CYBERJOHNSONS

Friday, October 11, 2013

Andrew in a Music Video with Internationally Acclaimed Singer Alex Boye

Andrew playing at Tony Grove

The orchestra playing at Tony Grove

A few weeks ago Andrew played a violin solo at our Stake Standards Night. He played extremely well and touched the 400 or so people there. Many people came up afterwards and told him how beautiful it was. One woman, Rhonda Thompson, said she was so impressed that she wanted to see if he would be interested in being part of a small orchestra for a music video she was doing in October.

We assumed this would be a small time production -- how wrong we were. The video was shot today at one of our favorite places -- Tony Grove in Logan Canyon -- by a professional team with an office in Nashville. The star of the video is the singing and video star, Alex Boye. Last year Boye did a very impressive video with the Piano Guys that has been viewed 20 million times! Here is the link if you want to watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgovv8jWETM

Andrew was part of a small orchestra that included three violins, two cellos and one base. The Director told me, "He is terrific -- so expressive and wonderful -- we got some great shots of him..." Obviously the orchestra will be a very small part of the final music video but I suspect it will include a few good shots of Andrew. It also will feature two grand pianos on the shore of Tony Grove.

Unloading the pianos

The two grand pianos on the shore of Tony Grove

At 8,000 feet Tony Grove is the highest point you can reach on a paved road in Logan Canyon. Storms over the last couple of days had dropped snow in the mountains and when we got there this morning we found an inch or two of snow. (The production crew used a tractor remove the snow from the place where the orchestra played). The temperature was in the mid thirties and there was a bitter wind blowing. While it was a beautiful morning, it was clearly not ideal for playing a stringed instrument. However, they had a large trailer the performers could stay in while not filming and a big blower/heater to keep them warm while they were being filmed. Even with that heater Andrew said his hands were so cold during some of the "takes" that the strings on his violin felt like they were going to cut his fingers.

The camera filming

In production

Tony Grove

The video will be completed in a month or so. I look forward to seeing it.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

New England in Fall

One of our favorite places in the world is New England -- particularly in the Fall. When we moved to Massachusetts thirty one years ago we drove to New Hampshire on our first weekend to see the much celebrated foliage. It was spectacular and Rosie and I agreed it was beautiful beyond belief. That first exposure left an indelible imprint on us. We lived in Massachusetts and Maine for eight memorable autumns.

This past weekend I had some National Forest Foundation Board Meetings in New Hampshire and I asked Rosie if she wanted to join me for the weekend. She thought it was a great idea and we had a wonderful time.

We flew into Portland, Maine, where we lived for 18 wonderful months in 2000-2001. We were anxious to see our old home and we were thrilled to see it looks great. In many ways that was our favorite of all the homes we have lived in over the years. The people we sold it to have taken great care of it.

Then we drove to the base of Mt. Washington -- the highest mountain east of the Mississippi. We wanted to climb this legendary mountain. Thirteen years ago I made this challenging climb with Julie but I had forgotten how challenging it is for any climber. With over 5,000 feet of total elevation gain in about four miles -- almost every step is a challenging grade. Virtually every step on the climb is on rocks.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

An Unforgettable Day on Mount Timpanogas

Brad & Rosie in the Timpanogas basin with the peak and colorful wildflowers

Thursday was one of the most beautiful and best days I have ever spent in the mountains. Caitlyn, my brother Scott, his sons Spencer & Jeremy, joined Rosie and me to climb Mount Timpanogas, the picturesque peak that lords over Utah County at 11,750 feet.

This has long been one of my favorite hikes and I have done it many times. Every step of the 16 miles is beautiful. It is always a world class hike but the brilliant and almost unbelievable wildflowers on Thursday made the hike truly exceptional. The mountainsides looked like an impressionist painting. As Rosie says, "God is the best gardener."

Never ending patches of brilliant color

Scott, Caitlyn & Rosie work their way through the meadow

Caitlyn excited about the longest hike of her life

Caitlyn & Rosie in a field of wildflowers

View of basin from near summit. Note the color from wildflowers in the middle of this picture.

Jeremy, Caitlyn, Brad, Rosie, Scott & Jeremy on Mt. Timpanogas ridge overlooking Utah County


Brad & Scott on the summit of Mount Timpanogas

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Christmas at our Home in Providence

We had a beautiful snowstorm on Christmas Eve. It made for a storybook White Christmas at our new home in Providence.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

A Lovely Celebration

Rebekah and Jeff celebrated with a wedding luncheon at the Bluebird in Logan. Family and friends united that evening at a lovely reception in Providence. Andrew and Scott provided beautiful music. Who would know they were in a gym?