LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC

I am a great fan of COUNTRY MUSIC. The concert by Travis Tritt last night at Dixie College reaffirmed my love for the music. This Picture I took of him in 1990 when we were in Nashville. The following 5 pictures are ones that I took last night. In 20 years he has not changed, except that his hair is shorter.

In 2003 the Golden Girl's traveled to Nashville. We did everything there was to do, and saw everything there was to see. What a trip, I love these girls.

In 1990 Garn & I spent a week in Nashville at FAN FAIR. Was one of my most enjoyable vacations.

Tanya Tucker was in her prime. Her connection to St. George in the 70's gives us reason to love her.

Randy Travis is one of my all time favorites. I still have a Tshirt that I bought from his store in 1990 that says " I Have Been Digging Up Bones with Randy Travis"

However, ALAN JACKSON in my all time, all time favorite. This pictures was also taken in 1990 in Nashville. Did you know he is bald headed under that hat? Wouldn't know it with all the long curly blond hair.

This picture was also taken in 1990. Hank Thompson was being inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame in Nashville.
Wonder if I would like curly hair like that again.

This picture of Ricky Skaggs was taken in 2003 when I was in Nashville with the GIRLS. He was doing country music at that time but now he is more into bluegrass.

IT MUST BE SPRING!!! Two babies born this morning. I think we will name one Super Sweet and the other one Billy Bowl, got it Super Bowl Sunday. First Nebs came to see, then the whole herd stood on the hill to watch.

How well I remember ? years ago when you were born. We lived in a small trailer on Utah State Campus. You were always so full of energy and into everything. How proud we are of you and the wonderful family you have created. You were such a baby when you got married and look what it has turned into. Thank you for being the person you are. HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

 

THE HUNTINGTON ANIMAL FARM

This is the story of Garn and his animals.

This is Shadow a cat that showed up at our place about 5 years ago. So wild you couldn't get near her, and now she waits for Garn every morning and followes him everywhere. This is Mama Llama and her baby Smudge, in the back is Chocolate, who is still a little afraid of getting close, but still wants her share of the hay.
Chocolate won't get very close, but reaches for her food, while the sheep watch and wait for the Llama to drop the cube hay then they grab it.

Now comes NEBS, our newest addition. A VERY FAMOUS DONKEY. He came from our Branham family in Iowa where he has been in 4H shows, and pulled the wagon in many parades. But his bigest claim to fame is the live Nativity scenes where he gets to carry Mary to the stable. Our Daughter Ellen holds live Nativity programs at Christmas time in their big barn and people come from miles around to see them. In this picture Garn is calling "here Nebs, here Nebs" you can see him in the distance and the sheep and llamas are very curious and not very happy about him coming to their home.

As soon as Nebs gets close, the sheep and llamas take off on the run to the other side of the pasture.Then they slowely creep back

and watch as Garn makes friends with Nebs.

This is as close as they will get to him

Now Garn will "love on Nebs" and before long they will all be friends.

SO IT GOES AT THE HUNTINGTON ANIMAL FARM.

I would love to be a copy cat

I would love to be a copy cat, because I have a friend that seems to be so perfect in everything she does, I would love to copy her, but there is no way I can measure up to her and could never copy any of her accomplishments.

She has a perfect house, everything has a place and everything is always in it's place. Her house is so perfect that they do house exchanges with people all over the world. Just in the past year they have exchanged homes and cars with people in England, Scotland, Canada, New York, Virginia, and probably others that I have forgotten. Right now they are in Flagstaff AZ and are visiting Sedona, Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon and other places of interest in the ares.

Her and her husband could get the award for being entertainers of the year. They are always and forever having friends over for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and serving perfect food.

They have served very honorable missions for their church and are perfect in visiting teaching and home teaching. They are helpful in their neighborhood and are always there when anyone needs a helping hand or a pat on the back.

In their family of 5 children, education is very important and they have 4 doctors, and a very successful photographer. Now who could ever copy that.

I am so thankful for the friendship of this person and altho I will never be able to copy the enormous, huge, gigantic, colossal things she does I will forever try to copy some of the small, minor, trivial, insignificant things that I see her do.

THANKS FOR BEING MY FRIEND

Erin Go Bragh

The trip to IRELAND was a lot of planning. Andee left early for Russia with her fiancee and family. She then went to Paris to spend 2 days with the family she had stayed with last year. Barbara left next and flew to Italy to meet Andee. Then they flew to Ireland to meet with Garn and I and Ciera & Bridger. Needless to say we spent lots of time in airports. But then we got to fly in first class so the 8 hr. flight was not all that bad. The Flat we rented in Dublin was Christ Church Hall. Sooooo Nice. The car we rented was big for Ireland but very small for a family of 6.

The city of Dublin was a very nice place to stay.

We really enjoyed seeing the statues, monuments, bridges and buildings.
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Traveling the roads in Ireland was certainely a new experience,

what with driving on the left side of the road, if you can call them roads,

and watching out for the foliage trimmer.

The colored sheep and swans were beautiful.

The Pubs are a big part of Ireland culture.
Our very best meal was in this Brazen Head Pub.

We tried to teach the kids the penalty of drinking,

then listened to very good music

We found many places with the FLANIGAN name.
Drove to Tramore where we think my

Great Grandfather Thomas Flanigan was born.

Took pictures of the church and headstones of possible relatives.

The Irish Sea, really cold but beautiful.

This is the engraver that has worked for Waterford for 42 years.

He is engraving names on the few pieces we bought. The HUNTINGTON CASTLE had the most beautiful grounds of all the castles we visited. The Castle was built in 1620 and is the only one in Ireland still owned and occupied by family of the original owners.

This is the Hill of Tara, one of the many mounds or tombs that are 5000 years old. This one we could peek inside through a small opening.

 Newgrange Mound is

over 5000 years old and was excavated between 1962 & 1975
 This is the entrance stone in front of the Newgrange tomb.

Inside the chamber they explained the winter solstice and the burial ritual.

Driving down this road to the Dingle Peninsula, you can rent this lovely rock house, ride the "Bottle Nose Dolphin" or play in the Atlantic Ocean.

This statue in Christ Church Cathedral.

The kids said "Look he is talking on his cell phone."

SILLY KIDS

The Cat and the Rat. They became trapped in and organ pipe

in the 1850's and were mummified. Trinity College we saw the Book of Kell and the Long Hall Library

There were many many old castles, here are only a few.

The Blarney Castle was interesting.

Everyone had a ball kissing the Blarney Stone.

There was fun shopping at the Woolen Mills

Ciera ready to kiss the Blarney Stone. Had to hang up side down. What a big castle, and next to the beautiful River Shannon

The most photographed place in Ireland is the Cliffs of Moher.

One of the most interesting places was the Dolmen Poulnabrone

(tombs from rocks

For miles and miles all you could see were these big flat rocks (tombsTHANKS AGAIN BARBARA FOR A WONDERFUL VACATION