Easter Hymn - Cousin Henry Vaughan

Death and darkness get you packing,
Nothing now to man is lacking;
All your triumphs now are ended,
And what Adam marred is mended,
Graves are beds now for the weary,
Death a nap, to wake more merry;
Youth now, full of pious duty,
Seeks in thee for perfect beauty;
The weak and aged, tired with length
Of days, from thee look for new strength;
And infants with thy pangs contest
As pleasant, as if with the breast.
Then, unto Him, who thus hath thrown,
Even to contempt thy kingdom down,
And by His blood did us advance
Unto His own inheritance,
To Him be glory, power, praise,
From this, unto the last of days!

HENRY VAUGHAN (1622-1695)

Peter Paul Rubens (about 1612)

A Good Friday for Lilacs

The Lilac planted five years ago when my oldest son was married.

Lilacs have always been a favorite with me. The inspiration hit that rather than a fence, I could grow a lilac hedge. It would be prettier, less expensive, and less likely to blow down in a Davis County East Wind. It will take about five years to fill in as a solid hedge. We have the time.

Robert Frost reminds us that "something there is that doesn't love a wall" (or fence). I feel the same. The popular things now are the white, vinyl fences in their plastic shine. But they were the first things to go in the East Wind.

Sick of Crazy Cowboys

No, I don't want them shot! I don't want them to shoot me or my friends either!

The stand-off between the trespassing cowboy and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in southern Nevada makes me sick to my stomach. And I find myself so befuddled by friends who would express support for the cowboys against the enforcement of federal law. I can only imagine it must be the result of those trying to stir this up to serve the god of this world - - money. (If you can't take the hint, I'm referring to FoxNews and other conspiracy theorists. I know many on the left serve the same god too. Oh, and money=property, IMO.)

Sure, my caveats and disclosures still apply. I work for the Department of the Interior which includes the BLM. I know some of the BLM Law Enforcement guys in Nevada. I consider them my friends and men of honor in sustaining and upholding the Constitution of the United States. I don't have that kind of respect for people who rush to a confrontation and aim their guns at federal law enforcement officers who are doing their duty.

The Grandma With No Name and the Disappearing Grandpa

Oh, yes! The digital world has so many things to reveal! Spurred from a hint from a fellow Keepa contributor to go to Utah State Archives on another matter, I was reminded that they already have a lot online. I was skimming Governor Cummings (1858-1861)'s files which maybe I will write up someday as "Bureaucracy Comes to Utah!" The U.S. Treasury Department seemed awfully concerned about the price of nails for the Territorial Penitentiary. I still haven't found that legendary list of the dissident Mormons for whom the Governor pledged protection to get them out of the State Territory. He did report in that the territorial library and court documents seemed to be all intact contrary to rumor.

Live-Blogging LDS General Conference April 2014 - Sunday PM

So I had about a 20 minute nap frequently interrupted by a grandson asking which of two different colors of pencils he should use for conference bingo. And who taught my nearly 2-year-old grandson to call me "Grampy" because when he says it, it sounds like "Grumpy."

President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of Twelve:
War brings things to [was it focus or clarity or what? He's not looking at all well]
When he went off to WWII he wanted to know testimony.
Things of great worth can't be taught -can only be learned.

Live-Blogging General Conference April 2014 - Sunday AM

Yikes! Just when you are trying to be all positive and spiritual, the Choir ends their program with the Hymn-that-must-not-be-named. Good thing they started when they still had 8 minutes left.

Watch conference live here: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng&cid=HPTU040114644

Pres. Eyring conducting.

"Come Ye That Love the Lord" and "On This Day of Joy and Gladness" from the Choir help a bit.
"Let Us All Press On" even more so.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

Live-Blogging LDS General Conference Spring 2014 - Priesthood Session

Hey, it's on TV. DirecTV, BYU TV Channel 374 in Davis Co. It's also live on LDS.org here: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng&cid=HPTU040114644

I'm at home in my nice easy chair. Nobody is turning out the lights. My boy still isn't home from drumline competition so this should turn out well for him to meet me here. I'm recording it, too. And we'll probably still go out for ice cream.

Did I just hear Young Women's General Presidency announced? OK. Elder Ridd is in the Young Men's General Presidency. Must be my ears.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve:
Religious Freedom [oops, jumping the gun? . . . yep]
Callings in the church - no up or down. Only forward or backward. [hmm.]
Sister Burton said we need a better understanding of the Priesthood.