Over the summer I decided it would be nice to see some of the cool Illinois birds, so I bought a bird feeder for us to put on the tree in our backyard. I also learned about a little sock-like bird feeder that would attract finches. We had a cardinal that came regularly to eat (Jenika named him Charlie) that I tried for days to photograph. Finally I took a book and the camera out to the porch and read until he started eating so I could get a picture without moving much. Here are my best shots of the finch and Charlie!
At the end of the summer, my good friend Becca Anderson wrote me saying she needed another priesthood holder for the Young Women's fourth year something or another. (I still don't completely understand why these girls got to go, but it was a small number of women, and it was a few weeks before Girl's Camp). First off, you Young Women have much more spiritual campouts than I ever had in Young Men's! You read your scriptures! Together! Daily! And then you talk about it meaningfully! I was baffled and inspired, what a wonderful weekend!
My most proud moment was in the morning when we heard the thunder of a rainstorm coming, and my best strategy for keeping the fire going was to build it as high as I could and shelter the ashes with big logs. Miraculously, after the 15 minute rainstorm (with thunder overhead that sent the girls running for the cars) the fire was still going and we had a wonderful breakfast!
Here are a few of the pictures I took. Although I missed the real rough experience of mountainous hiking, this was a wonderful weekend!
I know its sideways...give me a break...
