Trek to Albion Basin

 Ask me how I like Utah and I'll definitely give you a mixed reaction.  There are a lot of things I love about living here (more on those later), but there are also A LOT of things I miss.   I miss trees and songbirds in my backyard.  I miss humidity (yes, really!).  But mostly I miss being known.  I miss someone asking me how my older kids are doing (and actually caring).  I miss someone knowing that I like to do something and asking me to help them with it.  I miss people asking me for that one recipe. And I miss people knowing a little of my story. 

We've been here a year now and I very much still feel like the invisible woman.  People are so nice to me when they see me, but NO ONE seems to have any interest in having anything to do with me other than those built in times when they see me anyway.  My true friends are the ones I made in Virginia  or to a lesser extent, in Pennsylvania.  Starting my own book group, attending YW camp,  and reaching out to people have helped the cause a little, but I never feel truly seen or known unless I'm with an old friend. 

Alas, I cannot deny all the spiritual impressions that landed us here.  I KNOW 1000% that we are exactly where we are supposed to be right now, but, to be totally honest, moving 3 times in 2 years (and 4 different wards) has been more difficult than I imagined.   And if that kind of adjustment wasn't hard enough, throw into the picture my Dad dying, and I have to admit that I often feel pretty lonely.  Thank goodness for having a full house the last month or two, which has distracted me from the loneliness a bit.  

 So, enough about my woes...there are a few things I love about Utah.  For one, I love that Ellie has access to the perfect school for her.  After so many years of homeschool, there wouldn't have been too many places I'd feel comfortable sending her, but her school is exactly what she needed.  I feel like that is one of the reasons we needed to be here.    I also love living close to family.  I had no idea my Dad had cancer when Glen accepted the job here, but it's very clear that we were very needed here over the last year and I'm grateful to have been able to spend so much time with my parents through my Dad's final days.  I also love living closer to my college kids.  Instead of seeing them only at Christmas and summer breaks, we get to see them a couple times a month.  And I get to meet their friends, which is a huge blessing.    

I also love the cool mornings and open vistas.  I do miss the thick covering of trees of the East, but there is something pretty spectacular about a Utah sunset streaking the sky with golds, pinks, and purples...and actually being able to see a clear view of it {instead of peeking out through the trees}.  

A few weeks ago we decided to trek up to Albion Basin to see the infamous wildflowers and Cecret Lake.

What can I say?  

WOW!  WOW! WOW! 

We got off to a later start than we wanted (thanks to a super long line at the admission gate), but being there at sunset was a sight I'll never forget!

If it were a little closer to home, I might be tempted to head up there every night for sunset! 

Have I mentioned how much I absolutely love wildflowers?   There's something about their  effortless beauty dotting the landscape and blooming where they landed that just makes me happy.  I guess I could try to be a little more like a wildflower, and try to bloom into my best self right here in Alpine.  I feel like I'm still breaking through the rocky ground and finding my place, but I have faith that I will find my spot eventually! 

Speaking of the joys of Utah...we saw a mama moose and her baby near the parking lot. 

And Ellie may have shed an actual tear when we saw this cute little porcupine cross our path on the way home. 

How's that for an entry into her baby book?   First wild porcupine sighting:  July 2022

Thanks for reading my free therapy session!   Have an amazing day!