The View

I promised the kidlets I would send a pic as soon as we got here. So this is the view from the 37th floor of the Tokyo Hilton Hotel. Pretty neat, huh. We're off today to look at some old temples, do a little shopping, and take a nice walk along a river. Should be fun.

Off to Japan....

Yes, it's true. After many years of just wondering what it is like in the land of the rising sun, I am headed to Japan. I said, "no, I cannot come. I cannot leave the kids, blah, blah, blah." And Mr. Bechtel said, "yes, you can. I will arrange everything." So he has. Thank you to everyone who is helping take care of the kidlets. Maybe I'll post some culture shock photos when I get there. Bon Voyage!

FHE

This week for FHE I asked each of the kids (at the last minute) to prepare a little 5 minute talk to give to the rest of us. Granny Smith said, "well, I just can't think of anything." and kept playing chess with Prairie Spy. At the last second he grabbed a white board and trotted over to the kitchen table and started writing. Each of the kids did a great job. Nova Spy went first and talked about the song, "Put your Shoulder to the Wheel". Then Prairie Spy talked on repentance and used a white board to show how the Savior can wipe away our sins. Braeburn led a discussion on, " Is Man Really Depraved?" and Miss Golden Delicious taught, "The Family, A Proclamation to the World."

Granny Smith then came over and showed us his white board. This is what it looked like.

The Iron Rod. The good people holding on to the Iron Rod. The confused people who lose their way in the mists of darkness and go down to the Devil. The great and Spacious Building, with a lightning bolt hitting it because the building fell, and great was the fall thereof. And Jesus standing by the Tree of Life waiting to welcome the righteous people.

It was a great Family Home Evening.

English Assignment

Braeburn's English class is causing us some stress around here.

First the assignment: Write a letter to the principal telling him something you would like to see improved at the school.

Well, let's see. If I were interpreting for Braeburn, I think he could say something succinct like, "cancel it". But since that wasn't an option, this was his first draft.

Dear Mr. P..,

As a student, I see high school for a rather different perspective than you do. Here on the ground, as it were, there are a number of problems which you may not be aware of, or may not care to address. The purpose of this letter is to make you aware of the most seditious and shocking of these problems, I refer to the common practice of playing instruments at sports games.

Every game, a group of rather scruffy looking desperadoes gather in one corner of the bleachers, bringing their noisemaking instruments with them. They begin by playing the National Anthem, an ordeal that quickly dispels any feeling of patriotism that lingered in the bleachers. Then, upon seeing us sit down, they start in on the School Song, forcing us to rise again, and clap half heartedly. Now that all patriotism and school spirit are gone from the croud, the mustached ringleader sees that his work is done, and motions for his gang to sit down. But never feat - at the most exciting moments of the game, say a touchdown or a long pass, they will suddenly begin playing the School Song again, or perhaps honor us with another of the three numbers that they claim to know.

This outrage must end.

Might I, therefore, suggest that this gang of hooligans - you might even call it a band - be immediately penalized. While expulsion from the school might be a bit severe, the confiscation of all instruments and sheet music is certainly in order. The rapid execution of these actions would result in far better sports games, assemblies and over all life for the student body. I sincerely hope that if you care for the students, or have any school pride, you take my suggestion into consideration. You will find that I am not alone in this sentiment.

Yours in hope of a quieter future,

Braeburn.

Golden Delicious and I appreciated the humor. Loved it in fact. Especially the beginning part about "here on the ground". It sounds just like the poor little turtle named Mack at the bottom of the stack in Yertle the Turtle.

Miss J, the teacher, must not have a sense of humor. (shocking) and in her comments merely asks for more evidence to support his claim, and takes issue with whether or not everyone loses school spirit when the band plays. At this point Braeburn gave up and decided to completely change tactics. After all, the grade's the thing. It is? Here was the new letter he dashed off this morning before school.

Dear Sir,

I was asked by my English teacher to prepare a persuasive letter illustrating a problem at the High School and how to fix it. The problem I have chosen is classroom discipline. I blieve that our teachers work very hard to provide interesting and absorbing lessons, as such, they deserve the complete and total attention of their students. In may cases, unfortunately, it is not so. I have seen a myriad of distractions, everything from reading novels in class to texting or doodling on assignments. These breaches in classroom discipline are not only disrespectful, they are also damaging to the education of the student.

