Utah visit - Second Saturday

Utah visit - Second Saturday

This was the day of the all afternoon and evening Torrey Cowboy Poetry & Musical Festival, Entrada Institute's 11th Annual - our third in a row. Had our program and tickets...

Annette had been watching the weather. It was the one day this week with rain at 30-40% - each other day clear. Sure enough, Saturday morning on the mountain began with clouds, some sprinkles, and then, sleet, in sheets!  The folks in charge down in the valley, decided to change the venue to Loa, a town quite a few miles away from Torrey... But, by 1 pm or so, the rain had stopped. It was still windy, but the sun was shining... they decided to stay in Torrey. Through it all, Annette and Larry were running around, but Nancy and I stayed on the hill.

Finally, with the decision to go ahead, locally, we decided to go down to town, get a sandwich, and check out the weather and the area, a bit. We also stopped at Mom's favorite shop - the carmel candy store.

Driving around, I also took some photos of the Saddlery - where we went to dinner and band on Thursday night. The weekend band bus was there, Charley Jenkins. He was in Top 12 of Nashville Star Season 6, 2008, he was 12th...

They also got a yellow Hummer, to go around to the motels and bring folks in...

Close up of tour bus trailer...

I took Nancy back up the hill and we waited a couple of hours... Annette was up and suggested we come back a little before 6 - we wanted to see the High School Poetry winners read their poems that we had judged.

When the time came, Nancy said she didn't want to go and sit outside, but urged me to go down for a while. I got there a little before 6... here was the posted at the Robber's Roost Bookstore where it was held.

I caught the end of the performance of J.C. Needham, the Buckaroo Balladeer, on the outdoor stage. It was cold and windy.

For the evening program, the decided to move inside. It also turned out that none of the High School students, the three winners, were available to read their poems - it was Senior Trip day...

So, Gary Fulton, the cowboy poet that also performed earlier in the afternoon with Old Leather, agreed to recite to cowboy poems. Real good ones, of course!  ;-)

Then, Steve Lutz, emcee, introduced the evening activities.

He introduced 'Mary Kaye' for the 6:30 to 8:00 segment. She was the Academy of Western Artist's 2011 Western Female Performer of the Year.

The mother of ten, she and her husband live on a century family ranch here in Utah. She now has three albums and has an active schedule of live performances around the western USA and Canada. She is a great storyteller as well as singer. Here is her website, and here it the lens I made of her.

Here are Annette and I in our second row seats. 

Looking to the left, here was part of the audience.

The fellow in the white had, far left, is Mary Kaye's husband (manager) - she played off of him, off and on through the evening. A really great performance.

Finally, some time during the day, the obligatory bird picture - three birds feeding!  ;-)

It turned out to be a another very good day!  ;-)

Utah visit - Second Friday

Utah visit - Second Friday

We arrived a week ago, Wednesday night. We've had a real good visit. Added activities, cancelled activities. Didn't go, for example, to Steve Taylor's Friday class today - car battery down [some dummy - me - failed to turn off lights last night...!@#$%^ ;-)]. But, by not going, Annette got to work on her old iPad. About of a third of LCD screen was black... couldn't read that part of screen. She installed a new LCD screen, by herself. Here she is, hard at work.

And, after quite a lot of concentration, does the apple appear????

Yes, the apple appears! Congratulations...  ;-)

The rest of the story... the LCD screen is great... but now the touch screen doesn't work... may be a lost cause... time will tell.  Interesting experience to watch, though!  ;-)

Larry got to work some more on the grounds. Was able to run the RZR with wagon attached up to work area.

Pulled it clear up by the house. [Just noticed - I don't take to many photos looking this direction].

He used QuikCrete to solidify the areas around the drains he installed.

Backing out, he realized he needs gravel, not just the sand on the ground, in order to maneuver the vehicle better. Another addition to his "to do" list!  ;-)

Noticed the big pine on the west side of the house, against the clouds in the sky. Pretty!

Here is the base of the pine tree, as a reminder. Neat!  ;-)

Two more bird photos to finish the day... [they work, I play on my computer and watch the birds and the squirrels, right?? ]

Caught three humming birds feeding at once...

Another very nice day!  ;-)

Utah visit - Second Thursday

Utah visit - Second Thursday

We arrived in Utah last Thursday afternoon, making today the Second Thursday.

Got a nice photo of a Western Tanager today, thanks to Annette spotting it first:

One of Larry's projects today was to put the yellow flag on the RZR!

He also finished up this part of the drain project he's worked so much on...

A couple of other photos around the yard, for future reference. The weather station:

A barrier installed to slow the sand from blowing, perhaps...

