One weekday afternoon as we girls pulled our needles up and down through the fabric, our teacher told us the story of a girl who lived on a hill on one side of a valley.
Each late afternoon she noticed on the hill on the opposite side of the valley a house that had shining, golden windows.
Her own home was small and somewhat shabby, and the girl dreamed of living in that beautiful house with windows of gold.
One day the girl was given permission to ride her bike across the valley.
She eagerly rode until she reached the house with the golden windows that she had admired for so long.
But when she dismounted from her bike, she saw that the house was abandoned and dilapidated, with tall weeds in the yard and windows that were plain and dirty.
Sadly, the girl turned her face toward home.
To her surprise, she saw a house with shining, golden windows on the hill across the valley and soon realized it was her very own home!
-Jean B. Bingham -I Will Bring the Light of the Gospel into My Home -October 2016 General Conference
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
The Black Arch Adventure
It's no secret that I love hiking in Red Rock country. Specifically Arches National Park.
Because ARCHES!!!
Like. Seriously, I'm obsessed with them.
And I love the energy of the red rocks so. Like...I get totally hyper there and it's an amazing feeling! I can just hike and hike for hours upon hours and it's amazing!!
I really wish I could go down there more than once or twice a year.
Seriously, if I could afford it I'd be down like every other weekend lol.
In any case.
This past weekend I was able to go to my favorite place on Earth for a mini getaway from Happy Valley.
And while I wanted to hike my favorite trails.
I also had another goal in mind.
A goal to see a specific arch up close.
An arch that I'd only seen from a view point like...my entire life.
Which arch is this?
It's called Black Arch.
And my entire life growing up, I've only ever seen it from the view point.
As you see, Black Arch is located in the Devil's Garden area of the Park.
Along the Landscape Arch/ Double O Arch hike.
And you can only see it, from the top of a fin in a very specific location.
Looking down into the valley below.
And what does it look like?
A black shadow on the red rock wall.
Like...that's seriously what it looks like, Honestly, if you weren't told it was an arch, you wouldn't think it's an arch.
In any case.
The Double O arch trail can be completed as a Up and Down thing....or you can make it into a loop.
As there is a primitive trail option that takes you down into the valley and around it, and then up the other side. It's primitive because it's a lot of sand and a bit of scrambling over rocks and such.
But oh so pretty!
And for years now, I've wondered how to find Black Arch from that primitive trail.
Because it had to be possible.
We would be on the same level from it.
Not on top of the sandstone fins/cliffs looking down to it.
And I had a general idea from a handy dandy googlemap I found.
That listed a bunch of arches within the park and showed their locations.
So I knew that it was just up a valley.
I could see the primitive trail and follow it.
So I knew that the arch was there somewhere.
But the last time I went to Arches and went Arch crazy....
We decided to skip that particular adventure to find it.
This time however.
That was the main goal.
We would hike the primitive loop and find Black Arch!!
And...interestingly enough when I clicked on the map link again.
To refresh my memory on Black Arches location.
The map had been updated.
To now show the path of the Primitive Trail and label it as such.
Which allowed me to see more clearly how the path moves.
And where Black Arch was in relation to that trail.
So when we got to that part of the path.
It would be easy to know we were at that part.
And go venture off into the wilderness to find it.
But you know what the crazy thing is about Black Arch?
I've walked that trail like a hundred times. (okay a bit of exaggeration, but it's ALOT)
And when we finally found Black Arch.
IT WAS SO CLOSE THE ENTIRE TIME!!
Like.
LITERALLY
You come to a section of the trail where you Turn Right.
AND IF YOU TURN LEFT
and wander around ONE FIN
THE ARCH IS RIGHT THERE!!!
AHHHHHH!!!!!!
All these years and we've literally Walked. Right. By. It!!!
Seriously.
All these years and we could stare straight at the arch from the primitive trail and NOT REALIZE IT.
-Mostly because you can't see the arch itself from the trail, but you can see the rock fin it's located in, and when the lighting is just right, see the shadows cast.
BUT IT WAS RIGHT THERE.
