Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Ferron

I use to hate Ferron. Well, not Ferron so much as Emery County. Well, not Emery County so much as a handful of really nasty people that made living there a bit miserable. The fact is, I couldn't wait to get out of that place. I graduated high school 1/2 a year early just because I was so tired of it all and I was eager to move on to the next part of my life: College in the "big city"(a.k.a. Provo...ahhh).

But when I got married, and when we had Kortland, and when he was 1 and 2 and 3 and 4, my feelings toward Ferron changed drastically. All these years in "the big city" (ha. ha.) had me longing for quiet trails, genuine people, and a slower, more intimate way of life, and seeing Ferron through Kortland's eyes has made it more beautiful to me than ever before.

I remember a roommate of mine saying that she drove through the good ole' E.C. and that "...it was really ugly." and that bothered me SO MUCH! Because I didn't LOVE everything about growing up there, but it was still my home, and I was still proud of it. Plus, it really is beautiful there! What on earth was that girl talking about?

These are some photographs I took last fall when Kort and I drove my favorite 5 mile loop on the outskirts of Ferron up by Milsite Reservoir. Ahhhhh, memories. So many good times. Just thought I'd share. This is where I will be until Friday (yay!) See you all then!


Ha ha! Great memories of Monica's older brother Steve taking us out on these roads to let us learn how to drive a stick shift! We were so. bad. at. it. and Steve was SO NICE to us, and would let me and Monica blast Alanis Morissette and sing "You Oughta Know" at the top of our lungs, and grind his poor car's gears to powder! What is it with crushing on your best friend's brothers? Is that just the most inevitable scenario ever or what? Too funny. But how could anyone NOT adore Steve and Andy? - that's what I'd like to know.











My cliff diving cliff.


but the water's all gone for now.









found a couple of extra golf balls on our hike below Milsite


ugly? really? where? what part?





"The Beautifullest Water."
That's what Kortland named it when he was 2 and a half.

The road up to my best friend Chanie's house. Those were some seriously good times. Practicing for cheerleading tryouts together, catching TONS of poly wogs and then bringing them home and taking care of them until they turned into frogs, laying out in her side yard, swimming in the really muddy man-made pond and loving every minute of it, giving ourselves facials, reading "Seventeen Magazine," listening to "the Cranberries", and feeling all sorts of deep, moody, and teenager-esque...good times indeed.

farm country


so not ugly.
(at least not to me anyway.)
See you Friday!

15 comments:

LMS said...

Yes Lola, It was some serious good times. I have this tremendous memory of gales of laughter emitting from the bathroom, I peeked in to see what was sooooo dang funny. You and Chanie were applying lipstick to your lips and then kissing the mirror. Then laughing your heads off. As I went through the house, there were lipstick kisses on the windows and every mirror including the mirrors in the car. I finally cleaned the last fuzzy lipmark off of one of those mirrors recently, quite frankly I cried when I did it. I didn't want to wipe away the last of that hugely delightful memory. You are my favorite of my daughter's friends. Love to you, Granny Smith

Jeremy & Andrea said...

beautiful and so uniquely beautiful. My lil bro brought home a woman he taught on his mission to Paris France. I worried what she would think of our small quaint community but she was incredibly taken by the amazing openness and striking diversity. I'm so glad to call the E.C. home and enjoy every visit back to my childhood.

the Lola Letters said...

Andrea: I know! And didn't you just LOVE her for her ability to appreciate and honor that beauty? I just love it so much, and when someone else can appreciate it, I just feel instantly connected to them. My parents are talking about building a home in Ferron again and I am so happy about it!!!! I hope it all works out.

Lynne: Oh my gosh!! I swear, my friendship with Chanie and my relationship with your entire family was one of the greatest gifts Ferron ever gave me. EVERYDAY at your house with Chanie and Jessie was a fun, wonderful, hilarious, crazy day - and I just can't even say enough about how much I loved every. single. minute. of it. You are my favorite second mom!

Amie said...

I've never commented before, but this seemed like a REALLY good time! I feel the same way about our beloved EC! I recently visited Ferron, and the title of my post was "Sometimes You Want To Go Where Everybody Knows Your Name". :) Thanks for sharing the pics. They are the opposite of ugly. :)

Becca said...

Isn't it funny what perspective...and memories can do for a place?
And for the record, I don't think it's ugly either!

Just SO said...

That really is beautiful. Have a great time there with your boy.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE FERRON!!!!!!!!

Ashley Koz said...

It is so pretty, When are you going to take me down there for a little trampoline sleepin, peach days action

Kristina P. said...

Where the heck is Ferron?!?

Unknown said...

Aww... That made me homesick. The pictures are beautiful! EC really is beautiful. I hear ya though. When I was in high school, all I wanted to do was escape too for the same reasons.

Lisa said...

Amazingly B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!! What else is there to say!!?

Jen Nelson said...

I hate the town I went to high school in. Now Marysvale? I heart Marysvale so much I want to cry.

The Smith's said...

I haven't been down there for years! Since my parent's moved to Portland I go there in the summer instead of my white house in the subdivision, which was the best place to go trick-or-treating I might add. I remember our movie nights watching scary movies and staying up until 3 and our parents didn't care when we came home. I also loved how we had to watch each other run to our house so no serial killer would get us. I might have to rent copycat again just for kicks.
Oh I feeling a little homesick right now...tear.

Anonymous said...

Hey Laura,
Thanks so much for the post! It makes me miss home. There are a lot of days that I wish my girls were growing up there instead of the city. Most of my memories there aren't exactly great, but that is because of the poor choices I made growing up. It might sound a little silly but I especially miss how Ferron smells after it rains. Thanks again!
Love,
Jenn

Ashley said...

I love the post about Ferron and the Grub Box, these are places that I love and I love the pictures. I think that Ferron is such a beautiful place, you should be living in Oklahoma where there are no mountains and the only thing you see in the distance is a skyscraper in the downtown part of Tulsa.