1CpPohy2ViC4v3qOXLZKE6AHuVkChHhJ99QyuZqp_GWwf4aZ1dTXql-SderhjxslIjt9iG37Z5l2g9yeNGcW7U0FAM4ebQ9uEJGqZ8Kxso5Q-Orr9KcwuKvY1qhRx_s51GiKfeq4/s1600/shrinking+pile-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dbf1CpPohy2ViC4v3qOXLZKE6AHuVkChHhJ99QyuZqp_GWwf4aZ1dTXql-SderhjxslIjt9iG37Z5l2g9yeNGcW7U0FAM4ebQ9uEJGqZ8Kxso5Q-Orr9KcwuKvY1qhRx_s51GiKfeq4/s1600/shrinking+pile-sm.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a></div>
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The box pile is shrinking!</div>
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This "Assign" phase entails a lot of decision making. What will happen if I grow weary of making decisions about all of these papers? I think I will check a thesaurus and see how many other ways I can label "Miscellaneous." (Sundry, Odd, and Motley all sound promising. I think I might be on to something!)<br />
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Happy Filing!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-35807414330757294412015-02-20T15:09:00.000-07:002015-02-20T15:09:29.208-07:0052 Weeks to a Clean House: Week 8 - Organized People Don't What???When I was young, I shared a bedroom with my sisters. On Saturdays, we cleaned our room. Usually this was a "dust and vacuum" kind of job, but periodically it was time to clean under the beds and inside the drawers. My sisters magically whipped through this task, and I was left alone in my room with, well, stuff. I would organize and tidy a drawer, and then there was always this little pile of things left over. Things I wanted, but didn't really know how to categorize. How could my sisters put away all of their things and have their spaces look so tidy so quickly? What did they do with their little odds and ends?<br />
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I have since read that <b>organized people don't have "miscellaneous."</b> What? They don't have a miscellaneous drawer. They don't have a miscellaneous file. They don't have a miscellaneous pile of stuff left over. What do they do with all their miscellaneous?? Apparently, the belongings of organized people have a home. A place for everything and everything in its place. It makes sense. I mean, if I like an item enough to hang on to it, I should honor it with a place to stay, right? But all my life, I have had these little piles of things or or little stacks of papers left over when I clean. That is one habit I need to change!</div>
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I am determined not to have miscellaneous hanging around when I am through with this cleaning project. The office is testing my commitment, but I am pressing forward. As I cleaned out old files this week, I noticed evidence of my cleaning issues archived through the years. For your reading pleasure, here is a list of actual labels on old file folders I found this week:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Current!!</li>
<li>Immediate!</li>
<li>Miscellaneous (you knew it had to be there, right?)</li>
<li>To File (really? A FILE of things to file? Why didn't I just file those papers in the first place?)</li>
<li>And my favorite...RANDOM RECEIPTS.</li>
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I laughed, too. And I am not going to use those labels ever again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKt9Azg4UltlqhXJAAeG6GslJGV_izwqBaVel-YZH7iBxtGoekRMzULxmdcGL9Fa-CKQiJ4cU7v3c4zXWUVWZJRTGS9fpxipmQz_X4haAT4jYT07Vy0ZX7ThQ8w7qH25lv-_Ysj2bdhyphenhyphens/s1600/file+folders-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKt9Azg4UltlqhXJAAeG6GslJGV_izwqBaVel-YZH7iBxtGoekRMzULxmdcGL9Fa-CKQiJ4cU7v3c4zXWUVWZJRTGS9fpxipmQz_X4haAT4jYT07Vy0ZX7ThQ8w7qH25lv-_Ysj2bdhyphenhyphens/s1600/file+folders-sm.jpg" height="295" width="400" /></a></div>
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Maybe new filing supplies will help?</div>
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Filing is taking a toll on my motivation, so today I sneaked in an errand to the office supply store. I love looking at new office supplies and notebooks. Maybe having new, colorful folders will make filing less of a chore. While at the store, I found a little notebook on clearance with a great Dr. Seuss quote. Maybe it will keep me motivated until the end of this project.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3DAg81C7QggfnkPA9cRoOptP7bwAp8mtg25G3Sw3-VKND0zpeVTeXJcZW_2Z2Xpq78yZRW6qNis6U2m51fgxF64CRmkYpkHCmOE6tKK3mdzqrXZt1kJC3r9vDTUNG1xdEw2mnEJH1sSE/s1600/dr+seuss+quote+on+notebook-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3DAg81C7QggfnkPA9cRoOptP7bwAp8mtg25G3Sw3-VKND0zpeVTeXJcZW_2Z2Xpq78yZRW6qNis6U2m51fgxF64CRmkYpkHCmOE6tKK3mdzqrXZt1kJC3r9vDTUNG1xdEw2mnEJH1sSE/s1600/dr+seuss+quote+on+notebook-sm.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Great quote for inspiration.</div>
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Because the sorting is taking so long, I decided I needed to tackle one project that I could actually finish today and feel good about the accomplishment. I decided to sort, purge, and tidy up one shelf in my office. This shelf holds National Geographic magazines. I love National Geographic. I love it because it is a great magazine. I love the articles. I love the photos. And I have a lot of nostalgia for this magazine. When I was growing up, my grandparents had a bedroom in the basement they called "the library." Now, I have always wanted a library, so of course this room was a favorite place to explore. There were books on the shelves, some of which we read when we were visiting. And there were National Geographic issues. I could read current issues upstairs while the adults visited. But I could also look at old issues down in the basement. I remember following Jane Goodall's chimpanzee research through the years, and I eagerly awaited the regular updates that appeared in the magazines.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1keJgu2VWkHf36dkXUT8mgK1lZhCMH5XybsURi4hkTmcZcb_D4qi26ewhchGKw6qzll1hEPyteTF1BlauXRhx8t0Bj5eSrERDH5un69wjbwvTyEvKCMYya3Ap5BNv6SdF3YPEwt4bVDY/s1600/magazine+sort-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1keJgu2VWkHf36dkXUT8mgK1lZhCMH5XybsURi4hkTmcZcb_D4qi26ewhchGKw6qzll1hEPyteTF1BlauXRhx8t0Bj5eSrERDH5un69wjbwvTyEvKCMYya3Ap5BNv6SdF3YPEwt4bVDY/s1600/magazine+sort-sm.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sorting National Geographic</div>
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I don't have a library or the shelf space to keep all the magazines that come through my mailbox. And I have subscribed to National Geographic for most of my adult life. Today some more magazines had to go. It was easier than I thought it would be. I did a quick sort, let my kids save a few they were interested in, and fit them all neatly on one shelf in my office. There is even room for all of the new 2015 issues yet to come! I am happy to have something to show for my work today. Wish me luck ridding my life of "miscellaneous!"</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-13725173989065129782015-02-10T15:25:00.000-07:002015-02-10T15:25:34.264-07:0052 Weeks to a Clean House: Week 7 -The Paper Chase<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsUjjyFQRLk9VqpCR6_YgSRZc8Q1GQTnUMa8hHtjRm4sDnfYeFeIDnEElzkHstDZAFhai7vMgTZ33LHJUOQfQ5XjUXXvStyM8aN9SQTRNNvI6lbegQAJT0DMFy6wMsdkMgaktOTOH2lU/s1600/favorite+beach-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsUjjyFQRLk9VqpCR6_YgSRZc8Q1GQTnUMa8hHtjRm4sDnfYeFeIDnEElzkHstDZAFhai7vMgTZ33LHJUOQfQ5XjUXXvStyM8aN9SQTRNNvI6lbegQAJT0DMFy6wMsdkMgaktOTOH2lU/s1600/favorite+beach-sm.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Place I Would Rather Be!</div>
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Last week I was pretty hopeful as I dug through boxes and generated bags of paper for the shredder and the recycling bin. I cleared one file drawer, and could see the potential in a couple of other drawers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVbX-oHiJNIwf1uadlYrDAlOFkWFZr4wrZpgKjheZTBspmRug1gJFJYkPNIzcpwN_mxIIn4rIjZOSCUm4EH2VySRYF8XRCIom_1uGt__Wa3RDPcdTysMSF0W80qDpmOwahyphenhyphenl-_aHkFM0/s1600/empty+file+drawer-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVbX-oHiJNIwf1uadlYrDAlOFkWFZr4wrZpgKjheZTBspmRug1gJFJYkPNIzcpwN_mxIIn4rIjZOSCUm4EH2VySRYF8XRCIom_1uGt__Wa3RDPcdTysMSF0W80qDpmOwahyphenhyphenl-_aHkFM0/s1600/empty+file+drawer-sm.jpg" height="273" width="320" /></a></div>
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One File Drawer Ready to Go!</div>
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However, my clutter-attention span is notoriously short. And this week seems very daunting. Those tax back-up documents I need are also proving to be rather elusive, which should teach me to set up a good filing system right now for the 2015 papers. Then at least I will avoid the paper chase next year!<br />
