Jamming Season - and I don't mean music!!

There are some things I love to do - and making jam is one of them. I used to do a lot of canning of fruit - and loved the results, but often found the process tiresome - hot and endless it seemed.

But over the years, jam has become something I look forward to making. It doesn't take the time or have the immediacy that bottling fruit does, because I mostly freeze fruit throughout the year - in its pureed form - and then make jam when the mood - or the need - strikes.

Tuesday dawned gray and drizzly - a perfect day for making jam!! Once I get started though, even a sunny day doesn't discourage me - especially now that we have a/c!!

I have a theory that specialization is the key to appearing competent. I make jam, pumpkin cookies, homemade mac and cheese, and aprons. And most people think I'm a pretty snazzy homemaker - little do they know how limited my repertoire is!!

Just a handy hint for you aspiring homemakers out there!! (and my kudos to all the women I know who seem to do everything well and who experiment all the time!!)

Mission Call!!

Congrats to Kylie, my niece, on her mission call to

London South Mission!!

Sounds like a great place to go and be a missionary now!!

"Goin' to Ashland. . . "

After a 20+ year hiatus, Dad and I headed once more to Ashland, OR for the Shakespeare Festival - and also the Britt Festival. We were joined by our good friends and Dad's old roomies, the Nebekers and the Heders. (Well, he was actually only a roommate with Jim and Ry, but Helen and Sarah were along for the ride!!)We aren't dead sure, but are pretty sure we like Cedar City better - but it's probably a matter of familiarity more than anything else - since this was only our third time at Ashland. We've been to Cedar too many times to count. This is their outdoor theater - it has more covered space than Cedar does. We saw Merchant of Venice here. It was a well-done performance, but afterward we were thinking that maybe we don't like the whole premise the story is built on. The costuming was odd - period clothes with modern touches - like tall boots, capes - and Levis?? I'm not sure that worked very well.

We saw Hamlet at the indoor theater - and it was completely modern costuming - and that worked really well. There was some use of American Sign Language with the ghost of Hamlet's father. And the traveling minstrels used hip-hop and rap and all that worked well also. It was a wonderful performance - Hamlet was amazing - very emotional and believable. Ophelia did a great job too. I think I understood the play a lot better because of how well it was presented.

We picked restaurants somewhat at random - Helen and Jim have been coming every year for 3o years, so they had some recommendations - but we really ate well!! Mostly we slept in and had late brunches and early dinners. It worked! Herb tea after the show in the hotel lobby rounded off the day for us all. The hotel was old and European style - and the bathrooms were shared among the tenants - it worked fine - much to my surprise - and delight!

On Friday night, we went to Jacksonville to the Britt Festival - it's an outdoor venue - you sit on the grass on blankets and watch the show. It was Pink Martini - whom I'd never heard of, but they are a fave of Nebekers and Heders. They are Portland-based and very popular in Europe. They were good - we felt well-rewarded for our efforts huffing and puffing uphill to the show - after driving all over town to find a parking place!!

I was thinking that Shakespeare has played a fairly major role in our married and family life. Not bad for someone who went to college knowing nothing about Shakespeare except what Marlon Brando did in Julius Ceasar !

We went to church on Sunday at the Ashland Ward, then bid adieu until next year. Dad and I were pretty tired - we crashed after only a couple of hours of driving - in Corning CA - home of The Iron Skillet - a not bad restaurant if you're ever in Corning!!

We got home Monday around 5 p.m. - and we're even unpacked and ready to face Tuesday!!

Happy 2nd Anniversary

Dad said, "Has it only been 2 years?" (He was sure it was three years.) Time flies - but the wedding is fresh and clear in my mind. A lovely day - a lovely time.

My recent attendance at the revival of South Pacific has only heightened my love of certain songs and their appropriateness for certain occasions!

Ah, here's to many more enchanted evenings for us all!