IT WAS SOOOO CLOSEEEEEE
SO VERY CLOSE
AND ONLY NOW WE FOUND IT.
AHHHHH!!!!!!
Seriously guys.
It's crazy.
So crazy how an arch can be there almost literally in plain sight.
And until you see it, been to it, know it's location.
You are completely blind to it being there!!
There are soooo many arches like that in the park.
Arches where you won't know they're there unless you walk by at the right time of day when the light is shining just right to bring out the arch from the surrounding landscape and highlight it.
Agh.
It was Right. There.
And can I say that Black Arch is amazing up close?
It has such a good feel to it.
And it's located in such a spot where you can walk on both sides of the arch.
If you go behind the arch, you end up in a little shady green gully below the arch, where the walls are black. (hence it's name)
And in front of the arch, well you can walk right underneath it and bask in the sunlight and the valley right in front of the arch was SOOOO PRETTY!
Like Guys.
This arch is now a top favorite arch.
It's soo amazing.
And I'm so happy I found it!!
I can't wait to go back and visit it again sometime soon. ^^;;
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Because ARCHES!!!
Like. Seriously, I'm obsessed with them.
And I love the energy of the red rocks so. Like...I get totally hyper there and it's an amazing feeling! I can just hike and hike for hours upon hours and it's amazing!!
I really wish I could go down there more than once or twice a year.
Seriously, if I could afford it I'd be down like every other weekend lol.
In any case.
This past weekend I was able to go to my favorite place on Earth for a mini getaway from Happy Valley.
And while I wanted to hike my favorite trails.
I also had another goal in mind.
A goal to see a specific arch up close.
An arch that I'd only seen from a view point like...my entire life.
Which arch is this?
It's called Black Arch.
And my entire life growing up, I've only ever seen it from the view point.
As you see, Black Arch is located in the Devil's Garden area of the Park.
Along the Landscape Arch/ Double O Arch hike.
And you can only see it, from the top of a fin in a very specific location.
Looking down into the valley below.
And what does it look like?
A black shadow on the red rock wall.
Like...that's seriously what it looks like, Honestly, if you weren't told it was an arch, you wouldn't think it's an arch.
In any case.
The Double O arch trail can be completed as a Up and Down thing....or you can make it into a loop.
As there is a primitive trail option that takes you down into the valley and around it, and then up the other side. It's primitive because it's a lot of sand and a bit of scrambling over rocks and such.
But oh so pretty!
And for years now, I've wondered how to find Black Arch from that primitive trail.
Because it had to be possible.
We would be on the same level from it.
Not on top of the sandstone fins/cliffs looking down to it.
And I had a general idea from a handy dandy googlemap I found.
That listed a bunch of arches within the park and showed their locations.
So I knew that it was just up a valley.
I could see the primitive trail and follow it.
So I knew that the arch was there somewhere.
But the last time I went to Arches and went Arch crazy....
We decided to skip that particular adventure to find it.
This time however.
That was the main goal.
We would hike the primitive loop and find Black Arch!!
And...interestingly enough when I clicked on the map link again.
To refresh my memory on Black Arches location.
The map had been updated.
To now show the path of the Primitive Trail and label it as such.
Which allowed me to see more clearly how the path moves.
And where Black Arch was in relation to that trail.
So when we got to that part of the path.
It would be easy to know we were at that part.
And go venture off into the wilderness to find it.
But you know what the crazy thing is about Black Arch?
I've walked that trail like a hundred times. (okay a bit of exaggeration, but it's ALOT)
And when we finally found Black Arch.
IT WAS SO CLOSE THE ENTIRE TIME!!
Like.
LITERALLY
You come to a section of the trail where you Turn Right.
AND IF YOU TURN LEFT
and wander around ONE FIN
THE ARCH IS RIGHT THERE!!!
AHHHHHH!!!!!!
All these years and we've literally Walked. Right. By. It!!!
Seriously.
All these years and we could stare straight at the arch from the primitive trail and NOT REALIZE IT.
-Mostly because you can't see the arch itself from the trail, but you can see the rock fin it's located in, and when the lighting is just right, see the shadows cast.
BUT IT WAS RIGHT THERE.