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Before I dive into yet another box and chase more paper around in the sort and purge phase of this process, I am going to digress. Here are the things I would rather be doing right now:<br />
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<li>Relaxing on a beach</li>
<li>Skiing</li>
<li>Taking a nap</li>
<li>Reading a book</li>
<li>Eating chocolate...</li>
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Oh wait! I can make those last two happen!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToRQ49Vo3ANBEC34Nlh08alCZAhE3X3GGp0Gy_6y5wl_tQICF7aL6iT0FowheBKP7BkYhhaD-jLG8FF0bOIlqOR0N9tLYFwztLcVi9erTJpw33nwFcTwmA_pooDw2ABhozYRV1SWGnvg/s1600/chocolate-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToRQ49Vo3ANBEC34Nlh08alCZAhE3X3GGp0Gy_6y5wl_tQICF7aL6iT0FowheBKP7BkYhhaD-jLG8FF0bOIlqOR0N9tLYFwztLcVi9erTJpw33nwFcTwmA_pooDw2ABhozYRV1SWGnvg/s1600/chocolate-sm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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What are your favorite distractions?</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-16869128550761719692015-02-07T12:07:00.000-07:002015-02-07T12:07:10.768-07:00Sophie Scholl and The White Rose - What Would You Do For Freedom?I am a bit weary of film sequels and remakes crowding the theaters with their long action sequences and heavy-CGI. The Sundance Film Festival just wrapped up in Utah, and the Oscars are approaching, so I was craving a movie that was a little different from standard theater fare. On a whim, I browsed the Foreign Film shelf at my local library last week and found "Sophie Scholl: The Final Days" on DVD. (The film is in German with English subtitles).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1hBaeqL91W0fk7fi8-FwCqRib1DTPAouNv9s6xVp-fk3MIsgsQxXhNQGOQmP8hE9rhHoeO8jrDJrq724wtqrpLD4bfvHtp8MLcV9S8rG-0tOkGdhN4EjflXUKJ2GoLPc7juPAbAPEec/s1600/600full-sophie-scholl--the-final-days-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1hBaeqL91W0fk7fi8-FwCqRib1DTPAouNv9s6xVp-fk3MIsgsQxXhNQGOQmP8hE9rhHoeO8jrDJrq724wtqrpLD4bfvHtp8MLcV9S8rG-0tOkGdhN4EjflXUKJ2GoLPc7juPAbAPEec/s1600/600full-sophie-scholl--the-final-days-poster.jpg" height="400" width="280" /></a></div>
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Sophie Scholl particpated in the The White Rose resistance movement, along with her brother Hans, during World War II in Germany. I had actually seen a film about the White Rose at the International Cinema when I was in college, and then several years ago, I read a book about Sophie and the White Rose, so I was familiar with the story.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULU9hMMe49882xnDqzAeMGCB2N_DySmVCIudKE7efHxJmhc7So3ToWOsqT32iSQBoSHNmxh_s6Z8fA2yvpEcE1t-IigsjnM4_bwcnSj4io4Ib-HgP3mA6uNiL87K6KR_kTVbE4egbbTA/s1600/220px-Stamps_of_Germany_(DDR)_1961%2C_MiNr_0852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULU9hMMe49882xnDqzAeMGCB2N_DySmVCIudKE7efHxJmhc7So3ToWOsqT32iSQBoSHNmxh_s6Z8fA2yvpEcE1t-IigsjnM4_bwcnSj4io4Ib-HgP3mA6uNiL87K6KR_kTVbE4egbbTA/s1600/220px-Stamps_of_Germany_(DDR)_1961,_MiNr_0852.jpg" height="258" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sophie and Hans Scholl honored on a stamp.</div>
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In 1942, Hans Scholl (Sophie's brother) and some friends from the University of Munich started a resistance movement which Sophie (also a student at the university) joined. Over a period of about 8 months, this group produced and distributed leaflets that called for the German people to actively oppose the Nazi regime. One of the six leaflets they produced called for "Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and protection of the individual citizen from the arbitrary action of criminal dictator-states." The pamphlets drew quite a bit of attention (anywhere from 6,000 to 9,000 copies of the fifth pamphlet were distributed in multiple cities, mostly by mail). The production and distribution of these leaflets was quite a feat given the difficulty of acquiring paper, stamps, and the equipment to make copies in war-time Germany. The Gestapo was working hard to find and punish the perpetrators.<br />
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Spoiler Alert: the film <i><b>is</b></i> titled "Sophie Scholl: The Final Days." It takes place during the distribution of the sixth leaflet and shows Sophie's capture, interrogation, and trial. Sophie and Hans Scholl, along with fellow-resistor, Christoph Probst were executed on February 22, 1943.<br />
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Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, and Christoph Probst.</div>
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Is the film worth a look? Most definitely! This film was nominated for an Oscar in 2006 for Best Foreign Film. The acting is superb. I loved this film for several reasons.<br />
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<ul>
<li>The historical account is fascinating, and much of this film is taken from transcripts of the trial and eyewitness accounts. The film manages to capture the drama and suspense of the events.</li>
<li>I think it is important to recognize that many Germans were not complacent during Hitler's rule in Germany, and not only knew what was going on, but were trying to unite other Germans to act against Hitler. </li>
<li>Freedom of speech is something that is easy to take for granted here in America. Hans and Sophie Scholl and Christoph Probst were executed for speaking freely...a right that had been theirs in Germany prior to Hitler's rise to power.</li>
<li>This film makes me question what my actions would have been in similar circumstances. Would I have acted to reclaim freedoms of speech and religion? Would I have spoken out against the murder of fellow citizens? This is a very thought-provoking film.</li>
<li>Sophie Scholl was an incredibly intelligent and articulate young woman, and this film portrays those qualities.She and the other members of the White Rose were not trying to be cast as heroes. They simply wanted to do the right thing. Watching Sophie (played by Julia Jentsch) handle her interrogation and trial with strength and dignity is amazing.</li>
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Sophie Scholl was only 21 years old. Her brother Hans was 24. As Sophie walked to her death, she said "The sun still shines." </div>
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Sophie Scholl</div>
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Yes, Sophie, 72 years after your death, the sun still shines on you and others like you who stand for what is right with courage and grace.</div>
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For more information on Sophie Scholl and The White Rose, check out these links:</div>
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<a href="http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/revolt/scholl.html">Sophie Scholl (Holocaust Education and Archive Research Team)</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/rose.html">The White Rose - A Lesson In Dissent (Jewish Virtual Library)</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007751">Resistance Inside Germany (US Holocaust Museum)</a></div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-51578320631807671262015-02-05T08:52:00.000-07:002015-02-05T08:52:56.073-07:0052 Weeks to a Clean House: Week 6 - If I Don't Come Out, Send a Search Party!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSxur0unpicaZgbOS38SmSbzNfrQgxKYMTvHhVI548aQwlNh6knrXa_U4Y-ak-H7hJGKzaofXnOGiW9Q2ZCAQWfXScdMqqpjOsqkCcTdP8ZvoKzg4S_4vUZ6nPTkj5nft_A2AAsoV_LM/s1600/office+space-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSxur0unpicaZgbOS38SmSbzNfrQgxKYMTvHhVI548aQwlNh6knrXa_U4Y-ak-H7hJGKzaofXnOGiW9Q2ZCAQWfXScdMqqpjOsqkCcTdP8ZvoKzg4S_4vUZ6nPTkj5nft_A2AAsoV_LM/s1600/office+space-sm.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Home Office Space</div>
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I am loving the organized kitchen, and we are happily maintaining clear counters and clean sinks (no dirty dishes piling up!) The whole family is on board, and it is great. That almost gives me enough courage to tackle the catch-all space we call the "office." There are lots of reasons to tackle this space next. The biggest reason is that this space is probably the most difficult space in the house. I believe if I am able to get this room organized and functional, then the rest of the house will be much, much easier.<br />
