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Name: c. brent
Location: Utah, United States
Birthday: 5/18/1949
Gender: Male


Interests: Gardening, gentle sarcastic humor, tickling the keyboard
Expertise: Student of all... master of none!
Occupation: Husband and father... and when
Industry: I think I'll retire...


Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website


Member Since: 12/23/2000
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Sunday, March 25, 2012

Significant progress on the Greenhouse exterior... a Saturday in March

2012... January 017

25 Mar 2012 004

25 Mar 2012 006

25 Mar 2012 005

25 Mar 2012 007

Servicing construction sites has some benefits... offal from the building process. The collection of siding materials becomes reality as another side is nearly completed with a bit of daylight to spare. Some additional vertical pieces remain to be installed. The Bridgerland cabin in Bear Lake was the latest and most significant provider of the trim!

Earlier in the week Jeffrey helped me sift the rocks from the back side of the gh and the rocks have been added to the heat sump interior. In addition, a homemade rain gutter has been fashioned and added to the back side to prevent destructive drip that would devastate future plantings and splash on the doors now serving as windows.

The onions planted early in March are beginning to come up and potato starts which had started to sprout in the shop have been transferred to the gh soil.

2012 March tilling garden

The leaves gathered from neighbors' curbs and added to the garden must now be tilled in to make ready for Spring planting. March temps have provided a couple of opportunities to do just that... plus tie up the dewberries and blackberries. The raspberries pruned and the dead removed in the fall remain erect ready for Spring budding. Rumor has it that Pamela is considering timing her "vacationing" here in Logan when the berries are on... like she did last year!


Wednesday, March 07, 2012

From One Generation to yet Another...

My mother's mother, Rose Ellen Earley Hodges, died in 1969 while I was serving my mission and stationed in Columbus, Mississippi. Sometime around that time, Mother was given or took over the care of one of G-ma's Begonia plants. That plant has been on Mother's back porch in St. Charles, Idaho, ever since, re-potted occasionally to prevent root damage. On a recent visit I helped myself to two cuttings from the lower hanging flora, carried them carefully to our home in Providence, Utah, rooted them in water for a few weeks, and then gave them their own soil and container...

2012 Mar 7 070

... the results have been satisfying as first a bloom appeared, and then new leaf


Saturday, February 11, 2012

After all those boys...

1951 summer 02

Mother finally had a baby girl in January of 1951... Maxine! I suspect my father, Cleneth Edward Arnell(1911), was the photog here with my mother, Norma Hodges Arnell(1920) seated on the ground with Maxine(1951) on her lap. My oldest sibling, Douglas Cleneth(1934), by Father's first bride, Cora Corinne Wilhelmsen(1933), stands in the rear, and my brothers, Gary Lee(1940), John Roger(1942), Dallas Hodges(1944), and myself, Cleneth Brent (1949)... picture looking northwest on the front lawn in front of our home in St. Charles. Notice


Saturday, January 07, 2012

Backyard Greenhouse Progress Report...

 

2011 8 4 0250

2011... midsummer... progress is slow... bee hives are in place on their "beedeck"... honey yield good for first year hives (squash plants to left in full production) 

2011 10 23 06 

2011... fall... anticipating winter... trying to get gh enclosed and covered in preparation for winter

2012... January 017 

2012... Not much has happened since first snowfall in October-November... windows (old doors) in both sides and front. View from house back deck

2012... January 018 

2012... view from straight on... double doors from someone's remodel... left window from another remoded job door

2012... January 020 

2012... Inside... old deck railing provides retaining barrier for heat sump... will eventually be filled with rock to act as heat reservoir... absorb  heat in the daytime, release heat at nighttime. Rocks held in with chicken wire. Walkway to the rear made from 2X3 planking cut to 27"

2012... January 021

2012... Walkway nearly done... dirt floor planter area soil sifted and ready for early spring planting. Four windows (formerly doors) facing eastward. One additional opening just beyond chicken coop wire will be covered with fireproof material... old stove will be installed there.

2012... January 025

2012... spud celar built from treated lumber and buried in the fall before harvest... closed

 2012... January 026

2012... Spud cellar... open

 2012... January 024

2012... salvaged wood racked in the back over beedeck

 2012... January 023

2012... January... bees still holed up for the winter.... some bees in town came out during last weeks warm spell. These chose to stay in.

 2012... January 027

2012... view from beedeck looking toward the south-ish

 2012... January 028

2012... view of back of home with 3" of fresh snow. Summac tree in winter mode looking in thru one of three west facing doors being used for windows.

   

)


Friday, December 16, 2011

Curtain Call… Christmas with theArnells… 2011

Notmany paid attention on that cold December day… four decades back… this very day…we[1]headed for L.A.[2]

Thenhopped a flight across the waves... too find where dreams are made… to startour little family… too young to be afraid!

 

Apartfive months… we wrote each day… this farm boy and his prize. The world couldtake a flying leap… just keep me in her eyes!

