Spring in Park City

By early March warmer Spring temperatures had returned and, sadly, I pretty much put away the skis for the season. Then suddenly we got a foot of snow on March 9-10th. So I put on the skis I took one last trek for the season up the Spring/Upper/Lower Meeks trail. Here are some pictures:

 Up the Upper Meeks trail (a real fun traverse up and down on my skis)

Trail marker for the route up to the Mid Mountain Trail at the top of the bench above the Spring/Meeks/Jekyll/Hyde Trails

Looking south from the top of the trail

I decided to go back down this way, since no one had gone that way in a long while. Pioneering down was fun, but I made a bad turn and ended up trapped in some thickets (but it all ended well).

The warm weather then returned and the snow continued to melt away. So the skis were put up again.
Then we got another surprise Spring snow storm on the 16th. So one more last trip for the season. Here's some pictures.

This now is the view this afternoon from the back of the house. The skis are put away and now we on the other adventures, such as the one below.

Those are moose tracks on the trail up Ecker Hill. I actually had a"moose encounter" a little ways further up the trail. Although I think it was a yearling female, it was shaggy from a probably a rough winter and didn't seem to be in particularly good mood - I took a different way. If you look closely you can see her on the horizon in the middle of this photo below.

Grandma Evie's Big Program

This post is for our kids and grandchildren. We (and especially Grandma Evie) always enjoy posts and pictures of programs with our kids and now grandchildren. But this post is not about one of their programs, but about Grandma Evie's big program - Grandma Evie singing George Frideric Handel's Messiah in its presentation by the Park City Interfaith Council on Sunday, March 20, 2016.

This was a pretty big deal.  They had a conductor from New York City and professional soloists and performed in the Eccles Center in Park City. It is a very nice venue. See below.

Handel's Messiah is one of the most famous and beautiful oratorios, especially at Easter since it celebrates the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, with the words taken from scriptures. So it is a great experience to participate in the presentation of the Messiah, but it is also difficult to perform. Like our hymns in church it has four part harmony (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), but it is really not at all like our hymns because the music and parts are so much more complicated. There are a lot more notes with a big range (very high and very low notes) and parts that often go very fast. Not only are different parts singing different notes, they often start and stop at different times. It is not easy music to sing and for a choir member easy to get lost and confused.

This was a "sing along" concert so members of the audience could join the choir in singing some of the choruses, and a few did. But really not very many in the audience actually sang much, because although the music is beautiful to listen to it is frankly very difficult to sing unless your are very familiar with it and have practiced your part.

However, Grandma Evie and the other choirs members had practiced a lot, both at their rehearsals and at home, and it showed because the choir sounded great. Here's a picture of the choir (taken at the end when they're giving flowers to one of the soloists). The arrow points to Grandma Evie in the alto section.

 Aunts Marie and Kathy, along with Daniel and Sydney, came up for the performance.

I don't have a video or sound recording of the performance, but here is a link to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's recent video of the Hallelujah chorus, the most famous chorus in the Messiah. Aside from the fact the the Tabernacle Choir has 360 members (compared to 100 in Grandma Evie's choir) and accompanied by a full orchestra (rather than an organ in the Park City performance), it pretty much sounds the same.

Messiah - Hallelujah Chorus

Evie and Mike Get Wet

The title to the post is a little flippant, but it is something that turned out to be very special.

Evie has a number of ancestors she had found for whom baptisms by proxy hadn't been done (5 female and 12 males to be exact - something of a gender imbalance in her family). Normally, she would ask some youth in the ward to do the baptisms in connection with a youth temple trip, but we missed the last one. The alternative plan was to go with Daniel and Syndee to do them. However, between work schedules and difficulties in scheduling anytime in the evening (due to scheduled youth groups at the temples), that plan never worked out. So we decided to go perform them ourselves in the Salt Lake Temple.

This was a new and special experience for us. While we work in the Salt Lake Temple, neither of us work in the baptistry and really had never been in there in this temple.  I can't remember when I last actually was baptized as a proxy. I think I may have done proxy baptisms in the Logan temple when I was freshman at Utah State in 1968. For Evie I think it has been even longer.

Evie was baptized by me five times for these ancestors and I was baptized by another brother 12 times. It was a special experience (although I think there is a reason why these are more often done by youth).

