Dear Family and Friends,

The first picture is just one of the amazing sunsets that we have here on the reservation.

The others are of a garden for George Babbitt, one of the people Elder Olson met on his mission in 1968-1970. They still remember him from way back then.

George's daughter wanted to surprise him, so they started working on this small portion of a much larger area that George use to plant corn in as a young husband and father.

The pictures are out of order, but they show where it is and what he did if you look closely.

The picture with the small trench is actually a 1,500 foot trench where the water line will be buried. Elder Olson has buried about 5oo feet so far, so there's only a 1,000 ft left. ;o}

The rain water comes over the top of that rock you see and made it necessary for him to devise a plan that would direct the water into the beds and not wash away everything. He put flat stones at the bottom that sloped to the left then fed into the first trench, it then flows to the right, turns and goes back and then turns again at the left, much like a meandering creek. We had a storm and he went to check and it appears as if it will work..

We knew that Bessie, George's wife, was watching because she was out every day herding sheep and we suspect that George knows also, but we would like to get his picture when the corn is up about 6 feet tall.

One of our other gardens has 7ft tall stalks. When we went out mid Jul it had rained so they didn't think they needed to water. The squash plants leaves were touching the ground. We explained about the need to have water soak down about 20 inches. I used an umbrella to show how plants will wilt if the bottom roots don't get enough. When we went out this week the squash leaves looked like huge umbrellas fully extended. I will try and put those pics up next time.

I am working on a power point presentation with before and after shots of our gardens. I think I might be getting a little possessive of the ones we have worked on, so I will say "the" gardens least I should take ownership. ;o}

They are however, "our" people and we love them. Martin commented that his mother-in-law has been freed from her imaginary wheelchair. She is 85 + and use to get up, go to the couch and sit all day. Now she gets up and goes to the garden with her hoe. Weeds do not have a chance in "her" garden. She lights up like a Christmas tree when "her baby" comes. That is Elder Olson's name around her. You can tell she loves him very much. He has massaged her feet with essential oils, and when he puts "Sacred Mountain" on her she calls it "Good Stink" The Navajo's do not have a name for perfume or fragrance, but there is no doubt when she says "Good Stink" that she is saying she loves it.

The days continue to be long, but oh so rewarding. The new couple are Elder and Sister Droddy, from upper state New York. Sister Droddy is an aunt to Jimner Ferdet, the BYU basketball player. Hope I spelled his name right. Everyone hopes he comes to visit them.

We love you all and hope things are going well for you.

Elder & Sister Olson