I spent a wintery February day very contentedly, doing washing and working in the dining room and kitchen. Snow was falling outside and I had a fire going in our trashburner and was feelng very cozy going about my work and listening to the little sounds a fire makes -- little sighs, some muted pops, and sometimes a little roar when the wind blew across the top of the chimney. Very comforting and happy. Reminded me of growing up.

When we first moved to Greenville, our little home was heated by a warm morning stove in the living room and a wood-coal range in the kitchen. That light green range stood up off the floor on legs, and Sue remembers scooting under there when she was little to feel a little cozier on a winter day. Though toasty and warm on a cold day, that old range was a bear in the summer, however, when Mom had to fire 'er up in the summer in order to have hot water for Daddy to clean up in the evening after working. Add to that, the kitchen was on the southwest side of the house, and you can imagine the heat! So eventually the old range was replaced with a modern propane stove which was much more summer-friendly, but Mom found a little stove that she called the Trashburner that she could fire up on wintery days to bring that wood fire warmth into the kitchen on winter mornings. Morning chilliness greeted our sleepy-warmness then making it hard to get out of bed and get dressed for school, and we would make a bee-line for that little stove where we could warm one side while we hurriedly pulled on clothes and tried to wake up.

When Wayne & I moved into our home some 37 years ago, we needed something to take the chill out of the winter mornings, and even though it was many, many years after Mom had purchased her Trashburner, she managed to find one for us. Wayne popped a hole in the brick chimney and installed it between the kitchen and dining room, where pleasantly warms our wintery days creating memories and bringing back the warmth of older times when we least expect it.

Helper, Utah

Helper is a little railroad town north and west of Price. We drove through on our way home from Dave & Niki's in Vernal just for the fun of it.

It was so named because it is at the bottom of the 15-mile long grade up the east side of the Wasatch Plateau. Trains headed up Price Canyon to Soldier Summit and on to Salt Lake City needed an extra "helper" engine to make the steep climb. Established in the 1880's by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, Helper still has some company houses, standing side-by-side like paper dolls all holding hands. There is a great laundromat too, a place where you either lose or (if you're lucky) find socks!!

I'm not sure why Helper felt familiar . . . I have never been to this funny little town before . . . but I like the name and the connotation it bears.

Population in 2000 was 2025 souls.

Vernal in the Winter

Last time we went to Vernal was last January, when Dave and Niki moved over there. We haven't had the chance to visit since then, nor have they been able to come here, so we have been missing them. This past week, we took a couple of days to go, ironically, again in January. [Joanie tells me that the words Vernal and January should never occur in the same sentence!] But the weather wasn't as cold this time [about 25 degrees warmer] and we didn't have to wrestle household furnishings out of a truck and into a house or storage unit!!

Instead, we got to visit!! And I must say, computers are wonderful for family sharing pictures in a size that everyone can enjoy -- makes them screen-sized, not 3x5 or 4x6 -- and you can visit and share stories at the same time as you are looking!

But, one of the funniest things happened while we were sitting in the living room Friday afternoon, trying to scare up energy to have a guided tour of Vernal: all four of us dozed off and we enjoyed parallel naps!! Now, I have heard of parallel play with toddlers, but not parallel snoozing!! Made me chuckle. Guess we all needed it! Good visit with the kids! Good rest!! Nice trip!

Right: Lulu & friend Mandi

The view from the top of the world, the pass between Price and Duschesne. A winding road brings you to the top and then the view opens up!

The Castle Gate power plant is in the canyon near Helper, and the road drives right under the coal chute that feeds the plant, one of my favorite parts of the scenery. Makes me feel as though I am right in the middle of things and need to be careful not to get in the way of a man trying to get his job done.

Jeff & Laura

Guests came to visit for a couple of days --- our nephew Jeff & his wife of about two years, Laura. Kjirsten*, Jim's daughter, had supper at Jim's house one night, and we had two evenings of great visiting with the six of us altogether, which is what Jeff particularly wanted to do: renew family relationships. They visited with Grandma as well, and she was a bright as a new penny.

A very nice time, getting to know Jeff & Laura, something that we really haven't had the chance to do before.

I worried that life in rural Utah might be a little tame for entertaining, but they totally enjoyed the museum and we had some great conversations. Jeff is collecting native American traditions about the visit of a great white God and healer to their ancient ancestors, who came, taught and ministered to the people, both physically and spiritually.

A series of very nice occasions!

*Wish I had a picture of Kjirsten. She is such a kind and happy girl!