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We spent last Thursday thru Sunday in Capitol Reef National Park. It's sad that no one seems to know where it is...but it's kind of a good thing. I'm glad it's such a well kept secret. It's beautiful and hardly anyone goes there. It's every bit as spectacular as Zion National Park, without the crowds.

Some highlights:

Fruita orchards in bloom

More orchard blooms

Cathedral Valley

Grand Wash narrows

I heart my in-laws!

Cam and me in Fruita

All of us at Glass Mountain, Cathedral Valley

Confessions of a binger...

I have been in a Jane Austen mood as of late. I have been reading and viewing several Jane Austen titles. First and foremost, of course, would be Pride and Prejudice.

I have read the novel twice in the past month. I have watched the Kiera Knightly version of the film a least 3 times in the past month. I have watched the BBC/A&E version with Colin Firth twice. I have purchased the soundtrack to the KK version and listen to it almost daily. I have purchased the sheet music and have started learning to play (it's hard!!).

Sunday nights on KUED, they are showing The Complete Jane Austen. That means that on Sunday night at 8:00, if I'm not out visiting family, I am parked on the couch, in my jammies and slippers, snuggled into my down blanket, with a box of tissues and a few pieces of chocolate, watching Masterpiece Theater.

I am currently reading Persuasion.

This is my first Austen binge, and I like it.

The most similar binge experience to the Austen binge would be the Anne of Green Gables binge. It has been years since this binge, however. I read all of the books, watch all of the movies, rinse, repeat...

Before the Austen was a Stephenie Meyer binge. I read all three of her novels in 2 days. I didn't sleep. I just read. And then I read them again. And again. I have pre-ordered her 4th vampire novel, and her first non-vampire novel, and marked the dates of release on every calendar I get my hands on. And I am somewhat nervously awaiting the release of the Twilight film.

I've had a few nerd binges where I've watched all of the extended versions of the Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, and Return of the King multiple times, and then devoured the special bonus features. I read the book at least once a year. It's fun for a nerd like me to find all of the many places where Peter Jackson took artistic license and moved dialogue/poetry/songs/experiences around to make for better film flow.

I anticipate a Christopher Paolini binge this summer, with the eagerly awaited release of Brisingr. The Eragon movie sucked, though, so this binge will be literary only.

So, I guess I'm wondering, does anybody else do this?