APRIL 2026 - Easter, Oregon, Friends and Family

 

Japanese Gardens - Portland, OR

Where did April go - Spending the first few days of the month in Portland, OR was just the beginning of such a busy month.  It is so good that Russ had his Heart procedure in March so we could enjoy all of the adventures of April.  

One of the highlights of our trip to Portland was spending time in the Japanese Gardens.  We were there at the perfect time for the Cherry Blossoms and the first flowers of Spring.  It was a beautiful walk on the mountainside filled with waterfalls, ponds, trees and flowers.  

In 1959, citizens from Portland and their sister city, Sapporo Japan, came together to re-establish the friendship that had suffered from the divisions of the global conflict of WWII.  The intention was to heal the wounds of war by creating a garden designed to bring a better understanding of Japanese culture to Portland.  

On the hillside remains of an old and abandoned zoo, these intrepid individuals

transformed a "hopeless" brownfield into a flourishing oasis.  This nurturing of the land led to the nurturing of people, and generation by generation, harmony and peace grew alongside maples, pine, and moss.  

Russ and Josh

Camellia

Cherry Trees

They say this is the most photographed tree in Portland.  It has amazing symmetry and will be even prettier when the blossoms come out.  It is one of the focal points of the gardens.

Today, Portland's Japanese Garden is considered the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan and among the foremost Japanese cultural organizations in the world.  

Mt. Hood

It was a gorgeous day to see Mt. Hood.  

There is a Museum that displays art as well.  

SAKURA Cherry Blossoms, 2025 by Kenji Takenaka

Woodblock print; water-based ink and color on paper

Kyohanga printed pictures from Kyoto, are a unique woodblock printing-syle that starts with an underlayer of gofun (a white powder made from ground oyster, scallop, and other shells),  printing other colors overtop of the white pigment to create soft, delicate layers of color throughout the prints.  Cherry Blossoms, a flower that announces the arrival of spring and is synonymous with Japan's spiritual culture.

We went and visited our special friend, Heidi Blanchard - we were hoping to visit the Blanchard's in Carlton - a special little town in the middle of wine, olive and hazelnut country.  Unfortunately, the day before Heidi fell and broke one ankle in 6 places and the other ankle in 1 place.  So, we got to visit her in the hospital where she was waiting for the swelling to go down and to have surgery.  It will be a long recovery for her and we were so grateful to be able to see her and bring a little cheer.  

THE OLIVE MILL

Durant At Red Ridge Farms 

We went to the Olive Grove and experienced Olive Oil tasting and specialty vinegars to go with the oil.  It was an epicurean experience!  You literally are given a small cup and you put the olive oil in and then drink it.  We tried several varieties and then picked our favorite and paired it with Blackberry Pepper Vinegar - it is amazing.  They invited us to come back in November when they harvest and mill the olive oil to be able to experience the fresh oil that is only available on site in November.  

Durrant Olive Mill

They process the oil onsite at their own Mill.  They also grow lavender, wisteria, herb garden, bees and even sell wool from their sheep.  It was a really fun experience.  

We tried to go to our favorite German Restaurant and it was closed for three weeks while they enjoyed time with family who were in town from Germany.  So European.  We were disappointed but they did post their recipe for their famous DILL PICKLE SOUP on their door.  

DILL PICKLE SOUP

3 TBL. Butter                                3 ounces onion (cut julienne)

1/2 cup flour                                    4 large pill pickles (cut julienne)

1 1/2 cups pickle juice                    4 cups water

2 tsp. fresh or dried dill weed         1/2 cup whipping cream

salt, pepper and good quality chicken base to taste

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat, add onion and saute' until soft.  Reduce heat, stir in flour.  DO NOT BROWN.  In a separate pot, combine water and pickle marinade, bring to a boil, wisk into the first pot at once.  Increase heat and bring to a boil stiffing constantly, until soup thickens.  Season with chicken base, salt, and pepper.  Add pickles and dill, stir in cream for desired texture.  

NASA ARTEMIS II

Always fun to be at Josh's house when there is a space launch.  We watched the launching of the Artemis II and shared all of our memories over the years.  I was in kindergarten, May 5, 1961 when the first manned rocket with Alan Shepard was launched into space.  I will always remember that day.  

A week later Russ and I watched as it returned to earth in the Pacific.  It was amazing to see the process from start to finish and the smooth landing in the ocean.  

JOSEPH WOOD HILL PARK

Josh took us to the top of this hill to see this park and to get 360 degree views of the Portland area.  

Dr. J. W. Hill came to Oregon to manage Bishop Scott Grammar and Divinity School in 1878.  He introduced Military Training and changed the name to Bishop Scott Academy in 1887.  Established Hill Military Academy in 1901.  The park was established in 1935 donated to the public for educational, scientific and recreational purposes by his sons.  

