Wordless Wednesday

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Christmas Early, Part III

Lizard was far too exhausted to do anything special in Moab when we arrived during the afternoon we had planned to be Day 1 that had become Day 2 because of the mountain snowstorm that actually left traces of white along the Utah desert, too. Nothing like snow on red rock! I didn't get any photos, however, because I thought we'd be able to get some the next morning. Desert snow just doesn't last long enough!!!

After getting settled in our room, we went to the grocery store for dinner. Lizard had a craving for beef stroganoff. We couldn't find any in the frozen section!!! He settled for Swedish meatballs, and I got a veggie Mexican bowl. We heated them in the microwave in our hotel room, and he fell asleep several times while finishing his dinner. We had planned to soak in the outdoor hot tub that has a grand view of the also still-open swimming pool with a mini Delicate Arch waterfall with a row of flames atop. Lizard was so tired!

Our first full Day in Moab called for a hike up the Delicate Arch viewpoint trail, the scene of our first date. We were so new to each other then, and selfies had not been discovered yet. Sadly, I have no photos of that memorable adventure. We pedaled up to the trailhead 21.5 years ago after meeting in person for the first time (We'd known each other via an online climbing group for about two years) in the Arches National Park headquarters parking lot. No bikes allowed on the trail (and we both knew that). Lizard removed his clip-in shoes and his socks, then carried both our bikes, to the astonishment of all the other hikers all the way up to the viewpoint. Our fellow arch enthusiasts couldn't praise him enough! I carried his shoes and our picnic lunches, which I had made.

2008 on Hurrah Pass

(My choice of cycling shoes back then weren't clip-in. I was terrified I'd fall over trying to unsuccessfully clip out in front of him, as I had done my first time wearing my clip-in shoes. More than a year earlier, when I participated in a Moab cycling event that no longer exists, I fell over in front of all the other cyclists at the start line. I remember hoping he wasn't there because I didn't want him to see klutzy me, although he probably would not have recognized me. Turns out he wasn't there. Nevertheless, I didn't want to make up for it by falling in front of him on our first official date!)

2007 Delicate Arch reflection

There are many reasons for selecting Moab as our Christmas gift to each other this year. Lizard said he'd rather go to Moab than any of the other destinations I'd checked into when we learned we needed to use up some hotel points. Moab offered better return for our points than any other location I'd looked up because it was such off season. We could celebrate our 20th anniversary, which we hadn't been able to do in timely fashion because Parkinson's threw so many wrenches at us during the summer. The main reason for our December trip, however, was my genuine Christmas wish to replace, with pleasant memories, some of the worrisome hallucinations Lizard was beginning to experience again. His hallucinations last year were so traumatic, well, that's why I'm retired now, and that's why our life has changed so radically. I'm truly worried his hallucinations will become horrific again, and I'm trying to help him maintain whatever quality of life I can muster for him.

2012 Moab tranquility

We didn't take our bikes, so there would be no ride to the trailhead this trip. Lizard hasn't been able to get his leg over the bike again (recurring issue every single time we are unable to ride for more than a week), and we hadn't walked very far in so long, I can't even remember the last time. The drive to the trailhead would be difficult on my exhausted and claustrophobic Lizard. Neither of us knew whether he'd be able to walk up the trail again, but we both were determined to try.

All the snow had melted by the time we left the hotel. (Lizard needed a nap after the hotel breakfast.) We had to wait in line to get into the Park, but this gave us time to absorb some of the changes since our last visit, which was pre-pandemic. The Park now operates on a timed-entry system during peak season. Signs along the entrance drive provide travelers with a time estimate to reach the entrance gate. Because the wait is anything but brief. Wow!!! Thank heavens our entrance took only about 20 minutes.

Only two other vehicles were parked at the trailhead. Hallelujah!!! We would have the trail to ourselves! There are no benches for Lizard to rest on the way up to the viewpoint, but Lizard made use of a couple of large boulders. We encountered one other hiker near the top, and a small group of hikers at the top. All were on their way back down. We had the entire viewpoint to ourselves! And... LIZARD MADE IT!!!

We reminisced about our first date and all the glorious trips we've made to Moab since then. I snapped a few photos. We wished each other a very merry Christmas and literally dropped to our knees to thank God for allowing us this trip and helping Lizard surmount incredible odds.