Here in Ashland

We are here in Ashland with Nebekers and Heders. We saw Hamlet last night - it was in a modern setting and very well done.

Tonight we head for the Brit Festival and Pink Martini - we'll let you know how it goes!!

The men went Geo Caching - had fun I guess.

We women shopped downtown Ashland - bookstores, antique shops, clothing stores - good eats too.

Pictures when we return - if I remember to take them!!

Dad Was a Trojan!

We keep coming across these little gems from the past. Dad played youth football as a lad - I'm not even sure of his age here. Since Dad is still a pretty involved athlete, it doesn't seem surprising that he dabbled in all sports. Right now he's riding the bike path with me - and cycling around town a bit. (I'm sticking with the bike path!)

I, too, was more of an athlete than you would believe - but there wasn't much of a demand for team shots of dodgeball or jumping rope - my sports of choice! (You will just have to take my word for it!)

"In the good old summertime . . ."

I took my car into the shop this a.m. for some work before we head off to Ashland for the Shakespeare Festival with Nebekers and Heders. And I walked back home - please be duly impressed - Dad said it was 1 1/2 or 2 miles - it felt like 10!! But at least it was cool and June-gloomy, so I wasn't perishing in the heat!!

But I did have the thought that today is the first day of summer!! I love the first day of summer - in fact, I love all the days of summer!! But I was thinking about what summer means to the Terrill family.

I started out thinking that summer often means graduations of one sort and another.

And sometimes it means roadshows.

And for many years it meant outdoor fun with the Kerksiek cousins.

And for lots of years it meant St. George fun.

This was a goofy summertime family photo from a ways back. (The year everyone but Bruce and Harry had short hair cuts - often a sign of summer!!)

Summer in the backyard - in your swim trunks!

Summer at the pool. And lots of sun-bleached hair.

Family reunions - Utah and elsewhere.

We don't do it much anymore, but summer has meant camping trips.

Ah, the van figures prominently in many summertime memories.

Backpacking - another staple of summertime.

Side trips in St. George - folks often wondered why we "summered" in St. George. As Bruce once told David, "Don't try to figure it out - just accept it!"

Las Palmas - synonymous with summer.

The occasional summertime beach house rental.

Celebrating birthdays in St. George.

The occasional family summer wedding.

Water fun on the 4th of July!

It would not be summer without Girls' Camp - sometimes I miss it, so it's good to hear of Ara's camp adventures.

Summer means softball!! (and sometimes all-stars too!)

And of course summer means the beach and all its attendant activities.


I don't have any photos of myself sleeping in, weeding the garden, watering the flowers, reading the paper cover to cover because I don't have to hustle off to school, leisurely walks, hiking, dozing on the patio swing, or reading on the couch - but that's also what summer means to me.

What does it mean to you??

Dads I Know and Love!!

A lot of fathers have moved in and out of my life over the years. My own father, my husband, my father-in-law, the fathers of our grandchildren - all have had a significant impact. So today, a little photo essay with some of my fave photos of these dads.

This is one of my favorite "Dad" photos - although Matt wasn't a dad when this was taken - but I just love how they all look so long-suffering and patient - kind of like moms!!


Bonny's Bruce

Our very own Harry Francis

Phoebe's David

Eliza's Matt

Your own Dad

My own Dad

My father-in-law


Not a dad yet, but a great candidate for the job

Another good candidate

The men in my life add a depth and richness that is truly a blessing. Have a great day gentlemen!

"We'll remember always, graduation day . . "

For the uninitiated, the title is from a song we old-timers remember from the 50's. If you were here, I'd hum a few bars for you all!!

This was the graduation announcement we sent out for Noah - who chose not to walk - but it does express our feelings about "getting everyone through the system!"

Eliza commented on her blog that she was looking for a graduation photo - which made me wonder if I could come up with a graduation photo of each one of you - and I did!

Bonny Brae - the first grad - as usual she led the way magnificently!!

