In and around St. George...

Next Stop:
St. George, Utah

We couldn't travel West without making sure to see the other woman in Dale's life, his 94 year old Grandma. A lucky coincidence for us was that Dale's mom and Dad would be staying at Grandma's with us. Grandma Kelley has lived in St. George, Utah for over 16 years. She has had a very interesting life and despite being 94, can remember things in her life with a clarity that this 35 year old doesn't have. For as long as I have known Dale, I have known that his grandma is his 'girl' (Melissa has become his other 'girl'). He adores his Grandma, and she him. I have benefitted not only from Grandma's life experiences, but I have benefitted from Grandma's affection for her grandson. To say she is very important to me would understate my feelings. You can see her great influence in my children as well. We stayed three days with her, and my kids didn't want to leave. They looked forward to seeing her more than anything, and they were the most upset to leave her. We were so blessed to be able to take her with us when we visited several places around St. George, including two National Parks. Her love and knowledge of National Parks goes back to the 1920's when she worked 6 summers at Yellowstone. I cannot say how many times she has been to National Parks. She mentioned to me that she had been to Zion National Park over 100 times.

My love of National Parks has been influenced by many things, but Grandma is a big part of that. When Shawn was a baby, I stayed with her and now deceased Grandpa. Dale's Grandpa was ill, and could not get about very easily, but Grandma wanted me to see the Grand Canyon, so she drove me over 8 hours round trip to see it. She didn't even get out of the car! She felt it was so important that I should get to see it, even if only for 15 minutes, while she waited in the car.



Dale and his other woman...


St. George sunset....

Snow Canyon

On our way to Gunlock Resevoir, Grandma had been showing us damage from the 2005 Virgin/ Santa Clara River floods, so I was very suprised to see how low the water level was. We were walking in sludge to get to the water, and then trying to get out of the sludge once in the water!

The kids playing chicken with Grandpa

Alex is sculpting "Man in the Mountain" monument, and Greg is "putting sunblock on the rock so it doesn't get a sunburn"

At the Cemetary:

Zion National Park

Looking up at "weeping rock"

Learning that Cacti are NOT fun to touch:

Bryce Canyon:

Grandma with what she calls her "treasures"