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My kitchen flows in one straight line into my dining room. It is all one big room. We did that intentionally when we remodeled, and I love it. At the dining room, however, the space turns north 90 degrees forming an L-shape. It is this northern open area that is our family disaster area. It holds books, scrapbooking supplies, photos, files, magazines, crafts, school supplies, office supplies, family history records, the home computer, and more. It is used by the entire family.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aWT2nPo72LBphzU4WHrfDp3sSrDe0KqwdN24WCrTn8JCjOQqCZrAviL11h4yFU5zrFGP9WZn2-YvLq8UElqShtOsUFdIK_CQf4plyVqw3vSMWWu2XQ0bcdgr6gMB68_FZ_rNjjAjqpM/s1600/books+and+more2-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aWT2nPo72LBphzU4WHrfDp3sSrDe0KqwdN24WCrTn8JCjOQqCZrAviL11h4yFU5zrFGP9WZn2-YvLq8UElqShtOsUFdIK_CQf4plyVqw3vSMWWu2XQ0bcdgr6gMB68_FZ_rNjjAjqpM/s1600/books+and+more2-sm.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Books, scrapbooks, Lego and more!</div>
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There are also some boxes. What is in those boxes? I am not quite sure. But I am sure they all contain PAPER. Paper is my nemesis. Getting control of the tornado of paper that swirls through my home would be a major accomplishment and a big improvement in my life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1JPAPvx_vJaBbXlnLW7ttwZQy9W5QQCG78nxxPfldZQ9Kf9abxaT9gFTu2qbtWgwTjSd_fPZSmWHXweQUV6IboWFVtB7bp2gpDavFBnlnxCUmUcQT5nAdXiDREQoKPzE-GURtpJYNag/s1600/corner+piles-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1JPAPvx_vJaBbXlnLW7ttwZQy9W5QQCG78nxxPfldZQ9Kf9abxaT9gFTu2qbtWgwTjSd_fPZSmWHXweQUV6IboWFVtB7bp2gpDavFBnlnxCUmUcQT5nAdXiDREQoKPzE-GURtpJYNag/s1600/corner+piles-sm.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Dreaded pile of boxes</div>
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Since tax season is upon us, and since the papers needed for me to work on those tax returns are somewhere in this space, I figure it is time to go to work. I wish the documents I needed had a tracking beacon, but I know they are in here somewhere.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2k-CDs03p5A6Ib-RkXiT5wpIUszlLafu__IZQ6f6OR8baiJ6Si1am8x_qn4IVIiBO09XNLmRoeeM8_P4if-yoyGEJ-8Y0-8iXxLNASYq9hXoBJz1Haow0l1vshtxAAi5cHVG0HvbuJM/s1600/photos-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2k-CDs03p5A6Ib-RkXiT5wpIUszlLafu__IZQ6f6OR8baiJ6Si1am8x_qn4IVIiBO09XNLmRoeeM8_P4if-yoyGEJ-8Y0-8iXxLNASYq9hXoBJz1Haow0l1vshtxAAi5cHVG0HvbuJM/s1600/photos-sm.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Photos (at least they are in boxes by year!)</div>
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I am planning to work through my office using organizer Julie Morgenstern's SPACE acronym. SPACE stands for Sort, Purge, Assign a home, Containerize, and Equalize. Today my goal is to sort and purge at least one of those annoying boxes. I have a feeling the office will take longer than the kitchen, but I am trying to stay optimistic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnpue3SMO1E21bsLk3C8RpIscHDGbsbntJqB2hbJ_ezsC2Vd4PZKxDKpEiBurU-fQqI-D-YsAO8lCG4ZhqECkrI0XayIswrWTjBn19neHHFUrimYiE4gNNn4SwXLgiSAXxyJE7GCCV7w/s1600/projects-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnpue3SMO1E21bsLk3C8RpIscHDGbsbntJqB2hbJ_ezsC2Vd4PZKxDKpEiBurU-fQqI-D-YsAO8lCG4ZhqECkrI0XayIswrWTjBn19neHHFUrimYiE4gNNn4SwXLgiSAXxyJE7GCCV7w/s1600/projects-sm.jpg" height="332" width="400" /></a></div>
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Someone's projects.</div>
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If you don't hear from me the next week or so, send out a search party. I am lost in a mountain of paper!<br />
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Do you deal with paper clutter effectively in your home? What are your best tips?<br />
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<a href="http://realtormag.realtor.org/home-and-design/feature/article/2012/07/5-steps-organized-home-office">Great link to tips on using the SPACE system</a>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-45624538096192283722015-01-26T14:34:00.003-07:002015-01-26T20:35:31.800-07:0052 Weeks to A Clean House: Week 5 - Refrigerator WarsI once had a poster that listed 101 ways to say "No" to something. One of the excuses included "I am making a movie about the thing that grew in my refrigerator." If you have ever lived with roommates at college, you know what a viable excuse that is.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5F4UU1xY95jmbN3X29pIc4BFWuYHaFtOzvrQWDV7AZz1rytAyOePfe59WmopMdH1FcUjYTfWQYbpUXQNNfifllzVw0eY5cbfnPwSaRz3HZzIzRYBCYE8YfCauOEWwgHbIQ-eE1gHBo0/s1600/stuff+from+fridge-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5F4UU1xY95jmbN3X29pIc4BFWuYHaFtOzvrQWDV7AZz1rytAyOePfe59WmopMdH1FcUjYTfWQYbpUXQNNfifllzVw0eY5cbfnPwSaRz3HZzIzRYBCYE8YfCauOEWwgHbIQ-eE1gHBo0/s1600/stuff+from+fridge-sm.jpg" height="243" width="400" /></a></div>
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Removing everything from my fridge so I can clean.</div>
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My sophomore year of college, the kitchen of my apartment took on a horrible odor. My roomies and I were stumped. We took out trash, cleaned, and tried to locate the smell. Finally, we realized it was coming from beneath the refrigerator. Someone had spilled milk in the fridge, and it had flowed down into the area beneath the appliance, rotted, and now smelled like vomit. It was incredibly awful, and I think the roommates who cleaned up this rank mess deserve a medal.<br />
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Today as I started to clean my refrigerator, I was happy to find it was not in such a messy state, My husband routinely helps put away groceries, and while he is at it, he wipes out refrigerator produce drawers and tosses old food, so the fridge stays in pretty good shape. Still, it was time for a thorough cleaning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkE3oLjEuut1oBs9uaKNrw-frfiZGdO5cbW4nPAkErV8oAO9khbUMfMmFCBIEK1fCZmhjAJZVPKCXX7FRm0uRDC1FDZ8lvB8ldgkcZX6eyPCS47DtwTS9mYNFqX0Sh97uBRVCmy1rgsJ8/s1600/inside+of+my+fridge-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkE3oLjEuut1oBs9uaKNrw-frfiZGdO5cbW4nPAkErV8oAO9khbUMfMmFCBIEK1fCZmhjAJZVPKCXX7FRm0uRDC1FDZ8lvB8ldgkcZX6eyPCS47DtwTS9mYNFqX0Sh97uBRVCmy1rgsJ8/s1600/inside+of+my+fridge-sm.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Squeaky clean refrigerator! Now if I can get those shelves back in...</div>
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Here are my observations from today's kitchen cleaning:<br />
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<ul>
<li>I almost needed an engineering degree to remove refrigerator drawers and shelving, and get it all put back together.</li>
<li>Baking soda is my favorite kitchen cleaner for tackling grime.</li>
<li>It is a great victory when you remove expired food from your refrigerator AND get it in the trash can before garbage pick-up that day.</li>
<li>If you don't know how long something has been in your refrigerator, chances are it has been there too long.</li>
<li>It is best to clean the fridge before a trip to the grocery store...fewer items to take out!</li>
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I just have this week left to finish my kitchen, and things are looking good. I still have to clean a few miscellaneous cabinets and drawers, and the stove and oven. Thankfully the oven is self-cleaning. And there are two clutter piles left for me to deal with, and one tiny landfill of papers by the toaster that belongs to my spouse, but I am pretty confident the kitchen will be clean and organized by January 31!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjlBTqSrUuXW4sqMUY84b-oUqGaXAUWTiRVQxvSpe0-EmRbzeq60l3B4V8uA1mRaYRZ_G-OJFwo1AhJUsnfzz9TlWc6vz6K0CENmb36ehgyFJzohnmwCn4KcOxIVxA3sL9yeTGcMeprE/s1600/fridge+art-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjlBTqSrUuXW4sqMUY84b-oUqGaXAUWTiRVQxvSpe0-EmRbzeq60l3B4V8uA1mRaYRZ_G-OJFwo1AhJUsnfzz9TlWc6vz6K0CENmb36ehgyFJzohnmwCn4KcOxIVxA3sL9yeTGcMeprE/s1600/fridge+art-sm.jpg" height="345" width="400" /></a></div>
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Fridge art, yes or no?</div>
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A last thought about refrigerators: many organizing books say a fridge should have a clean exterior, meaning no items on the outside of your fridge. I admit the look is uncluttered, and it is easy to wipe off fingerprints or marks if there is nothing on your fridge. But my family is used to our fridge calender. Our fridge is also a mini-art gallery sporting magnets of famous paintings collected on various trips, as well as scenes from national parks. Those fridge magnets are fun memories of family vacations. So, I am torn about having a pristine refrigerator exterior, and having things I love on the front of my fridge.</div>