This sits on top of the round column in the picture above.  On a clear day you would be able to see all of those points of interest and mountains.  

Columbia River Gorge

BICHO'S

On our last night in Portland we took Josh and Julie to dinner at a local - in their neighborhood - Salvadorian Restaurant.  

I have never had Salvadorian food and it was amazingly delicious.  Josh had passed by it many times and they had never eaten there and we all really enjoyed it.  Russ had Steak Ranchero and I had a Burrito.  The seasoning and sauce was the best.  Josh and Julie got their specialty Papusas and they really enjoyed them - they said they will go back.  We walked from their house to the restaurant and had a really nice evening together.  

Burrito

THE BIG BOY 4014

We flew back to Salt Lake City and took the Front Runner train home to the Vinyard Station.  As we went through Salt Lake Central the Big Boy was passing through on its way to California for a special running of the train.  It was right next to us on the tracks and we got to see it for just a minute.  Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014 is the world's largest operating steam locomotive, weighing 1.2 million pounds and measuring 133 feet long.  It is touring the U.S. in 2026 for the nation's 250th birthday, with a major eastern tour starting May 25, 2026.  

ARMY BOOTCAMP

Our grandson, Zach Zeus left this month for Basic Training at Fort Sill Oklahoma.  When he finishes Boot Camp in June he will go to Arizona for specialty training as a Drone Mechanic.  

We are so proud of him for making the decision to enlist and leave home.  That is a big deal for him.  He is very quiet and reserved and this will be a new experience.  He has completed three weeks and is doing well.  His Sunday phone calls home to his family have become really important and special for all of them.  

Zach took his oath on April 7 and then boarded the bus and was off.  

We look forward to watching where this takes him and wish him the very best.

SPRING RECITAL AND SCHOOL PLAY

Preslee continues to enjoy Silks - aerial gymnastics and we attended her spring recital and really enjoy watching acrobatics that each performer executes.  She is learning and advancing in her skills.  

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND

Preslee performed in her Junior High play Once On This Island.  It is musical bringing Haitian themes to US audiences, featuring a story about an orphan girl.  It was so well done - so many talented students and Preslee did really good and was given the opportunity to Choreograph two of the dances and she was one of the narrators.  

Emily was the assistant Director and spent many hours at the school helping the Theatre teacher Mss B.  She thrives in that environment and it was good for both of them.

FRIENDS

A 35 year friendship reunited with Sherry McCullough and Marsha Turner.  It was so fun being with these two friends and catching up on life.  It is amazing how time stands still with friendships and you can just pick up where you left off 30 years later.  

We became friends in Arlington Texas.  Marsha was a single adult and Sherry was a young married woman.  So much has happened in all of our lives that has shaped and molded us into resilient strong women who Love and serve the Lord in so many ways.  I am so grateful for the special women in my life.  

We took Sherry to the UVU Museum of Art.  I told all about it a few months ago.  It was another delightful experience.

The fun thing about museums is that they change out some of the displays and have traveling shows so each time we visit it is a new experience.  

I did not know who Sarah Bernhardt was but Russ and Sherry did.  I enjoyed learning about her.  She was a cultural icon, propelling her into relationships and creative collaborations with the leading artists and literary minds of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  

This exhibition brings the luminous brilliance that made her a defining star of the time to life through costume,  The costumes in this exhibition are part of the Utah Opera's collection.  This exhibition is designed to bring Bernhardt's stardom in reach for us to glimpse the enigmatic innovator and force of nature she was, earning her the moniker given by Oscar Wilds, "The Divine Sarah."

One of the student exhibits had a photograph of a local Gelato establishment in Provo.  We did not know about it and so we decided to go and see what it was like.  VINCI Authentic Gelato was great!  It was the perfect ending to a wonderful afternoon.  We had Gelato and then went to dinner.  I think you can enjoy the dessert better on an empty stomach than when you are full from dinner!  

We have worked hard in our yard over the past 5 years and it is becoming easier to maintain.  We love our little oasis on the Mountain side.  

SUNSETS OF APRIL

Brilliant Reds

Spring Storms

Spring Snow Storm last week brought about 12 inches of snow to the mountains.  It is so beautiful having the snow capped mountains and the Spring flowers.  The Flower Moon ended the month of April in all of its majesty.  

Russ and I had the best date we have had in a long time in Provo Canyon.  Our grandson Logan had a Young Men Campout about 15 minutes from our home.  He did not want to spend the night so we said we would go pick him up when he was ready.  We decided to make it a night for us.  We picked up some dinner and took it to the camp ground and ate it.  We took our books and sat and read for about an hour and then decided it was such a beautiful evening we should walk to Bridal Veil Falls.  It was a short walk - about 1/2 mile and it was so nice.  The Falls had a lot of water going over and it was beautiful.  

