The Week in Pictures

Since this past week has been a blur of activities, I decided to share a few pictures in today's blog. Maybe this will make up for my absence on Monday. Long story short, after a week of whirlwind activities, I returned home with some sort of stomach bug\food poisoning and on Monday I was still deciding if I was going to live. =D Kidding . . . sort of. ;) Without further ado, here is a series of pictures and brief explanations. Enjoy!!!
First there was a camping adventure. Devin has been itching to do some camping and fishing since his return home, so he and Kennon camped up a local canyon for a couple of days last week. Kris and I joined them on Thursday. And yes, Devin out-fished his father . . . in case you were wondering.

It was a relaxing time of enjoying nature, good food, and soothing guitar ditties.

Not to mention delicious s'mores!

Kennon and I went for a 4-wheeler jaunt and saw that snow still exists up yonder.

If you examine the picture above closely, you'll see the rock chuck we spied, sitting on top of a large pile of rocks.

After deciding they had forgotten how to set up ye olde family tent, and realizing it was going to be cold, and they both had to work the next morning, our sons headed for the safety of home and Kennon and I stayed in camp that night. About 3:00 a.m. a piercing alarm effectively awakened us, and any hapless campers in the vicinity. Our camper battery was low and the CO alarm was screaming in protest. The only way we could get it to cease was to shut off the furnace. It was a very refreshing camping adventure. ;)

After returning home half-frozen the next morning (Friday) Kennon and I hurriedly put everything away, cleaned up, packed, and after decorating the graves in Bennington, we headed north. We drove up to the Lewisville Cemetery located about 20 minutes north of Idaho Falls and decorated family graves.

I left yellow roses on my dad's grave this year.

We then journeyed to Annis and decorated graves in that location. Then it was on to Rigby, where we were spending the night with my in-laws. After grabbing a quick bite to eat, Kennon and I went for a soothing walk along the nearby Snake River.
We left on our annual Memorial jaunt a day early for a very good reason---a close friend's beautiful daughter was getting married in the Rexburg Temple on Saturday morning. It was a wonderful ceremony, but as soon as it was over, Kennon and I headed to Wyoming to meet up with varied family members.

We caught up with my mother and sister in Swan Valley, Idaho in our quest for the famed square ice cream cones. From there we drove to Thayne, Wyoming where we were spending the night.

The next morning we met up with lots of other relatives and decorated the family graves located in Thayne.

Most of my kids met us for a picnic in Thayne. (Devin & Kennon had to speak in a ward in our stake Sunday morning, so they met up with us later in Grays Lake) And those interesting looking beverage bottles are filled with IBC rootbeer, in case anyone was wondering.

On we went to Grays Lake, Idaho to Aunt Mary's house where we visited with a plethora of relatives. Devin and Kennon met up with us here and my cute little granddaughter decided Uncle Devin was pretty cool.
All in all, a good time was had by all, aside from the little stomach glitch I experienced Sunday night\Monday. It was the first time my entire clan has been able to enjoy the annual Memorial Jaunt in several years. True, some of us did it in bits and pieces, but we had a lot of fun, shared family stories, and honored those who have gone on before us. And to me, that's what Memorial Day is all about.

Memorial Memories

By this time tomorrow, I will be embarking on a yearly tradition---the annual Memorial Day Loop, as we call it. We journey north, meeting up with family members in Pocatello.(They drive up from Utah, it's kind of a half-way stop for everyone.)

On we travel to Idaho Falls, where we always stop for a bite of lunch. Our favorite restaurant there is Smitty's, home of the famous pancake breakfast. We partake of savory cuisine, then before leaving the Idaho Falls area, we usually visit with relatives and close family friends who live in that location.

When we leave Idaho Falls, we head to Lewisville, to the beautiful cemetery where my father is buried. His parents, and a brother and sister are buried there as well, so we decorate all of the family graves, then drive on to Annis, Idaho. Here another aunt and uncle are buried as well as one of my childhood friends who died from a rare kidney disease when we were about eleven years old. We honor their memory by placing beautiful flowers on their graves, and then drive on to nearby Rigby where we refuel our vehicles. Then it's on to Swan Valley, Idaho.