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What is your preference? Fridge art? or clean slate?</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-8655186164269362452015-01-23T15:01:00.000-07:002015-01-23T15:02:11.678-07:00The Art By the Side of the Road...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjus6miYN42HiQwkPNDUy6cPX47KGBEb5FjQoZvkdpC1JiBn7hiJ00Y0AKWY-6ikSqFMvoztSjhHwvHgYs7E5Q2LYLXbpi2HkMKd_hFcP0tTS07tcVRTrCA9UIiWBuJWa8FgxgsVUfSQ7U/s1600/300px-Moqui_Cave1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjus6miYN42HiQwkPNDUy6cPX47KGBEb5FjQoZvkdpC1JiBn7hiJ00Y0AKWY-6ikSqFMvoztSjhHwvHgYs7E5Q2LYLXbpi2HkMKd_hFcP0tTS07tcVRTrCA9UIiWBuJWa8FgxgsVUfSQ7U/s1600/300px-Moqui_Cave1.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sign for Moqui Cave</div>
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One of the things I love about road trips is the odd and wonderful things you find by the side of the road. On a trip to the Grand Canyon, as we neared Kanab, UT, my husband and I saw a sign for the Moqui Cave. It looked like an obvious tourist trap, but we weren't in a big hurry, so we decided to take the tour.</div>
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Entrance to the Moqui Cave</div>
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It was a much better stop than I anticipated. Not only did the Moqui Cave have a colorful local history, but cavernous rooms inside now contain geology and artifact collections of museum quality. The cave has been used by humans since the Anasazi period. It was a Speakeasy during the 1920s, and in the 1950s it was converted to a tavern and dance hall. The inlaid bar counter contains semi-precious stones from Brazil, and is beautiful. The cave also houses pottery and artifacts from native peoples, and a big collection of fluorescent rocks. We enjoyed our time at Moqui Cave, and thought it was well worth the stop.</div>
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Here are a few other oddities I have seen by the side of the road.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoEr0hSBE6-pTG4v8_cdZWFE1p4mMdgtdDa-BLYA2SdpPBWtu5p6d3diboRWv5fph11kHqp1ubgE_kGnY_8660rpGjiE6c7p5d5lP2S42kuaiJOJkIhmf41l4DRs98_UYDYpdG8DqgdI/s1600/world's%2Blargest%2Bdinosaur-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoEr0hSBE6-pTG4v8_cdZWFE1p4mMdgtdDa-BLYA2SdpPBWtu5p6d3diboRWv5fph11kHqp1ubgE_kGnY_8660rpGjiE6c7p5d5lP2S42kuaiJOJkIhmf41l4DRs98_UYDYpdG8DqgdI/s1600/world's%2Blargest%2Bdinosaur-sm.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a></div>
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World's Largest Dinosaur</div>
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Yup, we paid the fee here, too. We climbed up into the mouth of the World's Largest Dinosaur in Drumheller, Canada. Also worth the price of admission.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOSmFWyQKXcfvBBoDjiXv3pWTi9uAAR7_w8yo2rCLndLwfaXM6Nqg8fYAFgeaSbnP8sZoBj81fbddxVZJD4aVF2yvcjEe-hRPSpsF4Zeed7hE7vlbjMbMzP3-W22jx-WjDrbHSvSbwBbg/s1600/tractor+crossing-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOSmFWyQKXcfvBBoDjiXv3pWTi9uAAR7_w8yo2rCLndLwfaXM6Nqg8fYAFgeaSbnP8sZoBj81fbddxVZJD4aVF2yvcjEe-hRPSpsF4Zeed7hE7vlbjMbMzP3-W22jx-WjDrbHSvSbwBbg/s1600/tractor+crossing-sm.jpg" height="400" width="220" /></a></div>
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I love road signs.</div>
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Road signs are great, and this one had an amazing cloud formation behind it. When you see signs that say things like "Plates on the Road," it is completely worth it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKPO3dUT0xOUF4A7oR9dh6NRCACtI-Vr_rRRGUUakpZdlMPvM7YYnCyMuQEK0o5xYk0v2V9JzPSJpyOOxm37diNqqd6Lu6j8qWtJFHNJ1nIfZaipIswksMjjpK1Qejlz-0RfFBcdBTsg/s1600/DSC_0643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKPO3dUT0xOUF4A7oR9dh6NRCACtI-Vr_rRRGUUakpZdlMPvM7YYnCyMuQEK0o5xYk0v2V9JzPSJpyOOxm37diNqqd6Lu6j8qWtJFHNJ1nIfZaipIswksMjjpK1Qejlz-0RfFBcdBTsg/s1600/DSC_0643.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cemeteries are always worth a look.</div>
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I am a sucker for cemeteries. This little cemetery in Utah is surprisingly well-kept. Family members still gather here every year, and it is very pleasant. Again, just something we saw out the car window by the side of the road that begged us to stop for a few minutes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5YQrWK_4lYSQFCqTlZf3NBV1JR5XIStR7UP4yng7kKwd8a52jimlmG9DksxGKtM8YYcQDPgj3qRi9_OX9LBpqkY4wlAt_GSqRubPSh6c5oZqczjC3-KsQwMvwdyjGvQs6vRlSYXYn7g/s1600/wilson+arch-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5YQrWK_4lYSQFCqTlZf3NBV1JR5XIStR7UP4yng7kKwd8a52jimlmG9DksxGKtM8YYcQDPgj3qRi9_OX9LBpqkY4wlAt_GSqRubPSh6c5oZqczjC3-KsQwMvwdyjGvQs6vRlSYXYn7g/s1600/wilson+arch-1.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Wilson Arch</div>
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Wilson Arch outside of Moab, Utah, is a great natural roadside attraction. I've passed it many times, but one lovely day we stopped to take a closer look.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmKUGD4Mk1XrNdL_akRmNpqdel8It4BhMk8C-8A0UckWnqfLAJmBRlz40GbKWAkbFDZdqg5ZfSK3KEZinWdd9zjFvEWeL_AU65ybLbd9cqWD3o81vklMJsjBaGtZIzlKBo6tufsybdd8/s1600/truck+in+9+mile+canyon-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmKUGD4Mk1XrNdL_akRmNpqdel8It4BhMk8C-8A0UckWnqfLAJmBRlz40GbKWAkbFDZdqg5ZfSK3KEZinWdd9zjFvEWeL_AU65ybLbd9cqWD3o81vklMJsjBaGtZIzlKBo6tufsybdd8/s1600/truck+in+9+mile+canyon-sm.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Truck in Nine Mile Canyon.</div>
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Who can resist this great old truck? The sagebrush in the hood is almost comical. I am not sure if it is a statement about man's blight on the land, or on nature's power to reclaim its territory. Loved seeing this, though.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaMnd1D5BZsflXYVJGsOAOxmN2C3HsaYbQvSPjqpWCbVMiorqfzq-Zyp2VGm2L3lBC0AvgbEZZuplMSjENt2VnF-bN2_1AZDBmgOGAZ1tXbowfsXKYhM4ZHVfQSVjqG_VY4hsRXRpQN0/s1600/aliens-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaMnd1D5BZsflXYVJGsOAOxmN2C3HsaYbQvSPjqpWCbVMiorqfzq-Zyp2VGm2L3lBC0AvgbEZZuplMSjENt2VnF-bN2_1AZDBmgOGAZ1tXbowfsXKYhM4ZHVfQSVjqG_VY4hsRXRpQN0/s1600/aliens-sm.jpg" height="226" width="400" /></a></div>
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Aliens?</div>
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We passed this rock on the way to the <a href="http://artwifeneedsalife.blogspot.com/2011/08/visiting-spiral-jetty-at-great-salt.html">Spiral Jetty</a>. Looks like a likely spot for an alien landing. Perhaps this rock is giving directions?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSDlfUtOayt5DSYZniKmVRnn_aK7uDUXTNxbNeX7pz3-X0gPX89tAFLZ4L0fV_di7OfMH8YEYlwE-sbWQnSvYoNx_O90SobXRfbz-7dgiSFK4cUa5PY_LxqODFjmjzIfoU8K3XMY4kOk/s1600/tree+full+of+shoes-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSDlfUtOayt5DSYZniKmVRnn_aK7uDUXTNxbNeX7pz3-X0gPX89tAFLZ4L0fV_di7OfMH8YEYlwE-sbWQnSvYoNx_O90SobXRfbz-7dgiSFK4cUa5PY_LxqODFjmjzIfoU8K3XMY4kOk/s1600/tree+full+of+shoes-sm.jpg" height="400" width="246" /></a></div>
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Shoe Tree</div>
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One of my new favorites was this tree full of shoes we passed driving from Great Basin National Park back to Delta, Utah. I don't know who started throwing shoes in this tree, but obviously several other people have joined the fun. Litter? Art? Social bonding? Whatever your perspective, it is a sight to behold.</div>
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I can't wait to plan another road trip and see what else I will discover by the side of the road!</div>
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What are some of the best "roadside atractions" you have seen?</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-20720935965872234642015-01-21T14:37:00.000-07:002015-01-21T14:37:09.491-07:0052 Weeks to a Clean House: Week 4 - A Lick and a Promise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoe58yRrJpKu9PJTTLVJiO6WdbcWHRX5B0QlVgiCqHJBBhlGqSAyYkVPNQ9xGj9SV-vjupPoBSnsGWirR5iBVldLJwq5XA6UcOJ3Si2dWX6ZCH_IWTDaWb8DtPB48HjavCv39jgNghGI/s1600/tidy+pantry-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoe58yRrJpKu9PJTTLVJiO6WdbcWHRX5B0QlVgiCqHJBBhlGqSAyYkVPNQ9xGj9SV-vjupPoBSnsGWirR5iBVldLJwq5XA6UcOJ3Si2dWX6ZCH_IWTDaWb8DtPB48HjavCv39jgNghGI/s1600/tidy+pantry-sm.jpg" height="332" width="400" /></a></div>
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Clean Pantry!</div>
