Tetons and Yellowstone

Toward the beginning of the summer Emily and I sat down and made a few plans. This is the result of one of them...

Old Faithful....

The crowd watching Old Faithful

Tetons (ummm...ps- this isn't in order )

More Tetons

More Tetons

Yet more Tetons

And again the Tetons- when you fall in love with something you tend to take a lot of pictures...

Elk- and I am not really zooming in-at all.

My favorite picture of the crazy pair. Thank you for being so great Miss Utt

THE falls

Self Portrait of Emily. Careful of giving your camera for Emily to hold if you ever have to use the bathroom. You never know what you will get. I remember a picture of the rail, the bench, Emily, and a few more things.

Lions and Tigers and Bears! Okay maybe just bears.

Just barely enough room for the two of us =) thank you Anya for the use of your tent. I do plan on buying my own- soon.

Buffalo bones

We weren't walking too far away from this guy. He was HUGE.

At the Lodge- the desk was perfect for Emily. I imagine her out hiking all day and coming home to study at this great desk.

HOT. Bubble bubble bubble.

It looks serene...

Emily jumping into my picture. It would have been so dull without her. She made the shot!

Here is our ode to Idaho- we had to stop on our way to appreciate the largest potato ever.

Adventures with Mom

Mom came into town and in order to spend some time with her I kidnapped her from the grand kids. We ran off to Cedar City for the Shakespearean Festival- a highlight of the summer. Macbeth, Kolob canyon, morning poolside at the hotel, and a lot of carbs is the cliff notes version of the great 27 hour escape. There is nothing like art to capture and teach great principles. What I love about Shakespeare tragedies are the lessons about dangerous vices that ultimately lead to pain and suffering. Pride, vanity, greed, anger, jealously, lust... The lesson is so clearly painted in such painful detail that it can at times be difficult to watch. But that is the power of the lesson- we see clearly the distinction between the road chosen and the "if only" road. So hopefully if ever in a similar situation when the road isn't so clear to us we can remember the "if only" and be better able to chose wisely.

In Kolob my mom made the comment that "this" is better than Disneyland. As much as I have a special place in my heart for Disneyland- she is right. The real wonders and magic of the earth are much better.

I LOVE climbing trees...

The stage- an outdoor theater- marvelous. And I didn't even get cold- although I had a blanket with me just in case.

Hanging out with Bill

FLOWER POWER

A few hikes this year have been plentiful in the wildflowers. Here are a few of my pictures.

JOY JOY JOY

With a title like that it seems like this should be a Christmas post. Well, I guess I feel like it's Christmas- actually I find Christmas a difficult holiday these last few years- so it is better than Christmas. What is making me so happy you ask... I am dancing! This week, 6 hours a day Mon-Fri with only a 15min break in the middle. Yikes! I auditioned for a concert on Sat and was given the gift and honor of being choosen for a piece that will be in a concert- next week. If you don't know the behind the scenes of putting a quality performance together- let me tell you- 1 week is insanity. But I find myself clinging to the edge of sanity frequently so I guess this is right up my alley. Hence the 6 hour grueling schedule. I am bruised, sore but very happy. I feel like a dancer again and that is my favorite way to feel. I may even have my picture in the Salt Lake Tribune on Sunday, there was a photo shoot today. I have been waiting for a chance to dance for a long time and I finally have one! So if you are so inclined you can come see me- Aug 26-28 at the Rose Wagner "Momentum". You can buy the tickets online at ArtTix.
Wish me luck!

thoughts from today's yoga instructor

Taking time to nurture yourself is a form of risk taking. It requires vulnerability. It is the counterpose to all the external activities and typical risks we take. Nurturing self is necessary for finding balance in life.

A Gift

I have come to terms with the fact that I do not have a great memory. Too many times in my life I've thought- I'll for sure remember/ never forget this... only to find by sad experience I end up wondering just what all those "I'll never forget" experiences were. Hence is why we are encouraged to keep a written record, especially of those things that are the most important. I wonder why it is our first instinct to groan at the idea of journal"ing" like it is some great burden or agenda being pushed upon us. The miracle of the gospel is... as I ponder the principles and even suggestions that are taught I have yet to discover any that ultimately isn't for my increased joy, satisfaction and peace in life. Why I find myself continually pushing against it at times really is baffling .

This week I have encountered a person, thoughts, and ideas that I do not want to lose into the abyss. The woman's name is Leah Cox. She is a member of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. She came as a guest teacher for the RW summer workshop. I was able to take 3 mornings of dance classes from her this week off. At the end of the last dance class this morning all I could say to thank her and express my thoughts was "You are a Gift". Because that is truly what she is. She is a beautiful soul, dancer, and human. Her intellect is sharp, absorbing, clear and expressive. Some how I was left realizing dance is all at once more and less. What she asked/hoped we would take home is increased questioning. Questions I remember are- what is the source of the initiation of our movement- how can we explore/change it? muscles, bones, joints, distal, proximal, energetic, tangible, sequential, simultaneous, action based, contact, floor at mid plane... Understanding what all that means and how it applies to dance isn't what I am here to talk about. I just want those words for my own memory- because it means something to me. A big take home piece was putting the weight more in the middle of the foot and translating that to walking, leaping, jumping etc. Amazing to me that even after all these years I still trend to a "falling backwards" position-as is generally inherit to many people. But what I loved the most was the thoughts she shared in the open panel discussion after the free showing of the piece she set on the company. Rather than create a logical flow of thoughts I just want to lay down the snippets I wrote on the program for the concert that inspired me. Like snapshots or flashes of light.

Dance is simply the craft of the movement of bones and muscles.

Any good work of art must reflect US. (quote from Bill T. Jones)

I wish we would let go art being "good" or "bad" and just feel free to create for the joy of making something.

Art can bring tension- but are we able to rather than run from the tension -sit in it and learn about ourselves from the tension we are experiencing. Often the point of "the work" is to excite and therefore insight you.

Art can be difficult to receive when we enter with an expectation of what we want to experience.

Art exercises a portion of the spirit that makes us better. It expands us. As the creator or the receiver.
There is a power to creating art. We do not know what a simple idea can become. Often a great far reaching piece of art started with a small and simple idea.

It is a courageous person who dares to create and is willing to make the first strokes.

Why do we separate ourselves between "artists" and "others". Why can't my art inspire you to create your own- whether it is "good" or "bad".

Art is a force that brings people together and exposes you- new thoughts, understandings, insights.

Creation is an inherit human joy and right.

MY FAVORITE

The original definition of aesthetic from Greek is some thing that enlivens us. Anaesthetic is the opposite, something that deadens us. So why do we put so much attachments and qualifications to what is or is not aesthetic. It is simply something that enlivens us- that is going to be different for each person but not right or wrong, good or bad.

Thank you Leah for the joy of connecting and learning from a truly giving and open soul. It was inspiring not just because of the greatness of your words but because of the greatness of the sould behind the words. It was a gift to be expanded by your presence. Each life that touches our for good...