Dave and Jan’s camping experience at Moab in southeastern Utah and Airbnb experience at Duck Creek Village in southwestern Utah – with daughter Alissa and her family (Andrew, Levi-8, Elijah-6, Silas-4, and Ephraim-2) – was an enjoyable exposure to the red-rock country and mountain heights of the state of Utah.  It was followed by the drive west to Brea, California and a family reunion with son Stephen and his family (Meagan, Ryan-5, and Erin-2).  For the Crandall family, from South Dakota, a trip to the beach is always a highlight – so the family headed for the “Baby Beach” at Dana Point.

Erin, a California native, took quickly to exploring the surf with Daddy.

Stephen and Meagan were the ones who suggested the “Baby Beach” which they discovered while living at Foothill Ranch in South Orange County.

Andrew (with Elijah) joined Stephen in a game of catch with the Frisbee.

Cousins Elijah and Ryan appear to be consulting together in some of the finer points of sand castle construction – a favorite boyhood pastime at any beach.

Nearby an experienced sand craftsman created a Memorial Day tribute.

Grandpa Dave did a grandfatherly picture tour of the Dana Point Harbor.

The family headed, the next day, to the Discovery Cube in Santa Ana – a museum of discovery options specifically intended for children.  Dave didn’t get any pictures because he opted for a bike ride to the Discovery Cube for a picnic lunch which the rest of the family – which didn’t take place because it was decided to get lunch for the family in the center itself (but Dave enjoyed the bike ride, and the family enjoyed the Discovery Cube).  The family did enjoy dinner together in the evening – filling the dining room with the senior Balsleys, Stephen & Meagan’s family, Andrew and Alissa’s family, and Caroleen Suzuki – the university student who lives with the Balsleys and who flew to Japan on the same day the Crandalls headed back to South Dakota.

It was an eventful week-end in California to top off a very nice vacation experience for the Balsley and Crandall families – with thanks to the Lord for family blessings, for safety in many miles of travel, and for His creative handiwork all along the way!

Dave and Jan were contacted by daughter Alissa (Crandall) and family about the possibility of meeting them for some camping and adventure as the Crandalls made their way to California on an ambitious road trip with their four boys (2,4,6 & 8).  It had been some time since the Crandalls had been to California and since Alissa had seen her brother Stephen and family – both families with a 2-year-old neither family had met yet.  Dave and Jan welcomed the plan, so they drove to Moab, Utah to join the Crandalls for a camping stay at Slickrock Campground (private) on the edge of Moab and close to Arches National Park.

Rainy weather made the camping experience a little challenging (especially for Andrew, Alissa and the boys who were tent camping on the wet ground).  Dave and Jan were a little more comfortable in their tent trailer.  On the day between the two-night camping experience the family toured Arches National Park – a beautiful part of God’s creation, even in the rain!

L to R: Ephraim, Alissa, Levi, Andrew, Elijah (back), Silas (front), Jan & Dave

Alissa, Jan and Silas at the “Delicate Arch” at Arches National Park.

After two nights of camping the family headed southwest (on the 70 and 15 freeways) to Duck Creek Village where Alissa had made reservations to stay at an Airbnb “cabin” on Cedar Mountain east of Cedar City at around 9,000 ft. elevation.  The drive took us through rain and hail and sleet and snow to a surprisingly white place!

It was nice and cozy inside even if it was a “winter wonderland” outside.

One day trip took the family for a drive through (crowded) Zion National Park.

Kolob Canyon is a separate western section of Zion Park (along I-15)

We also enjoyed a day-trip to Bryce Canyon National Park.

The family took a hike and stopped for a picnic on the Arches Trail at Red Rock Canyon.

And the day-trip included a stop and exploration at Mammoth Cave lava tube.

Good times, of course, were enjoyed around the cabin’s dining room table.

As you can clearly tell, the family enjoyed a very cool trip to Utah!  And then there were California adventures.  But that will be another blog.  Dave and Jan are very grateful for the blessings of their growing family.

Dave and Jan headed east in early March to see what winter is like in the state of Utah.  They have driven through the town of Cedar City on previous vacation trips and camped overnight at the local KOA campground, but were curious to know what winter weather would be like in that part of the country.  Because the town is at an elevation of 5000 feet, it was predictably cool, and there were even times when snow was falling.

But is wasn’t snowing most of the time, so Dave and Jan had some fun exploring the town during their visit – including the downtown business area.

The town’s population is around 30,000, so it is large enough to have many of the conveniences of a population center.  There are no shopping malls, but it is likely that Cedar City’s stores which are connected indoors preceded many of the malls larger cities have.

