HONEYCOMB CLIFFS

photo taken of Honeycomb Cliffs up Silverfork Canyon

in Big Cottonwood  Canyon on September 22, 2012

GOLDEN TRAIL

photo taken on the morning of the Fall Equinox on September 22, 2012

FALL EQUINOX SUNRISE

Photo taken on top of Honeycomb Cliffs on the sunrise on September 22, 2012

THE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS

photo taken up Big Cottonwood Canyon on September 15, 2012

ON TOP OF THE HONEYCOMB CLIFFS

photo taken on September 15, 2012

SOLITARY TREE

photo taken early morning on September 15, 2012

on the ridge of Silverfork Canyon near the summit of Honeycomb Cliff

THE COLORS OF DAWN

photo taken on a Saturday morning hike on September 15, 2012

RUBBER DUCKY

Photo of Eden with her favorite bath toy taken on August 27, 2012

ONCE IN A BLUE MOON

Photo taken of the "BlueMoon" on August 31, 2012

 Blue Moon is defined as the second full moon in a calendar month. The first full moon was August 1. The second full moon was on August 31, 2012. The second full moon is called Blue Moon. Because this occurance doesn't happen very often, thus the coined phrase, "Once in a Blue Moon"

I realize that the above photo is not the best quality (blurry and overexposed)... but it was the best I got with the camera I had.

CONQUERING ONE BOULDER AT A TIME

photo of our ascent to the top of Lone Peak on 9-3-12

VIEW FROM THE JACOB'S LADDER TRIAL/TRAIL

photo overlooking Utah County on September 3, 2012 on our hike to the top of Lone Peak.

A VIEW OF LONE PEAK SUMMIT

photo taken on Labor Day 9-3-12 of our first good look at our destination:

to the Top of Lone Peak

VICTORY OVER PAIN AND FEAR: ASCENDING LONE PEAK

photo taken  yesterday on Labor Day (09-03-12) on our ascent to the top of Lone Peak.

Some things can never be understood unless you actually experience it yourself. No matter how much one might describe an experience even using the best vocabulary and photographs, it is almost impossible for another to comprehend the range of emotions one felt on their journey…. from pain to joy, from sorrow to peace, from fatigue to exhilaration, from hopelessness to victory. Above is a photograph taken from yesterday's 13 hour and 50 minute hike up to the Top of Lone Peak.  If you look closely you can see the people on the top of the summit.  I hope to share more from the insight and lessons learned as well as some more photos.

PLACE OF SERENITY

photo taken on hike on the Jacob's Ladder Trail on August 25, 2012 

CLIMBING TO GREATER HEIGHTS

Photo taken of my wife standing on a rock ledge on our early morning hike up towards Lone Peak

SKY ABOVE AND THE EARTH BENEATH

photo taken on our early morning hike with my wife on August 25, 2012

Below you can see the housing development of Suncrest in the foothills above Draper.

AWAKING EARLY TO SEE THE ARISING OF THE SUN

photo taken this morning on August 25, 2012 on an early morning hike ascending Jacob's Ladder.

My wife and I woke up at 4:00 AM this morning and went for a hike. I will write more about the symbolism shortly.

SILVER LININGS: BALANCE BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK

photo taken from our front yard of the evening sun rays behind darken clouds

WHITE AND GOLD: Brigham City Temple

photo taken of our trip to the Brigham City Temple Open House on August 18, 2012

photo of my parents and my family in front of the gold east doors of the Brigham City Temple

JOY OF SWIMMING ON A HOT DAY

Photo of Eden swimming on August 16th, 2012

Part of celebrating our anniversary, we took all the girls swimming.

I AM A LUCKY MAN

photo taken on August 16, 2012 celebrating our anniversary at a park

SUNRISE ON OUR ANNIVERSARY

photo taken of sunrise this morning on August 16, 2012 between the Mt Olympus Peaks.

Today is our 18th Wedding Anniversary

Happy Anniversary Kat!

