Sunday Meal at Broken Spur, and More

Sunday Meal at Broken Spur, and More

Broken Spur Inn & Steakhouse is a motel, restaurant and convention center that sits on a ridge, above, and just to the east of Torrey. We'd driven past, to see their scarecrows - see one on the horse, above, and then heard that Sunday would be end of their season at the restaurant - so a perfect time to go.

Looking south, you see Boulder Mountain. I have another photo or two from inside, with some interesting views in this direction.

Moving right, more Halloween decorations, another scarecrow, and the entrance...

Very much a Cowboy theme... this is our host. Sign in to the motel to the right; restaurant behind the host, to the left. Gift shop immediately on the left.

Nice variety of Cowboy pictures of all kinds around the halls, lobby and restaurant - I sort of favored this one in the restaurant... can't show you the 'nice ones' in either the men's or ladies' rooms - Sorry! ;-) Daughter, Allison, would especially enjoy those in the ladies' room, according to Annette's descriptions...  ;-)

Ok, back to the story... Annette and Larry used to come up to the parking lot here, they said, because it is one of only two or three places in the valley where you can actually see their house, up in the canyon, on the mountain. Here is the view from the restaurant window...

Looking closer, below, just right of center, there are three 'reflections' - the middle one is theirs. Sun low in the western sky, reflecting off the metal roofs. The Wilson's house, at the top of the road to their place, is to the right. Annette and Larry's is the upper one nearer the center, with one a little lower into the valley, below, and a little to the left. This is also a good reminder, that even though they are at 7,200 feet, there is still a lot of mountain above and behind them!!  ;-)

Here we are, awaiting our scrumptious meal - excellent chef, perhaps the best in the area, according to many. It showed, today! Once the food came, enjoyed every flavorful morsel... no more photo taking time. Among us, if you look a the menu, we had: The Combine, Wrangler, Fishing Hole and Mustang! ;-)

But, before the food arrived, one more 'out the window' view... to tell "the rest of the story!"

This photo is a bit to the left of the earlier one, and focusing on two parts of the valley, down below. To the right of the trees is a pretty pasture, with horses!

Near the center of the left half, you can see the large green roof, with cupola, of Cougar Ridge Ranch - a very high end, western vacation resort (an occasional movie star, or two, that we don't know about, is on-site, from time to time, if you get the idea). Their theme, you can see the whole web site at the link, is: Peace, Adventure, Knowledge and Luxury... let your imagination have a field trip!

On Saturday night, they hosted, in the main lodge, the "FriendRaiser" for the end of the summer season of the Entrada Institute - Celebrating the Colorado Plateau -  here in Torrey. Over a hundred folks attended, all the 'movers and shakers' in the area, including many of the part-timers that come down from the Salt Lake Valley regularly during the season for the weekly musical performances, lectures, and other presentations that the Instutite has provided over the past 19 years. Needless to say, FriendRaiser = Fundraiser, and if attendance was any indicator, they should have done fine. Larry and Annette are both on the Entrada Board, and arranged the excellent programs this year, with their fellow volunteers.

When we got back to the house, following a swing by the Cougar Ridge Ranch, the sun was about to set. I liked the way the shadows hit the Capital Reef National Park Waterpocket Fold mountain formations. I shared this one on Facebook, earlier.

I love the valley below as much as the mountains above, myself. Now that I look at it, again, you can actually see the ridge above Torrey - just about the very center of the image, where we were at the Broken Spur, and took the reflection images of the house - where I'm standing on the deck to take this one! Small world, huh!

Another great day in Wayne County, southern Utah!  ;-)

Oreo the Cat in Utah

Oreo the Cat in Utah

This afternoon, Oreo, the Cat, decided to come watch the four of us in the living room. Yesterday, he was stalking a ground squirrel. So, of course, we stared back. ;-)

I don't usually do sunrise, but I happened to catch this one. I was awake, thinking about the press release to write for my new novel, "Christmas at the Homeplace," that will be available at Amazon.com by or on October 25, 2013.

Just before sunrise, looking east, from the deck:

It was another very good day!  ;-)

Oreo and Snow in Utah

Oreo and Snow in Utah

Two important events yesterday (Tuesday, I think)... I got a photo of Oreo in the daylight!

