October is a wonderful month

                   Emily and  enjoyed Lucie's middle school choir concert

Cordelia was baptized in Provo on October 14, 2023, by her dad, Peter, talk by mom Rebecca, and attended by lots of family and friends

Cordelia with her girl cousins, except Kelly in Iowa, serving a mission. Back: Ming Lu, Hannah, Lucie; Elise, Stephanie, Evie &Phoebe

      along the way walking to church on a beautiful fall morning

Birthday party for Nanci Thomander visiting from Palo Alto: Paul and Sara Gilman, Tom and Katy Taylor, Nanci and Darryl

Flying over the Great Salt Lake then Lake Powell on the way to Las Vegas to change planes for Reno to visit my friend Marilyn Johnson

                  In Reno, Nevada, along the Truckee River

And a spectacular day at Lake Tahoe: Sand Harbor was pleasantly almost deserted after the summer crowds, though too cold to swim

Tahoe is the 2nd deepest lake in the US (after Crater Lake in Oregon) and so clear that objects can be seen to a depth of about 67 feet. It is about 3 miles long and 1 mile wide.

After a picnic at the lake, we drove around the east (Nevada) side through South Lake Tahoe to Taylor Creek

In the fall the adult Kokanee salmon begins to turn red and the male develops a hooked jaw. This unique transformation signals the beginning of spawning season. For Lake Tahoe Kokanee its time to travel back to Taylor Creek where they were born using taste and smell to find their way. The female builds a nest, called a redd, where she lays anywhere from 200-1,800 eggs. Then the male fertilizes the eggs and both male and female die. Several months later the young hatch and gain strength by absorbing the yolk sac of their eggs. In the spring the young are swept out to Lake Tahoe, where they spend about 5 years before they repeat the cycle. Merganser and other ducks and birds and bears feed on salmon so there is a lot of flapping and chasing going on!

We drove the steep and precarious road to the Emerald Bay Lookout

At the head of Emerald Bay is the historic Scandinavian castle built in 1928. It has 38 beautiful rooms. Tea may be served on Fannette Island

Goodbye to a beautiful, and for me, nostalgic place, where I have spent some of the best moments of my life (Lake Tahoe). But October is also a special month for me celebrating the birthdays of my maternal grandmother (Gladys Chute Mears, born October 14, 1889), my aunt Helen Mears Gibson on October 11, 1915 (in top photo), my mother Dorothy Mears Allen, October 23, 1919 (on left with her sister Helen) and my friend Marilyn Johnson on October 23, 1941. They have each been mentors and played loving roles in my life.

I'm so proud of two grandchildren serving faithfully on missions

Elder Nick de Schweinitz and friends in Baltimore Spanish-speaking mission                                and 
 Sister Kelly Taylor (English and Swahili-speaking in Iowa), being hugged by our Provo neighbor, Tammy Runia, serving in the Young Women's General Presidency

I feel very grateful to be surrounded by and influenced by good people who motivate me to be a better friend and better disciple of Christ.

Inspiration from Talent, Beauty, Friendships and Relationships

   Rock Canyon, Provo flourishes with fall beauty in the early morning

            Lots of children, adults and dogs enjoy the glorious fall

    Mt. Timpanogos, and all the Wasatch Range got a dusting of                  snow this past week, as we got rain in the valley

   Watching the wonderful "Viva Chile" dances at the Provo Library               brought back happy memories of my time there in 2017-9

Rapa nui (Easter Island) , island of Chile, was originally and still populated by Polynesians. I loved to see again their beautiful and enthusiastic dances.

I enjoyed the wonderful photography of Utah Lake by Jared Tamez at a Provo library exhibit 

And the statue and tribute to Abraham Smoot, who left a great legacy to Provo after called there by Brigham Young in 1868.

The four choirs individually and combined of BYU performed a most beautiful and inspiring concert of sacred music in the new music hall

My assistant teacher Nikki Sapp celebrates her 24th Birthday with our class of wonderful English learners: Romina, Luz, Bertha, Manuela, Janet, Rocio, Julia. Each has a special story. Missing: Nayaret and Edgar.

   My neighbors', the Birds, Halloween decorations inspire coming fun!

We lost at age 90, US Senator Dianne Feinstein who served for 30 years with courage, integrity & compassion in DC, after serving as San Francisco mayor and in other positions. 

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   Provo Canyon above Sundance (Alpine Loop) is brilliantly colored

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I always enjoy the developing skills of my grandchildren. My youngest grandchild Phoebe Carlston (5) scored her team's only goal against a much stronger team of kindergartners.

This weekend I took a hike between soccer games with 3 Carlston granddaughters in Neff's Canyon, Salt Lake. Their 15 year old brothers were busy with homecoming activities. 

                                                     Elise, Phoebe, Stephanie

Gorgeous day in Riverton to watch amazing 10 year old players, Coco (Elise) and Taffy (Stephanie). Coco scored 3 of her team's 4 goals to win the game with Taffy strongly backing her up in midfield.

Aaron and Lucie Taylor and Darcy visit with new neighbor, baby Lily

    Gustav and Enno from Meissen, Germany are spending 2 weeks        with Emily and family around the corner from me.

Last weekend we enjoyed messages of inspiration and encouragement from our church leaders to think "celestial" (as expressed by our 99 year old President Russell M. Nelson) by following Christ and loving each other better. At the mission training center this week Young Women's General President Emily Belle Freeman shares her son's worn-out missionary shoes which she keeps in her bedroom as a reminder that we, too, are to wear out our shoes, put out effort to share with others the messages of Jesus and His Gospel that bring us joy, peace, and eternal life if we choose to follow Him and take care of His children. 

As we enjoy this beautiful earth, may we pray for those who are suffering in seemingly horrific and impossible situations.May we stand tall and share our light with all who would receive it.