What to do then? I feel that if the administration really clamped down on disrespectful behavior, much of it would go away. A no tolerance, iron-fisted policy on non-school related items, like books or drawing materials is in order. The students can read on their own time, while they are here, their attention should be devoted to the teacher. Much can be made of the Insubordination Charge - since the administration decides what is disresprectful or not, a whole plethora of activities that were once thought safe can be punished under that title. The seemingly simple act of talking in class can be misused to cheat on assignments or lambast the school faculty. The students would do well to remember that they are at school to learn, not to have a pleasant experience necessarily. They must learn now to "jump through the hoops" of the teachers so that they are prepared to do the same in the workforce.

I believe that prompt and severe disciplinary action is in order for all those students who engage in distracting activities in the classroom. If the points I have outlined are followed, school will become a far more efficient machine, and complete it's stated objectives with greater ease and success.

Please consider my requests,

Braeburn

Braeburn is convinced that she will take this literally, just like the last one he wrote. (impossible to my mind). We shall see. I mean really.... efficient machine? Dead giveaway. This could be a long year....

Skull Canyon and Birch Creek

I'm always on the lookout for great ranch locations and I thought this spot fit the bill. In between the metropolis cities of Blue Dome and Lone Pine is this great canyon, skull canyon! I can't believe Louis L'Amour didn't write a story about this place.

And the ardent fishermen were happy to finally see Birch Creek, which their scout leader has told them about for a long time. We didn't fish. We'll have to save that for next time.

More Pictures From the Hike

The Charcoal Kilns

Old Hahn Town site

Gilmore - see the stairs to nowhere in the middle of the picture?

Old Buildings from the ghost town of Gilmore

Hike #3 Hiking Merit Badge

The Spy Twins went on another hike Saturday, this time up by the Charcoal Kilns in the Little Lost River Country. They hiked from the abandoned mining town of Hahn, across the flank of the hills to the Charcoal kilns, and then out on the flats towards the main road.

None of us wanted to be left out of the adventure, so we all came along too.

Grandpa made us the best hamburgers with fixings at the half way point. Look at that view! As you can imagine, we were not surrounded by tourist masses. We did have a couple of old guys come by. One of them said he owned the Viola Mine across the valley.... Maybe.... I am suspicious of stories like this ever since we went on the Jeep Trek out at Big Southern Butte and met the weirdest man who sent us on a wild goose chase. Now Guilty until proven Innocent. Awful, I know. I hate it that the world is that way. He had on a hilarious hat the said, "I failed retirement".

Good Job Boys! 3 more hikes to go!

Last of the Warm Weather

This is one week ago on our friday outing..... What a difference a week makes.....

Tonight will be 18 degrees and we're building a fire and wearing coats to keep warm.

Reality Check

I just had a major wake up to life. 

 As most of you know I spent my freshman and sophomore years in Issaquah Washington.  My girlfriends and I were in LOVE with a boy named Travis Bass.  We thought he was the most fantastic thing ever.  We wrote our English assignments about him, drove by his house and talked about how THIS was where Travis Bass lived.  We watched him play basketball at practice and giggled like girls do, and basically drove the poor kid crazy.  He mostly tried to just ignore us.

I had forgotten all about him until I joined facebook and my Washington friends invited me to join the group, Friends of Travis Bass.  My first thought was that they were just being goofy remembering old times.  When I went to the page I learned that Travis is very sick with Lou Gherig's disease. (Sorry, I know that is spelled wrong.)  

 He has a beautiful wife who homeschools (a woman after my own heart) and three lovely children.  I went to their family blog and read about this faithful mom who is taking care of her husband and who has sent her children to school so she can physically be with Travis and care for him.  And through all the disappointments and heartache, she is true to her testimony of Christ.

I hope that the Lord will bless this sweet family and sustain them.  And I hope I can be a little better at caring for others like President Monson suggested in conference yesterday.  And I hope I can stop complaining when Mr. Bechtel is gone traveling!  What a wake up call.

   

Getting Honey

Our friend came over and took off our honey super.  I guess summer is over.  He's going to take the honey, spin it out of it's comb and bring it back to us.  Pretty easy for us.

Look at those good little worker bees.

Miss Golden Delicious and I had a little taste of the honey and it was GOOD.  REALLY GOOD.  I'm thrilled with our first year of bee keeping.  Definitely easier than 4-H!