They[3]met us at the airport… all I could do was stare! A picture there in Island wear…face framed with stunning hair.

 

Sheseemed a little timid… but still… there was a kiss. Two days passed… our hands thenclasped… we entered wedded bliss.

Andnow we look back forty years… eight kids have shared our turn. Each is grown…each is wed… with so much left to learn.

 

Asnapshot of our happiness is what is proffered here. What isn’t shown is whereyou fit in the playwright of our sphere.

Andas this year comes to an end… and another one begins… you, He placed in a starringrole… in the cast we call our friends.

 

David[4] isour youngest and still at USU… completing his degree in Family Finance.

Serra[5]lives in Wellsville keeping house for Rich and two… and Mazie, their white lab.

Douglas[6]works with Key Bank in Logan helping folks to grow their wealth… spends time inhis shop when there is time.

Jeffrey[7]has moved back home to further his education… strength management and coaching…seeking a master’s degree at

 

USU…meanwhile, helping the old man “ready for occupancy”[8]the new AgSci building at USU where the Merrill Library[9] oncewas.

Julie[10]moved to Farmington last year and into a new home in October… she continueswith her love of photography.

Dallas[11]continues work from home/Logan with a California firm and making improvementsto home and hearth.

Pamela[12]lives in Henderson, NV… their flock numbers five… Pamela delivered #5 in thefront seat of her van this year.

 

Gary[13]calls Cedar City home and divides his time between George Wythe University andWilliamsburg Charter School.

Brentand Jan[14]live in Providence, Utah… Brent services the building trade in Cache Valley andnearby. Jan makes our house a home keeps track of g-kids and friends. Christmaschocolates are her specialty this time of year with around 700 pieces ready forholiday consumption! A plan in WeightWatchers may be this New Year’s resolution! Work on the greenhouse continues a work in progress!



[1]Cleneth/ Norma Arnell/ Brent stayed with Douglas and Garna before flying out toand upon returning from Laie, Hawaii, with the new bride. We visited Disneylandand nearly froze to death! Been on our honeymoon every since.

[2]Douglas is Brent’s oldest brother and with Garna lived in L.A. before moving toHood River, Oregon, several years later.

[3]Jan’s brother, David, and mother, Vivian Brower, and Jan… Dad Stephen was atthe Church College and would join us later.

[4]David and Melissa will graduate this next year from USU… Audrey Lydia (22 mo)applauds from the sidelines. Both work part time as well but manage their schedulesso that Audrey is well cared for.

[5]Serra and Rich love their Wellsville home … Jane (3) and Ally (16 mo) aremaking room for #3 in June 2012. Rich works with America First Credit Union inOgden. Serra keeps an Itsy Shop via Internet from home and lets Jan help herout, and continues one of my three favorite daughters. Their garden begins torival my own in beauty and production… and they have room for corn!

[6]Douglas and Darci have three little boys… Ethan (4+), Landon (3), and Aiden (9mo)… the three of them and Doug keep Darci very busy! Under Darci’s watchfuleye the boys have learned songs from LesMiserables and Chestnuts Roasting onan Open Fire!

[7]Jeffrey and Maren moved back in November from Las Vegas. Maren is looking forwork as a chef nearby.

[8]Fancy word for “cleaning”… dust busters… dirt jockeys… barrel buddies… wipingwonders… Vac R Us confectionaires.

[9]The old Merrill Library… a good deal of courting took place within thosehallowed halls… and some studying, too!

[10]Julie and Jared survived Farmington’s huge winds of this month with Olivia (7+),Evelyn (5+), and Lillian Jane (2+). Jared works in SLC at the U of U Children’sHospital complex in finance. Julie maintains her polish as the family Jewel… anickname of years ago.

[11]Dallas and Melinda live in Logan next to Douglas/Darci. Samantha Gean (18 mo)is the center of their lives… most generous with their resources and their toys.Melinda works on her master’s degree while interning at Thomas EdisonElementary in Nibley.

[12]Pamela and Brian… Serra Vivian (9+), Sophia Rose (6), Weston Burton (3+), CharlotteKaye (2+), Presley Jo (2mo). Brian runs Vegas’ 2nd ambulance servicebut destined to be #1. They are now our sole stake in the great desert ofNevada. Brian’s spare time is spent fixing up a 1966 Mustang.

[13]Gary and Liesl continue with Joseph Brower (16), Katrina Marie (14), JacobBrent (11+) Georgianna Hope (8+), Elizabeth Jan (5+), Gary Logan (2+). Lieslruns their home with the efficiency of a corporate executive, the love of aperfect mother.

[14]Jan serves as the Ward Family History Consultant, Brent as her assistant, teamas Marriage/Family Relations Instructors, and Brent serves as the Ward MusicChairman, and a member of the American Festival Chorus at USU under thedirection of Dr. Craig Jessop.



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