IT WAS SOOOO CLOSEEEEEE
SO VERY CLOSE
AND ONLY NOW WE FOUND IT.
AHHHHH!!!!!!
Seriously guys.
It's crazy.
So crazy how an arch can be there almost literally in plain sight.
And until you see it, been to it, know it's location.
You are completely blind to it being there!!
There are soooo many arches like that in the park.
Arches where you won't know they're there unless you walk by at the right time of day when the light is shining just right to bring out the arch from the surrounding landscape and highlight it.
Agh.
It was Right. There.
And can I say that Black Arch is amazing up close?
It has such a good feel to it.
And it's located in such a spot where you can walk on both sides of the arch.
If you go behind the arch, you end up in a little shady green gully below the arch, where the walls are black. (hence it's name)
And in front of the arch, well you can walk right underneath it and bask in the sunlight and the valley right in front of the arch was SOOOO PRETTY!
Like Guys.
This arch is now a top favorite arch.
It's soo amazing.
And I'm so happy I found it!!
I can't wait to go back and visit it again sometime soon. ^^;;
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Less Crowded
So this past weekend I went down to my favorite Red Rock country to finally take in some red rock energy and hike my feet off. lol.
And it was great!!!
For being a supposedly 'busy weekend' Arches National Park actually wasn't that crazy for the most part. It was definitely less crowded than I expected it to be. Because well...it was UEA weekend. Things always go crazy on long weekends.
But I think that the fact that there were a couple other events happening at the same time in the area helped to lessen the crowds.
Which was great.
Because me, I don't like crowds.
I prefer hiking in mostly silence (I admit I have my moments of being chatty), and enjoy listening to the nature around me.
And that's really hard to do if you have a pair of gabbygabbies walking right behind you or right in front of you talking the entire time. It kinda just leaves me...semi-stressed out. Because did I want to hear your conversation? No. No I did not. I want to hear the nature.
It's also really stressful when you get those sort of people that just kinda...zing you the wrong way. Their energy just...feels wrong and you don't want to be near them.
Or those people who never want to leave your side....like you keep yo-yoing with them.
Which we'd stop to let the people behind us pass and get their energy away from us...only for them to stop a little ways further on...which would mean we'd pass them again and have to either keep walking faster to get away from them (which often meant they would walk faster too) or else we'd have to stop and wait for them to pass us. (sooo frustrating.)
So the fact that we barely encountered it this past weekend...
Was simply amazing.
I loved the feel of leaving the 'cacophony' behind.
It often happened that we'd have to walk through the 'buzzing bees' in the easier parts of the hike, but when we turned to different more difficult trails...the silence was almost instantaneous.
It was great. ^^
So happy that I made it down there this year. ^^ So. Very. Happy.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
And it was great!!!
For being a supposedly 'busy weekend' Arches National Park actually wasn't that crazy for the most part. It was definitely less crowded than I expected it to be. Because well...it was UEA weekend. Things always go crazy on long weekends.
But I think that the fact that there were a couple other events happening at the same time in the area helped to lessen the crowds.
Which was great.
Because me, I don't like crowds.
I prefer hiking in mostly silence (I admit I have my moments of being chatty), and enjoy listening to the nature around me.
And that's really hard to do if you have a pair of gabbygabbies walking right behind you or right in front of you talking the entire time. It kinda just leaves me...semi-stressed out. Because did I want to hear your conversation? No. No I did not. I want to hear the nature.
It's also really stressful when you get those sort of people that just kinda...zing you the wrong way. Their energy just...feels wrong and you don't want to be near them.
Or those people who never want to leave your side....like you keep yo-yoing with them.
Which we'd stop to let the people behind us pass and get their energy away from us...only for them to stop a little ways further on...which would mean we'd pass them again and have to either keep walking faster to get away from them (which often meant they would walk faster too) or else we'd have to stop and wait for them to pass us. (sooo frustrating.)
So the fact that we barely encountered it this past weekend...
Was simply amazing.
I loved the feel of leaving the 'cacophony' behind.
