First of all, if you want to see one of the most beautiful sunsets that ever hung itself to dry over our lake I am sending you here (the amazing Ginger) and here (the brilliant Marilyn). Because I DIDN’T SEE IT. I was too busy moping limply on the couch to look through the window. So I send it to you so that YOU will have seen it.
My friend, Ginger, is one of the most generous, wonderful people I’ve ever known. We’ve been friends since she was Peeseblossom and I was Puck in our indie/slashed-denim theater production of Midsummer Night’s Dream, played out under the huge pines of Pioneer Park back in 1975 or so. (Were you even born then?) Ginger collects people the way magnets pick up iron shavings – and hugs them just about that close.
Last night, she had Rachel’s Fam and what children I could round up of my own up to her house for a Gluten-free (mostly – thank you, the bread-challenged Murph) barbecue and a Family Home Evening (the Monday tradition of LDS families). She lives (as you will have guessed from her pictures of the sunset) on the shoulder of a mountain, overlooking EVERYTHING. And here are the pictures:
Another of Ginger’s dear friends, Dion, discovered in the back of a bus in Japan. Ginger just finds wonderful people.
In the living room.
Shrimp. I hardly ever eat it, but I ate these!
Our Laura – and if you look low enough, you see Murphy connecting up the propane tank. I didn’t know he knew how to do it. Then, I really, really hoped he knew how to do it – because the very next moment, they fired up the grill.
Watching the artist at work.
Rachel and Henny Penny.
Rachel, loved by M.
Brian, loving M loving Rachel. Who doesn’t look altogether sure they aren’t crazy.
M pirated the camera. And this is the first shot he took. What a surprise.
People kept taking pictures of us because we had the sun at our backs, so our hair lit up like optical fiber.
Mr. M, Rachel’s – umm, wait – one, two three – 4th son. And Henny.
Who seems to be sinking.
Yep. Definitely sinking. And her brother hasn’t noticed a thing. What if she was being swallowed by a python – that will very soon thereupon look just like a hat.
Ginger is beautiful. Everything about her is beautiful. Even the way she disagrees with me, which she will do very shortly after this shot was taken. I took this one. M didn’t.
But he did take this.
Eating grilled portabella (sp?) mushrooms and shrimp and hamburgers. YAY! We had a lesson taught by young Mr. C, and songs – with spontaneous dancing from young quarters. And a lovely family prayer. Then continued the games.
Doesn’t it look like summer? But oy – another twenty three minutes, and that sun disappears behind the mountains across the lake. And then the air moves swiftly down through the canyons, so that we sit swathed in borrowed jackets and blankets, still enjoying the company. The air was just short of chill, and smelled deliciously of wild pine.
Then it was over. Hugs and thanks and tired children piling into cars. The cars are parked carefully, there on the mountain’s side. Henny climbs in with me, and we drive down into the valley having solemn girl talk about brothers and horses and all kinds of things. And that was all. Just a lovely evening provided by a dear and lovely friend.
THE END
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