Friday, October 10, 2014

Ward Gossip Girl Hits the Road!

I'm on location this week, on my very own one-woman road trip! It started with a dash through drought stricken, blazing hot Central California, continued across the peaceful and vast Mojave and then on to Las Vegas. Because I respect its reputation, I will leave my activities behind in the famous City of Sin. But suffice to say that whatever happened there happened pretty fast, as I was in and out of the entire area inside of thirty minutes. Likewise the fast growing border town of Mesquite.

Because, Gentle Readers, I was on a mission . . . to Utah! 

Okay, before you accuse me of losing my mind, hear me out. I know about the many free-spirited attractions of Vegas. And I know about the uptight rules in Utah, the crazy liquor laws, the right-wing politics, and, of course, the Mormons.

But here's the thing.
 It's so f**king beautiful!

No way could they fake this on the Las Vegas Strip!

And you know what else can happen here and not in Vegas? As of a few days ago, A GAY MARRIAGE! I suppose this comes as a surprise to those who thought of Nevada as the marriage capitol of the country. But, as a former BYU coed, I've always known Utah to be the home of the quickie nuptial…

It's also the home of one of my dearest friends, Insana Dee!
Me at famous Red Hen Gardens
Dee and her husband, Bill, invited me to stay over at their beautiful home in New Harmony, Utah. And Dee took me on a tour of the nearby Kolob Mountains. (Shown above.)
Dee in her garden
She harvested her lettuce for a delicious salad for dinner.
Today I arrived in Salt Lake City. Whatever happens here is reported to the bishop, the stake president, the Deseret News, and, of course, you, my Gentle Readers.

To be continued... 

16 comments:

  1. The garden looks nice! Enjoy your stay with Insana Dee in those beautiful lands.

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  2. I had such a great time with you Donna. You are surely the sister I would love to have been born with.

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    1. Back when I was a Mormon, every woman was "sister." It's nice to have somebody I can truly call sister. I had a wonderful time. Thanks!

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  3. What a lovely visit! Utah, especially southern, is wonderful.

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  4. dDd you make your way through central California mostly on the I-5 or on the 99? I'm trying to picture your view of the parched land.

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  5. Heather, it was indeed. Alexis, I went down 99 for the first time since I was a child. Boy has it changed. Also there were drought warnings all along the way. And for the first time in memory, my windshield wasn't splattered with bugs in Bakersfield. While I've never enjoyed that phenomenon, I can't help but suspect their absence is drought related.

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    1. i have close friends ho live roughly midway between fresno and bakersfield. I'll have t ask if they've notived fewer bugs.

      My mom lived in Chowchilla when she was a kid and her father was stationed at Castle Air Force Base. She wasn't on the bus because no one could make her go to summer school. I lived not far from Merced when I was in kindergarten and second grade.

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    2. That whole area is so built up since I was a kid. We used to stay in Merced or Modesto on our way to Paradise for vacation.

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  6. We were just in and around Canyonlands. Camped on the Colorado River for 3 nights and and drove a couple of hair-raising sections of the White Rim Trail. Damn awesome! I hope you had a great trip!

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    1. I'm such a coward when it comes to steep windy roads. Sounds awesome though!

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  7. I noticed the beauty of Utah when I went through there long ago. I wondered how come the Mormons got to have it.

    Looks like a fun trip and visit with Dee!

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    1. Fortunately the majority of the state is taken up with public land. :)

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  8. I think Dana's porch looks like the ideal place for the first same-sex wedding in New Harmony!

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    1. You bet, Jared. Also the reception after. She knows how to throw a party!

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