Two of the tree wagons; this is the hauler for the RZR, the two-wheeler for camping is in the garage.

And, the firewood racks. All empty, used up all the wood from the winter. Will refill, he said.

And, finally, for our evening entertainment, we all four went to the new Saddlery. Great food, beautiful facility, fine wait staff, and really good local band provided live entertainment. A great evening. [They are on Facebook, but don't yet have a website. These were the souvenirs I picked up off the table... ;-)]

I was a very nice day!  ;-)

Utah visit - First Wednesday

Utah visit - First Wednesday

I've tried to hold back, just a bit, on bird photos, but we have to have a few, because there are so many opportunities!  I call this one: "Bird in Tree!"  ;-)

Larry has worked hard outdoors just about every day, so it is time to catch up on his progress. Today he was putting in the "water run off the roof" drain system on this one corner of the house. Part of his moving the rocks around and widening the path was also to move rocks out of the way to put in these pipes!

That ground is really hard. See that big rock, about in the middle, left, that he managed to work around?! He does really excellent work. I'm just amazed, time after time!  ;-) Note the drain cap laying on the deck, ready to go on, when he gets it leveled and ready! Watch for it later!  ;-)

He spent quite a bit of time filling in and leveling so that it would drain off just right. I didn't watch him, all the time, of course, so I only have a few photos. Here is after he buried it, again. You can see the two drain caps. In the upper right, you see the drain pipes he now needs to work some more rocks to run the drains out where the water can run down into the big draw, south of the house. More tomorrow, perhaps.  ;-)

One more on birds - a very busy bird feeder right outside the kitchen:

Another very good day!  ;-)

Utah Visit - First Tuesday

Utah Visit - First Tuesday

We took a drive out to Capital Reef National Park on Tuesday. Our specific destination was the Historic Gifford Homestead, among the orchards - where we could have some scrumptious pies!

Note the rustic rural setting, the barn, the horses, the wagon... Look what they have!

In the window it says they have pies. Along with the museum and gift shop, they have pies.
We ate some here, we took some home. Here is what we took home.

If that isn't scrumptious enough, try this...

It is perfect size for two to share... if you add ice cream, which we did with this cherry on Thursday afternoon (a few minutes ago, as I write this...), it was almost too much. The pies are made by Cafe Diablo Restaurant in Torrey, noted for their pastries.

The peach we had in the park was even better... with cold Root Beer!

Larry had a nice chat with the park worker (back at work, background) while we ate. We got to overhear; fellow was raised in the area, worked here a long time, enjoyed talking. He is working on some boundary rocks, kind of like Larry has done at the house.

He also told us about the truck, on the other side...

Look at that... a 1936 Flatheat 8 Ford truck... he said it still ran a couple of years ago...  ;-)

Going on down the road a ways, south, and back, we enjoyed the new paved surface, and the many areas along the road they are reseeding to natural grasses and wildflowers. For the first month or so, they have to go out, every day, with the water truck, and water and care for the 100 plus sites. Annette and Larry had talked to the Park biologist about the project earlier. Here are some photos of one site.

On of the larger restoration areas, alongside a pull-over that was improved during the repaving. Notice the neat stone barrier now on the pull-over area. The green sign says "Don't tread on me!"

The green sign actually says "Restoration Area" - but also, don't walk here... in so many words.

Looking the the left, the car where Nancy and Annette and Larry are waiting (patiently) for me taking my photos!  ;-)

Back at the house, Annette had a little wine in the new "wine-glasses" we got them for their anniversary a while back...  ;-) [A mason jar on a base!]

Larry continued to do some work outside each day. Getting that next rock moved. A second purpose is to be able to put in some drain pipes, where rain comes off the south roof. [You get a peek at the green pipe, lower left... more over the next couple of days.]

And, I'll close today with a [poor, but nice] photo of the sunrise Tuesday morning... thru the screen...

Over the Capital Reef red cliffs... every morning... clouds made this one a little more special. ;-)

It was a very good day!  ;-)

Utah visit - First Monday

Utah visit - First Monday

The day started early, as Annette and Larry were up around 7:30, and saw this deer off the west deck. My camera was handy, so I got the photos! THANKS!  ;-)

 Another view - through the slats...

Here he is peaking over the railing...

And, a close-up!

Here I caught a hummingbird drinking. There are several that flit around the several feeders. It is hard to catch them. Neat one with green top and broad red throat.

Nice red-capped bird at another feeder.

Finally, this late afternoon, Larry has been out moving rocks. Really good job, with really big rocks!

He wants to widen the path around this northwest corner of the house so the ATV and wagon can make the passage. Good goal. Much effort required. He does it slowing, over time.

Another very nice day!  ;-)