Plums and Pioneers

I came across the greatest find yesterday. (Remember simple things bring me pleasure.) You see, we have this cute tree in the corner of our backyard, which has been lovely in every season.  It blossomed in the Spring and I assumed it was a crab apple tree, because it looked similar to one that my neighbors had growing up.  As kids, my friends and I used to dare each other to eat the crab apples on the way home from school and laugh at each other's puckering sour faces.  However, I noticed the fruit growing bigger than a crab apple, so I investigated last night and found that we have a plum tree!  Oh the joys!  I'm a plum farmer and I didn't even know it!  I tasted them and they are delicious, sweet and tart.  Now I need some good plum recipes.  If you have any, send them my way.

plum good

Yesterday was the grand holiday of Pioneer Day here in Utah.  I even got work off!  I missed the parade and most things pioneer-ish; however, Red Butte Gardens was open for free.  Danny and I went up there and walked around the gardens.  It's so beautiful up there.

This is not what the Salt Lake Valley looked like
when the pioneers got here.

This is where Danny and I met, at a concert at Red Butte Gardens.

Yellow roses are some of my favorites. 

The wildlife of  Red Butte Gardens.

So pretty

What my feet would look like in a jungle...on stepping stones.  How exotic.

Speaking of pioneers, I also recently read a autobiography called Recollections of Past Days The Autobiography of Patience Loader Rozsa Archer, edited by Sandra Ailey Petree.  This book was recommended to me by my sister-in-law, JanaRae.  I found it fascinating.  Patience had an amazing life.  She was born in England and joined the LDS Church there with her family.  They crossed the Atlantic by boat and joined the Martin Handcart Company.  Her recollection of traveling the plains is fascinating.  For those who don't know, the Martin Handcart Company were a group of pioneers that left from Iowa late in the season.  They hit blizzards in Wyoming and many people died from exposure and starvation.  Brigham Young sent rescue parties to save the survivors.  Patience lost family members, including her father during this trek.  After making it to Salt Lake City, she married and then traveled back across the plains with her husband to Washington DC, because her husband was a solider and his regiment was called to fight in the Civil War.  Patience has some amazing life stories from both her pioneer experience and her Civil War experience.  She was one tough lady!  I really admired her faith.  She witnessed miracles that both preserved her life and the life of her family.  And even among her trials, she still recognized the grace of God helping her through it all.  I also liked how real she is; she just told it how it was.  I learned some interesting things about life at that time in Salt Lake.  

Anyway, I would highly recommend this book.  One thing I should mention is that the whole book is Patience's exact words that she wrote down in notebooks.  She wasn't highly educated, so there are many spelling and grammatical errors.  It takes a little bit to get used to, but I feel like it helps you get to know her better.  However, I know that would drive some people crazy trying to read with so many mistakes.  I feel a little weird rating a autobiography, because how can you rate someone's life experience?  She wasn't writing it to be published as a book or anything, so I'll give it 5 stars, since I really liked it.

Jan's Rating: