SUMMER GARDENS, A SMALL VINEYARD

Dear Family,

Mom came rushing in with the news, "You have two bunches of grapes on the grapevines!" This was news indeed, not quite as startling as a new grandchild but close.

I was a bit jealous of all our kids grape vines, Cathy has established vines in their Bountiful house. When Al and Paul and family recently bought a little farm in Munis, MI they had an established vineyard. The previous owner was from California and brought in some California wine grapes and they have the best little vineyard. Those grapes also make great grape juice.

So this spring, we went to a nursery and bought three starts, two Concord grapes vines and an eating grapes vine. We dug out an old hedge, worked the soil and got someone to build a very stout support (with visions of hundreds of pounds of grapes growing).

I would check the progress almost daily and it was slow. I gave up on grapes this year as it takes a while to establish the vines. A friend who has a vineyard said to pluck any grapes off this year but it was so great to see some production, I can't bring myself to do it until ripe.

Everyone talks about a "farm gene" in our family. I must say, I did not particularly like the little farm my Dad bought when we moved to Utah because the chores interfered with my studies but it must have had a deep impression because we bought a little farm in Michigan and we had horses, sheep, pigs, a little steer, ducks and chickens until the foxes got them and a huge garden. We never got to the canning phase of things back then but we ate awfully good food in August and September.

The kids all disliked the garden work but now almost each has their own garden, even Cheryl who has these gourmet raised boxes with automatic sprinklers and has a lush garden. Rick bought a little tree farm in the Sierras, Bry bought the farm in Michigan and Al has on her own little farm

Our space in Salt Lake is limited but Mom gets in a garden anyway. The bushes in the front lawn hide squash and eggplants and she has this little 4' x 4' box loaded with tomatoes. Here is a shot of Mom's petite garden. There is a great joy in turning soil, planting seeds or starts and watching things grow. We are following Church counsel as well when we have our gardens.

There has been all sorts of summer fun in the family. I got this picture off Al's blog. Rob and Eva and Jeff and Tammy were back in Michigan to celebrate school reunions and visit family there. There was a summer 'Sound of Music Festival' .

Here is a picture of Eva wearing her mother's Dirndle ( she is from the Voralberg region of Austria) and with the dis in their outifts. There is Peter in his Lederhose and the girls in their Dirndles. They went onstage and she looked like Maria with all the kids. So fun!

We have been busy in our church assignments. Went to a YSA ward conference yesterday and managed to slip up to hear Doug's High Council talk and it was very good. There have been blessing appointments as well so we keep busy.

Bear Lake next week with Mike and his family for the Labor Day Holiday.

Love, Dad

ADAM IS BAPTIZED

Dear Family,

We traveled to Denver to be part of Adam's baptism. This has been rescheduled a few times due to various activities but we were finally able to go over to Denver. I like visiting Roy and his family in Denver, we always seem to have a lot to do and have a really nice time.

The baptism was special. Adam picked Roy and I to do the talks. "Don't you want anyone else to speak?" "No only you and Grandpa" I spoke on Baptism and Roy spoke on the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Bishop was caught in traffic and never showed up but talked to someone on the phone and told us to go ahead. Roy baptized and I confirmed and it was very special.

there were some non member there and there was clapping after the baptism which you do not see often. Adam was very ready. He is a really bright boy and was looking forward to this.

There is celebration afterwards. This has escalated over the years. When our kids got baptized and we were watching our pennies, the big treat was to go to Mc Donald's for a plain hamburger and the one baptized could have his own shake. We seem to do a lot more now which of course is not part of the ordinance but nevertheless there is joy all around. We drove Adam to that Crispy Creme Donuts place and he picked out a dozen for the family.

We took him to the shooting range afterward and later that evening went out to dinner. Here is a picture of Alissa with her daughters, Hanna and Lexie. Hard to tell the Mom from the daughters.

Roy and Alissa live in this great subdivision designed by pilots. All have their own airplanes and there is a runway up the middle of the subdivision. There are many hangers attached to big homes. Here is a picture of a plane parked in the backyard. Roy never assembled his hanger. His friend, Jim Pack, landed his plane once on the runway.

We had a great time with Roy and his family and we are proud of Adam.

While we were in Denver, there was action in Michigan. Jeff and his family went back for a visit and Jeff sent this picture from the farm. They had a big barbecue at the farm and this wil look familiar and remind us of the weekly barbecue we used to have almost year round after a day of work on the farm. Here is Sarah, Heidi, Kristina, Mark in the background with his hunting dog,"Gunner der Jaeger". There is Julius off to the side. Boy does that bring home memories.

We are firming up our plans to go to Boston in September. I will do a fireside in the Cambridge Stake.

Love to all, Mom and Dad

IZZIE GETS A SISTER

Dear Family,

While we were out of town, Doug and Kristina had a new baby. We drove up last night to see the new arrival and met Izzie in the driveway. She is their fully charged three year old.

