Pandora

I would like to cordially invite you to a night in Pandora.
Ewwwwahhhhhhh. 

We rented Avatar and a projector from BYU. 

We set up the yard with candles and lights hanging from Eywa [the spirit tree],

like Pandora. 

We mainly wanted to watch the movie outside because with all the glow in the dark plant scenes, 

the colorful animals and our festive candles, 

it was as close to feeling like we were there as we could get. 

[I told you there were ghosts!]

The plan was to start the movie at 10pm. 

Aleksi and Cortney invited all their friends. 

Sadly, only four people came. 

"Max, we're not as cool as you think we are." 

People are lame, 

like I didn't know that.

 

Everything was perfect, 

or so it seemed. 

We had bags of popcorn for all our prospective guests, 

blankets on the ground, candles lit,

the projector was set up and running.

The projector. 

I hate that projector. 

We started the movie,

and not five minutes into it, it turned off. 

And this proceeded to happen every five minutes for the next fifteen minutes, 

until I changed the way the projector was sitting, 

hoping that it was only glitching because it was overheating. 

That seemed to do the trick, 

up until the Na'vi people's tree house starts getting destroyed. 

Story of our lives. 

Nothing can just go perfectly. 

Besides that, 

the night went swimmingly.

Sitting under the stars, wrapped in blankets, watching a favorite.

About as close to perfect as we're gerna get.

Just one of those simple days, 

we won't ever forget.

This is Utah

When Mitchell was sent to Arizona

before going to Mexico, 

he would always tell us how he and his companions would have lengthy discussions 

about mountains versus the beach. 

Naturally, Mitchell was for the beach. 

And I am too.

All day, everyday. 

But the mountains sure do give the beach a run for her money.

While Aleksi and Cortney worked today, 

I watched a Utah flash hurricane roll in.

No seriously, this storm was ridiculous.

Lightning, booming thunder, branches crashing down from trees, this thing was real. 

I was outside taking photos

[whatever]

when I heard a high pitched, blood curdling scream. 

I ran inside thinking Laura [who was also home] was witnessing some tragic storm accident. 

Only kind of. 

She said she screamed because she watched these two branches fall from the nearest tree. 

Which is scary because they could've come through a window or landed on the house. 

They knocked over Aleksi's bike though. 

 Alas, the storm ended and Cortney came home.
Eager for an adventure, she took me to a secret orchard where all the deer go to graze.

At first I forgot my camera chip

[go figure] 

but we came back. 

And I'm so glad we did.

[thanks Cort]

We were obsessed with this one doe. 

She was so peaceful, 

and let me slowly crawl out of the car to get some closer photos. 

She didn't even move, 

just kept eye contact and flopped her ears.

I kind of love her. 

and I love this photograph. 

Harry stared at the creature, filled with wonder, not at her strangeness, 

but at her inexplicable familiarity.

Snow crunched beneath his feet, but the doe made no noise as she passed through the trees, 

for she was nothing but light. 

Deeper and deeper into the forest she led him, and Harry walked quickly, 

sure that when she stopped, she would allow him to approach properly.

Everything reminds me of Harry Potter. 

When Aleksi got home, Cortney drove us to a lake up in the mountains at Tibble Fork Reservoir.

It was breathtaking. 

These mountains are HUGE.

I mean,
mountains come in a close second to the beach.
But they're second.
Always second.
I feel like if I lived here,
there would be so much to do.
Hike, wildlife, mountains, trees, bike, etc.
But the beach is the beach. 
No contest.  

We hiked a bit.
It was cloudy and drizzling after that fifteen minute storm we had earlier.
Still pleasant though.
Who doesn't like the rain?

Basically I'm obsessed with getting photos of wildlife,
even if it is a squirrel-gopher mix.
It's unlikely [but not impossible] that I'll see a bear,
so I'll take what I can get.
For now,
please enjoy these couple shots.
Yes, Cortney and I are an unofficial couple.

It's beautiful here, isn't it?
If only driving through the mountains didn't make me feel so queasy.
I'm just a Florida boy,
I belong with the sea.
This is a good second though.
It's growing on me.

I love these adventures and I love my sister
[Cortney too]
so I'm not thinking about having to leave in seven days.
That's going to be a sad day.