Blue Gill Lake

 (I would just like to point out that Ellie made her own cut-off shorts, she is wearing in the above picture. She cut them off and sewed them. It was a learning process, but I think she did a great job!)
School has ended for the year. I think it was a success!
We had a big graduation party with 4 loaves of banana bread, a HUGE batch of caramel popcorn, and a chocolate cheesecake. The kids made up games, and even a little play. I let them do whatever they wanted all day long, and that night we went to a party at CSI. They had a grand time playing with their friends there.

 This weekend for our adventure. We went to Blue Gill Lake. I had read an article on it in the local paper. They said they had too many fish, and nobody fishing there. :)
So we thought we'd give it a try.
After a bumpy drive down the Snake River Canyon, and a LONG hot walk (no motorized vehicles allowed), a serious lack of signage or clear directions, I understood why they didn't have a lot of people fishing there.

We saw tons of pelicans. Tri-colored black birds. I saw a beautiful Kestrel up close.

Kestrel. (No Mom, I didn't take THIS picture either, but I wanted you guys to know what this beautiful bird looks like. )

We also saw tons of yellow-headed black birds. They are the birds that make the sound of electricity.
It's not really a pleasant sound to me, and apparently not to Emma.
She was walking along the path with me and covering her ears as she walked, she said.
"Oh!! I shut my ears to that bird noise!!"

 There were wild yellow irises growing all around the lake.

 Watching the pelicans, land and take off.

 The article was right about the fishing. They caught no less than 25 fish in a very short time. Every time they threw out their line they got a bite. They were all a bit too small, so they threw them back. I think they were mostly Large Mouth Bass. I don't really know....

I was sitting under a tree ....in the shade, suffering from the first stages of heat exhaustion.
Oh I was sick.

So I made everyone leave early, and felt horrible for the rest of the day.

BUT

Barry and the kids are excited to go back in the month when the fish have grown and catch a ton of yummy fish!

Barry spoke in Stake Conference that evening. I heard he did really well. I was still not feeling well and stayed home.