MARCH--OUR VERY OWN TWILIGHT ZONE AKA THE WHITE HOLE

When Chuck and I were children there was a popular TV show called "The Twilight Zone". People would be minding their own business and then without warning enter into a different time and space...there was always this eerie music to cue the TV audience that this was about to happen.  When Chuck and I go to Yakima each week, it is at least ten degrees warmer and no snow in sight!  Traveling home again on Highway 12 there is no snow until...de..de..de..de (music from The Twilight Zone), we turn onto Tieton Road!  All of a sudden we are sucked into a White Hole (you have heard of black holes, right?), and then...there is snow everywhere as far as the eye can see! The tunnel eight miles before the turn off has these deadly looking icicles growing downward right over your car.  They are much longer and thicker than the ones hanging off our roof over the porch!  They scared Melissa when she drove up by herself with all of the children except Matthew...he had a scout over-nighter! We have regular avalanches of snow and ice come off the garage onto the driveway.  The weather fluctuates; therefore, this happens often, and when it comes down it sounds like a sonic boom inside the house! When the lodge avalanche came down in January after our five feet of snow and ice, we were literally digging the lodge out so people could get in.  Carol is developing muscles while Chuck is developing carpal tunnel...he has to wear wrist supports...he works much harder and longer than Carol! 
So, Melissa's family came up on Thursday, March 1 and stayed through the weekend. We put everyone to work serving the Lord!...and of course giving us a big helping hand with shoveling the porches of the cabins.  Even Eliza was hefting shovels full of snow! On Saturday, Melissa and Carol took the children up to White Pass' Ice Sculpting Festival.  They had carved this castle on top of a hill where they were handing out tubes to shoot out and down the hill. Miriam and Emma loved being pulled around in our "tube/stroller" and before we knew it, they were taking a nap!
Ryan and Matthew didn't come up until Saturday afternoon...they drove up to White Pass with Chuck to check out the ice sculptures. Sunday after church, we drove over to see Darrell and Joanna's beautiful new home near Selah. They came with us to the Ranger Station to see the wild elk feed. Hay is put out for them once a day every day during the winter months. The Ranger Station doesn't just stop feeding them...the elk just stop coming down to feed.  They prefer to find food on their own in the hills when they can! They prefer "freedom" to "free stuff"!  That is the choice we have this November! The males certainly rule in these herds!  They use their antlers to butt out the females if they start crowding around too much while they are feeding! After we said good-bye to the elk, we went home for a yummy Sunday dinner to celebrate Melissa's upcoming 35th birthday on the 14th.  And, then we had to say Good-bye to Melissa, Ryan and all the Cute Grandchildren!

The very next week, Chris came up with another leader and four Aaronic Priesthood boys for an over-nighter in one of our cabins.  They had fun sledding and carving out a snow cave.  We did not get a picture of them, but we did have a nice long talk with Chris while they were digging!

Back to work for 2 1/2  weeks, and then we were off to Melissa's where we stayed the night...before a wonderful Missionary Conference which included a temple session. The trees all around the temple and all over the Tri-Cities were in bloom!...but when we got back to Zarahemla, it was still in the Twilight Zone!...our beloved "White Hole!" We love to feed the birds. We have a bird feeder hanging on our front porch. Beautiful blue birds swarm the feeder every morning, but when we try to snap a picture, they fly off into the pine trees for safety!

  

FEBRUARY--WINTER IN THE WILDERNESS

Our Camp's igloo was built by some scouts from a Non-LDS group that came to stay last month before the big snow fall. It was nearly buried in snow several times, but campers kept digging into it.  Some campers added on additional rooms until one day, it was broken up by some boys having fun! 

When there is no one in camp, Chuck and I like to hike. We often go down to the bridge overlooking the river that feeds into our Clear Lake. Chuck likes to make a big splash by throwing chunks of ice overboard! This is why the ice on our lake is thin, and where the lake and river meet, quite non-existent, unless we have had consistent nights in the teens. We had a scout fall through the ice...fortunately it just gave him a scare and icy wet clothes. The leaders were in the cabin visiting!  We have told this story to every scout group that has come up since. 

We love our white swans...apparently they come back every winter! One morning at about 7:30 am, when I went up to my stump overlooking the river to pray, there were five white swans...just gliding by!....it was a surreal experience to feel the beauty of this quiet morning in the wilderness!

Two couples about our age came up to go snowshoeing and invited us to go along.  Fortunately, we had given each other snowshoes for Christmas.  The day was sunny, and the view as we hiked around the lake...breathtaking!! 

The pictured ladder is taller than it looks!....and the snow is deeper than it looks...there are about 3 feet of condensed snow pack under his feet!  Chuck has to climb up all the way to the top of our 

A-framed roof to clean off our satellite dish every time it snows!  I stand at the bottom and steady the ladder!...Scary!  We cannot miss FOX news and the latest Primary Race!  We always wear our Mitt Romney sweatshirts for good luck when there is an important day for him!

Tuesday, February 27, we stayed with Chris' family overnight before a beautiful day at the Columbia River Temple. Chuck, Chris, and Carol met Melissa and Ryan at the Baptistery, where we began the work for Charles Linden Lee (Chuck's dad). The Baptism and Confirmation were completed; then the Initiatory Work was done; followed by the Endowment; followed by Sealings. Linden was sealed to his parents, wives, and children! We also sealed Alta to her previous husband, and many other children to parents on the Lee side. 

Two days later, Melissa's family came up to play in the snow.