The indoor attractions in this part of town include an old-fashioned soda fountain in a colorful variety store.

The largest employer in town, after earlier lead mining operations faded out, is Southern Utah University – home of the annual Shakespeare Festival.

A nice series of in-town trails for walkers and bikers circles much of the town and some of its parks and other attractions.

One of the features Dave and Jan find most interesting about the town is its proximity to the mountains.  Brian Head, one of the state’s premier skiing areas (not that Dave and Jan are skiers) is in the mountains around 25 miles east of town – where it is reported that there are hiking and biking trails and a resort setting where summer temperatures can be expected to be comfortable.

It was a cool trip!  And the Cedar City area is an area Dave and Jan hope to visit again because of the natural beauty which surrounds the area – one of the many beautiful areas the Lord has created for His people’s enjoyment!

Dave and Jan’s grandson and granddaughter (Ryan-5 and Erin-2 – Stephen and Meagan’s children) both celebrated birthdays during the month of April.  Because their birthdays are within two weeks of each other a joint birthday party was held in the back yard at the Balsley house in Brea.

Joining the celebration were the Seymours and Clampitts, Ryan and Erin’s other grandparents and uncle and family.  From left to right around the table are Zerlinda Clampitt, Jan, Dave, Amos Clampitt, Ryan, Benjamin Clampitt, Bruce Seymour, Meagan, Stephen, Connie Seymour,and Heidi and Chip Clampitt.

The theme for the party (planned by Stephen) was based on the video character Mario and company – as evidenced by this colorful crew.

Gift opening, of course, is always a highlight of any birthday party.

Erin became better equipped to serve as a cheer-leader at the event.

Erin’s gift in the big box (which kept the kids fascinated until it was finally opened) turned out to be a slide of an appropriate size for a busy two-year-old.

And what birthday party would be complete without yummy deserts?

Two weeks later, on Easter Sunday (Erin’s actual birthday), the same group re-gathered at the Clampitt home in celebration of the Lord’s resurrection.

Grandma Connie Seymour planned a clever Easter-egg hunt where each youngster was searching for “eggs” with individual animal faces so everyone ended up with the same number of “eggs” in their basket after the search.

Grandma Seymour also had an “Easter basket” for each of the young people, so everyone had fun exploring and playing with the contents of their basket – as Amos and Stephen are doing in the picture below with Heidi Clampitt.

As you can easily see, Ryan and Erin (along with their Clampitt cousins) are having a good time growing up – and they are certainly growing up!

It happens every spring.  The hills come alive – not just with the sound of music, but with fresh new foliage and colorful blossoms.  And this spring, in Southern California, blessed with such abundant rains that talk of drought has subsided for the time being, the Lord has turned the hills green and golden.  So Dave and Jan have enjoyed some recent hikes not far from home in some of their favorite places – like Chino Hills State Park, for example.

It hasn’t been only this year that the hills in Chino Park have come alive with fresh green and gold because in 2017 the park looked like this.

At another nearby location, Powder Canyon, park authorities have spent a great deal of time and effort and money (to be sure) replacing colorful mustard plants with plants which were native to the area before the mustard plants moved in – though there are still some higher and rougher elevations where the mustard plants are abundant and colorful.

Wooded areas at lower elevations are displaying lots of green grasses.

And hillsides where the mustard plants have been replaced with native grasses are showing both some beautiful greens and some nice stands of lupine.

With all the talk we have been hearing recently about a Green New Deal we are far more grateful for God’s Green New Deal which comes each year with the spring season.  And Dave and Jan are grateful, as well, that there are numerous “islands” of open space in the middle of congested Southern California to be enjoyed after only a short drive (or even a bike ride).

The Balsley family in Brea has grown in recent weeks – by the addition of more Balsleys.  Dave and Jan’s son Stephen has been under-employed now for around two years  Recent job interviews could lead to work near Hollywood, so when the lease on his condo in south Orange County was up, Dave and Jan invited the family to live with them for the time being.  As a result the table is filled at dinner time.

Left to right:  Caroleen Suzuki, Meagan, Erin, Jan, Dave, Ryan & Stephen

Both the house and yard are full of activities on the days Jan is providing child-care for Ryan (almost 5) and Erin (almost 2) – a task she shares with the children’s other grandmother, Connie Seymour.  Ryan and Erin are growing and changing rapidly – as kids tend to do.

Occasional trips to nearby parks are always a highlight of any day – like a recent visit to nearby Craig Regional Park (about 1/2 mile from home).

Winter and spring rains have brought us a colorful display of flowers in Southern California this year – including these near our front door.

