Uncle John was an artist

It takes a plane trip home to Utah and its mountains to remind me of my roots. This trip was to attend Uncle John's funeral. Uncle John was Dad's youngest brother. I took this picture of Antelope Island to remind me of Burton family roots in that one of Grandpa Burton's sisters settled out here.

This picture of John and Evelyns backyard put into perspective the few rocks I have stolen from Dad's yard and place in my yard here. Jan and Jay both mentioned in their comments how Uncle John loved to go rock hunting.

Aunt Evelyn remembered me and caused me to remember playing catch with her. I thought she was so cool when I was a young little leaguer and my Aunt would play catch with us when we visited Provo. She is still cool and I'll bet she can still play catch. It was good to spend time with Lenore and my brothers and sisters. There is a picture of us together (but not on my camera). It was good to see them and to be together. We missed Elaine.

Did I say Uncle John was an artist. This is the shed in the back yard. B asked John to paint the shed one day and when she came home... I grew up with Uncle Johns painting on our walls or the billboards of Salt Lake City. Ask me about Jay's story of Uncle John's whiskey billboard... what a classic!

It was good to see Jay and Jan again. Its been too long. Too bad its takes a passing to bring us together. Yet our faith says we will all be together again. Its about family and we are family.

Watching the wild life at the bird refuge..

This is the gang from Christmas 2009 at the end of our visit at the bird refuge... I don't think we posted. On this day we saw many eagles enjoying the Salmon run.

We enjoyed this sunny March Saturday at the Nisqually Bird Refuge. I really am somewhat of a coward when watching the boys. I like to get them outside where they have plenty of space.

Yes, that's a blue Heron. Conner was asking it why it was standing on just one leg. Does anybody know why they just stand on one leg. I am pretty good at making things up but all I could come up with "the other is tired!".

My favorite line all day was that while everyone else comes to the Refuge to see the wild life I bring the wild life with me. Can you see Colin and Conner climbing over the fence. Colby was waiting patiently in the stroller.

HAB loves BCB

Remember that tree we cut down over the Thanksgiving Holiday. This is the first bench we made out of it. If you look real close you will see a heart carved in the middle telling the whole world or at least those that come and spend a nice summer evening at the Burton's that HAB loves BCB. This was my homemade valentine for this year.

Playing in the snow

After viewing Joy's and Havalah's post about the snow and ice, I thought we should post these pictures of our excursion to the snow. Althought it has hardly snowed here in Olympia we can always find and inch or two or (600 hundred ) here at Mt Rainier. This sledding hill was perfect for the boys as they could aim themselves and take out each other or some stranger with no real damage. I think that's Colin heading toward his mother and Conner.

Yes, it does get deep here. These snow caves really captured the boys imagination. Someday they will get to dig one of these with their scout troop and sleep in it (ok..lay awake) all night. I did it last year except I pitched my tent. I'll bet Anjuli has better pictures of this event!

Making a hole to the sky...

One of our wonderful trees died this past year and in the process this lovely evergreen turned a marvelous shade of red and then shed its pine needles. This left us with the need to cut it down. Living in the northwest where there are so many tall, tall trees I found this experience like making a hole to the sky. Here is the new sky we can enjoy.

As you can see the tale is told in reverse as the pictures posted in that order. (Someday I will figure this out like my girls...)

There is nothing like a big fire at the end of a Saturday to clean up the refuse and settle ones soul.

TIMBER.....

Tate drove in last evening and got the honors of doing the deed. He did a great job, dropping the 85 foot tree right where we wanted it. Counting the rings we figured it was approximately 65 years old. It would have been sad to do this if the tree wasn't dead already.

This tree greeted our friends and family for the 14 years we have lived on Joelle Lane. Now they will enjoy with us a little more sky. If you look real close you might see the little squirrel that lived next door. It isn't Bosky.

Cannon Beach Retreat

Becky and I ventured out to see the world and found this windy and powerful beach a choice place. Of course it was a little rainy and yet wonderfully deserted allowing room to walk and wonder.



Lest one think Cannon Beach is all wind and weather, as Becky enjoyed the shopping at a local cloth store I wondered down the street and found this lovely setting for a family reunion. If you are game many of these homes are all available for us with easy access to the beach and that state park in the background is only a walk down the beach or bike ride away.



This charming little lane could be on the coast of Scotland...
( I am also learning the Iphone pictures up load better for blogging. )

Grandchildren

I have just attempted to "add images" of a few of the most precious children I know. As one might see it didn't take. I wanted the pictures as "visual images" of what I feel and would add here today. We are grateful for the birth of Jackson Howard Turner last Saturday, October 10, 2009. And also grateful that mother, Rebecca Joy Turner and son are fine.


Becky flew out to Pittsburgh Friday to be there for the birth. Her account to me was one of reverence and admiration for her daughter, Joy. Almost in hushed tones she spoke of how well Joy did, the pain and effort and strength through the ordeal.
I know that tears came to my eyes as she told me about it. I could hardly see to drive as I spoke with Joy so happy and humbled by this gift.


These precious little ones bring so much to our lives. Just tonight I was rocking little Colby to sleep, playing a favorite song, Ye are a light on a hill, and he immediately recognized it, perked and started to sway back in forth as he enjoyed the melody. Just a little smile and his head and shoulders swaying back in forth with the music and life was beautiful.


We enjoyed a precious week plus with little Abby Burton earlier this summer. Her bright eyes and smile can make this grandfather do anything she wants even as she lights up the entire room.


And then one turns around and they are growing into energetic and fun filled children who capable of late evening sunset swims in the boundless Lake Erie. Anne and Andrew love to swim and literally swam until dark in this huge mass of water. For they are afraid of almost nothing. And Colin and Conner wrestle and play and explore and ride... What a special treat it was to assist Colin to master his fear of bike riding. To see the set of his head as he knew he could ride by himself, oh yes, oh yes, I can, I can. As he heads out each day to ride around the circle I remember a snowy Christmas many years ago when I was given my first new bike. It was cherry red and new and I rode it around our block every 15 minutes all day that Christmas day despite the snow. Now my grandson is set free to ride and coast and make his bike a space ship or motor cycle or a star wars land speeder... for he can ride, oh yes he can. And Conner almost keeps up despite a well warn set of training wheels.


As I pondered the joy these little ones bring to our lives I was reminded of a a "the law" C.S. Lewis re discovered "every preference of a small good to a great, or a partial good to a total good, involves the loss of the small or partial good for which the sacrifice was made". In other words You can't get a second thing by putting them first; you get second things only by putting first things first. Lewis asks in his essay "What things are first?" as a concern for philosophers... grandkids, family, love, cherished and precious moments seem to be many of the second things one receives for obedience, dedication and sacrifice in keeping first things first. How do I get here... it is easy as I have enjoyed watching my daughters and wife and mother put being a mother first.


Now we enjoy so many precious moments with these precious little ones.