There’s a salmon run in Utah. Really. There are Kokanee Salmon running in land-locked, high-mountain-dessert-valley-Utah. I saw them with mine own eyeballs yesterday. I saw it and could scarcely take it in.
We stood there gazing on the bank at the normally handsome silver fish now transformed to brilliant red while Justin spoke (almost reverently, I thought) about this yearly phenomenon.
I stared and stared. Justin explained some of the animal kingdom drama I was staring at.
*The males develop a large hump, a hideous hooked nose, and freaky, gaping jaws.
*There was some ornery sparing going on for the right to ‘milt’ the eggs.
*They are no longer suitable for eating (unless you’re an Alaskan Grizzly bear that enjoys decaying fish). I knew they died after they spawned but I didn’t know their bodies were already in the process of perishing.
I said to myself, “Self. Here is yet another real-life marvelous event that leaves me amazed and thrilled and soft and squishy-hearted. So many things happen in the animal kingdom where chemistry seems to dictate. Where genes govern and hormones rule.” I mean, what makes a fish decide to head upstream, or a honey bee gather pollen, or a bird build a nest? Any other explanation makes reason stare than that there is a Divine Creator who orders this world for me with His Divine decree, and His Heavenly Rule. It is different for me. I have choice.
I have choice, and because I’m not a fish or honey bee or bird, hormones mustn’t rule or genes govern. My yielding and desire to do His bidding is a choice. Still . . . the running of the Kokanee salmon can (and does) inspire me to greater volunteer obedience.
Neal A Maxwell taught that surrender (to God) is the only time when complete surrender is really a total victory. A squishy, swishy fishy ‘knows’ that, and so do I.
Watching fishing flies being fashioned out of muskrat fur. The cousins checking out the book section. Setting up camp up Current Creek. Liam acts as Sous-Chef de Cuisine on school assignment to cook a Dutch oven meal.
Notice the ancient blue chest with the well-known aluminum dinner-ware. It makes camping food good, better, best. And (excepting his now-famous golf club cane) it’s also Justin’s best accessory.
Razzleberry Cobbler by the Cousins.
Liam enlists his underlings for meal prep. We had Dutch oven chicken, and vegetables and dessert. And we are supposed to remember that it is a stick and a half of butter for the cobbler.
Bronwyn is Miss Purdy. We did some spur-of-the-moment glamping shots while dinner was in the fire.
Anna! Strong as steel, lovely as lace.
Stories are best told with a stick. You know, for emphasis and such. It was fun to hear Evan spin his tale (ha, ha spin his TAIL – now that would have been somethin’ too!)
Thank you fishes and family for a fabulous day.
October 6, 2014 - Some more portraits added