This photo is extremely symbolic. The risign sun between two Mountain Peaks and/or pillars is an ancient symbol for creation and union.

BEAUTY STILL TO BE FOUND IN A SWAMP

Photo taken of a butterfly that had died in swamp of dirty water taken on August 3, 2012

GOLDEN EAGLE ON POWER POLE

Photo taken of Eagle on top of  power pole on trip to Manti August 3, 2012

(courtesy of my friend, Kevin Carlston)

REWARDED WITH BEAUTIFUL WINGS TO FLY

Photo of butterfly taken on top of a seven tiered mountain named "Shem's Altar" near Manti

on August 3, 2012

OPENING OF THE HEAVENS

Photo taken on August 3, 2012 of the morning sun breaking through over the valley neat Manti

TORNADO? BOMB? OR FIRE?

photo taken yesterday from Wasatch Boulevard in Salt Lake looking south at the Herriman fire

SYMBOLS AND SACRED LOCATIONS NEAR MANTI TEMPLE

photo taken on August 3, 2012 of the Manti Temple

left photo taken of an Eagle on top of power poll taken on August 3, 2012

right photo taken of aspen trees in the mountains above the Manti Temple on August 3, 2012

photo taken of an Eagle flying on August 3, 2012

photo taken of a rattlesnake on August 3, 2012

STANDING ON WATER WITH MY GIRLS

CAMPING IN OUR BACKYARD

photo taken on July 27, 2012 of our tent lit from within when we camped in our backyard over the weekend

(That is the moon peaking out from the clouds)

HAPPY 24TH of JULY

Photo taken with the family playing with sparklers tonight on the 24th of July 2012

TWO HAWKS

photo taken up Provo Canyon

GOLDEN SUNSET

photo taken on July 4, 2011 from Utah County. Same day as the Alpine Fires. The smoke in the air created a golden amber glow as the sun went down.

LAST SUNLIGHT OF THE DAY SHINING ON PEAK

photo taken on July 4, 2012 of the north part of Mount Timpangos mountain range above Alpine

LONE PEAK

photo taken from our neighborhood on  July 11, 2012 

THE END OF THE DAY GLORY

photo taken on 7.11.2012 from our street

WATER MEETS LAND

photo taken near Laguna Beach on June 18, 2012

OVERCOMING FEAR AND OBSTACLES

Photo taken jumping off the Lido Bridge in Newport Beach on June 21, 2012 

Photo taken of a horse jumping competition on June 22, 2012 near Newport Beach

I will write more shortly

SUNSETS: RED AT NIGHT

photos taken of two differents sunsets down on Newport Beach - June 2012

The old adage in North America is:

Red sky at night, sailor's delight,

Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.

In Great Britain and Ireland:

Red sky at night, shepherd's delight,

Red sky in morning, fisherman's warning.

We know this old folklore has been around for some time and might have some truth to it. In Matthew 16: 2-3 Jesus replied to some Pharisees and Sadducees that wanted to "test" him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.'And in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times."

It might be hard to see in the bottom photo, but there are three birds flying to the left of the sun.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

photo taken on June 16, 2102 on Balboa Island.

 (If you look carefully.. there are  3 American Flags in this photo.)

"And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it

— In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—

and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.....and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren,

so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land.

Alma 46: 12-13

.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

May we appreciate the liberty that was given to us, and be courageous enought to continue fighting for it.

................................................

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence ?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army;  another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or  hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.  Eleven were merchants,  nine were farmers and large plantation owners;  men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the  British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.


So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and  silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid. Remember: freedom is never free

ABOVE THE FOG AND CLOUDS

photo taken on a morning hike in Southern California on the Summer Solstice

You have to travel some distance and hike to greater heights if you want to see the sunrise on the coast of Southern California. However, it is worth the effort to be able to rise above the dark clouds and fog to see the beauty of a new day dawning.  

Below are some of the lyrics to this song by Matt Redman called Ten Thousand Reasons:

Bless the Lord, O my soul O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore

Sing like never before O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
I'll worship Your holy name