I've touched on why we stop there in other posts---those wonderful square ice cream cones. ;) I'm so looking forward to enjoying one of those this weekend. =D
From there we travel around the beautiful Palisades Lake and drop into Wyoming. Since my mother's family is from Thayne originally, we usually stay at a motel in that location called the Cabin Creek Inn. This place has wonderful cabins that are like a home away from home. And the breakfast they serve each morning makes my mouth water to think of it. Homemade biscuits and gravy, a variety of fruit, as well as waffles, cereal, and so forth.



We decorate several family graves in Thayne, and then spend some time at the Star Valley Cheese Factory where 3 generations of my family have worked. Both of my maternal grandparents worked in this facility, as well as my mother when she was a teenager, and several years ago, my brother worked there as well. This place holds a special place in our hearts and we enjoy purchasing cheese, and sometimes eating lunch in this fun location.
At some point during the weekend, we usually drive over to Grays Lake, Idaho where my mother's family has strong roots. Several of our ancestors are buried in the private cemetery in this location. Two of our aunts still live there and we try to spend time with them. From there, we part ways and journey home.

This loop has been an important tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl, I remember traveling with my parents from cemetery to cemetery, helping to place flowers on the various graves. Some might think this is a morbid thing to do, but I was always taught that it's important to remember those who have gone on before. Decorating their graves is a way we can honor their memory, and keep important family stories alive. These stories have been passed down from one generation to another, and they are always shared during the Memorial Day Loop. It's one way we can strengthen the link between the generations, inspiring a sense of love and admiration for those who have paved the way for the rest of us.

It's not always possible for everyone to make the yearly journey, but I know that those who can't come with us this year, are with us in spirit. And as we set out flowers as both of my grandmothers used to do, we can't help but feel a bond. We are keeping an important tradition alive, hopefully passing the torch on one day to those who will follow in our footsteps.

Annual Elk Adventure

To begin today's blog, I must first explain that this will be a picture story of a trip my husband and I embarked upon last week. Every winter we journey to Wyoming between Alpine and Etna to see the elk herd that winters in a state refuge. It is a tradition in our family, one we started years ago. My mother's family is from Wyoming originally, and this was something I introduced to my husband shortly after our marriage. He has loved the yearly jaunt, as have our boys. It's an opportunity to enjoy the scenic beauty that lies between Idaho and Wyoming, and it is something I would encourage you to try if you ever have the chance. And if this is something you can't see for yourself, I've included a plethora of pictures in today's blog. So sit back, relax, and savor what I'm about to share:



We decided this year to make quite a loop on our annual elk adventure. Driving to nearby Soda Springs (About 26 miles from our home in Bear Lake) we headed past the Monsanto plant where my husband works. I was impressed by how high the snowbanks are in this location.


On we drove toward Grays Lake, Idaho. Ironically home to nearly 200 pair of sandhill cranes, (my husband claims there is no relation), this mountain valley was settled by some of my pioneer ancestors, the Sibbett clan. You can see Caribou Mountain in the distance, covered by clouds.


Grays Lake Valley is surrounded by mountains, making it a picturesque drive. I can understand why my ancestors chose to live here, despite the long winter months and subsequent isolation compliments of little things like blizzards. ;)


The trees are gorgeous this time of year. Recent storms have given them a frosty look.


We left Grays Lake behind and drove through Tin Cup Canyon, a favorite fishing and camping spot for my family. There are a couple of nice campgrounds located in this area.


It didn't take us long to reach Etna, Wyoming on highway 89. We drove north to the elk refuge which is located between Etna and Alpine.

This refuge has become a winter haven for the elk. Hay is fed to them during the winter months, helping them to survive this difficult time of year.



It's kind of hard to tell from this picture (unless you click on it--it will greatly enhance your viewing pleasure) but if you look toward the center, there are two large bulls (boy elk). My husband got all excited, thinking they would fight, but they were merely passing by each other. I'm sure the conversation went something like this:

"Hi Ralph. How are things on this side of the refuge?"
"Kind of boring, George. The cows (girl elk) still aren't speaking to me."
"Really? I guess you should avoid those comments about the weight they're gaining."
"You're probably right, George. But I did mean those remarks as compliments."
"Females . . . go figure."
"You said it, George."
"Have a good one, Ralph."
"Later, George."

This is the handy viewing hut the great state of Wyoming has constructed for those who want a little bit of shelter as they watch the elk. The wind was blowing the day we visited, so it was still quite refreshing, but it did keep the snow from falling on our heads.