Oreo is a feral tom cat that 'adopted' Larry and Annette... the cat is nice to have around, to keep the population of ground squirrels (a bit of nuisance) under control. After some consideration, they borrowed a 'cat trap' - made a visit to the vet (now an 'it' and properly medicated). After a few days of 'thinking about it' - the cat Oreo seems to have decided to stay around. They have a protected 'house' for him on the porch, when he chooses to use it. They provide a little food, twice a day, and some water. He seems to have learned the routine. But, he is still VERY cautious. This one time is still, after nearly a full week, the only time I've seen him out in the open.

Late yesterday afternoon, here at over 7,000 feet on the side of the mountain... we had a nice snow flurry... for maybe twenty minutes. It was still about 42, so no sticking! Kinda' fun, that way! ;-)

We had a quite day, today! ;-)

Benefit Concert last Saturday Night with Mary Kaye and Mike Moutoux

Benefit Concert last Saturday Night 

with Mary Kaye and Mike Moutoux

We were privileged to attend the Benefit Concert at the Bicknell, Wayne County, Utah, Community Center including performance by the fine Western entertainers Mary Kaye and Mike Moutoux.

Mike led off the evening with Cowboy Poems and Western Music that were both entertaining and inspirational. We were not able to attend Mike's Entrada Institute performance earlier in the year, and it was a real pleasure to both meet him and enjoy his performance.

The benefit was for West Taylor, a local horse trainer, and good neighbor to the folks out here. It had been seven weeks since his face collided with that of one of the horses he was working with. Doctors performed miracles with this face, as you can see, but they also ran up some very big bills, thus this benefit concert and some other efforts.

The featured performer was Mary Kaye. She is an award winning Western Musician, Song Writer, and Story Teller. We saw her perform at the Entrada Institute last year... I did this article on her then.
[Be sure to click on her name, above, to see her newest album, "The Dawn and The Dusk," and a neat list of her awards, as well.]

Since we saw her, she has performed in 15 states and Canada this year. It was a real privilege to get to see her in this intimate, benefit, community building setting. She is a friend of the Taylor family.

Here we are, watching her perform. Mike Moutoux took this photo and kindly shared it with us.

During her set, Mary Kaye had her two daughters, who were with her on this trip (they live about an hour and half away, in Manti), to sing a song with her. Excellent music!  ;-)

Mary Kaye's husband and manager, Brad, was there, as well, but he stays in the background. ;-)

After the concert, I got a photo when Nancy and Annette were talking to the girls, congratulating them on their fine performance.

Before and after the performances, as meal, they held a silent auction of many donated items.

Among us we ended up with a western painting, a couple pieces of jewelry and a copy of Mary Kaye's latest CD... all proceeds went to the Benefit totals.

I most pleasant evening. Great entertainment. Good food. Many new friends.  ;-)

Scarecrow Week in Wayne County, Utah

Scarecrow Week in Wayne County, Utah

Annette and Larry are having fun this week participating in and promoting Scarecrow Week at the businesses and homes around Wayne County. It is a new program this year, and seems to be gathering momentum in this fun, rural community. Teasdale and Torrey are near the center of Wayne County, of course, just west of Capital Reef National Park.

At a lunch program, today, the wore their "scarecrow" outfits and won a prize... not a whole lot of contestants... but have to start somewhere!

Here is Annette before they left:

You can see her "roller derby" socks, in this one!

This afternoon, we drove around the center part of the county, including the Visitor Center area of the park, looking for more scarecrows. Annette had done this on Saturday, but wanted to photograph some of the news ones, as well. Here she is looking at a "five parter" out on a rural intersection.

Following are just a few she took earlier:

See more at her Facebook page.

Here was a photo I took at the Visitor's Center at the Park, leaves are still changing... lots of pretty yellows...

I took this "Halloween" photo before we left, in our back yard. The neighbor put up the Halloween weather vane on the steel post the quarry owner next door put out to emphasis that his property line comes to here... within a few feet of our back decks...

It was a very nice day!  ;-)