It often happened that we'd have to walk through the 'buzzing bees' in the easier parts of the hike, but when we turned to different more difficult trails...the silence was almost instantaneous.
It was great. ^^
So happy that I made it down there this year. ^^ So. Very. Happy.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Reading
Yuri, a Russian Latter-day Saint, sacrificed and saved to take a long trip to the temple.
On the train he noticed a beautiful woman with a bright countenance, and he felt that he should share the gospel with her.
Not knowing what else to do, he began reading from his Book of Mormon, hoping she might notice.
Yuri didn't realize that the woman, Mariya, was already a Latter-day Saint.
Not knowing that Yuri too was a member, and following a prompting she had to share the gospel with him, Mariya began reading in her Book of Mormon as well, hoping that he might notice.
Well, w hen they simultaneously looked up, Yuri and Mariya were astonished to see the Book of Mormon in each other's hands--and yes, after falling in love, they were sealed in the temple.
Today, Yuri and Mariya Kutepov of Voronezh, Russia, as eternal companions, contribute significantly to the growth of the Church in Russia
-Randall K. Bennett -Your Next Step -October 2015 General Conference
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Author Note: I'm heading out of town this weekend, so posting may not happen.
On the train he noticed a beautiful woman with a bright countenance, and he felt that he should share the gospel with her.
Not knowing what else to do, he began reading from his Book of Mormon, hoping she might notice.
Yuri didn't realize that the woman, Mariya, was already a Latter-day Saint.
Not knowing that Yuri too was a member, and following a prompting she had to share the gospel with him, Mariya began reading in her Book of Mormon as well, hoping that he might notice.
Well, w hen they simultaneously looked up, Yuri and Mariya were astonished to see the Book of Mormon in each other's hands--and yes, after falling in love, they were sealed in the temple.
Today, Yuri and Mariya Kutepov of Voronezh, Russia, as eternal companions, contribute significantly to the growth of the Church in Russia
-Randall K. Bennett -Your Next Step -October 2015 General Conference
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Author Note: I'm heading out of town this weekend, so posting may not happen.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Holed Up
I've been holed up in my room for the past three days.
Why?
Because I've been writing.
And it's been awesome!!! :D lol
Having the time and the energy and the focus to actually just get a story out?
It's been more than thrilling lol.
Because more often than not, when I get home from work...I'm both physically and mentally exhausted.
And it gets rather difficult to pull up enough focus to well...think.
Because writing takes ALOT of thinking.
A lot of rephrases, editing, additions, etc.
Especially because the stories in your head never end up quite the same on paper.
Scenes you thought would be quick and easy...end up taking up four chapters.
Ideas on how a scene will go get tossed out as a character takes things in a totally different direction.
Then of course, there's the worry of how the scene is reading, is there enough detail, are the characters acting in character, do I even need this part?
It's sooo time consuming lol.
I can spend like an entire day on a single chapter.
*shrugs* Mostly because my writing speed is currently at like one page in an hour....if I'm lucky lol.
(I'll get faster the more I do this. *fingers crossed*)
Still.
The feeling of accomplishment.
When I get to the end of the chapter.
When I get the story to an end point in general.
Is so thrilling.
Exhilarating.
I'm so grateful I have this week off of work.
Because writing like this.
Ah.
It's been a struggle.
But it's been the best thing ever!!
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
A Speedy Catchup
So a couple of Christmases ago.
A friend of mine gave me an awesome gift.
In a Flash themed jacket.
Which is a black jacket with the flash logo on it lol.
It's one of my favorite articles of clothing to wear.
And because it's finally getting cool enough again.
I've been wearing it around.
And Sunday night, when I had to go be social and bring treats to Ward Prayer.
I decided to wear my Flash Jacket.
Not thinking anything of it really.
But surprisingly, I had like three different guys ask me, while I was there, if that was a Flash Jacket and if I watched the show The Flash.
Which....
I've watched it. And loved it.
But due to becoming obsessed with Detective Conan around this same time of year last year...I had dropped watching the Flash a handful of episodes into the third season.
That didn't mean I was completely clueless to what had happened later in the season. lol. Social Media does to tend to spoil things if you're not careful.
