Lover's Lane - a road in the past

The road is still there, yes...
with trees pushed back on each side
so the canopy no longer exists
the lane wide enough for a two car pass
on good graveled road.
My mother said going down this lane
was where my cousin Lola Joe died.
Other's say it was right at
Hell's Backbone Bridge...either
place stark and beautiful.
I went through Lover's Lane once
with the love of my life on the way
to Posey Lake. We didn't stop.
But I savored the feeling I had
in Lover's Lane on the closed in
old dirt road. It has become a
lovely spot in my memory when
I reach back for moments
and wonder where the years
have gone.

Roads

Country Roads
I immediately burst into
John Denver's song,
and think of the dusty,
dirt roads of childhood.
Of horses following the
herd up or down
on mountain roads,
The yellow jeep bumping
over rock and ruts
after rain.

"I have a dream" like Martin Luther King,
I was propelled down the road to
make dreams come true...
I started out in medicine
but changed to education
wanting to change the world
to a more accepting,
tolerant, equal world.
My dreams truly tested
when my daughter married
and brought my wonderful
white/black grandchildren
into my world to love;
my son had his white/latino
so beautiful daughter;
My white/white daughter's
marriage ended in divorce
one grandchild..marriage and
more grandchildren.
and my son brought me
a grandchild, different dad, with
his new wife with more to come.
I have nine wonderful grandchildren.
I so love them all. It's
"I have a dream" come true!
My dream road expanded.

"Let's Drive" made me explore
my country, and the newly made
Grand-Staircase Escalante
National Monument. I re-did
old roadtrips. I discovered
parts I had never known,
never seen.
Old roads were history.
Improved roads to make history
for our young..to connect
the old and the young.
To unite families from past
to present.
To enjoy just being on the road.

I am older and the Spirit Road calls..
I plan to move and learn and listen.
I want to hear what the American Indian
has to say about the roads of the spirit.
I want to hear what old men think
and old women and discover where wisdom grows.
What have the Chinese, those from India,
those who thrive and grow on the spiritual path
have to say to me? Who will teach me?
Can I call on my two sisters from the
other world to prod me along the Spirit Road,
where I can learn more and learn best?
I will walk the Spirit Road.
Those who teach, will come.

Cliffnotes Workshop

I am missing the Cliffnotes Workshop in Boulder, Utah this weekend. My, now amputee since July, husband is having some difficulties, so I am here at home, not there. I am thinking of them all though. I did want to hear what Craig Childs and the poet Dave Lee and Nancy Takos had to see..and see the photos of Bruce Hucko. I know Dave somewhat. I am always curious about writers and what they write. I attended past workshops with my sister Marge, who died suddenly in March of this year. I am also missing her. Last year she wrote and read, for the first time in the workshop about being an unwanted child, only 11 months behind her sister Gerry. It was very touching and well done. It was written on a pad and I hope someone found that work among her things. So we are missing this workshop together, on both sides of the veil.
So I thought I'd let you see the schedule and advertize a bit for the Boulder Organizers, my neice Cheryl Cox and her friend Diana Dornbush who is also a writer, and all the writers who attend. I hope they have a most excellent workshop. My nephew Raymond King Shurtz has attended and presented something about theater since the workshops began. He has started a novel with a work he covered in the workshop. He is directing a play The Man in the Black Pajamas in Phoenix. (I hope that's the right title). I would have missed him had I attended as his presentations were fun.
I will try to write something even though I am not there. That is my goal.

Fall tree

Fall is creeping in this year. The above is the first tree to turn in Panguitch that I can find. It is just down the road. Our corn has become weird 6 to 9 cob creations that will never ripen to eatable corn. And we have in bloom the last rose of summer. I love the changes in flowers, in leaves, in grass, in gardens as things die at their most beautiful. We should take a lesson from nature
and know that as our lives fade, perhaps the most flamboyant, exhuberant, vibrant parts of ourselves will bloom and love the colorful endings.
I am excited about getting out a travel book as Linda polishes Mad Ouija and Gerry gets Daughters of the Shadowman ready to sell. I don't even know the name of Dan's book (although Cheryl told me once) but it is ready to go. Will Ronda publish her romance? Raymond has plays to do in L.A. Blue Baby and Bohemian Cowboy will go again? There is the pile of work waiting in the wings of the theater world...with Linda's screen play with Bukowski there with Scott and Gerry's how many plays???
and Raymond's pile of plays...you'd think someone would hit big ... at last and finally! At least I hope they will. I hear Raymond is thinking of Antigone...in Boulder. Good, very resourceful choice...it is the play of the Greeks covered in most high school programs. It is one that people should see on stage. And it will lead into difficult subjects and world-famous works. Some plays of your own.
Some plays of your own. How do we get these works complete and out there? How to catch the interest of the world? AND GET THESE PLAYS HAPPENING???? We hear about killing the real fish, so let's see THE FISH MUST DIE. I am ready. I want all this work to take seed somewhere, somehow. Let those songs of Camille's be known. Let the poetry stand. Let creation happen!
I don't know if I will make the writer's conference...so I am holding one of my own right here, right now. Get this family out there! The work is done, and more is being done. I encourage your best effort...here...NOW.

