Monday, October 25, 2010


This is the Curtain-Time USA group with Willi Unsoeld, first climber to scale the steep west face of Everest. He and his companion got caught in a winter storm on the way down and had to spend the night in a hammock 2,000 feet above the valley floor. In the cold night, all of Willi's toes got frost bitten. But he saved his buddy's toes by placing them in his arm pits. In 1965, he was the Peace Corps director for Nepal, where this photo was taken. I'm on the back row to the left of the distinguished, gray-haired ambassador. Several years later I read an article in the Reader's Digest that Willi, while skiing in Colorado, was killed in an avalanche. He was a cool guy!

This is the Curtain-Time USA group at the U.S. Ambassador's home with our royal guest, King Hussein of Jordan and his Australian wife. The only two things I remember about the evening is that the ambassador was drunk and the King's younger brother was a very strange fellow. I think he had mental problems after talking to him for some time. But it was a rare occasion to rub shoulders with a world figure like the king, a very nice man, who for years helped keep a lid on the animosities between the Israelis and Palestinians. I'm again hiding, this time behind Norm Neilsen, our director, who later became the head of the Scera Theater in Orem. His wife, Rosanne Tueller Neilsen, was runner-up to Miss America in 1965.


A few years ago our dear neighbor, Mel Marion, got me in touch with Roy Rogers, because Mel sold him and Gene Autrey cowboy hats. He arranged a meeting with the two of us at the Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville, CA one time when I was in southern California attending an academic conference. Roy was my boyhood hero. In all of our games of cowboys and Indians, I always wanted to be Roy Rogers and use my golden six shooters. So, this was a great opportunity to relive my youthful fantasies. He was very kind and showed me around the museum. The most interesting display was a full-size stuffed figure of his famous palomino horse named Trigger.

Autumn in New England


This post is dedicated to Mom. I was talking to her on the phone today and we were talking about Fall colors. I was afraid I was going to miss them when I went to Jordan and Amanda's wedding two weeks ago. Well, they're still 'blooming' gorgeous!

I was going to post pictures of my hike up in New Hampshire overlooking Lake Winnepesaukee (in homage to my love for Bill Murray and Bob Wiley for that matter) but those will have to wait.

These beauties are from the cemetery across the street from me. Yes, I live in celestial realms. Ok, so, the colors didn't come out as vibrant as they really are because it's an overcast day today. My apologies in advance for not being able to adequately transfer the beauty across cyberspace.



I actually run through this here cemetery every Monday, Friday and Saturday.

If you were here with me, we'd be interdigitating while walking through this cemetery. Then we'd go to a farm near the North Shore for apple cider donuts and apple cider to dip said donuts into. These places exist and they've revolutionized my taste buds.



I love these trees. So. So. so.


Thursday, October 21, 2010

hey all. i haven't said a word since all this started so i will commence to, now.
bright with the sense of change, this fall and moving from the doghouse in the next couple months, aw yes, you heard correctly, and having been able to walk better than i have in the last four years is all exhilarating! i am making music with friends and learning to speak this new language of song. also, i love you and laugh with eager delight to see y'all again soon. just want to let ye know. that's all, for now.
love, natty

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Rock Canyon


My favorite picture!


These were taken way up at the overlook in the late afternoon.



Why is this picture so small?




Looking south from the overlook. The golds don't come in great in the picture. Looked really gold in person.










Friday, October 1, 2010

Coming back to you!

I'm sitting in JFK airport waiting for my flight back into your arms!

My flight from Boston to NYC was delayed for a couple of hours. I could have traveled faster with the Chinatown Fung Wah bus to NYC, but this way I was able to make a friend: A guy from Nashville who is friends with and lives four doors down from Andrew Belle. If you don't know who this guy is...he's my musician crush at the mo. Find him on Myspace. At first this guy was mega turn off due to his loquacious ways. It quickly became endearing as we chatted about music and places we've traveled. He was also super chill. Perhaps it only seemed this way in contrast to our anxious fellow passengers.

An irate couple were livid at the delay (due to inclement weather) and were frantically doing all within their power to expedite the process. Well, as we all know, their alleged power amounted to absolutely friggin' nothing except a lot of negative energy. When we finally began boarding, a team of police-men and women were showing us, the passengers lined up to board, pictures of two people who had skipped security and were already on the plane. They looked concerned and were clearly out of breath. (Cue to my worst nightmare: we are all going to be blown to the furthest reaches of the stratosphere in an Apocalyptic explosion...) My eyes bulged out a little at this point. Just a little.

The police force rushed onto the plane and dragged out the two suspects: the irate couple. The couple had apparently flown past security via the EXIT in hopes of making their flight (the one that was delayed for two hours). Don't ask me why it took security two hours to take action (I hang my head in worry and disbelief) but the rest of the plane had to wait an extra 10-20 minutes for the couple to make it back. I was super chapped and prayed that I would still make that flight to SLC. I even prayed that it would be delayed if needs me. Guess what? Yeah, it's delayed and I'm getting free internet!

Well, we're boarding now. I shall see you all SOON!