Pine Valley

 We visited beautiful Pine Valley, Utah yesterday (about 45 min. from St. George).

Historic Pine Valley Chapel. The architect was a ship builder, who designed the roof  like the hull of a ship.

 View of the roof from the chapel.

 View of the roof from the attic.

 My favorite piece from the artifacts room. So pretty.

My little ones listening to the rehearsal of the Dixie State Orchestra.
 

Imagine listening to Copland's "Hoe-Down" from his ballet Rodeo in these surroundings. Yay, outdoor concerts. Oh, and the sound was fantastic, did not get swallowed up by being out of doors. And they actually rang the church bell in Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture".

Want to go next year? They hold the concert the last Saturday in September. Free Admission. Visitors welcome, but have mercy on the hospitable ladies of Pine Valley and bring a dish to the pre-concert potluck.

Lost Track of Time

My Son, the Photographer

We went to Zion again. We turned the camera over to our five-year old. We gave some instruction on how to turn it on and off, zoom, focus, and talked briefly about composition and point of view. Later we looked at them together on the computer and had a critiquing session. He deleted ones he didn't like and with his permission I am posting my favorite of the 99 shots he took that day.

 Wildflowers

Cliffs

 Weeping Rock

Cottonwood

Up, Up and Away

Sometimes a boy wears all his superhero gear to the park. What? Don't your children do that too?

St. George Tabernacle

Spiral staircase.

 Be sure to interrupt the tour guide when she tells your very literal five-year old that this is the eye of God. "Son this is NOT the eye of God. It is a representation or symbol of the eye of God." And watch all the strained muscles in his face return to their normal resting places.

Pipes.

Hoover Dam

On the road, as we moved from AZ to UT we saw the Hoover Dam. About 2hrs 30min from St. George.

Pomegranates

They grow here, in St. George, Utah, as do cantaloupe, peaches, pears, almonds, tomatoes, peppers, and grapes (reportedly 40 kinds of grapes). I'm sure there's more produced here, but that's what I've seen so far peeking into gardens on my neighborhood walks. *sigh*  ...someday, a garden.

Slick Rock Park

My son found this quite a bit more challenging to climb than other climbing walls (he's tried quite a few). The park also has a ramada, bbq, and a path my son rode around on his bike. We went here a couple weeks ago and the children have not begged to go back. So this is not a favorite. Pioneer Park, on the other hand, "can we go back there? When can we go back there?" If they want to do it again, you know it's a hit.

Brigham Young Winter Home

Love gardens? Old houses? Old things in old houses? Try the tour of the Brigham Young Winter Home in St. George, Utah. Something about listening to the history of a place and its people leads to thinking about where you are in your life. I like that opportunity for contemplation.

Pioneer Park

Love that red backdrop to the city of St. George? Get up on the bluff, walk on, around, through the red rocks, even do a little rock climbing at Pioneer Park. Photo opportunities abound. The children loved it and want to go back. I clung to my two-year old in spots where I questioned her maneuvering abilities, but we will definitely go again (on a cooler day).