Sowahjathink?

"Sowahjathink, jathink, jathink, you'll open the Castle? Jathink?" he annoyingly asked the mountain patrolman.

Reminiscent of a movement made by the Ghost of Christmas Past, a single gesture by a gloved hand pointed to a massive, now silent avalanche on Greely. No verbal explanation offered.

Probably a 1 x 5. One football field by five football fields. Stay in-bounds my friends and thank our mountain crews.

Chocolate Day

Knowing that a foot of new powder awaited us, we got our ducks in a row and headed out early to Solitude, only to find out that it was CHOCOLATE DAY. Not only was there untracked powder, but 6 tents were set for our visit, rewarding us with chocolate at each - Chocolate Creamies, Gourmet Dark with Chili Powder, Fernwood Mint Sandwiches, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Hot Chocolate, Chocolate Milk, Utah Chocolate Truffles, Chocolate Almonds, and Chocolate Covered Cinnamon Bears!!! Ski in, consume yummies, ski out. We got our game card stamped at each tent and entered the drawing at 1:30. My sweetie said we were sure to win. Unfortunately, he did not win the IPod that he was coveting, and I did not win the chocolate, nut-encrusted, carmel apple. None-the-less....an amazing day.

Types of Snow

We are looking forward to our return to Brighton for a family ski trip. Like the Eskimo, I have defined specific show types - each with their unique qualities:

• powdered sugar - an easy ski
• cornmeal - slow, fun, and accompanied by 60 degree air
• ash - rare lifetime opportunity, weightless
• sand - a whiplash event
• cement - okay if it's shallow, above 50 degrees and sunny
• crust - a surprise when unexpected, throws off your schway
• ice - fast and fear-inducing, least favorite
• rock salt - if it's deep and cold, a slick ride
• chunky crud - grapefruit-sized frozen snow globs (avoid)
• beanbag chair styrofoam - when it's deep, almost as fun as powder
• tracked powder - better than no powder
• untracked powder - thigh-burning delight
• tree stashes - bits of powder hidden off the beaten path
• flour - heavier than powdered sugar, challenging when you're buried
• mustard seed - fun underfoot, but not in a blizzard
• air glitter - ice crystals that sparkle in the air, spiritual

It's all good :)

Big Bags

Yes, they are popular. One must have a BIG bag. They are no longer called purses for those left wondering. Three guys in my 'hood now carry them everywhere. The question for many observers, "What could they possibly contain that must be lugged to and from every destination???" Essentials: car key, driver's license, credit card (or a wad of cash), phone. For the gals, perhaps a comb and lip gloss. With door codes, the office key and home key can be eliminated. Perhaps it's the lowcut style of pants that won't allow the essentials to be stuffed in a back hip pocket and leaves our women carring baggage enough for a two-week vacation and our men carrying purses.

The Fall of Fall

Fall is over.

It's hard to admit, but it begins with Halloween - the first bite-sized Snickers bar....followed by at least one sampling of each type of Halloween candy offered to your little tricksters....followed by a sample of each (chocolate only) type left in your kids treat buckets before they get home from school....followed by an occasional find in various sock drawers....followed by those you hid in the freezer for "later"....

Then comes Thanksgiving - you won't overdo it this year....just a small sampling of the lemon meringue pie filling while it's still hot in the pan)....followed by one more helping of "the pineapple cheese favorite"....following by a "tiny slice of each type" when pie choices arrive....followed by a "sliver" of cold pumpkin pie (gotta have the whipped cream too) on Black Friday and one at 10 am when you return from shopping....and one at noon....and perhaps just a bit of soda cracker pie before bedtime....

On to Christmas - THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING....it's full-blown legal to begin the comsumption of sweet nothings at offices, friends' homes, deliveries to your own home, treats you make for parties....until you become sugar comatose....add to this my one-week, fourteen-different candy recipes produced at work with my professional responsibility to at least sample each one....

Around the corner....Valentine's Day....St. Patrick's Day (gotta have shamrock sugar cookies)....then Easter

I guess that's why a peeled boiled egg with a salt/pepper mixture for each bite is appealing mid-April

Quilting Miracle

I started a quilt because I was in love with a bunch of matching fabrics...it became a quilt about 4 x 4 feet...too small...trip to Brigham City, great additional finds...5 x 5 feet...too small...trip to EVERY STINKING FABRIC STORE in the valley...gave up :(

Then I thought to buy online, but how to match what I had with the millions and millions of fabrics out there??? For two weeks the quilt has been on the floor, a guilt-ridden beginning of my unbridled creativity. Tonight I thought that perhaps on the printed selvage...a clue...yes indeedy...modafabrics.com pattern 6314...purchased and on it's way...a perfect match! :) (hopefully)

Scents of Riding

Because I'm gifted with a great sense of smell, I enjoy fragrances as I ride:

• bacon cooking at the drug rehab center
• campfires in Nunn's Park
• pancakes in neighborhood kitchens
• cottonwoods
• purple petunias
• wet leaves
• moss along the Provo River
• diesel smoke from the Heber Creeper

I few surprises today as I sniffed along:

• sweet, insense-like smoke from a passing Audi (perhaps texting while driving takes a back seat to this)
• glue from an old guy's (at least my age) 7-up bottle as he walked the trail - must be working on repairs ?