When we tired of watching the elk people romp, we climbed back inside our car and drove south, past Etna, to Thayne, Wyoming. Thayne is where my mother grew up. Her parents owned a ranch on the outskirts of town. Both of my maternal grandparents also worked in the Star Valley Cheese Factory, located in this same town. This factory used to be famous for its Swiss cheese. It still contains a restaurant and a gift shop. A few years ago (we won't say how many) my mother worked here as a teeny bopper (teenager). Several years later, my brother also found work in this facility. So three generations of my family have worked in this famous landmark. Stopping here to purchase cheese is a tradition in my family.

I was hoping to purchase some the day we drove through, but they were closing as we approached the door. This factory has fallen on hard times the past couple of years and it is struggling to remain open. I hope it will succeed in this---our family loves to swing by for a visit whenever we get the chance.


We drove on to Afton, Wyoming where we stopped at a restaurant for a quick bite of dinner. Then we headed back to Idaho through a canyon south of Smoot. Highway 89 cuts through this canyon, which shall remain nameless since neither my husband or I could think of what it is called. It eventually links up with Montpelier Canyon, but as my husband pointed out, there is a large valley between the two, so if you know what the Wyoming side is called, feel free to share. =) Anyway, the shot above was taken at the scenic outlook on top of good old canyon What'sItsName. Note how high the snowbank is in this location. It kind of hindered our view of the valley below.

Here is a testament to how high those snowbanks are through this beautiful canyon. Kennon was only to happy to pose with our car for this demonstration. =D

As we continued traveling through this canyon, we came upon a small herd of deer who were making their way down to a nearby creek for a drink. There are two bucks (boy deer) in the center of this picture. (For a better look, click on the picture.) They have the same embarrassing problem as exhibited by a popular character from the animated hit, "Open Season." They each only have one antler. =) Kennon explained this is the time of year that the bucks lose their horns. Poor dudes. I'm sure this is a humiliating time for them.


This final picture shares a frozen wonder in Montpelier Canyon. The ice formation is a waterfall during the spring and summer months. It's always beautiful, but the icy sheen gives it an elegant look.

After we passed this formation, it grew too dark to take pictures. I took some anyway, and they didn't turn out. We came across yet another herd of deer, and a large black cat that was stalking them. My husband thought it was an overly large house cat. I'm not so sure. If it was, it's Guinness Records material. That's all I'm going to say about that . . . for now. ;)

All in all, it was a wonderful day, and again, something I would encourage you to try sometime if you ever get the chance. It's a great way to see nature at its best during a time of year when we could all use a cheery break.

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Hidden Treasures

One of my favorite things to do when I'm traveling is to look for hidden treasures. I like to explore and take lots of pictures. In fact, 98% of the pictures that I share on this blog are shots I've taken with my trusty digital camera.

Today I thought I'd share some of the treasures I've found recently while exploring. The picture you see above is of Dry Creek, located just south of Afton, Wyoming. My husband and I drove over Saturday night and this canyon caught my eye. My mother grew up in Star Valley, so this area has always seemed like home. I'm familiar with a lot of the region, but I had never been near this particular canyon, so we drove down Dry Creek Road for a look around. It was gorgeous. Everything is very green this year, compliments of the numerous storms we endured earlier this season. The white water\spring\summer runoff is spectacular, as you can also see below.



A few days ago, my husband and I drove to a local area called Whiskey Flats. He was intent on finding a fishing hole. I was exploring and found wild strawberry plants. These are a tasty treat, if you know what you're looking for. The berries are tiny---about 1\8 of the size of a regular strawberry, but they are wonderful. Too bad these plants weren't full of berries during this excursion. ;)



About a month ago, my oldest son and I were jaunting around the foothills behind our home in Bennington. I was trying to get a shot of a little creek that is about as full as I've ever seen it. But to my chagrin, I had already filled my memory card that afternoon. So I quietly stood, deleting unwanted pictures. As I stood there, focusing on my camera, a hummingbird flew in front of me, intent on sampling a nearby flowering bush. If you're familiar with hummingbirds, you know that they don't like to have their picture taken. I very sneakily took several shots, trying to capture this rare moment. For once, the camera fairies smiled upon me---and as you can see in the picture below, I gleaned a treasure that day. (Note: I've noticed that this picture is pretty scrunched on the blog---click on the picture and you'll see it more clearly. This hummingbird is green and it has a bright red throat.)