Jan discovered a good way to occupy the grand kids in some productive activity by enlisting them to help do some yard work on a sunny spring day.

There is seldom ever a dull moment at the Balsley house these days, but it was the psalmist’s wish for those who are blessed:  “may you see your children’s children” (Psalm 128:6).  And it was Solomon’s observation (Proverbs 17:6) that “Grandchildren are the crown of old men.”  So we are blessed and crowned!

Dave and Jan celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary with the normal trip after Christmas to the Monterey Bay area.  Dave’s three “favorite” sisters live in the area – sister Jan LaFever (and Mike) in Boulder Creek; sister Jewel (and Rick) in Corralitos/Watsonville; and sister Susan (and Horace) in Seaside (in the family “homestead” where Dave and his sisters grew up).

Dave and Jan enjoyed visits to the beach in Marina and Monterey during their stay – along with Jan’s dog Lola, of course.

Some of the family gathered for lunch/dinner on Sunday afternoon at a restaurant in Seaside named Googie Grill – where there have been several other family gatherings in recent years.  Dave’s “favorite” sisters had sent him a gift card to Googie Grill for Christmas to keep him from trying to pay for the family meal – a gift card which indicated it was coming from his “favorite sisters”!

Left to right:  Daniel and Joy Weaver; Jan and Dave; sisters Susie, Jan and Jewel; Rick Rogers (Jewel’s husband); and Jared Weaver (Susie’s son and Joy’s husband and Daniel’s father).

On Monday, December 31, some of the family gathered near the Carmel Mission for a hike in the woods.

The hike was followed by a picnic on the beach at the mouth of the Carmel River – an area known to the family as “the lagoon.”

Dave and Jan stopped for a few pictures at nearby Carmel Beach on the way back to their motel room in Marina.

On the way back to Southern California Dave and Jan enjoyed a stop for the night in San Luis Obispo – a city they have enjoyed visiting on several occasions in recent years.

It was a nice time with each other and with family members – enjoying some people and places which have provided enjoyment in our lives on numerous occasions down through the years.

Because they were camped at the Convict Lake Campground Dave and Jan decided to take the Convict Lake Trail up to Mildred Lake and, perhaps, Dorothy Lake (though they didn’t make it that far this time around).  The trail led into some beautiful country, but it was complicated by its 2,500 ft. climb!  It began at the west end of Convict Lake where the Forest Service build a boardwalk because water flowing from the mountains would make crossing challenging without some elevation from the forest floor.

The upward climb began at the trail sign at the northwest corner of the lake.

The air was fairly clear of smoke coming over the mountain range from the fire in Yosemite National Park as the trail headed upward into the mountains.

Parts of the trail were obscured because of rock-slides from higher elevations.

As the valley ahead began taking shape the scenery became increasingly beautiful – at least for those who enjoy mountain scenery (as Dave and Jan do).

Dave and Jan are always fascinated by the geology of the mountains.  What, apart from the flood of Noah’s day, could account for the folded strata of metamorphic rock, some of it at a 90 degree angle from the valley floor below?

The air became clearer and the sky more appealing as the trail climbed.

Things became more challenging when the trail arrived at a bridge which was washed out years back and never rebuilt – whose cement abutments you can see if you look closely at the photo below.

Because a side-stream fed into the main stream just above the missing bridge, two stream crossing were required to continue the hike up the valley.

On the far side of the creek the trail started to look a little more like a mountain goat path than a hiking trail intended for humans.  A misstep on the valley side could have provided quite a tumble down the talus slopes.

The first view at Mildred Lake began with a small side-lake at the trail’s top.

Views of the terrain surrounding the lake made the hike very worthwhile.

The hike back down the trail was a challenge to the knees, but scenic nevertheless.  Asked what she wanted to do on her birthday, Jan said she wanted to take a hike – and she certainly did!

The day ended with a tasty steak birthday dinner at Tom’s Place – a very colorful, rustic resort town with a highway crossing named after it along California’s Highway 395.  Dave and Jan always enjoy their times of refreshing in the mountains which they see as evidence of the creative genius of the Lord – “Who establishes the mountains by His strength, being girded with might” (Psalm 65:6).

Dave and Jan enjoyed a camping trip in the “Smoky Mountains” of California the first two weeks of August – at a time when it seemed as if the entire state of California was on fire.  The plan was to camp near special ministry friends, Dr. David and Suzy Bancroft, who chose Silver Lake on the June Lake Loop (north of Mammoth) as a destination.  The Bancrofts arrived earlier and arranged for a camp site for Dave and Jan, but a rain storm and mud slide in the area of the campground closed that option the night before their arrival.  So Dave and Jan headed for Convict Lake – an area south of Mammoth Lakes which was a little less smoky.