Clyde

I am correcting dates, adding information, and trying to decide what is too much or too little. As you can see, we..Marge and I, put together the book The Clyde King Story. Marge didn't think we said enough about him that was positive. She was supposed to write more except she passed away and left me hanging. I think my sister Gerry is writing the best about him, and the worst (at least the rest of the family thinks so). LaRae did the sculpture here. Linda also did a full head which is wonderful (I don't have the picture) and this painting of him with a mule. I like this one very much. He has been immortalized for posterity. I am just trying to correct wrong dates, wrong names and maybe add a bit more if the book is redone. I am not doing that. The children will have to decide if it is worth it to redo. Mother's book is also about done. Shall we correct hers? That would be work that I haven't done, but some things could be corrected. Dad's is on computer missing the photos. I can't find the photos. I hope they are somewhere.
Half of my family is now on the other side: Dad, Mother, Marge and LaRae. Three of us still live. I do hope they have figured out how to get along, so when I depart, we can laugh instead of yell. DAD! He may have learned to wander off into the lower country on his mule when he feels like yelling. I miss them all today.
My sister Linda is in San Francisco reading her poem about the insanity of war.
Our family war was quite insane! Do we move toward understanding in another world?

Holly

There are some perks once in awhile when visiting the doctor. This is Holly, the girl at the sign-in desk modeling her extravagant hat for hat-day or some event at the hospital. She said she had three more hats at home. I talked her into posing and snapped a picture. Do love beautiful girls in hats.
There are flowers of fall everywhere. These daisys grew from someplace. The corn is high with many possible ears, but they will never ripen as it is getting too cold. I picked more zucinni, beans, peas, cucumbers, lettuce, onions and carrots today. I need more people to help eat, but I gather and store. Tom gets himself on his ATV and drives around the garden. The irrigation water will be turned off on Friday, so I have watered everything today, and it's on the lawn for a final soaking.
I feel part farmer. Tom says he would grow alfalfa if he could. Alfalfa? Where did that come from? I wouldn't grow alfalfa and I think I'll not grow a garden...either. Flowers, yes.

Leg rests

Tom's leg rests for awhile while he heals up. After working with it, walking on his parellel bars, his leg went into spasms and we had to go for help at Emergency, so he is trying to heal a little better before he tries again. We've had to realize just what handicapped means...when your leg is gone, it is gone and you just have to deal with it. He can't reach into cupboards until he can stand. Getting to the bathroom takes manuvering. Going outside can send you down hill in a wheelchair...I appreciate that story of Joe Burns getting on top of the Avenues in SLC and letting go, riding down across streets until he slowed and stopped. Than
having to pull himself back up the hill. Tom discovered using tools sitting down is either not easy or impossible. He can cook Ramon noodles and jokes abut it.
All those little things, you don't think about. But one thing he does just the same, SMOKE. The greatest danger of all.
I have been reworking the Clyde King Story in case someone wants to print it again. Fixing wrong dates. Correcting names. Marge said we didn't say enough about what he did (wrote only drinking stories). I read over the material and wondered what else we could add. (More drinking stories?) He did manage to become a hard-working rancher and paid off three ranches. I think he tried hard to stop drinking as he got older and was around his kids more, but didn't we say that?
He got around from Phoenix to Utah quite a bit. But, I will take another look, then gather myself to look at my own biography. I feel like moving on out of the difficult areas of home. Boulder History calls.

Russian Sage

With Russian Sage in bloom in front (there are two more) and the yellow flowers in back (I can't think what they are), our yard is looking good, except for weeds growing everywhere. I will not show you a picture of those. Tom is very frustrated as he is used to looking at bare ground and I just don't keep up like he does. But he has been fitted for a temporary leg and has a Jazzy that allows him to get around without help, unless he spins out on rocks. So he's good to go!
I have gone over my book once again, found a few errors and redid information on definite errors. Who are these lucky people in the world that can write books without error? I want to be one of those. "Let's Drive" is ready for the next publication...which should last some time.

Hatch History

I went to check out Hatch Dam History today with Sybil Taylor (Paul Woodward's sister). She is great fun. We picked up Beth Allred who rode out to show us where it used to be then back to the museum to see some old photos. They are glass covered and so easy to get a glare, but I was able to take a couple that turned out sort of good. You can see the old church/school close. The water is flowing from the dam. You can see Hatch in the distance.
While there, I took the picture of the bed carved by Great-Grandpa Carling. He had several items there. The baby bed was made by George Deliverance Wilson
who stopped the storm. Beth said that Val Huntington (Hal Shurtz daughter) had some big pictures of the old dam, so we went to look at them. They had been to Richfield that morning and someone had given her a picture of Calvin, Dean, Gordon and ?. I asked her for that one. Dean is about 15 or so. Or younger. She said she would. The picture shown above is Hatch Dam. The glare isn't so good.
Sybil has a million stories about her dad and Paul and others. She talked and told many. She showed me where Paul's and her grandpa lived and how he watched the things washed away by the flood go by. We had fun.

