Two Birthdays

We have special guests at out house this month and 2 of them have a birthday today. My wonderful daughter-in-law Kee turns 29 (really?) and Toby turns 10 (for real). I know they miss being in Montana and are missing my son Shon, and this isn't how they had planned spending their birthdays but we will still have a party, balloons and cake. Happy birthday to both of you. What a special birthday Kee had 10 years ago.

Visitors

We had a family of robins build a nest under our deck this year. Amy would come down and document the progress of the nest every few days. Instead of being redundant, I will let you follow her link to see my little bird family because her pictures are better than mine.

Click here: Poppies and Papercuts: Eggs and Uglies

Some facts about robins:

Nesting: It takes from two to six days to make the nest, with an average of 180 trips per day to find materials. Males sometimes help gather nesting materials but the female chooses the site and builds the nest.

Brooding: The female robin incubates her eggs for about 12 to 16 days. She sits on the eggs for 40-minute periods. Then she stands up, turns the eggs and flies off to feed or for a break. The male stands guard and sometimes sits on the eggs.


Q. When do young robins learn to fly?
A. Baby robins jump from their nest when they are about 13 days old. It takes them another 10-15 days to become strong fliers and independent birds.

One day my daughter-in-law Kee pulled me outside to see one of the darlings on the deck rail. I couldn't believe they went from the little flesh colored, transparent uglies to these little gems in such a short time.

Two of the four flew to the Aspen trees and just sat for hours

Notice their speckled little bellies

One just sat on the edge of the nest for a long time, too afraid to go

One jumped around the deck rail for a while

The last one made the garden his home for several days. He just wasn't strong enough to fly up into the bushes or onto the fence.

It was fun watching the parents work so tirelessly to feed them every day and to see how protective they were if anyone came close. We were all dive bombed more than once. My dog is still half afraid to go potty 3 weeks later. It is also a little sad to know they are gone and my bird watching is through for the year. Maybe another family we decide to move in next year, although I hope it will be in a tree and not right under the deck where we walk. Bye, bye birdies.

Saturday, the girls and I went shopping in Park City to get the kiddles some summer clothes.

We hit all the stores at the outlet mall, Arby's and then visited Wes at his fire station in Park City. This is the third station that I have visited since he became a fireman. I'm not sure how many he has actually worked at, but they have all been very nice and included a work out room, clean big garages, separate sleep quarters and large kitchens.

This is the real fireman. Buff, handsome and ready to put out your house fire, save you from your own drug overdose, or rescue you from a ski lift.

Here he is with a FFA. Notice the excitement in his face as the engine lights flash.

These are the impostors. While Wes eats his dinner, the girls check out the equipment and trucks. With my bad knee, I can't even climb in. I would not be able to save you.

Here is Colett reclining in front of the engine. She may be able to show you where the hose is but don't count on her for a real rescue.

Colett dons the fireman gear and looks pretty tough, but it's all show.

Here is the next impostor. Emerson is sure he can turn on the sirens and lights and get the engine out of there, but unfortunately, he can't even reach the buttons.

He can, however, show you the way into the driver's seat.

Here is the biggest impostor of them all. Amy talking to dispatch? No she is ordering fries with that burger.

Wearing her hubby's gear she looks official, but she certainly couldn't jump into his boots and by the time she got to you your house would be in ashes.

No, we are happy as our real selves, but one dream can't one? We won't be sewing our super hero capes very soon.

I won some cookies a couple of years ago from the Sweet Tooth Fairy Bakery.

Sometimes I go for years and never win a thing. Sometimes I win several things at once.
This year I signed up at Good Reads to try to win a book. I won two. One is a novel and one a history of the English Monarchy. I also signed up to win some clothes on a friend's blog and won that. Thanks Nancy!!! I got a beautiful black satin blouse and a red T-top. I ended up getting the clothes and the book on the same day....kind of like a mid year Christmas bonus. I am headed to the Idaho Lottery Office.

Cove Fort

Outside Entrance to Cove Fort

On of the wings inside the fort walls

The Blacksmith Shop of Ira Hinckley

Wayne and I went to Cove Fort in central Utah a couple of weeks ago. It was freezing and snowy but we decided to venture out to get to see this historic place. This was a fort that was established by the LDS Church in 1869. It was built of volcanic rock and limestone and was used as a way station for pioneers traveling along the Mormon corridor from Idaho to Nevada and also for government business travelers and immigrants. It was connected by a network of roads, telegraph lines and postal routes. Ira Hinckley was called by Brigham Young to take charge of the project so he left his home in Coalville, UT to take up the assignment. When the fort was done the walls measured 100 feet long and 18 feet high. The Hinckley family then moved in.

It was a lively functional fort for 20 years with two stage coaches passing by daily and giving rest to weary travelers, while Cowboys tended to their horses. Many people were treated to dinner each night and ate alongside the family. The Hinckley's were so good to the Indians that trust was established and there was little need for a fort for protection from them.

They were very self sustaining here growing their own food, caring for cattle and weaving their own fabrics.

After they had woven their fabrics, they would make their clothes. When the clothes wore out, they made rugs from that fabric in these looms. When the rugs wore out, they would use the fabric to kindle the fires and when the ashes were gathered they used them to make soap. Waste not, want not.

These are the telegraph wires in the telegraph office

and here is the original telegraph.

Many, many meals were cooked in the stove. This is not the original but an exact copy found in another state.

The toothbrushes were made from boar bristles. The block of soap is like the kind made from the ashes.

The laundry room

More laundry facilities

A original coverlet and as you can see it was woven in 1855

This was the kitchen. Remember those pie safes with the tin punched fronts? Did you know that they always punched the tin from the inside out so the insects wouldn't get in them? Bugs don't like the sharp points on the outside.

There was one room with a large cellar where they stored the veggies for the winter. I still think they are a good idea except I wouldn't go down there. I am too afraid of spiders.

Every bedroom had a fireplace, dresser and pitcher.

This was the dining area with home-woven tablecloth. Sister Hinckley insisted on using good china for every meal. Nobody was turned away who really needed help and a place to rest.

Cove Fort was sold at one time and then repurchased by the Hinckely family who gifted it back to the church hoping that it would become a way station once more. Only this time, as a reminder of sacrifice and obedience, dedication to duty ,the value of hard work and faith and as a reminder of the faith of our forefathers.