Family Reunion and Bryce Canyon National Park

On Friday night, we started our weekend out with a quick stop at Smith & Edwards (on our way out to Brigham City).  Smith & Edwards is part army surplus, part thrift store and a whole lot of Wal Mart.  They have some unusual candies too....if you want an "Idaho Spud" this is your place.  And yeah, we picked up a couple....just because we could -- and can't in Southern California.  We still haven't opened one up to eat it yet, I'm not sure they're even any good?!

Because we were in Brigham City, we HAD to get some cherries.

And, the reason we were in Brigham City was to eat at Maddox....love that fried chicken!

Saturday, July 12th -- Orton Family Reunion, North Ogden, Utah.
That's my 90 year old, Uncle Harold Orton (my mother's brother) in the purple cowboy shirt.  He's a World War II veteran and a wonderful carpenter (he build his home as well as a cabin in the Uinta Mountains).  He's lived in Morgan for decades.  With him on the left, is his wife, Marco.  Next to him in the yellow blouse is my Aunt JoAnn.  JoAnn is my mother's youngest sister.  Her mother (my grandmother) died just days after her birth and she was raised by her father and largely by her oldest sister, my Aunt Virginia.  Next to her in the red, is Aunt Leona, she is the widow of my Uncle Howard.  

Uncle Harold and Aunt JoAnn are the only surviving siblings (of six children) of my late mother, Verda Orton Krause.

On Sunday, John and I headed down to Bryce Canyon National Park.  If all you've ever done is drive through and look down at the formations, you're missing out on the fun of hiking down into the canyon and exploring the fun of being down among the formations and some great (and not too tough) hiking trails.  

 The mighty fist of "orange power" (John kind of blended in with the hoodoos.)

We hiked down to the Queen's Garden and Navajo Loop on our first evening.  This is a hike that anyone (of almost any age) can do to get down into the canyon.

 Can you see Queen Victoria here?

 This is looking down the Navajo Loop trail at all the switchbacks that take you down into the canyon.

On Sunday Night, we went to Ebenezer's, just outside Bryce National Park to enjoy a good dinner an the Bar G Wranglers (a really entertaining western musical group -- guitars, bass, fiddle and some good cowboy music).  

As we were being seated at our table, right toward the front, I got a little shoulder hug from our dear Ontario friend, Mark Hendrickson. He and his wife, Connie and their three beautiful daughters (Heidi, Nicole and Jodi) and their families were there that night too -- talk about a really fun coincidence.  They made room for us at their table and it was a treat seeing 12 of their grandkids all together and having fun with each other. 

 On Monday, we hiked along the Rim Trail and the Bristlecone Pine Trail, spent time at the lodge, enjoyed some pizza in the park and stayed for the evening ranger show on dinosaurs.  Another fun, long weekend.