Everyone must say hi to Madonna when they come to the zoo. It looks like Madonna is checking Ryan out. Madonna only speaks Spanish and so the two of them were getting along famously. This could be why she doesn't give me the time of day.
This Baboon is a trickster. He lets you get up close to the chain link fence to say hi, then he pokes you with a stick he is holding. He has the quickest hands I've ever seen.
Our friend the cougar, just eating his lunch. Looks nummy!
Standing with the chef at La Tupiña Restaurant. The meal is expensive, but it is a 3 hour experience. A must for travelers in the area. He uses the fruits and vegetables in season that they grow there on their farm.
The dessert was homemade mint icecream, rice pudding, raisin cake, glazed pear. They even produce their own cream (with their cows help of course).
The presentation of the soup was interesting, cold tomato soup with cooked squash.
The grapes will be ready to harvest in February/March. There will be festivals, parades, and plenty of taste testing. People come from all over the world for the event.
Ryan and Jim in front of the winery as we are going in for a tour. Salentein exports 50% of their wine and fruit to over 40 countries. They bottle over 1.2 million liters of wine a season. Their prices per bottle range from $50-$7. The one fact that I feel is interesting in the growing of the grapes- they do not pull the weeds between the rows of grapes because the weeds challenge the root system of the grapes to force the roots of the grapes to grow stronger, as well as the weeds help to aerate the soil. (Trying to eliminate all the weeds from our lives is not always the answer, we grow stronger by facing our challenges and dealing with them in a mature way)
The story starts below, as father and son watch Aconcagua which was covered with clouds. We traveled all this way to see the tallest peak in the western hemisphere, and it was shrouded in storm clouds. After a quick silent prayer, the clouds began to break for just a moment, and the peak which is center between the clouds poked through for just a moment. As we were walking down the hill the clouds filled the whole sky. We were later in a huge hail storm and had to seek shelter under the entry arch of the Hotel Uspallata.
The peak could not even be seen through all the clouds. But our faith did not waver.
We were glad to see him come through the door...at last. Each time we see a family member or friend, it reassures us that we can make it three years as long as we can hug those we love from home once in a while. O.K. that's not including the other 170 children we have here. But who's counting.
Hermana Jarivs, Lindahl, Brown, Quist at the airport. We are the mothers over the Army of Helaman. We join a great sorority of Sisters who have put their lives on hold and only get to blow kisses to their grandchildren over Skype computer monitors. But for us that is enough because we know that the work is just too important to sit on our rockers and knit. (No that did not say "off" our rockers)
Elder Brown and Hermana Brown at the airport, arriving after a two day airplane adventure. They don't look any worse for wear. Sister Brown is a nurse, and Elder Brown is very mechanical, so we are anxious to put them to work. They are from Grantsville Utah. We loved them the second we heard they were coming. You've heard the Army needs "just a few men," well we need just a few senior couples to make this mission work. Do you know any?????
Elder and Hermana Quist have served their 18 months, and are headed home to Boise, Idaho (in the middle). All us "old people" went out to celebrate the ocassion. After seeing the steak Elder Quist consumed, I hope he makes it home next week. Argentina is known for their beef, but the salmon I had tasted just fine. Later in the meal we were sung to by two men strumming guitars. It was a wonderful evening with good friends. (Jarvis' in the front)
Can you feel your arteries crying. This is an example of the "bife chorizo" that Elder Quist ate. The Argentines like this cut of beef the best, it is the specialty of the restaurant.
Our favorite server, who makes me a special salad dressing each time I come. He is a good friend. The salad has about every vegetable there is in it. It is wonderful!
Elder Neibaur left our mission today, but not because he wanted to. Elder Neibaur's mother is dying of cancer and he needs to return to run the ranch in Idaho all by himself. His father died when he was at scout camp, and now his mother is soon to pass away. If there was ever an angel, it is Elder Neibaur. He is mature beyond his years and we will miss him so much.
One of the perks for being a zone leader in one of our 7 zones, is the opportunity to come together once a month for Consejos. This includes a brunch in the morning, a meeting with the assistants and President, and then off to our mission home for a great taco dinner. It takes hours to prepare, but not days (before we found the tortillas in WalMart, and Hermana Mallea rolled each tortilla out by hand). Elders Sullivan, Morgan, Pedersen, Candelario, Hawks, Malaki, Anaya, Sander, Romano, Benetiz. (upper left to right) President, me, Arario, Parry, Rubiolo, Armstrong, Moisko, Phippen, Jensen, Mathier.