We used to go to Snowbird quite often when I was little. Then we stopped for a while, and then the tradition was rekindled shortly after Dad died. Today, we got to go there again, with Christine, Lizzie, and Lucas joining us.
Aunt Esther (Dad's second oldest sister) and Uncle Joe have rented a condo up here for a week every year for fifty years straight, maybe more. Today's their last day; they go home tomorrow morning. It's nice to go up there for a few hours, get a bit of fresh air and enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery, and visit with family members we don't get to see that much these days.
And, of course, the most fun part of all is a refreshing dip in the pool. The weather has been hot as blazes lately, so this was just the thing. Swimming as a whole is a rare treat for all of us; I'm not much of a swimmer, though I can paddle around a little here and there, and I do have a small fear of drowning. Luckily, the pool at Snowbird is only five feet deep, so my feet can easily touch the bottom at the deepest end, and there was a nice shady spot, too. The only problem was my glasses. I don't see too well without them, but they do get splattered when I wear them in the pool. Oh, well, at least I enjoyed myself and the swim cooled me off beautifully. And there was plenty to eat and drink afterward, and the scenery was as lovely as ever.
So many memories...and there's something mysterious, enchanting, a little scary, and even spiritual about Mother Nature. It's no accident that a lot of significant events in the Bible and Book of Mormon took place in forests and on mountaintops, that a lot of modern temples have paintings of forests, mountains, and animals. The Creation springs to mind: "And God saw that it was very good."
It's always a big relief and a big disappointment when it's time to go home. We'll see what next year is like.
