above it all

I'm not going to get this precisely right. I was so blow away by the post meeting tour my ability to make what happened accurate is totally lost (the order of the sights in the tower might be off)- but I will try.  

The 10th West Rezone Agricultural meeting with the city planners went well. It was pleasant and informative. And I can assure you that our tax dollars are not being squandered on A/C. Sounds like our little group has some homework to do. We also have an idea on the timeline: about 9 months to walk it through the process, if all goes well. There are defiantly more meetings in our future. How is that for a good start to the homeschooling year: Welcome to Civics 101 & Community Agriculture 2300. Now class let's take a private tour of the clock/bell tower and the cupola- way, way, way up top.

We slipped through a regular looking door and into a strange new world. 

It was way beyond what I could have imagined it would be like.

Kyle, James, and Beach overlooking the city on the lower walkway beneath the clock face.

South walkway looking west over the new courthouse.

Kyle, James, and BC out on the north walkway. Behind them Carol and Nephi. 

Looking out to the Grand America Hotel rising beyond the roof top, wrapped in the smoke of the wild fires burning in the west this summer. 

The feeling for being out on top of the building was so surreal but it got enough better as we went higher and higher through the tower. 

(photo below) James (Mr. W) standing on the walkway below the state flag.

Then we kept climbing stairs to the clock tower.

Beach said, "This is better than Hugo or Harry Potter!"

The north face of the clock.

The area outside. Way, way, way up there!

(It is a tiny ledge to be out on)

Then the bells.

Carol, Kyle, BC, and Nephi. You can see Beach sneaking under the beams to the bells.

And yes, Kyle rang the bells for us.

I can't even explain the web of infrastructure inside the tower.  

Still climbing....

One of the bells as seen through a hole in the floor on the next level up. 

Yes, wooden stairs and wooden floors, loose & chipped boards and all!

Up a flight of very steep "stairs" which thoughtfully Kyle suggested Beach and go last (wearing skirts!) then through what looked like a trapdoor... 

to the cupola (*239 feet) atop the City and County Building. While we were up there we got to hear the pumpkin story. Best place in the whole word to appreciate the magnitude of it. If you don't know what I'm talking about you might want to look it up. It's a good story. 

And Beach thought tagging along to a meeting down at city hall would be boring.

I had to include this pic (below) from 1/3/12. That is Kyle on the steps of the City & County Building holding Beach, his biggest little supporter, right after he was sworn into office. 

Thank you, Kyle. Thank you for never letting her down.