Here's a picture of the baptismal font at the Salt Lake Temple where we did these baptisms:

While on the topic of the Salt Lake Temple, Evie and I work as ordinance workers in the Salt Lake Temple every Saturday afternoon. We are becoming very familiar with this temple and developing a particular affection for it. I want you to see this special place where we spend our Saturday afternoons. 

Actually, many years ago Evie and I were sealed (married) in this temple, although I can't remember which sealing room. Also, the day before I started my mission (entered what was then the mission home), I received my endowment in this temple. I remember the experience, but really nothing of the building.

The South Visitors Center at Temple Square has a "cut away" model of the temple showing its interior (looking in from the south side). Here's a picture of it:

The baptistry is on the lower level to the left. That is where Evie and I performed these proxy baptisms. On the right is what is referred to as the "Garden Room" and is used in connection with the part of the endowment ceremony dealing with events in the Garden of Eden. Not visible, but behind the Garden Room from this viewpoint, is the "Creation Room," which is used in connection with the part of the endowment ceremony dealing with the creation.  Immediately above the baptistry is the "telestial" room and behind it (but not visible in this model) is the "terrestrial" room. To the right of the telestial room from this perspective is the "celestial" room.  That small room immediately above the telestial room and to the left of the celestial room is the "council room" where the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles meet every Thursday. At the top is the Solemn Assembly room. Temple workers rarely (hardly ever) go up there as no ordinances are usually administered there. However, Evie has been up there. It was where they held a devotional for temple workers that Evie was able to attend, but I missed (in Idaho). It generally follows the same plan used first in the Kirkland temple, with pulpits at each end.

Here's a larger picture of the celestial room.

What is missing from the model is a rather confusing labyrinth of rooms and hallways below ground in the annex outside the foundation of the temple. It is through this annex that one actually goes into the temple and it is where dressing rooms, clothing rentals, cafeteria, laundry, foyers and waiting rooms, cloak rooms, chapels, various offices and other rooms are located. This is an easy place to get lost in.

In Dallas on a busy Saturday four or five weddings or sealings on a single day was a big deal. In the Salt Lake temple 40 or more sealings on single day would not be unusual. Since brides and grooms (but especially brides and their mothers) can be rather "high maintenance" individuals on a wedding day, and since the temple and its annex is large and confusing, temple workers spend a lot of time (and take a lot of care in) escorting them and their wedding party around to be sure everyone ends up in the right place at the right time. 

My impression so far is that the Salt Lake Temple and its workers are very good at handling weddings and sealings. They are well organized and experienced at guiding wedding parties around and helping make it a special experience for them, notwithstanding the volume and the size of the temple. Here is a picture of one of the sealing rooms in the temple. This one is located just off the celestial room. Most of sealing rooms are much larger.

Birthday Outing - Mt. Timp

On my birthday Evie and I went cross country skiing at the Nordic Center at Sundance Resort, which is just above the downhill area at the base of Mt. Timpanogos in Provo Canyon. Being really old now, I got to ski for free. Evie still has to pay. Here are some pictures:

These days most folks are into "skating" or "freestyle" skiing on a groomed track. Evie and I are among the last of the old school "classic" style.  While we were there a class was just starting (looked like it might include BYU students, as they seemed about that age). The class was on the "skating" style and the subject for that day was going uphill. Ironically, the location of the class was about the highest point on the runs and coming down we passed a number of students struggling up the trail to join the class. I suspect that by the time they made it up to the class they had probably already figured out the uphill technique.

I brought my old "backcountry" nordic skis, because I like the fit of my boots and sometimes the rentals make my feet sore. They're probably a little overkill these for nicely groomed trails, but it was a lot of fun anyway.

However, since with these skis I could, I took off for awhile across the "untrammeled" country just for fun (although it was probably against some rule):

Here's a link to more than you'll ever want to know about how I like to ski.The last of the leather booted, cable binding, wood ski, Nordic classic style snow adventurers

Sundance

This place is absolutely beautiful in the winter. This last week about every day I made a cross country/back country hike of some sort up into these mountains above Pinebrook.