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This is one of those weeks when I have extra things going on, so I am a little concerned I will fall behind on my schedule to get my kitchen cleaned and organized this month. You know those weeks...when you have a sick child, or an extra project at work, or other demands on your time that disrupt your routine. I am trying hard this week to do basic cleaning, make progress in my kitchen, and juggle everything else. </div>
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My mom (who is a VERY clean and organized person) has come to clean for me at various points in my life when I was struggling through a difficult pregnancy or rehabilitating herniated discs in my back. She would whip through my home in a blur of cleaning efficiency, doing dishes, sweeping floors and cleaning bathrooms. Then she would say, "Well, that will have to do...I just gave it a lick and promise." Of course, the bathrooms were sparkling, but I knew what she meant. Sometimes we only have time for a quick slick-over, not a deep clean. This is a "lick and a promise" week on my cleaning schedule.</div>
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I knew this would be a busy week, so I made a plan on Sunday. Tasks got assigned to each day, and I marked days when I could squeeze in a little of my cleaning and organizing efforts. This is not going to be a real deep cleaning week (look out Week 5!), so I chose things I could do quickly in small blocks of time in order to keep moving forward on my project.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dIliNxYf7zu5JESEsWt9HsuGwz-Da7wDl3lBtBkJ8M7u4biFSSkJYnhmaU42x34o2NW7zWsH01sDWUlpGj90_-kvTDdHvMbFB3WvwcAfByTM2ClYUZ3-fyYUUGrK4Gi5ySXw20X2z-k/s1600/if+you+don't%2Bhave%2Ba%2Blid-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dIliNxYf7zu5JESEsWt9HsuGwz-Da7wDl3lBtBkJ8M7u4biFSSkJYnhmaU42x34o2NW7zWsH01sDWUlpGj90_-kvTDdHvMbFB3WvwcAfByTM2ClYUZ3-fyYUUGrK4Gi5ySXw20X2z-k/s1600/if+you+don't%2Bhave%2Ba%2Blid-sm.jpg" height="306" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you don't have a lid, you can't stay....</div>
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I started with some drawers that are in pretty decent shape, and wiped them out and tidied them up. Then I tackled the container drawer. It had become pretty jumbled. I pulled everything out and said "If you don't have lid, you can't stay." A quick match of containers to lids eliminated a few things right away. Next I pulled out things with broken lids, or containers that have seen better days. Out to the recycling bin!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjiRDjfdaDpothBDrKXmOrmva7HLkZYhxwOa-Jhp5JH6Q1Gr_oD6cECBoZBazMSMFVFAQ5In5RTT30OHmm2u12XB-HLTAHZoHxnPGer9G8cXznZ7yQFc_j8zlAQ0OQLFY5f_OpfXOQuw/s1600/the+survivors-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjiRDjfdaDpothBDrKXmOrmva7HLkZYhxwOa-Jhp5JH6Q1Gr_oD6cECBoZBazMSMFVFAQ5In5RTT30OHmm2u12XB-HLTAHZoHxnPGer9G8cXznZ7yQFc_j8zlAQ0OQLFY5f_OpfXOQuw/s1600/the+survivors-sm.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The survivors.</div>
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After tucking the lids in their box and nesting the containers, everything fit easily back in the drawer. I am almost done cleaning and organizing drawers and cabinets. Today I also pulled a bottom drawer completely out and looked beneath it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjfnrhydP3k99JaLUaPmu12xKUzjkeef-UKLQn_s9tXAKW1IkkEhRtLhuttxts-yPZbLNmzgjQ3Jg28XrY5F_8bfQ5pmYSNtR5urIpcXaB2Rz3tKSMBng9WH4F7Ue1jwQI59dIzz_Ofc/s1600/oh+scary-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjfnrhydP3k99JaLUaPmu12xKUzjkeef-UKLQn_s9tXAKW1IkkEhRtLhuttxts-yPZbLNmzgjQ3Jg28XrY5F_8bfQ5pmYSNtR5urIpcXaB2Rz3tKSMBng9WH4F7Ue1jwQI59dIzz_Ofc/s1600/oh+scary-sm.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yeah, that's dust.</div>
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Scary. But that is the "cleaning" part of the project, right? The hot pads were rescued from exile and after a good washing, I am sure they will be fine. Thank goodness for small vacuums with handy attachments. This looked better in no time, and now I know this part of my kitchen is clean.</div>
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Speaking of my kitchen, I have fallen back in love with it this month as I have reclaimed parts of it, cleaned other areas, and unloaded unwanted items. We lived in our home about a year before we pulled together the money to remodel our kitchen. I have an 8-foot island, and plenty of cabinet space. I have a built in pantry and a window seat. It is a great space. When we met with the cabinet designer, I wanted some small drawers beneath one cabinet. He asked me what I was going to put in the drawers. I used it for things like markers, glue, and colored pencils when my kids were small. And notepads. And film.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQlsFg4RHSUDLDLrLfcndrnLeIrZVFw98kIlK_5P-LKfX7pppmkJg8Qkvml6eMh5nOGPUevvimvkQuGMgYC2Dg1qHfBu9UeXfeEe6EARuK2i6GHCirvETXrHed79lLy2rnQQcKpw0ELo/s1600/relics-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQlsFg4RHSUDLDLrLfcndrnLeIrZVFw98kIlK_5P-LKfX7pppmkJg8Qkvml6eMh5nOGPUevvimvkQuGMgYC2Dg1qHfBu9UeXfeEe6EARuK2i6GHCirvETXrHed79lLy2rnQQcKpw0ELo/s1600/relics-sm.jpg" height="400" width="371" /></a></div>
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Film... oh, relic from my past...</div>
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He said I was the first person he had talked to who had a plan for those little drawers. I love them!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyagQoo97KeVQQjP-HBIWlRei7po-j1DQOPa1jYnj6wF1NUY54h06wgvlZPrQCyka2xhTInWC6X67h2EXfeaQt1oBzIf4uJioN9LLCxEAILWPFvgXsF_OA4qOqtc_rjNklkCEpWAVSJI/s1600/small+drawers1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyagQoo97KeVQQjP-HBIWlRei7po-j1DQOPa1jYnj6wF1NUY54h06wgvlZPrQCyka2xhTInWC6X67h2EXfeaQt1oBzIf4uJioN9LLCxEAILWPFvgXsF_OA4qOqtc_rjNklkCEpWAVSJI/s1600/small+drawers1-sm.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Love my small drawers (and yes, my <a href="http://www.artwifeneedsalife.blogspot.com/2015/01/52-weeks-to-clean-house-week-2-kitchen.html">kitchen trouble spot</a> is still clean!)</div>
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The kids are much older now, and I no longer need glue sticks and markers in the kitchen for homework projects. But I found a new use for one of these little drawers. It is a perfect home for cell phone chargers and other electronic stuff! Now when the chargers are not in use, I can put them away, which helps keep my counters clear and looking tidy.</div>
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New home for cell phone chargers.</div>
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Even though I don't have a lot of time to commit to cleaning this week, I am forging ahead. I have still managed to make progress. When your life gets busy, does your cleaning routine fall apart, or do you manage with a lick and a promise?</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-22372014281165853672015-01-19T09:55:00.000-07:002015-01-19T09:55:05.015-07:00Celebrating Martin Luther King Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Martin Luther King, Jr.</div>
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<b>"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. ...I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."</b></div>
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--Martin Luther King, Jr.</div>
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Profound words of hope. If everyone could rise from that starless midnight and work toward that bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood...then King's vision could be a reality.<br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-54204036485914993622015-01-15T16:19:00.000-07:002015-01-15T16:19:30.344-07:00The Art of Ernest Untermann<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dinosaur Painting by Ernest Untermann, Sr.</div>
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Ernest Untermann, Sr. was born in Brandenburg, Germany in 1864. He studied geology and paleontology, and was a committed Socialist. As a young man, he spent 10 years as a sailor and traveled the South Seas. Eventually, he moved to America where he translated Karl Marx's writings into English. Untermann also wrote about both economics and natural history.</div>
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Ernest Untermann, 1950</div>
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Later in life, Untermann traveled to the Uinta Basin in Utah, and fell in love with the geology and early history of the place. He began to paint.</div>
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Ernest Untermann painting</div>