We stayed and watched the water for a little bit and enjoyed the sound of the rushing water, the trees and watching all of the people who were also enjoying it.  We returned to the campsite and waited about an hour for Logan to be ready to go and we just enjoyed sitting and taking in the beautiful night.  Every campsite was full and the smells of fires and food cooking brought back a lot of memories.  We decided we need to have more dates like this.

Russ had a second heart procedure this week to have a third stint installed.  The procedure went really well and the Doctor said the first two stints are good and doing what they are supposed to be doing.  Russ cannot believe how good he feels and he has so much more stamina and energy.  Looking forward to many more years of good living.  

Bridal Veil Falls

GENERAL CONFERENCE

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints held its Semi-Annual General Conference on April 4 and 5.  This was the highlight of our month and a very special way to celebrate Easter Sunday.  

I would like to conclude my Blog this month with some special feelings about this weekend.  

We had the opportunity to participate in a Solemn Assembly as part of the General Conference.  It is a sacred, formal gathering used to sustain a new Church President, dedicate temples or provide special instruction,  During this, members, often in General Conference, vote by quorums or groups to formally sustain senior leadership.  DALLIN H. OAKS was sustained as the Prophet, Seer and Revelator of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

"We raise our right hand to signify that we will support and sustain the person who has received the calling.  "To sustain means to hold up another person, to give them our attention to be faithful to their trust, to act upon their words.  They speak by inspiration of the Lord; they understand the current issues, the moral decline of society, and the adversary's increasing efforts to thwart the Father's plan.  In holding up our hands, we hold up one another we are saying, "I am here for you, not just to hold up our arms and hands when they hang down but to be a comfort and strength at our side."  Elder Ronald Rasband

President Russell M. Nelson said, "Our sustaining of prophets is a personal commitment that we will do our utmost to uphold their prophetic priorities."

To hold up the prophet is a sacred work.  We do not sit quietly by but actively defend him, follow his counsel, teach his words and pray for him.

I taught Exodus 17 this month in Sunday School.  We talked about Moses and the crossing of the Red Sea, the jubilation of the Israelites when they were safe and gave thanks to the Lord and then began murmuring about food and water.  And then amidst all of this, Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

V. 9 "And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek:  tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

V. 10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

V. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed:  and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

V. 13 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

President Harold B. Lee, at the time a member of the First Presidency cited the example of Moses standing atop the hill at Rephidim.  "The hands of the President of the Church may grow weary, they may tend to droop at times because of his heavy responsibilities; but as we uphold his hands, and as we lead under his direction, by his side, the gates of hell will not prevail against you and against Israel.  Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow the ones whom the Lord has placed to preside over his church.  He knows whom he wants to preside over this church, and he will make no mistake."

What makes a Prophet different from a President or King/Queen of a Country?  The Sustaining Power of the Holy Priesthood that is exercised by every member of the Church who signifies with the raising of the right hand and then sustains that person in love, action, service and support.  A President or other country leader is elected, appointed or crowned to fulfill a duty.  

President Nelson has also said: "There has never been a time in the history of the world when knowledge of our Savior is more personally vital and relevant to every human soul.  Imagine how quickly the devastating conflicts throughout the world - and those in our individual lives - would be resolved if we all chose to follow Jesus Christ and heed His teachings."

We need to do more lifting and less murmuring, more upholding the word of the Lord, His ways, and His prophet, who has said: "One of the greatest challenges today is distinguishing between the truths of God and the counterfeits of Satan.  This is why the Lord warned us to "Pray always, . . .that we may conquer Satan, and escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold the adversary's work." D&C 10:5

"As we sustain our prophet, we testify he is called of our Savior, who is the light . . .of the world."  Elder Ronal Rasband

In this day, who do you choose to follow and sustain to guide you in your life?  I stand with Jesus Christ!

BOOK LIST

I received ear buds for my birthday this year and ventured into a new realm of audio books.  Since February I have read or listened to the following books:

The 18 Book Series of Georgian & Regency -Era Books (Historical Fiction) by Sarah M. Eden. 

I really enjoy the history of England and stories that take place in the 17-1800's.  This was a delightful series and one that I did not tire of reading.  Sarah Eden is a great writer and kept me wanting to go back for more.

The Trilogy Haggerty Mystery Series by Betsy Brannon Green

This was just a fun read of Southern hospitality mixed with murder and suspense.

In The Hands of the Lord by Richard E. Turley

The is the biography of President Dallin H. Oaks. I learned so much about him.  We both lived in Twin Falls Idaho and went to Washington Elementary - he was just 20 years before me.  So many new insights into this man beyond being a past president of BYU and on the Utah Supreme Court.  A must read for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Words Matter by Ronald A. Rasband

This was a quick read but so powerful on how important the words we say are.  It is a very timely read.

Time seems to come and go so quickly and we hope we can make the most of every day that we have.  

The Grimmett's