Swan Bowl

Linda sent this gift for my 50th...Tom and I struggling on together after all this time. She dreams about me being a swan..I never have figured out that one,
but somehow it is appealing. I rather like being a swan in her dreams not being a swan too often in life. I am a swimmer and love the water. That is a little swan-like. This bowl is unusual with the two swans. Tom doesn't seem too much like a swan either, but after 50 years...anyone is a swan!
As you can see, Tom is learning to get around on his one leg. The bear in back is his last mountain chase. I don't think the bear need to fear him now, but he still owns his gun. He's sticking to mountain driving to see the wild animals. Swan??? Well. He was expecting a temporary leg yesterday, but no one come. It must not yet be ready. I am sure he will be on crutches and out walking. No, he won't go swim with me. We do our own thing, and swimming isn't it.
I am re-reading my book for errors. I need more books, so am cleaning up again.
In the meantime, I am enjoying my swan bowl. Thanks Linda!

Unexpected Growth

Who would think that growth would appear in the old stump in my yard, there when I came some twenty years ago? Twin uneatable mushrooms after a long, slow rain. My sisters Marge who died five months ago and my sister LaRae, who died of ovarian cancer, some twenty years back came for a short visit. They appeared suddenly in my room. I was impressed at LaRae's liveliness. She seemed like the Old LaRae when she came for a visit, breezing in and out. Marge was nervous, not quite herself. but
had a moment. She said, "I didn't appreciate my sisters." I have so enjoyed Marge
since I retired and we took up writing together. We gathered information and shared.
We had some good laughs. We took in a show or two in St. George and planned what to do next. She was working on her life story and I worked on mine as well as this Escalante Monument one which we discussed. We missed LaRae and her sense of humor.
Marge died suddenly and was gone overnight. I felt good having LaRae and Marge come visiting together. Two are together there leaving us three (Gerry, Linda, and I)...way apart physically,.but together here still living. We need to communicate ourselves and get the new growth growing. Both are writing their memoirs and the difficult time they spent in mental hospitals. Both have tales to tell. I am still on this Escalante Monument book..Let's Drive, working out the mistakes then I will get my memoirs out, dust them off, and see what I can do. I do hope someone will work on Marge's since she died before she was finished. Sister! Unexpected things will happen.
LaRae dashed off to the Boulder Heritage Festival this year and inspired her grandkids to jump on the Toadstool. Dangerous move that. Completely unexpected and scared their poor mother to death. Please note...another Toadstool. Please note...
two mushrooms. My two sisters visited me in what seemed a normal sister visit.
Completely unexpected. I enjoyed every minute!

Tickled

This picture in the Spectrum yesterday tickled me. It just looks like a typical Southern Utah Senior Citizen having an adventure in Africa. I could just see me sitting up there on that camel. Or any one of us adventure-some souls. So today I pay tribute to all those Sr. Citizens who are trying something new or different. Go on that adventure! Write that book! Act in that play! Take that longed-for trip!
Join Mrs. Jensen on a camel! We all have a bucket-list.

Blog Decision

After considering my options, and the fact that Kanyonland King 2 only has one post, and getting my computer streamlined and back to working without popups, I decided to try this blog for future work. KanyonlandKing already has many posts, so I will start anew. I've already done an entry on my book for each blog trying to link with FB, so if this one works, I will steam ahead. I decided to use my book for a final heading here. I am already working on the second publishing of the book.
If interested you can e-mail Boulder Heritage Festival ccox@boulderheritage.org, or Ann Reynolds, PO Box 523, Panguitch, Utah 84759 (kingreyn@gmail.com). Cost is $20.00for a book...mailed $25.00. The book contain roadtrips around and through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, events that took place, history, stories and my own personal experiences. It is my travelogue.
My husband Tom, after losing his leg, is gradually learning how to get around and move as an amputee. It's a major change as anyone who has experienced it knows.
We are both learning...

New blog

My blog disappeared in total. I was Kanyonlandking. I had just posted on my new book "Let's Drive". I attempted to put a link on facebook which took me to a different Kanyonlandking, so when I tried to dele that...I deleted the whole thing.
Oh the joys of blogging! My blog might have been too long as I could no longer edit.
"Let's Drive" is my new book about the Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument in Garfield County. It has bits of history, stories, personal experiences, and general information. I went down all the roads in the monument, attempting to give the tourist a bit of information as he drove along. If you are traveling to or interested in this monument, this is the book for you! Cost is $20.00 or $25.00 mailed. Ann Reynolds, PO Box 523, Panguitch, Utah 84759 or sent to the Boulder Heritage Foundation, PO Box 1448, Boulder, UT 84716.