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On a recent trip to Vernal, Utah, I visited the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum (that name is a mouthful!). Upstairs in a small area off the beaten path, is a wonderful exhibit of Untermann's paintings. The art on the walls is but a fraction of the paintings housed at the museum, but there are enough paintings on exhibit to give you a feel for Untermann's style.</div>
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Prehistoric plant life in the Uinta basin</div>
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Untermann's paintings have been called whimsical, primitive, or naive. I found them to be absolutely charming. I loved his use of color and the style of his paintings.</div>
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Scenery of the Uinta Basin</div>
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After driving to Vernal and around the local area, I could see why Untermann was so fascinated with the scenery. Vernal is home to dinosaur fossils and primitive rock art from early native residents. Untermann chose to depict not only the scenery, but early creatures and peoples that once inhabited this area.</div>
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Early mammals.</div>
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I wasn't expecting to find an art exhibit at the museum, so being able to walk through this series of Ernest Untermann's paintings was quite a treat. Untermann died in Vernal in 1956, at the age of 91. He was known as the "Artist of the Uintas."</div>
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I think this one might be my favorite.</div>
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If you would like to see Untermann's paintings in person, the <a href="http://stateparks.utah.gov/park/utah-field-house-of-natural-history-state-park-museum">Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum</a> is located at 496 E. Main Street in Vernal, UT. Hours are 9am - 5pm daily from April to September. From October through March, the museum is open Monday through Saturday, and closed on Sundays. Admission is $6 for adults, and $3 for children over 5.</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com4Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum, 496 East Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, USA40.4553394 -109.5197296999999714.9333049 -150.82832369999997 65.9773739 -68.211135699999971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-63861124352652867612015-01-12T11:19:00.000-07:002015-01-12T11:19:36.949-07:0052 Weeks to a Clean House: Week 3 - The Art of HabitsThis week's project is to clean and organize the pantry. I am planning to tackle it on Wednesday. So rather than boring you with making a shelf of crackers and cereal boxes look nice, I want to know what you think about habits.<br />
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Apparently, in order to have a clean house, you have to have cleaning HABITS. Hmmm. Many books and websites suggest a weekly routine. I used to be better about a weekly cleaning routine, but with 4 surgeries in the past 2 years, I confess my weekly routine has slipped. Last week I began implementing a new weekly schedule and am in the process of tweaking it to fit what I would like to accomplish in a week. Now to make it a habit.<br />
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I have heard that it takes 21 days to form a habit. I think this is NOT TRUE. In fact, for some bad habits, I think I can establish them in as little as one day. And I have done things consistently for 21 days and then discarded the habit without a backward glance. I find it takes a few days to develop a bad habit, and a much longer time to develop a good one. But the thing I will agree with is that the forming of a habit requires consistency. The goal is to make the behavior automatic. And for me, that number may vary from 21 days.<br />
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My organizing book suggests establishing a habit each month. In January, I am selecting habits related to the kitchen. The one I am working on right now is emptying the dishwasher when it is through running. Simple, right? Why this one? Because if the dishwasher is empty, it allows me to encourage everyone to put their dirty dishes in the dishwasher as they use them, and then voila! At the end of the day, there isn't a big mess to clean up, just a few dishes from dinner. And the counters stay neater, too.<br />
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I love this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; show a character and you reap a destiny."<br />
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If you were to recommend a "clean kitchen" habit to me this month, what would it be? What are your automatic kitchen habits? Do you have a weekly cleaning routine? What schedule do you follow? I appreciate you helping me on my journey to a clean and orderly home!<br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-17425254377827651812015-01-08T12:30:00.000-07:002015-01-08T12:30:26.486-07:00The Art of the Journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Brighton Lakes Trail - Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah</div>
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I just finished reading a couple of travel memoirs, and I have been trying to pinpoint why I enjoy reading these types of books so much. Several dot my shelves. They vary in subject matter from Robyn Davidson's camel journey across Australia in <i>Tracks</i>, to John Harrison's Amazonian basin river trip in <i>Off the Map.</i> One reason I like these books is that I can vicariously "experience" journeys I am never going to take. But I think I like them for deeper reasons as well.<br /><br />
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In almost every case, these travelers meet kind people along the way who offer them a helping hand or encouragement or friendship in a moment of need. We don't fully appreciate the intricacies of the journeys our fellow travelers are on in this life. But we could all reach out in kindness to others to help them on their way. I know I have been blessed many times by a kind word, a smile, a note, a meal, or some other form of assistance in my journey through life.<br />
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In every journey, things don't go as planned. In Cheryl Strayed's <i>Wild</i>, her journey on the Pacific Crest Trail is derailed by unusually high snowfall. Several hikers abandon their trek and decide to come back in another year. Strayed continues on, but must adjust her plans. Instead of hiking a section of the snowed-in trail in California, she travels north and picks up the trail through Oregon. It requires acquiring new information for the sections of trail she hadn't planned to hike, and re-routing her supply boxes to mail drops in Oregon. In John Harrison's <i>Off the Map</i>, he and his wife, Heather, become lost in the Amazon river basin. It takes some doing for them to find the correct pathway, and a journey that should have taken a few days, takes them several weeks and pushes them perilously close to their physical limits in a remote location.<br />
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Some trails are rocky - Bristlecone Pine Trail, Great Basin National Park</div>
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Every journey I read about has unexpected adventures come up. And I think that is what I like about them. Reading how other people cope when they get completely lost, or when plans change, or when journeys get interrupted has a direct application to life. In my life, at least, things rarely go as planned. On hikes, some trails are steep, some are rocky, some are beautiful. It is easy to twist an ankle, rub a blister, pull a muscle, take a fall. Likewise in life, we walk through pathways of grief, disappointment, stress and pain. But we also walk pathways of joy, love, connection and laughter. We have to make constant adjustments along the way. Sometimes we change trails, sometimes we change destinations. Sometimes it take some time and effort to figure out where we are, and where we want to go. I am finding that the real key is not the end result, but finding ways to enjoy the journey I am on, no matter how challenging it is.<br />
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"Life is like an old railway journey...." --Jenkin Lloyd Jones</div>
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My children are entering adulthood and discovering that their own journeys don't often go as planned. I would like to share with them this advice found in a quote from Jenkins Lloyd Jones, a Unitarian preacher who lived from 1843-1918. (Jones was quoted by Gordon B. Hinckley, president and prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and this quote has gained a lot of popularity among Mormons because of its basic truth.)<br />