Hallucinations were encountered on the way down. Lizard thought little people were wiring a tunnel along the trail. And he insisted Yoda was watching us. He's a Star Trek fan who also enjoys Star Wars on a limited basis. He spent many years wiring before I met him. I think the "little people" he often hallucinates are memories of his wiring days. If you are standing in a dark water diversion tunnel, wiring lights with a team, the co-workers down the tunnel might appear smaller and smaller, the further away they are. I often tell him his hallucinations are like photos we call up on a computer. Just an image stored in our brain that Parkinson's can't distinguish between reality and memory. We joked how much better Munchkins hanging Christmas lights along the trail (my idea) were than most of the hallucinations he experienced last year.

We planned to eat pizza at our favorite Moab restaurant, discovered on our first date, upon return to town, but the restaurant was closed for its annual party. (The sign even read "Christmas" instead of "holiday"!) Lizard asked if I could make his favorite home meal... southwest salad. So off to the grocery store we headed again, and about two hours later, Lizard was once again entertaining Munchkins in his much-needed slumber.

As we were descending the trail earlier in the day, he told me he always has Moab in the back of his mind, but now it was in the forefront because of this trip. What better Christmas gift could we give each other!!!

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Snowflake Monday

My Finnish missionary is coming home next week! (She's not actually *mine*, but her parents are among my closest friends, and I taught this girl for nearly five years back in the 20'teens... Do they have a hip way of saying that???) Anyway, I have three more snowflake name inspirations from her, and today's is one. It means Sweet Christmas, and I'm pretty sure that's what her parents will be experiencing this year!

Today's flake is roughly inspired by one of my photographed snowflakes on 25 January 2025.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 5.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Suloinen Joulous Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in each of the next 11 dc around; 1 dc in same ch as sl st, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in same ch, [(sk next dc, 1 sc in next dc, sk next dc, 5 dc in next dc] 6 times, omitting last 2 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: This Round incorporates front post trebles. You will be working around the Round 2 dc posts that do not have 5 dc shells. Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 5 dc in same ch, [sk Round 2 dc directly below, which has 5 Round 3 dcs, fptr around each of next 3 Round 2 dc, in middle dc of next 5/dc shell, work 7 dc] 6 times, omitting last 6 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 5: This Round incorporates front post double trebles. You will be working around the same Round 2 dc posts as in Round 4. [Ch 5, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook (dc picot made), ch 13, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook (dc picot made), ch 2, sk next 3 dc, sl st in next dc, sk next dc, 1 sc in gap between Round 4 7/dc shell and next 3 fptr, 1 fpdtr around eac of next 3 Round 2 dc, 1 sc in next gap between Round 4 fptr and Round 4 7/dc shell AND around previous sc from behind fpdtr (similar to popcorn st, resulting in a poofy 3/fpdtr shell), sk next dc, sl st in next dc] 6 times; sl st in same ch as final Round 4 sl st; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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The Most Wonderful Time of Year

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Holy Guacamole!

The awesome tomatoes from my raised-bed gardens this year necessitated the purchase of avocados. Which meant time for me to dye!

Of all the natural dyeing I've done, avocado skins are my favorite, and the pits are NOT the pits, but my second favorite.

After three months of sitting in my living room window, soaking up sun and avocado skin and pit pigment, four new hanks of crochet thread have joined my stash.

I cannot wait to begin using these threads again!

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Wordless Wednesday

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Christmas Early, Part II

Because we left home a day early, we were able to enjoy our favorite pre-Parkinson's West Slope breakfast before heading out to Moab. It had begun to snow overnight, which was heaven for me. It wasn't sticking to the road, and I anticipated getting some awesome shots in Colorado National Monument before heading further west.

The snow stopped abruptly while Lizard enjoyed his treasured biscuits and gravy. We made a quick little drive up into Colorado National Monument anyway and were blessed with a very special wildlife sighting...

reason for the sneezin'

The Monument was foggy, and there wasn't as much snow as I thought there might be, but man, was it a lovely drive! We were so excited to have been able to make this extra stop on our Christmas gift to each other!

I think this is the first time I've ever stayed at a hotel that put up Christmas ornaments. The Grand Junction hotel's theme was red and white, not my favorite Christmas colors, but look at this precious ornament!!! Definitely a sign of good things to come in the next couple of days!

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