Which I wasn't. It was a good way to get the highlights of the episode without me having to sit down and watch it.
So I was totally aware of major events that happened throughout the season.
And even into this season.
As the first episode of season 4 of the Flash aired last week.
So I already had some glimpses into what had happened even though I hadn't seen the episode itself.
Which meant that....even though I hadn't seen the episode.
I was able to throw in my two bits into the conversation.
And was prepared to not think anything more on it.
Until it was suggested that perhaps we should get together each week to watch the Flash. :S
That...wasn't good.
As I hadn't seen most of season 3.
So I begged off on the idea of meeting up this week. (tonight)
And basically as soon as I got home from the ward prayer activity, I got onto Netflix and started watching Season 3.
Because by golly. If these guys were going to be talking to me about the Flash from here on out.
I better know what's been happening!
lol. So I spent the rest of that night and basically all day yesterday bingewatching Season 3.
And caught up!
Woot!
*sighs*
Honestly guys.
Why did I stop watching that show?
It was soooo good!!
I loved it. It was such a...fun thing to do. To just invest myself into the world of superheroes.
Really. I missed that show.
I hope that I'll be able to keep up with it this season. Because seriously. I love the Flash.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
A friend of mine gave me an awesome gift.
In a Flash themed jacket.
Which is a black jacket with the flash logo on it lol.
It's one of my favorite articles of clothing to wear.
And because it's finally getting cool enough again.
I've been wearing it around.
And Sunday night, when I had to go be social and bring treats to Ward Prayer.
I decided to wear my Flash Jacket.
Not thinking anything of it really.
But surprisingly, I had like three different guys ask me, while I was there, if that was a Flash Jacket and if I watched the show The Flash.
Which....
I've watched it. And loved it.
But due to becoming obsessed with Detective Conan around this same time of year last year...I had dropped watching the Flash a handful of episodes into the third season.
That didn't mean I was completely clueless to what had happened later in the season. lol. Social Media does to tend to spoil things if you're not careful.
Which I wasn't. It was a good way to get the highlights of the episode without me having to sit down and watch it.
So I was totally aware of major events that happened throughout the season.
And even into this season.
As the first episode of season 4 of the Flash aired last week.
So I already had some glimpses into what had happened even though I hadn't seen the episode itself.
Which meant that....even though I hadn't seen the episode.
I was able to throw in my two bits into the conversation.
And was prepared to not think anything more on it.
Until it was suggested that perhaps we should get together each week to watch the Flash. :S
That...wasn't good.
As I hadn't seen most of season 3.
So I begged off on the idea of meeting up this week. (tonight)
And basically as soon as I got home from the ward prayer activity, I got onto Netflix and started watching Season 3.
Because by golly. If these guys were going to be talking to me about the Flash from here on out.
I better know what's been happening!
lol. So I spent the rest of that night and basically all day yesterday bingewatching Season 3.
And caught up!
Woot!
*sighs*
Honestly guys.
Why did I stop watching that show?
It was soooo good!!
I loved it. It was such a...fun thing to do. To just invest myself into the world of superheroes.
Really. I missed that show.
I hope that I'll be able to keep up with it this season. Because seriously. I love the Flash.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Monday, October 16, 2017
October 2016 General Conference -Priesthood Session
Jeffrey R. Holland -Emissaries to the Church
- What matters is that you love your people.
LeGrand R. Curtis Jr. -There Is Power in the Book
- There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception.You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path.
- The greatest power of the Book of Mormon is its impact in bringing us closer to Jesus Christ.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf -Learn from Alma and Amulek
- Deep down, many want to serve their God. They want to be an instrument in His hands. They want to thrust in their sickle and strive with their might to prepare the earth for the return of our Savior. They want to build His Church. But they are reluctant to begin. Often they wait to be asked.
- Reach out to them. Teach the. Inspire them.
Henry B. Eyring -That He May Become Strong Also
- Have the power and the courage to go anywhere in service for the Lord.
Thomas S. Monson -Principles and Promises
- May we care for our bodies and our minds by observing the principles set forth in the Word of Wisdom
Until you next see these words:
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)