Harry F. - it was one of those June-gloomy nights - but we were happy to see Harry graduate.

The weather didn't co-operate when Phoebe graduated either - it rained - hard enough to drive the event indoors - an auditorium full of wet folks - many annoyed at being packed into a space too small to hold them all!!

Eliza's graduation was in the evening - but I guess the sunset was pretty bright, and she felt she needed her "shades!"

Hannah's graduation was on June 18, 2003 - exactly 7 years ago tonight.

And though Noah chose not to walk, he did choose to bring home the Josten proofs of him in a cap and gown!!

Bonny's 20th is coming up - Phoebe's 15th - Eliza's 10th - so that would be Harry's 18th, Hannah's 7th and Noah's 5th.

My 48th is next January - and Dad's 48th would be this month.

But hey, who's counting!!

Graduations are interesting events. We got through another Clifton promotion today - with the construction at the high school, we had to have it in the auditorium and each student only got 2 tickets. So the crowd was small, mostly adult, and generally better-behaved than I've seen in a long time. (Except for the guy who shoved his way through and yelled that he was coming in without a ticket and no one was going to stop him. Those manning the doors chose to "let it go" - and maybe he will get his comeuppance - or not. But no one felt like arguing. He was probably outside the Staples Center last night!!)

A district official was commenting that promotions and graduations - which abound in MUSD - kinder, elementary, middle school and high school graduations - seem to really bring out the crowds - people love to celebrate she said.

I thought about how many of those who flock to the "end," are never there in the "during" - never at Open House, Back to School Night, Parent/Teacher Conferences, Parent Education meetings, IEP meetings, PTA meetings.

Just some food for thought from the lady whose favorite event is not a graduation! (Though I'm usually excited to see the people involved!!)

Another sad notice

Got an email this week that Mrs. Conte, who was Hannah and Eliza's 5th grade teacher, had died over the weekend. She died of cancer that was related to her decades of smoking, which is even sadder.

She had taught in MUSD from 1963 to 2000 - that's a lot of years of teaching! There were those who didn't like her, but I thought she was a great teacher - she certainly did well by our kids who had her. I know she had strong opinions - and her own way of doing things - but then, lots of teachers are like that.

I believe she gave Eliza and Hannah some great skills that have served them well in their educational and academic pursuits. I couldn't find Eliza's class picture, hence only Hannah's is posted. I hope my memory isn't playing tricks on me and it turns out Eliza didn't have her or something!!

An Early Happy Father's Day to Dad!

Paul had a slot, so he planted the apricot tree today. Dad was pretty excited, let me tell you.

It's almost in the very same spot too.

The Night's Tail or The Twitching Hour

This is what senior citizens do on a slow Wednesday night!

More photos from the party

Well, it may not have been the party of the century, but it was pretty much the party of the year around here!! I suspect we will talk about it for years to come!

Mom with Anne and Wayne, Joe and Jane, and Pete and Lois - the Claytons you can count on to always be there!!

Ara and Alyssa hang out together.

Bruce and Tom catch up.

Uncle Byron regaled everyone with his tales - in true Clayton fashion!!

Bobby's family would probably get the prize for having the most Claytons there!

Isla may not go to many, but she was happy with Uncle Richard.

Camille with Leslie - and Derek - who wasn't keen about being kept from his appointed rounds!

Laurine Cihak - a member of Bonny's ward - and Alice's former missionary companion!! Don't you love the small world in the churh??

I couldn't seem to get Derek to show his face to the camera!

David, Paul, Reid and Noah.

Grandma Helen made the trek out with Dawn and kids - a good sport!!

The "photos" on this cake were printed with "edible" ink - although no one wanted to take a bite of someone's face!!

Dad was a good man to have in the kitchen.

Harry F. had to work Saturday night - so he came over to say hi before we all left for GH.

Byron's daughter Candyce - got him there - and we are grateful - I think he was too!