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"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don't drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just ordinary people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey...delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride." --Jenkin Lloyd Jones</blockquote>
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Just for today, enjoy your journey, and thank the Lord for letting you have the ride!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-62446819112695028572015-01-06T18:42:00.000-07:002015-01-07T14:21:09.228-07:0052 Weeks to a Clean House: Week 2 - Kitchen Trouble Spot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Popular place in my kitchen for piles.</div>
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I have a great book called "One Year To An Organized Life" by Regina Leeds. Her January project is the kitchen. My kitchen has a few trouble spots, but this area by the phone is the big one, and the area I dreaded tackling the most. So, I decided to do it early in the month, in hopes that cleaning and organizing my kitchen will get easier as the month goes on.</div>
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Trouble spot and cabinet above.</div>
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The cabinets above and below my hidden counter space needed some TLC, too. I thought this project might take about three hours, but it took longer than that. Thankfully, my daughter was helping me today, and we went through folders and binders and got rid of two garbage bags full of papers I no longer wanted or needed. We also had a pile for the shredder, and re-arranged things to work better.</div>
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Then there was the junk drawer...</div>
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My junk drawer doesn't really contain junk, but is a repository for pens, pencils, tape, scissors, calculators, and other office supplies. In going through this drawer, I decided to relocate batteries and the address book, because they don't really fit in the drawer. I also learned I don't need to buy tape for awhile!</div>
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"Junk" drawer after cleaning.</div>
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While going through papers I found this article I had apparently saved out of good intentions.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASdZ0PmXG6yfYZnwbXM-wn9-dpzXW8ShAjdaqEmfVqjtMTAmZWnP272kzRIJtnEqqq_h4e2fim-F_fxM9Li6f6C3gnEnVulpRQ4mL_R7IwSYs1dba0nsPV4wCFo0wV7qGJ9B7VcCfPyE/s1600/article+found+while+cleaning1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASdZ0PmXG6yfYZnwbXM-wn9-dpzXW8ShAjdaqEmfVqjtMTAmZWnP272kzRIJtnEqqq_h4e2fim-F_fxM9Li6f6C3gnEnVulpRQ4mL_R7IwSYs1dba0nsPV4wCFo0wV7qGJ9B7VcCfPyE/s1600/article+found+while+cleaning1-sm.jpg" height="306" width="400" /></a></div>
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Article I had clipped from a magazine years ago.</div>
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I threw the article away. Keeping clutter about getting rid of clutter seems counter-productive. </div>
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Lower cabinet with jumble of books.</div>
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I love cookbooks. I don't really know why. I don't particularly love cooking. But I seem to have amassed a collection of cookbooks over the years. I use them regularly, because although I don't love cooking, I do cook dinner most nights in our home. I found several cookbooks to discard, and then re-organized my remaining books. I moved half of them to the upper cabinet where they are easy to reach, and kept the ones I don't use as much in the lower cabinet. I also threw out old phone directories from church and school... there were several years worth of those hiding in my lower cabinet.</div>
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Upper Cabinet "after"</div>
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Lower Cabinet "after"</div>
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I am calling Week 2 of my "52 Weeks to a Clean House" a success. We are all relishing the new orderliness of this space. Hopefully, I have set things up so that it will be easy for our family to maintain. Maintenance is a skill I will definitely be working on this year! And a special thanks to my daughter whose positive attitude and assistance throughout the day helped make this project a success!</div>
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Yes, that is my kitchen "trouble spot!" Looks better, right?</div>
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Good luck, everyone, as you tackle your goals this year! You can do it.</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-81552123148377759172015-01-03T14:31:00.000-07:002015-01-03T14:31:00.681-07:0052 Weeks to a Clean House: Week 1 - Putting Christmas Away<br />
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Packing Up Christmas Decorations</div>
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<a href="http://www.larkwrites.blogspot.com/">A fellow blogger</a> recently suggested that I could blog about "52 Weeks to a Clean House," and do a post each week. She even had some great ideas for humorous posts. The more I thought about her suggestion, the more I liked it. After all, having some accountability (this blog) along the way might give me the motivation I need to actually achieve order in my home this calendar year. I started an organizing project a couple of years ago, but was de-railed by medical challenges (cancer and a broken ankle). But I am healthy and the house is still a mess, so it seems like a great time try again. Of course, you know from my profile that I am always looking for other things to do BESIDES clean the house, so never fear--I am certain this will not become a how-to for housework.<br />
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This first week of January is a short week (only 3 days). I spent part of New Year's day planning my goals for the upcoming year. Yesterday, I hauled boxes in from the garage and started taking down Christmas decorations. My project for this first week of January is to finish putting Christmas away, and make a plan for what I will accomplish next week. Guess I had better get started...those boxes are not going to find their way out to the garage by themselves!<br />
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Ornaments and Storage Boxes</div>
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Happy 2015!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-32739503407047238942014-09-08T11:02:00.000-06:002014-09-08T11:02:03.032-06:00Camping at Great Basin National Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wheeler Peak from the Scenic Drive</div>
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I confess I am a fan of the national park system. Having unique parts of America set aside and preserved and made accessible to the average person is, in my opinion, a good thing. Each national park I have visited has its own wonderful characteristics. I have loved spending time in Arches, Bryce Canyon, <a href="http://artwifeneedsalife.blogspot.com/2012/04/island-in-sky-canyonlands-national-park.html">Canyonlands</a>, <a href="http://artwifeneedsalife.blogspot.com/2013/05/hiking-emerald-pools-at-zion-national.html">Zion</a>, and Yellowstone. This year we decided to venture to a less-visited national park Great Basin National Park is known for Lehman Caves, and bristlecone pines. As I researched things we wanted to do at the park, I realized it was far enough away that a day trip wasn't going to work. Our best option for truly seeing this park was to camp in one of the park's five developed campgrounds.<br />
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Lehman Caves</div>
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After a stop at the visitor's center, we arrived in the Upper Lehman campground in a driving rain. We drove slowly around the campground loops, trying to find a likely tent spot. Finally, we pulled over and parked in a vacant space, opened the cooler and assembled sandwiches, and ate lunch while we waited for the weather to improve. Eventually the rain stopped, and we got out to tramp around our potential camp site. Not enough room for our family-sized tent. Back to the loop we went. We finally chose a camping site I nicknamed "A River Runs Through It" for the small river that ran under the picnic table each time it rained. However, it did have ample room for the tent.<br />