Orientation: The picture above is from the mountains above Pinebrook looking southeast. Notice the solid white rectangle (or trapezoid) looking feature just above and a little to the right of the center. That is the Utah Olympic Park - the ski jumps are just to the left. The ski runs visible on the mountains behind and high above and to the right of Olympic Park are from the Canyons ski area (now owned by Park City Resort). Behind and to the left of these Canyons runs (and which in the picture appear to be directly behind Olympic Park) are ski runs from the Park City resort and behind those, way at the horizon of the picture, is the Deer Valley resort.

As I am taking this picture and enjoying nature and the spectacular view, I am missing what is going on in the small mountain town sitting at the top of valley at the base of Park City ski hills:

Yes, this is Sundance Film Festival time (January 21- 31, 2016) - the time for celebrities and "wanna be" celebrities, other important people who hangout with celebrities and those who just want to look at them, along with a few folks interested in independent movies, to all come together and schmooze in Park City.

One minor controversy this year was that Uber offered helicopter flights (UberChopper) from Salt Lake up to Park City - $300 one way.

Seriously, it is a 30-45 minute drive from SLC to Park City and, in any event, the helicopter doesn't actually land in Park City, but in a field off Old Ranch Road about a 15 minute drive in traffic from the key venues on Main Street. This is a service for those where how you arrive at the party is as important as the party (which probably describes a lot of those at Sundance).

The local authorities claimed Uber did not have the proper zoning approvals and the Summit County sheriff issued a cease and desist order.  But Uber, being Uber, flew the copters anyway. However, after a few days Uber decided to halt the flights, even though a court declined to enforce the cease and desist order (lack of evidence). For their part, the local authorities claimed the flights were disturbing to local residents (including foxes, an elk herd, an occasional moose and people who had moved out there for peace and quiet). For its part, Uber said that the snowy weather predicted for the coming week would not allow the flights. So, in the end some festival goers had no choice but to endure the 30-45 minute limo rides and Uber learned that in Park City, even at the Sundance Film Festival, you should not mess with the foxes, the moose and their friends.

All the locals I spoke with were clear that this was a good time to avoid Park City, which I suppose is one of the reasons I was skiing around these hills. Here are some more pictures:

This lift chair memorial is something of a landmark and, since I really don't know the names of these mountains, it is a useful reference point. This is about as high as I usually go up these hills and most of the pictures were taken from the summit of this ridge.

Breaking the trail as the first one up since the last snow: Ahead

and behind:

Evie and I, however, did not entirely avoid Park City and the Sundance Film Festival. 

First, we drove through the festival traffic in Park City and went skiing on the "rail" trail, which runs from near downtown Park City east to Highway 40 (and beyond). It was fun. It is one of many trails that the city and county groom in the winter. As it follows the old railroad (that hauled silver ore out of the Park City mines to the UP main line), it was almost level with a slight downhill grade to the east (which was convenient since that was the direction we were headed). Park City is behind Evie and she's looking down the canyon towards Highway 40.  Although not visible in this picture, Silver Creek runs along the side of the trail, with beaver dams, etc.

And second, Evie and I went to one of the film festival venues - the Redstone Theaters - Monday evening. However, lacking a helicopter, limo, or special festival shuttle and without an entourage we arrived in a red Subaru Outback. About half of the theaters were reserved for festival films and the others for regular movie fare. There were special roped off lines for those with tickets for the festival films and professionally nice young women with headsets politely, but very firmly, herded folks out of the way of important people who were about to enter or exit the theaters. We saw Star Wars for the second time (which seemed even better than the first). The festival notwithstanding, I suspect it was still one of the better films playing that week in Park City, although the crowd in our theater, like us, seemed exceptionally ordinary.

Christmas Time in Park City

Andy and Caleb and Annika and Jane (along with Buddy and Miley) and Marie came up to Park City Christmas Eve and Daniel and Sydnee came up Christmas Day. We did all the traditional Christmas stuff  - chocolate balls, hors d'oeuvres (little pigs in blanket, taquitos, etc.) and, of course, the Christmas story. Unfortunately, no one took any pictures so Caleb's royal costume as King Herod, Annika's stylish Mary and Andy's post modern interpretation of Joseph may be lost to history.

Just before Christmas we had several big snow storms so it is absolutely beautiful in Park City now. This is a picture of Evie on the hills above our house a few days before Christmas.

These are some pictures I took on Christmas Eve while cross country skiing. Those familiar with the trails around here will recognize the "chair lift" memorial on the top of the ridge that leads up to the Mid Mountain Trail (Spring/Jekel & Hyde trails).