"We have a new sister!", she hollered, "It's a girl!" This is their eighth child and there is a good mix of four boys and four girls. We think this is our 74th grandchild but the official tally is not in yet.

The baby will be named Ellen Stephanie. She was pretty much on time and weighed 8 pounds. Everyone thinks she looks like her sister Becky but I see other family resemblances as well. Everyone is doing very well and there is joy in that home. Here is a picture of Izzie and little Ellen. I am not sure Izzie is jealous yet but she certainly is a little more demonstrative of what she wants. She loves her little sister.

We had a Family Home Evening there last night and Doug was getting warmed up on his High Council speaking assignment. They were assigned the subject of the Church's Family Proclamation and this was like a laboratory on the subject. Doug did a good job and all the kids sang and participated.

I think that the new little baby will get a lot of attention with the older sisters and brothers. Here is a picture of Becky holding the new little one with Nate looking on during Family Night.

I had to remark what a great help our kids were to their younger brothers and sisters as they were growing up in the East. Without their help with the little ones, we could not have made it through 17 children. It is so great to observe how they continue to care for each other and stand by and support each other with their own families. Doug went up to Heber to pick up the bassinet from Rebecca and was reminded that it belonged to Cheryl originally. The hymn is so correct, "There is beauty all around when there's love at home"

School has started here in Utah, Good luck all, we love y ou,

Dad and Mom

MISSIONARY VISITS

Dear Family,

It has been a very busy week with all the family events. Along the way we had several great visits from our former missionaries in Germany and Austria. It is always such a thrill to see them and chat about what they are currently doing and of course about old times in the mission.

Camille and Erich T. dropped by from their Education Week activities in Provo. They live in Indiana and come out for Education week and both take course. It was great to see them.

Camille got set up with Erich by her former companion, Kelsey and her husband Dave. They knew this great guy in Indiana and got them talking on the phone and when they finally met, it was very quick to serious talks and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple. And now Camille and Erich live in the same ward in Indiana as Kelsey and Dave and they attend Education Week together. Such a great story and that is how companions take care of each other even after a mission. It was so great to hear about the missionary activities in Indiana.

So after Education Week, Kelsey and Dave came by as well. You may get released from your mission as mission president but you do not get released from how you feel about the missionaries. I was impressed with a little story that Kelsey told. When she would stay over at the mission home following a conference, she would set her alarm for 5 AM so she could catch Mom doing things in the kitchen ND so they could chat. ( Mom is still an early morning night crawler). It is hard not to love these young people. It was great to hear about their activities, their ups and downs, dreams, and successes.

Then Tom M. came by and introduced his fiance. She was the first girl he dated when he returned from his mission and after six or seven years, it happened. They will get married early next year. Tom is getting an MBA at at University of Virginia and has a job in an investment banking firm in Calgary. Canada's economy is booming with all the oil and gas exploration. Tom has been a stalwart in our missionary groups reunions. So great to see them.

We also had a visit from the former Heidi H. and Heather T. who stopped by on the way to the zoo and they brought their little kids. The kids discovered the basement full of toys and stuff our grand-kids play with and were quiet for a long time. Heather is about to have a second child. We chatted for the longest time. We never tire of seeing these young men and women with whom we have shared a great experience.

We may go back to Boston in September. There is a surgical reunion at the Mass General and we have not been back there in many years.

Love, Dad and Mom

BIG CATCH AT CABELA'S

Dear Family,

The summer is slipping by so fast. We have had a very busy July with family events. We have had all sorts of visits and sleepover by families underway.

James and William are here from Michigan. They came on a train with their other grandparents who are touring southern Utah. It is so fun to have them here again. They have grown taller and are just as bright. I guess moving to that little farm in Michigan has been a good thing for them. James is still pondering whether he likes it or not. They recently posted a picture of a fish they caught in their pong on the farm.

Well, I had to take them to Cabela's again. I like taking the grand kids there and it turns out it is one of the most visited places in Utah, at one time second only to the visits on Temple Square. We drive down to the Point of the Mountain and take the first exit off I15 and we are there.

Cabelas has tons of cool stuff; all the mounts, the full mount diaramas, cool hunting and fishing equipment, a well stocked aquarium and a laser shooting gallery. James and William did well there and had fun. We topped it off with a Bison Bratwurst.

On the way out, I saw this huge fish pillow which reminded me of the fish the boys were catching back in Michigan and bought it for the girls on the farm. Nice catch guys!

We go to Colorado next week to visit Roy and his family and attend Adam's baptism, I love going over there and this will be a great moment.

We had another great moment in the Salt Lake Temple last week. Mom and I were in a session and as I stood up in front, I saw several of the family who came. Mike came from Mapleton, Mary was there, Doug, Cheryl and Paul and Cathy as well. We were all together and it was one of those really sweet moments in the family.

We plan to be at Bear Lake over the Labor Day Holiday.

Love you all, Mom and Dad