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Having had a rather unfortunate rainy camping experience in the past, we were determined to do a better job on this camping trip. My daughter and I strung a tarp over the picnic table area, sheltering our camp kitchen, while my husband and son pitched the tent. We got the basics in place before the thunder, lightning, and rain began again. When the sun came out later in the trip, this tarp also provided welcome shade.<br />
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Tarp over our "camp kitchen."</div>
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Here are some tips I found for camping in the rain:<br />
1) Use tarps to shelter areas in your camp. (You can also string a tarp over your tent site if you have to pitch your tent in the rain).<br />
2) Put a ground cloth/liner INSIDE your tent, and let it curve slightly up the tent walls. This keeps you and your sleeping bags and gear dry inside the tent even when the ground is pretty wet. We tried that on this trip, and it worked out really well!<br />
3) Keep firewood in garbage bags so it is dry when you are ready to use it.<br />
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Dinner is cooking during a rainstorm.<br /></div>
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Upper Lehman campground was beautiful! We were near the creek,and took our camp chairs down to the water more than once. We did some bird watching, read books, sketched and painted, and just relaxed. It is a beautiful place to camp.</div>
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Creek near our camp site.</div>
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<a href="http://www.nps.gov/grba/index.htm">Great Basin National Park</a> has several improved campgrounds. The campsites have a fire pit, tent site, and one or two picnic tables. There are also well-ventilated vault toilets around the campground. These were clean and well-maintained. Campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There are NO reservations. Campgrounds can fill up on weekends and holidays in the summer time. We arrived on a Thursday afternoon in July and had no trouble getting a camp site. However, by late Friday night, the campground was pretty full, so plan on arriving early. The Lower Lehman Campground can accommodate RVs. Trailers longer than 24' are not allowed on the scenic drive, which is your only access to Upper Lehman and Wheeler Peak Campgrounds. Camp sites cost $12 per night, and entrance to Great Basin National Park is free.</div>
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Not a camper? Limited accommodations are available in the nearby town of Baker, NV.</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028917203149278676.post-31677990985683138762014-08-09T09:56:00.001-06:002014-08-09T09:56:49.498-06:00The Art of Preparing for a Camping Trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Alpine Lakes Trail - Great Basin National park</div>
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I am planning an upcoming car & tent camping trip and here are some things I have learned along the way.<br />
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1) <b>Start early in preparing</b>. Last time I camped (and it has been awhile!), I promised myself I would go through the camping "kitchen" box and clean it out, update it, add a few items, etc. Well, when we got home from our last camping trip, we put everything away, and I never did get around to that camp kitchen box.<br />
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This week, in anticipation of our upcoming trip, I got my daughter to help me drag the kitchen box out of the garage. Now our garage doubles as a squirrel haven, so things get a bit messy. We knocked some stray walnuts off the lid, opened the container and my daughter said "These dishes are kind of dusty, Mom." Thank goodness for the quick wash button on the dishwasher. In re-packing the box, I noticed we needed some things for our next trip. I like to have this kitchen box up to date. It is part of my emergency preparedness. We headed to the dollar store and bought some large spoons for cooking and serving, 2 dish pans for washing and rinsing dishes, a couple of serrated knives for cutting things like tomatoes, and some fresh salt and pepper in shakers. I dug through a kitchen drawer and added some hot pads, dish rags, and towels. My kitchen box has basic dishes (some paper, some more durable), mixing bowls, a set of camping pots and pans, a non-stick frying pan,matches, garbage bags, freezer bags, and some containers for leftover food. It also has a can opener and dish soap.<br />
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Update your kitchen box.</div>
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In a separate picnic bag, I have paper towels, paper plates, cups, utensils, and a tablecloth. We will use that at the campsite and when we are picnicking from our car. (<a href="http://artwifeneedsalife.blogspot.com/2012/04/road-trip-planning-step-4-food-for-trip.html">For more tips on picnicking on the road, click here.)</a></div>
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2) <b>Good equipment makes a difference</b>. We are car campers. Several years ago we bought a small tent from a local sporting goods store that was going out of business. It served us well when our kids were small, but as they grew and we felt a bit more adventuresome, we thought we should invest in roomier, sturdier tent. One year we took our little tax refund and bought a nice canvas tent that holds all five of us fairly comfortably. Again, I figure this tent is part of my emergency preparedness supplies. We have used it several times, and it still looks new. Now last time we went camping, it rained all while we were trying to set up camp, all through dinner, and on into the evening. The small tent (which was to hold a couple kids), was too wet and not up to the weather. We didn't have rain ponchos. We didn't have a tarp or canopy or anything to protect our cooking/eating area. We did have garbage bags, so everyone put one on for some protection from the rain, and we assembled a cold dinner with our pre-cooked taco meat. We ate quickly, and then retreated to our tent for a damp night. The tent held up pretty well, though. It was a good investment. New equipment this year: rain ponchos, tarps, rope.<br />
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Our tent was a great investment.</div>
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3) <b>The more you prepare ahead of time, the easier camp life will be. </b>This year I am planning on stringing up at least one tarp for shade and rain protection in camp. I searched online for images of the campground, and it looks like there are trees we can use when putting up the tarps. Everyone has a rain poncho, and I am taking umbrellas, and garbage bags to put things in so they don't get wet. I have also made some food ahead of time and have done my shopping for this trip. Since we don't camp really often, and since this is my vacation for the summer, I want to have good food, so I am putting in a little more effort at home so that cooking at camp is easier. Garbage bags can also be used to keep firewood and kindling dry. We have re-fueled our camp stove as well, and have charcoal for the Dutch oven.<br />
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Preparing dry ingredients ahead of time makes camp cooking easier.</div>
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4) <b>Check your batteries before you go.</b> Every battery powered flashlight and camping lantern we own had dead batteries, and there was not a spare "D" battery in the house! During that shopping trip I bought new batteries for all of our lights, and we should make it through the camping trip just fine. I am making a note for myself to get more batteries to have on hand at home. These lights are what we use during power outages, and clearly we were unprepared.<br />
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5) <b>Plan Activities, and then Let the Trip Happen.</b> I find it is good to research where we are going and to plan things to do while we are there. However, part of the beauty of a camping trip is to have time to just hang out at camp and not do a whole lot. On this trip I have games we can play at camp (in the tent if it is raining), and I always take a book to read. We are planning on a hike and visiting a cave. Beyond that, we will just see what each day brings. I have bird books and binoculars for bird watching, a star book for stargazing, and plenty of snacks. It will take me almost as many days to get ready for this trip as we will spend camping, but hopefully the extra preparation will make for a more relaxed trip!<br />
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Happy Camping!<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13083922062271665231noreply@blogger.com1