Pictures reflecting the chaos of Christmas morning (Andy, Annika and Caleb are opening boxes with skis)

Roderick and Jewels beginning to voice concerns about when dinner will be served

On Monday after Christmas we (Mike, Andy, Caleb and Annika) went skiing at Deer Valley. While Deer Valley is known as the most "luxurious" resort in Utah, it actually had the best deals on beginner lift tickets (for not a lot of money you had access to all the beginner "magic carpet" conveyers as well as some of the trail lifts, which is all we needed). As you'll see, both Caleb and Annika caught on to the skiing.

This is Annika, Caleb and Andy going up the "carpet." Caleb is in blue at the back, Andy in the middle and Annika in front in pick pants. Andy and Caleb also went on one of the chair lifts.

Caleb in the blue coat - a beginning down hill racer

Annika and Andy

And finally some video clips

Andy and Caleb on Tuesday  night went skiing at Brighton, where Caleb really caught the skiing the "disease." Blurry picture, but here's Caleb down hilling at Brighton at night.

An Almost Perfect Weekend in Salt Lake (at least in my view)

After Thanksgiving in Richfield, Janell stayed the rest of the weekend with us in Park City. Evie and I worked in the Salt Lake Temple on Saturday during the day, which gave the Janell the chance to spend most of the day checking out things on Temple Square, including the new exhibits in the Church History Museum. I hope she enjoyed it, since I pretty much planned it for her (and since that is what I would have wanted to do).

That evening we went back to Temple Square to see the lights.

They were turned on the prior evening on Friday and, since this was its first weekend, it was crowded, but still spectacular.

By the reflecting pool with the Nativity east of the Temple

Along the sidewalk by the Church Office Building the light displays reflect different cultures. Here are luminarios. That is a special display for Janell and me, since my mother (Fern) was rather famous in Nampa for decorating our lawn with luminarios and in fact I think she won some award one year for them.

Just another picture in the crowd

It is overwhelming to even try to capture pictures of the lights (especially if, like me, you're not really into that sort of thing), but I thought this picture of the Assembly Hall was nice.

The next morning (since I planned this) I took Janell to the airport by way of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast. This was even better than I had hoped, since the broadcast was still in the Tabernacle. In December they are in the Conference Center to accommodate larger crowds. I enjoy hearing the choir in the Tabernacle, since it is absolutely "unplugged" in a hall with great acoustics. There are mikes all around, but those are for recording not amplification; what you hear is what is coming directly out of the choir's mouths, the organ's pipes and the orchestra's instruments - there's nothing electronic between you and the sound. The only amplification is acoustics in the hall.

Check out this program! Handel/Messiah, Mendelssohn, Bach (an organ solo the organist had to do over after the broadcast because someone in the choir coughed - we got to hear it twice), "Lo, How a Rose" - a pretty Christmas carol that isn't done all that much, but Janell and I remember our mom doing that with one of her ward choirs for a Christmas program. The last one you really need to listen to once it is available online - it is the Choir's version of the Christmas round "Christmas is Coming."

In this picture of the orchestra below note that there is a harpsichord. It was played by Richard Elliot (the Choir's principal organist) for "And the Glory of the Lord." I guess the choir is into authenticity now.

After the broadcast the choir stayed to rehearse for the upcoming First Presidency's devotional and, since we had awhile before Janell's flight, we stayed and listened. It was interesting. Wilberg wore a mike headset that was amplified so everyone in the choir (along with everyone in the hall) could hear his comments. The orchestra was gone, so he would sometimes stand at the piano and bang out the orchestral accompaniment while directing. I'm not sure what I expected, but he was respectful of the choir, but also very demanding and frank.

Sometime ago I happened to be listening to rehearsal after a broadcast where the choir was rehearsing for a summer concert with James Taylor. I suppose it was because there may be some syncopation in Taylor's folk songs that may be hard for the choir,  but Wilberg had the choir clapping and counting out the music (yes - "one ee and ah" - just like in book one of your piano lessons).

The following is a clip of the choir rehearsing "For Unto Us a Child is Born" from the Messiah (which I would think this choir would know very, very well). If you look closely (because the video isn't that good) Wilberg has the choir members clapping out the beat on their chests or thighs. I suppose even for the Tabernacle Choir it still is about getting the basics right.