Flowers Everywhere!

Although we have seen flowers year-round in Orange County, they are in even greater profusion in the spring -- just like everywhere else. The Lily of the Nile, with the hardy stems and blue flowers, are Gary's favorite. The red flower is a Day Lily. The white one is a Calla Lily. All of these photos were taken just a few steps from our apartment. The fourth is not a flower but a bud which turns into a palm tree frond. There are many of them near our front door. In any case, they are a visual feast when we leave our apartment for the office and return in the evening. Yesterday we even went on a picnic to the Fairview Park about a mile from the beach. Quiet and reading was what we sought -- and got. Gary was able to watch remote control gliders noislessly soar around the park as the Harbor Soaring Society did their Saturday thing at the park before the ocean breezes got too strong in the afternoon.

The work is going well as before, but it has become more routine, and so not as reportable on the blog. The missionary work is still exciting, and both of us love being around these 165 19 through 23 year-old young people. (Maybe they make us feel younger!) It is wonderful to see people's lives change so dramatically. Today Jesus was baptized (well, it was really Angela Diaz de Jesus, a Hispanic man) and next week Joseph Smith, a man about our age, will be baptized into our ward.

Our Orange Stake, with its 7 wards, was reduced to 6 wards last week: this was necessary because our 3rd ward and the Tustin 5th ward were becoming too small. Our new Palmyra Ward is vibrant, friendly, and service-oriented: if this morning's meetings were any indication. (Our choir sang "Make Us One" this morning as a plea for unity of faith, charity and love.)

Thanks to your prayers, Signe's efforts at traction on Gary's right leg, our chiropractor, and a lot of swimming (30 lengths last night) Gary is almost back to normal. We are both very grateful, because it was not looking very good for about a month. (It's too early in our retirement for either of us to have a disability.)

The Orange County Mormon Choral Organization and orchestra are preparing for our June 18/19 freedom concert with country and western star Collin Ray. The orchestra was paid high compliments the other night by a person who works with several of the orchestras in the area. Our reputation is really skyrocketing! We both feel very blessed to be a part of this 'musical movement.' In fact, Gary is even taking a voice master class from the bass singer John Huntington, who has quite a reputation himself in Southern California.

Finally, it is hard to believe that come Tuesday, June 1, we will have been on our mission for a year! How time flies!