This final shot is a sunset scene, overlooking the south end of Star Valley. I took it as my husband and I were heading home Saturday night. He has learned that when I say, "Stop," as we're traveling, it's not an emergency. It just means I want to take a picture of something I think is cool. =) What can I say---it's one of my hobbies. Sometimes I will take numerous shots (as in the case of the hummingbird picture you can see above) to get a good picture. You never know which one will adequately capture the treasured moment.



My challenge to you this week is to look around as you're traveling, camping, hiking, and enjoying life. You may be surprised at what you might find, even in your own backyard.

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Revel in Reunions =)

A huge summer tradition for most families is the ever-popular, (oft-times made fun of) reunion. Mentioning this word can trigger a variety of memories. ;) Truthfully, some of my fondest recollections of past summers involve reunions. As I was growing up, I always looked forward to the annual Sibbett reunion. This meant camping in a cool location like Alpine, Wyoming, eating lots of good food, and the yearly program. The Sibbett program involved a lot of music, humorous readings, and dancing. It was usually concluded by my grandfather and his brothers getting up to sing funny songs like, "My Nose Stuck Out a Feet," or the traditional: "Pinto Pony," a song written about the Grays Lake area, the place where they grew up.



I think one of the things I liked the most about this particular reunion was the camaraderie. It was a fun, joyous gathering of relatives. Held in a relaxing atmosphere, there was no set schedule of events, we winged it. When the food was cooked, we ate. If some people wanted to fish in nearby Palisades Lake, they fished. If others wanted to hike around, they explored the numerous trails available. Sometimes we even went swimming. It was understood that on the final day, there would be a huge luncheon where pot luck dishes would be shared. After that meal, the program everyone looked forward to seeing took place. True, our family was made up of lots of hams. We all seemed to have inherited the ability to play musical instruments by ear from my beloved great-grandmother, Genevieve Sibbett. (My mother is named after this awesome woman.)



Genevieve Hocking and her husband, James Lowery Sibbett Jr., established a ranch in Grays Lake. They had ten children, nine of which lived to adulthood. When my grandfather, who was a middle child, was 14 years old, his father passed away unexpectedly of something they called "telescope gut." Now we know it was due to complications of a hiatal hernia, but I digress. My great-grandmother courageously took over running the ranch in 1922 and raised her children on next to nothing. From what I understand, she was a compassionate, fun-loving woman who could play the piano by ear. When the people of Grays Lake gathered for a dance, it was my great-grandmother who provided the music.

I think one of the purposes of family reunions is to keep memories alive of our ancestors. This information doesn't have to be presented in a dry fashion. Each year as we heard stories about the original Genevieve Sibbett, we grew to love and admire a woman we look forward to meeting someday.



Times have changed and with it, reunion formats. Each family is different. Through the years my husband and I have attended a plethora of these events. We have even helped to plan a few of them. In my opinion, the best reunions are those held in a relaxing environment. This gives relatives a chance to unwind, visit, and share tasty food. Sometimes we play games. One year, my husband and I bought a pinata and filled it with pieces of candy. After the big dinner, we hung it up, gathered the young children together, and let them take turns at it with a soft bat. They couldn't break it. So we went to the next generation, giving the teens a chance at it. It was our youngest son, Mr. Athlete, who finally gave it a whack that showered candy on the waiting children. This event provided quite a bit of entertainment for everyone who attended that year.



This year my family is in charge of the annual Glenn Sibbett reunion. (this reunion involves my mother's siblings and their families) We decided early on that we were meeting at Lava. People can either camp in one of the local campgrounds, or rent a room, or show up on the "big" day when we will once again enjoy yummy food, perhaps a short program, and something that we've recently started doing, an auction. Everyone brings craft items or things like home-made fudge for this event. During the auction, people bid on whatever they want and the money raised goes toward next year's reunion. (This money is spent on food, pop, etc. for the main meal)

The main thing we're after is a chance to relax, visit, and enjoy each other's company. We may even share a story or two about great-grandma Sibbett in the hopes that our posterity will keep her memory alive.

In the rush of these busy latter-days, we are unfortunately seeing a decline with this important tradition. What can we do to keep family reunions alive and well? What are some of your favorite memories of past reunions?



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