Though camp sites at the lake are normally available for only one week, the camp host kindly extended their creek-side stay for all but one night of their two-week trip.

Dave and Jan made several trips to Silver Lake where the Bancrofts treated them to some special meals which Suzy prepared in their travel trailer.  The drives were sometimes very smoky, with miles of dark highways on their return trips, but the food and fellowship was very rewarding – along with some enjoyable games in the evenings.

Convict Lake is a beautiful area in the Sierras, and there were deer to enjoy every day in the campground – frequently in Dave and Jan’s campsite.  Jan also caught a glimpse of a racoon which got into their cooler one evening and ate two pieces of carrot cake.

The first hiking outing took place at Mosquito Flat which is located up the mountain to the west from “Tom’s Place” at an elevation of around 10,000 feet.  At that elevation the air was fairly clear of smoke.

The next day the Balsleys and Bancrofts took the shuttle down to Red Meadow for a hike to Rainbow Falls.  Here is a picture of David and Suzy on the trail.

During the visit to Rainbow Falls we did something to our camera which created a blue tint to the pictures taken there – but you get the idea.

Dr. Bancroft and Dave both had bikes along, so Dave rode up the Mammoth Bike Path to meet Dr. Bancroft (who took the uphill ride with his bike on the back of Dave and Jan’s car) so the two men could enjoy the five-mile ride down the paved bike trail back to Mammoth (where the ladies were shopping at a thrift store).  The bike path is very scenic, passing several lakes along the way – including Twin Lakes and Lake Mary.

On Sunday (August 5) Dave and Jan attended worship at Mammoth Community Church with the Bancrofts.  The next day they hiked around Rock Creek Lake (west of “Tom’s Place”) while the Bancrofts dealt with some electrical challenges with their camping trailer.

A bold little Golden-Mantled Squirrel insisted on sharing lunch with Dave and Jan at their picnic table at Rock Creek Lake.

The time with the Bancrofts ended on Tuesday (August 7) with a walk around Convict Lake – surrounded as it is with impressive peaks and very interesting folding and coloration in the rocks on the west side of the lake.

Dave and Jan continued in the area for another week (another blog) before heading back to Southern California, but they had a very enjoyable time with the Bancrofts in a region of amazing beauty and variety in the “Smoky Mountains” of California.  Camping trips are almost always a spiritual high for Dave and Jan in view of their relationship with the Creator!  As the song-writer expressed it, “Heaven above is softer blue, earth around is sweeter green.  Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen.”

The “lazy days of summer” haven’t been too lazy at the Brea Balsley residence.  We have had some very warm days in mid-summer, which have restricted some of our activities, but we haven’t been challenged to find things to do.

Caroleen Suzuki, our college student house guest wrapped up her studies at Fullerton (Jr.) College in June with graduation exercises.  Pictures were posted on Facebook, so you may already have seen her in graduation attire.

Graduation was followed shortly, for Caroleen, with a month-and-a-half visit in Japan with her mother and brother and grandmother.  Next she is preparing to pursue graphic arts studies at California State College in Fullerton.

Jan put in some extra duty in her care of Stephen and Meagan’s children when the other grandmother/care provider had two surgeries and a two-week vacation trip, but being a grandmother is one of Jan’s favorite things!

For the last year (since September) we have hosted a weekly Life Group meeting in our home each Tuesday evening.  It has been a refreshing time of Bible study and fellowship in prayer and some good refreshments – with most of those attending coming from our former church family at Temple Baptist.

At the end of June Dave volunteered for a week of service in our church’s Mega Music Mash-up program – a week-long Vacation Bible School (9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) with a significant musical dimension to it.  During the week every child learned a full musical and learned how to play a simple musical instrument.  Dave was a small-group leader with the 3rd and 4th grade children.  It was one of the best VBS programs he has ever witnessed.  Barbara Barr (wife of Pastor-Emeritus Jamie Barr) was the lead teacher for the 3rd and 4th grade group.

The week ended with two performances on Sunday (4:00 and 6:30 p.m.) of the Christmas-themed musical “A Certain Small Shepherd” to full-house audiences.

And what would summer be without at least one hike in the Angeles Forest at Ice House Canyon – a nice escape from the heat in the valley below.

Dave and Jan look forward to more summer scenes in the Sierras, camping with ministry friends from Tucson days (now living and serving a small church in the eastern Sierras town of Independence, California), Dave and Suzie Bancroft, before the summer is over.