We had record snow this year--something like 30 inches of water worth in the snowpack average. So the run-off is huge. We've been watching the Provo River and it has been impressive. This is the river as viewed from the bridge at Canyon Glen Park. I've been especially interested in the avalanche at Bridal Veil Falls that completely covers the river. The river is now eating away at the snow as it comes under it. It's going to take a while to melt. There are little tiny people at the top to give some scale to the avalanche. Here is the river flowing under the snow. You can see the trail next to the river, plus notice all the broken trees leaning away from the avalanche. And here's a video from the Utah County Sheriff's Department blowing up the piece of the avalanche that went over the river so no one would get hurt.

 This is a really beautiful time of year. I love seeing the cemetery in the early morning after Memorial Day with all the flowers covering it. My pictures don't really capture it though. I enjoyed getting together with my family members at the cemetery and hiking the Y: I challenged Katie to find the oldest date in the Provo Cemetery that she could and here is what she found: Here are a few of the flowers blooming now that I love having in my yard including roses, columbine, geranium, and peonies: Here are the flags at the Orem Cemetery honoring the veterans: And here is an editorial about Memorial Day that I enjoyed that reminds me about the original reason the holiday was started: https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/05/honor-those-who-gave-their-last-full-measure/

 We have another high school graduate! Mindy officially graduated on Thursday. She had to work really hard in math which is a hard subject for her but she persevered and got through. We had dinner at Culver's beforehand so she could be at UVU at 6pm like she needed to be. We took pictures at Orem High the week before. Since she was sitting on the front row for choir, she got lots of showings on the Jumbotron. Mindy was one of the first to be called. Everett, Caroline, Susanna, Jay, Camille, Scott, and I all cheered loudly for her. But the whole graduation became some kind of contest to see who could cheer the loudest. It got amazingly loud. Someone had an air horn; someone else had a small confetti cannon. By the end, Scott and I were plugging our ears. We're getting old and we have to protect the last shreds of our hearing! Today she gave a talk in church so now she's done all the things--the parties, the senior send-off at school, the ceremony. Congratulations, Mindy!

 Another birthday for Lincoln! This year I'm going to do birthday posts on the elementary school years. Right before kindergarten Lincoln learned to ride a two-wheeler on the infamous purple bike which motivated Garrett to also learn at the same time.  Lincoln started kindergarten at Cascade Elementary. Most days he rode his bike there--a little less than half a mile away. I think it was a little scary for him at first. He was a good kindergarten student and seemed to enjoy his class with Mrs. Sumsion. On the first day of school, he was feeling very serious. At the end of kindergarten, Lincoln turned 6 and not long after that, his little brother Talmage was born. There is a famous story of Lincoln when he was about 6 or 7 at the cemetery on Memorial Day. He saw a stone marked "P.M." (probably for a water line), and asked me in all seriousness, "Is there a clock buried here?" It was a reasonable question! In first grade Lincoln started playing soccer on the same ...