Family Evening Together

I had a wonderful evening with four of my children and their spouses at Kenneth and Jenni's cabin in Midway, Utah on July 21, 2010. . It was wonderful to hear all the good things they are doing with their lives as they shared with each other. We missed those that couldn't come. I feel so blessed.

Arches National Park

 Amy and I  stopped on July 4th, 2020 on our way from Arizona to Utah at the Arches National Park.

 When we arrived the park said that it was closed but then we saw cars leaving the park and decided to wait.

               We were blessed to be some of the first tourists into the park when it opened again.

  We loved seeing all the beautiful formations formed from the wind and sand through the years.

                      This formation looks like the three wise men with their robes and head dresses.

 Amy found an app on her  radio to explain the different formations as we came up to them.

 I have heard so much about the Arches National Park through the  years but this is my first time to be able to see them.

                                    I am so happy that we took time to visit the park.

 Amy was a fun companion and we enjoyed finding the different shapes and deciding what they look liked.

                     The Arches National park has the largest density of natural sandstone in the world.

                                                This formation is a huge balanced rock.

                                       Another beautiful rock formation was the Devil's Garden.

                                      We learned the difference between windows and arches.

                                                          We had a delightful time together.

                                    We stopped at various places along the way to take picture.

                                       We saw the beginning of some arches being formed.

                                              The rocks formed all kinds of interesting shapes.

                        Our guide told us that they have named about two thousand arches in the park.

                      It was as beautiful sight to see so many beautiful rock formations in the park.

Returning to my roots in Snowflake

 

Amy and I went to Snowflake on our way to Utah on July 3, 2020. It was so great to be in Snowflake and relive all my memories of my childhood.  We were delayed on our way to Snowflake because of the recent fires so there was only one lane of traffic for some of  the way.  It was so sad to see so much of the forest burned.  We were happy to note though that most of the saguaro cactus seemed to survive. 

                                      Our first stop was at the beautiful Snowflake Temple/

                    The waterfall in front of the temple adds to the beauty.

The temple is closed because of the corona virus but the flowers around the temple are beautiful.

                                    Our next stop was to the Snowflake Monument. 


This shows the naming of Snowflake for my great grandfather William Jordan Flake and Erastus Snow. 

                    Amy reads the description on t he plaque in front of the monument. 





So many important things in my life happened in this beautiful church building such as my baptism, primary graduation, grade school and high school graduation, mission homecoming and wedding reception. 


                                          Thanks Amy for helping me make it back to Snowflake. 

This is the other side of what they now call the Main Street Chapel.  It is next to where we went to movies at what we called the show house.

I took this photo of the home where I lived from the  time I was six until I left to go to BYU.  There was lots of love in this home with my parents and brothers and sisters.

                                            This is the side of our home. 

This used t o be our garage.  Not too many things have changed since the sixty eight   years that I have been away. 

Daddy built this lodge at the back of our home where we could have special family nights together.

                     This is my Grandfather' James Madison Flake's  home where my Daddy grew up. 

                                         We lovingly called it "The Big House"
                            I have memories of many fun times in this home through the years.



My great grandfather and his family were called by Brigham Young to leave their beautiful home and ranch in Beaver and move to Arizona to make a place where Latter-day Saints cold settle.

They moved his cabin from Beaver, Utah down here to Arizona where we can honor those early pioneers an their sacrifices.

My Great Grandfather William Jordan Flake bought this home from Mr. Stinson to make a settlement.
 
                                     It was the only home here and is now the Stinson Museum. 

I have a great heritage in Snowflake.  This is the home of my Great  Grandfather Jesse N. Smith.


My parents, grandparents and great grandparents on both sides of my family settled i Snowflake.


This is the Academy Building where I had classes and graduated from Snowflake Union High School

Amy and I boought flowers and took them up to the Snowflake Cemetery to put on the graves of my Mother and Daddy and her grandparents.

We visited the graveso of my parents, grandparents and great grandparents and many uncles and aunts and cousins at the Snowflake Celetery.

 The family barn and warehouse shown here were moved from our home in Snowflake to my brother  Rey and Margaret's home in Snowflake. 

 We went with our family to a Cowboy Poetry program.  Rey gave as poem about our flag.

                    My brother Rolf gave some of his original cowboy poetry during the program.

 I enjoyed watching Rey and Margaret waltz at the dance after.  This brought back lots of memories of dancing with my brother.  He is a good dancer.

 Rey and Margaret invited Amy and me to spend the night with  them in t heir home before we continued on to Utah the  next morning.

It was wonderful to be with three of my brothers and their wives.  We had a good visit together recalling lots of memories.  We are so blessed to have as great legacy here in Snowflake and the wonderful example of those that have gone on before.