So lovin' this post

I drive up to Mendon every other week to be with my mom.  I try to help her with the crazies of life and we visit, garden, cook, laugh, say "Huh?" a lot, and make a memory each time we are together.  On a particularly difficult weekend I drove up and was reminded of what a beautiful place I had the privilege to grow up in.  The beauty of Cache Valley is real, and magic, and when you enter Mendon, you know you are in the last of the little towns.  As I drove past the mountains I hiked, camped, rode horses on, skied, and spent many hours in with family and friends. I decided that this visit would be a little different than the past trips there...

I opened mom's door and said - hey - grab a Diet Coke, we're going for a ride!  I yelled up to my brother who was working in his garden and said,  "Hey - headed to Cold Water wanna come?"  He said he was pretty busy - so I loaded up mom and we started driving.  A few minutes out - and my phone rang - my brother Eric said.... "I've changed my mind".  I drove back and there he stood - drink in hand, hat on, camera ready.  We put the 4-Runner in 4 wheel drive and headed up the mountain.

We laughed and told stories and looked at the places that we carved our names on the Quakies.  We pointed out places we camped, where Eric shot a deer hunting, where one of our friends fell into stinging nettle, and we quietly drove past the place where one of our friends ended his life.  It was the first time I'd been there since Alan died - and it truly haunted me.  But the day was warm and beautiful and perfect for continuing on.... We arrived at the springs and signed in on the list.  My mom - remember - is 82, and she just kept sneaking up the trail to Cold Water Lake.... remember... 82.

So.... we decided to go a little bit up the trail - which turned into the full on, all the way to the top, hike.  Slow and sure - and story after story we walked and laughed and said HUH? a lot more along the way.  We found beautiful leaves, and berries, and well, no marijuana because someone came and cut that down - whatever.... But the view was amazing...

Eric talked about all of his adventures on this mountain.  I loved hearing him talk and laugh, it was so healing to my heart.  My mom - was the funniest person ever on the mountain.  I think that the altitude must have effected her medication - but she made us laugh so hard.  I remembered my skiing days - when Elmer James would have to test the big Caterpillar Tractors and would drive us up there and we would ski down through hip high powder.  Then he would take us back up over and over until his testing was done.  We both remember horseback riding.  I would go with Karla, Bruce, Mark, Audrey, Kristie... we would do up the back side of Baker's Pass and ride along the top of Scout Peak over to Twin Peaks and then come down to Cold Water.  The memories flooded our conversation, it was wonderful.  The whole time.... mom kept up the pace, Eric and I just kept a close eye on her.

Finally - we made it to the lake close to the top - behind Hog's Back Mountain.  When people arrive at this lake they say - "THIS IS IT?"  But to true Mendonites - Cold Water is our entire childhood.  There were stories of quicksand and that someone coming over the mountain with a wagon and a team of horses went through the lake and never came out.  Not too frightening - unless you are camped out next to the lake and it's freaking night time in a thunderstorm and all you can think about is that darn wagon coming out of the lake!  It is the most photographed lake in the valley - it's famous.

This hike - was very emotional for Eric and I.  We both knew that this would probably be the very last time our Mother would make it to the top.  She was amazing - a mountain girl at heart.  We watched her tackle that mountain with grace and style all the while laughing and saying yet again "HUH?"  We have made this hike for over 50 years give or take a few years, and yet - today, she said, "I don't think I've ever been here before"  Eric and I heard that several times on the hike... "Nope, I've never been here before - how long has this been here?"  It broke our hearts.  So many lost thoughts.  So for the record - this is one of my most favorite pictures in the whole world.  Because this, to my mom, was the first time she'd ever made that hike in her mind.

Perfect eh?

My brother Eric - is the most important person in the world to me.  I've been blessed to have him in my life - and in my children's lives, and I just love this massive hairy man.

Is that GREY in that beard?

Now - the next picture might frighten you - you may need to hide or remove small children from the room... beware, you were forewarned....

This.... is the HILL LOOK.

All of my cousins had parents that had the same look.

Time to head for home.  Eric's wife called him and asked him where he was.  He laughed and told her... you won't believe it if I told you!  Mom had her walking stick - she was a true scouter.

UNTIL

She had made it all the way up the mountain, and all the way down the mountain.  15 feet from the 4Runner, she started going down hill really fast and lost her footing and rolled off the trail, into a patch of burrs and smacked her head on a fence post.  There were a few people there just starting the hike and they ran over to see if she was ok.  And where were Eric and I???????

Laughing our guts out on the trail until we almost peed our pants.

Here is.... Burr Crotch...

(you are laughing aren't you)

Gotta love my mom - she picked burrs out of her hair,

her pants, her teeth, and... yes by darn, her crotch.

This was my most favorite perfect day ever.

It was Heaven Sent... by her brothers and sisters living there

who knew she needed a day out to play.

ok.... I guess I have to say it.... It was Burrfect. (: