Young Men and Fire

I have heard many times the story of men and women who died or were lucky to escape death when the fire they were sent to extinguish overran them.  Part of our wildland firefighter training each year includes the lessons learned from recent or old fatalities or near misses to fire.

I had never read anything from Maclean until this documentary of the Mann Gulch fire.  I enjoy his writing style, and I especially enjoyed the way he told this story – as one who had fought fire.  He was employed by the forest service in Montana in his youth and experienced battles with fire there.

The tragedy of the fire in Mann Gulch is dissected and examined from several angles in order to learn all that is possible as to how it happened - the painstaking study of documents related to the investigation, of the science related to fire and how it played a part that day, the two survivors who returned to the gulch to relive a terrible event in their lives.

The emotions I felt when the events were retold were powerful. I can only imagine what it must have been like. Near the end of the book we can catch a small glimpse: “When a firefighter is told to drop his firefighting tools he is told to forget he is a firefighter and run for his life.”

Family Night Farming

My daughter loves to play games.  We all do, but not as much as her.  Saturday and Sunday and again tonight she has wanted to play The Farming Game.  We used that as a family home evening activity.  It was a lot of fun.

Except for the frustration …  I think this is a pretty good example of the struggle it can be to move through life, two steps forward and one step back.  Or in some cases in tonight’s game, 1 forward and two back.  Real life is very similar to this game, or Monopoly or the game called Life.  A good month is tempered by an unexpected car repair, etc.

Tonight we had many of those trials. When I had borrowed from the bank to lease rangeland and buy some cows, I was able to take the calves to sale only 1 time because I missed the auction spaces on every other trip around the board.  On another trip around the board I won double $$ on hay harvest, but my operating expense wiped out my entire check at the doubled amount, and then I had to dig into my savings to pay off the rest of the operating expense.  The next time it was a weather related loss at harvest time.

Yes there were trips around the board that earned me money, and each of us experienced the same thing, losses and gains.  We were able to take a moment and talk about how this game can relate to our jobs, our unexpected costs, and our increases. It was a good experience, and I think our kids understand a bit better about what to expect, and why it is a good idea to prepare for difficult times.

But it was a game so let’s focus on the fun:

Justin prepares to roll for a harvest.

The 2nd and 3rd place finishers with their profits.

I Love Sunsets

This photo was taken in front of our house Sunday night while we were working on a night sky assignment for school.  I used the top of my car and the self timer to get a steady shot.  Other than the breeze blown flag, it is one of the more focused night-time shots I have ever achieved.

Tonight I was at the fire station for training and the setting sun painted the hills to the east of the valley beautifully.  I was delayed for a minute and missed the best colors.  I love the way the mountains light up when there are a few clouds in the sky at night.

Also taken at the fire station this photo is facing to the west.  The utility pole hinders the scene, but the colors were so pretty.  I used HDR processing techniques for this photo. 

Here is the SOC shot.  I love taking pictures, but I have trouble making them turn out the way I want with my current camera.  Some day I will learn to use the settings better, or get my dream camera to start anew.  For now, I am glad I have scenery like this to practice with.

Inspecting Trees

I enjoy watching BYU television for many reasons.  There are devotional messages from various speakers covering various subjects. The Conference Reports are a favorite. On Sunday we can watch Music and the Spoken Word and a worship service of our Church. There are so many other programs with uplifting content.

Since the first of the year some new programming has joined the broadcast schedule. My mother and my children are hooked on a program called The Wind at My Back, about a family in northeastern Canada in the early 1900’s. I am beginning to warm up to it, but could take it or leave it. It is not so with my boy.

I didn’t realize how bad it had gotten until yesterday, when on our way home from a family get-together in Brigham City, my son realized that he had missed the latest episode and there were no more chances to view it before the next installment. He was very upset. It is occasionally suspect in relation to portraying the values my wife and I would have our children learn, but it is definitely not as far gone as the Disney channel ½ hour programs we encourage them NOT to watch.

Two of my absolute favorites from the new line of programs are The Road to Zion, a series that explores the international history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The top of the list currently, is The Generations Project. I happened to catch an episode this very night, and it touched me greatly.

I have been AWOL for about a week, not posting anything, and hope to get back to the family history stories I had started here. The Generations Project is a new reality series that helps those who have questions about their family history investigate their own identities by walking in the shoes of their ancestors.

Tonight’s episode was a rerun but I had never seen it before. It was the story of Maile Mossman who has lived all her life in Maui, Hawaii, where there are strong oral traditions. Maile is a Kupuna, a teacher of oral tradition through Hawaiian music. Unfortunately, Maile knows very little about her maternal side of the family and is unable to pass on oral traditions to her own children.

I was especially drawn to the experience of a grandmother of Maile, who was a leper exiled to a leper colony. There she met and married a man who had also been diagnosed with leprosy. While together they had 6 children, 4 who lived. The children were removed from the colony shortly after birth to prevent them from contracting the disease, never to be seen again by their mother.

Circumstances allowed her grandmother’s husband to be declared cured, but instead of leaving he stayed with her until her death. He was then able to leave the colony and rejoin his children who had been sent to live with other relatives. Such a heartbreaking story, with its accompanying evidence of love and devotion that was discovered by the research the project was able to perform for her.

My favorite part of this episode was a visit to the same island where the colony was located, walking the ground her grandmother walked, and hearing about the circumstances these people lived under. This quote from the episode exhibits the purpose of the project, as well as the importance of genealogy to the LDS Church.

Maile said, (speaking of the grandfather she never knew of until this research) “I like him. He’s admirable to me. He made her life wonderful and she probably did for him or he would have gone when he was cured. The explanation of her coming in …. It’s the buildup of the details and data I have learned, together with the little bit I already know of her …. It was 115 years ago, but time means nothing, families are forever, so time means nothing. That is why it affects me … but in a good way. I’m not weeping for her suffering, I’m weeping for the good in her life.

If this is also interesting to the few who might come across this post, I hope each of you have a way to view the program, possibly online at BYU TV.  I can relate to the desire that those featured on this program have, to learn more about their heritage.

My father died when I was 23.  Unfortunately it was also before I really became interested in the things he experienced that I could have learned from.  In turn, I never knew my grandfathers in this life, both had passed away before I was born.  All I have left is the information that others have taken the time to write down or relate to me. 

Finding a way to connect with those who have come before us …. What a powerful thing that is.

Spring Means Job Security

Open burning in Cache County kicked off on Tax Day this year. Let’s see, that’s two days ago officially. This year there is a 1 month window for anyone with ordinary combustibles like tree trimmings, overgrown yards, etc., to burn it up. As long as they call to see if the air quality allows burning that day, and receive a permit, they’re good to go.

Agriculture burning has been going on for some time already this year, as well as some yard burning before the official season. This photo was taken from our backyard this afternoon, of a field northwest of Newton receiving the treatment so many others have and will receive.

Today, the open burning season kicked off with a bang, for firefighters. Two permitted fires went out of control, requiring fire department response. It’s not the first time this year that a well meaning fire has required a call to summon fire trucks, not even close. These two did require multiple vehicles from numerous stations to control, and they were in progress at the same time.

A haystack and a barn caught fire in Cove, 4 stations sent trucks to manage that incident. South of Logan a grass fire was burning out of control with the wind helping it. Both of Logan’s stations were emptied and a call to Wellsville brought brush trucks and tenders.

I imagine the rest of the season will have moments where firefighters need to respond and control the results of a well meaning fire. It’s the time of year that many - if not all - of the county stations will get a call.  Job security for firefighters.  Hopefully not in a large way like today, or other out-of-control fires in other years, but we’ll see.

Shake Rattle and Roll!

KSL.com Story of Today's Earthquake in Northern Utah

A U of U Seismologist was interviewed for Salt Lake’s Fox News at 9:00 (and no doubt the other stations) and he said we have a less than 10% chance that today’s earthquake in the wilds of Rich County was a pre-cursor to a bigger quake.

That, of course, means it is about 90% certain that we won’t have a larger quake in the area.

Well, I feel comforted by that. But not enough that it removes all of the anxiety and worry that this might fall into one of those less than 10% occasions.

If I didn’t have a responsibility to the community as a firefighter and department officer, that would be another story …..

Strawberry Shortcake

My wife’s Grandma passed away last November. She lived 45 minutes away from us in Bear River City. Having her close by was very nice, and our children were able to get to know her through holiday visits and other occasions.

April holds the birthday of Grandma Burton and my wife’s mother, Grandma Burton’s daughter. It was a time of year when we gathered at Grandma Burton’s house to visit, and then we often followed up with a Mother’s Day gathering at her house in May.

There was a section of the Bear River Canal right next to her property. The kids felt it was necessary to walk along the road next to the canal, weather permitting. We had lots of fun on those visits.

The usual treat we shared was strawberry shortcake. Grandma Burton would cut up the strawberries and spoon on some sugar to make them a bit sweeter. When it was time to enjoy this treat the cream would be whipped, and everyone would eat their fill – or at least as much as they thought they could get away with.

Over the past week or so we have had strawberry shortcake a few times. Last night was one of those times. After dishing up my bowl I decided to take a picture. Except for the pre-whipped cream from a container, it was a spot-on match for the strawberry shortcake we have had at Grandma Burton’s in years past.

We will often recall the memories of those family gatherings in April and May at her house, especially when we are enjoying some cake and strawberries.

Isn’t Technology Fabulous?

I love Napoleon Dynamite.  I must be from Cache Valley, or just mental. I worked with the mother of the writer/director for a time.  She was the owner of the black Llama, Tina. The bonus feature wedding scene is not to be missed, in my opinion. I don’t think Kip will be a recording star, but what a funny song.

What is the link from obscurity, to the reason for this post? Technology:

I remember when cable TV came to my home town, much later than it did to other parts of Cache County.  The means of getting it to the far reaches of the valley was to beam it from the cable company offices by microwave, or some means of transmission. I believe the town council had to vote on it, after public hearings, and then a spot for the receiving hardware had to be located. Quite the process….

Now, we were not in the dark ages, but it was a big step forward into the information age for my home town. What was huge back then is not a big deal these days.  Satellite or cable television and high-speed internet to visit anywhere in the world is now the standard, not the exception.  24/7 news, making the latest events unfold right before our eyes in ways that were hard for me to imagine. With all the amazing things it brings us, there are a few things technology provides that I find to be redundant.

For example:  Ordering an item from the web page of a local store to have it delivered, or pick it up. Who would have imagined the NEED to ever do that, let alone that the businesses in this area would offer that convenience? What is wrong with the phone, or just spending the time to go to the store and get whatever is needed using the old fashioned method? My perspective was to change, however.

The first time I ever made a purchase like that over the internet was to buy movie tickets. We were worried that the theater would sell out for the screening we wanted to attend, if we waited until we arrived to buy our tickets. I was happy for the convenience of it, but it was at the same time, well, weird... I guess I just didn’t see many instances where it was necessary, in still mostly rural Cache County, Utah.

Today my understanding of the need has grown. We were expecting a visit from the representative of a company from Salt Lake City, that we have a business relationship with. Yesterday we made arrangements as to the time he would arrive, and that he would pick up sandwiches on his way, from a specific sandwich shop with a store in Logan.

Using an online menu I polled the office and I received sandwich orders back from all who would be attending the meeting, and emailed the list back to the rep from Salt Lake. I honestly expected the list to be taken by hand to the deli chosen and the order to be handled that way, or a phone call would be placed. But no, my feeble understanding of how technology can improve our lives was in need of expansion!

This morning I was a bit surprised to find in my email inbox a copy of the order confirmation from the local store of the deli. It contained the entire list of sandwiches I had emailed to the SLC rep, down to the detail of additions and deletions requested by each attendee. Amazing! The online order matched each person’s requests item by item.

I doubt I will ever order food over the internet for myself, or even 2-3 people, ever again. It’s still weird, if you ask me, but today my eyes were opened. Now I can understand how using technology to order a SANDWICH online – of all things - makes life better, even if I choose not to use it.

Great-Great Grandpa – Part II

Continuation of this post

After leaving Salt Lake in 1855 to farm in Lehi, Utah, William and Mary settled there for a time, and two children were born. The second child was named William F. Rigby Jr. (my grandmother’s father). It was here that William entered into polygamy when he took a second wife, Lousia . After 2 years she left the family.

In 1860 William travelled to Cache Valley to scout out a place to move his young family. After spending the summer in Wellsville and raising a successful crop, he returned to Lehi for the winter. The next spring he brought his wife and children back to Cache Valley to settle in Wellsville. William married his third wife in 1863 and fourth in 1864, then fifth in 1867. His third and fourth wives were half-sisters and his fifth wife was a cousin to the third and fourth wives.

William was called to be the Bishop of the Clarkston Ward in the fall of 1867. It appears that part of this family stayed in the Wellsville area for a time. After two years in Clarkston it was decided that a site a few miles south would be better for a settlement, the townspeople met and voted.  The majority decision was to move from Clarkston to the new location and New-town was founded under the direction of Bishop Rigby.

The Rigby’s moved to a ranch property 2 miles west of the Newton site in 1969, constructing a 2-room house and later a stone house. Another of William’s wives moved up to the ranch property from Wellsville.

Once the process of moving to the new settlement began, a few of the Clarkston settlers had mixed feelings about leaving their homes. With discord growing, Bishop Rigby counseled with President Brigham Young. The Prophet felt that both communities could survive and the Clarkston site should not be abandoned, those wishing to stay were welcome to do so.

In the Spring of 1871, a wood frame home for the Rigby family was to be built in Newton. When the chimney was complete, the test run proved disastrous when the home burned to the ground, the first loss to fire in Newton that I know of. When the fire debris was cleared a stone house was built on the same spot.

With the settlement of Newton and his move to the new community, William was released as the Bishop of Clarkston and called to be Newton’s Bishop. He also served as a Captain in the Nauvoo Legion.

In the summer of 1870 crop failure from the lack of water in Newton threatened many with the loss of their homes and farms. Bishop Rigby and Clarkston’s new Bishop met and negotiated a settlement over water rights for the two communities. There was still concern for the future, and constructing a dam for irrigation water was the answer.

A companion project was a bridge across the Bear River to provide an easier way to transport their crops to the larger markets on the east side of the valley. The bridge was completed first and then efforts were turned to the building of the reservoir. Bishop Rigby was among the members of the community who were charged with supervising the reservoir construction.

A site three miles to the east of Clarkston was chosen, where the runoff from the Clarkston Creek could be dammed and support the farms of Newton. As the leader of the Newton Ward, a son of Bishop Rigby was selected to dump the first load of fill. His ox refused to cross the creek so another man went around him and the dam was started.

A marker erected by the D.U.P. sits on the northwest corner of Newton’s Town Square and reads: Located three and one-half miles north of this marker, the first storage reservoir in Utah was begun in 1871, and completed in enlarged form after going out three times. Length of dam, 127 ft., height, 28 ft, made of earth and rocks. Cost: $10,000.00. Reservoir length: One and a half miles. Capacity, 1,566 acre feet. Original building committee: Bishop William F. Rigby, Franklin W. Young, Stephen Catt, Swen Jacobs and John Jenkins. First caretakers and water masters: John Griffin, A.P. Welshman and Jonas N. Beck.

The claim of first irrigation reservoir in Utah is substantiated in this Utah.Gov document.  This was a milestone in the development of agriculture for those who moved from Clarkston to Newton.

To Be Continued

7 Alarm Blaze in NYC

China Town NYC, 4/11/2010.  NYC’s Bravest battling a blaze.

Firehouse.com

Burning

I’m a kid at heart when it comes to fire.  Last weekend I was able to indulge that a bit.  Friday night I received a call from a farmer in town who had been burning a field.  It was dusk, and the fire was still active in a grassy area between fields - did I think it would be a problem if it burned into the night?

Regulations call for all fires to be extinguished before nightfall, so it had to be put out.  I went with the land owner and we used shovels to extinguish the flames.  Watery eyes, runny nose – the body’s mechanism to protect itself from the smoke.  Great times!

Saturday, my brother wanted to burn off some of last year’s growth in a few spots around his yard.  I went over to help.  More fun!

Since then I’ve been thinking about a line from the movie Backdraft. “… but the only way to truly kill it is to love it a little.” I agree with that, on the basis that to love fire means to understand fire, what it will do in certain situations, and use that knowledge to an advantage.

Sometimes it doesn’t always work out that way.  Sometimes the fire has too great of a head start.  Sometimes environmental factors help the fire, which is why understanding weather’s effects on fire are important, especially to the wildland firefighter. In addition to the weather modules in basic wildland firefighting training, an entire course of study is devoted to helping wildland firefighters understand how weather plays a role in fire behavior.

A wind-blown wildfire is a thing to behold, and many times we see that in Cache Valley, but I will focus on one particular fire in this post. Cleveland Hills is an area of Franklin County Idaho, between Preston and Grace. In August of 2007, a fire started in Cleveland Hills, apparently due to an electrical line failure.

Our station was called to this fire mid-afternoon on Saturday, August 11^th, when additional resources were needed for structure protection. With a travel time of roughly 45 minutes there was plenty of time to wonder about the conditions we would find when we arrived. As we passed the southern flank of the fire the high winds that were pushing the fire were very apparent, bending the trees and helping the fire through the remaining unburned fuel along the edge of the highway.

Several other brush and structure engines from Cache County had arrived before us and were positioned at homes along the highway. When we arrived at our post we backed down the lane of the house that we were to defend, and met up with other Cache County crews. We stretched a hoseline into the brush to help them extinguish the remaining fire. While at this position the large air tankers put on quite a show as they passed overhead when their retardant runs were complete.

The fire had moved beyond this area to the north, creating a patchwork of blackened areas on both sides of the road. When the situation improved in our area, all of the crews from Cache County were held at their current positions to monitor for any hotspots that flared up. Approximately an hour before sunset we were directed to gather at a wide spot on the highway and prepare for demobilization.

While at this location we watched a BLM crew perform a burnout to solidify the line on the southern flank of the fire. After filling out the paperwork necessary we were released to return home. We stopped in Smithfield for fuel then on to the station to put the engine back in service.

Even though we arrived to our assignment a little bit behind the main front of wind-driven flames, it was amazing to see the way the wind had created a fire storm and had pushed the fire mile after mile up the highway, defying all efforts on the ground and from the air to check its progress. Our respect for weather related fire behavior was renewed that day.

Saturday Night Movie

This week we have watched a couple LDS themed movies.  Last Monday we watched The Home Teachers, tonight, The RM.

I enjoy watching these videos, and our kids do too.  We laugh and laugh when we watch The Home Teachers.  The gnome, the mishap with the casket at the viewing, the car crash, etc..  Great stuff!

But when it comes to the most quoted part of that movie, what do the kids always repeat?  “David begat Gorgonzola”.  LOL!!

Our kids wanted to watch The RM tonight.  I laughed myself silly.  What a fun movie, and who doesn’t enjoy poking fun at the oddities of their own culture?

I don’t know anyone who had the same experience as Jared of the RM when they returned from their mission.  Hopefully no RM has seen that many things go haywire.

I was able to feel the frustration of the experiences he was having while watching tonight.  The song Go Back from the soundtrack appears in the movie when Jared is facing his most difficult trial since returning.

I think just about everyone has felt like they would be in a better place if they could go back to a time in the past when things were different.  I certainly have felt that way and I was able to relate to that aspect of the movie more intensely with the help of this song.

Great-Great Grandpa – Part I

Earlier this week of an evening, I found the TV on KUED and a program called The Mormons was playing. I believe I have seen bits and pieces of it before, but only recognized the images, not the narratives and interviews. The first party of the Saints was making the trek westward when I joined the broadcast. As I watched I began to step back in time to stories from my family history, and I have spent a good deal of time pondering those stories since that night.

I am blessed to have access to much information about my father’s parents, as well as a large text about my most famous relative, from my dad’s mother’s side of the family. My mom relates verbal histories of her family, but nothing is on paper, that I have seen. When I take the time to learn of them, I am amazed at the stories of my ancestors. My wife’s family history is equally as interesting.

After watching the PBS program I have been compelled to revisit my family history that is contemporary to the events described in the documentary, and therefore write about it. I think I’ll start with my father’s side of the family where the most information exists.

On the pedigree chart of my grandmother is a name that may be well known in the Northern Utah and Southern Idaho area, not just because of the number of his posterity that still live in the region. William Frederick Rigby is found among the names of my ancestors, as with many others whom I know and even more I’ve never met.

He was a pioneer, a farmer, a church and civic leader, a missionary.  He was also a polygamist, with 7 wives and 38 children.

His namesake, William F. Rigby Jr., was the father of Orpah Rigby, who married Knute Fabricius. They are my father’s parents. My dad’s father was born in Denmark. The Restored Gospel reaching Grandpa Fabricius’ family in Denmark put into place the events necessary for these two to meet and fall in love. A large volume of text that documents the life of William F. Rigby Sr. has been published, which I am using as a source as I relate his story.

William F. Rigby Sr. was born in England in 1833, to an un-wed mother. His mother did later marry, a Methodist minister, and in 1846 she died in childbirth. At 15, William left home to live in Stockport with his mother’s sister. William was baptized into the LDS Church in 1848, and he married Mary Clark in 1852. In the spring of 1853 they left England with a group of church members to immigrate to Utah.

William arrived in Salt Lake City on October 5, 1853, sent with a few others in advance of the wagons to request help for the rest of his party, their provisions had run out. Help was sent and the remainder of the group arrived in Salt Lake on October 13th.

The first winter in Salt Lake was difficult.  Doing what was necessary to provide for their needs, while living in a wagon box in the dead of a Utah winter would be a daunting task.

To Be Continued

Things People Say …

I was driving myself to work this morning and as I usually do I was listening to the local news and information station on my vehicle radio.

This radio station is part of the ABC news network, with frequent national news updates. This morning’s version included the latest from the tragedy in West Virginia.  The closest I can come to understanding that situation is what I know second hand from last summer’s landslide in a Logan, Utah neighborhood.

Two firefighters from our department were able to join with the others from around Cache County on the day the victims were discovered.  Even though it was not a personal experience, I was able to grasp a bit of the feelings and emotions involved.  What a sad thing.

The next story on this morning’s ABC news offering was about The Masters Golf Tournament.  This is Tiger Wood’s first tournament since his personal difficulties were made known. The part of the story that made me pause was a comment of an unidentified man who said something to the effect of, “Tiger Woods still has a lot of explaining to do”.

Okay, wait a minute …. This person was not introduced as a family member of Tiger, an in-law of Tiger, a fellow golfer, not even a friend of Tiger. I may be wrong, but this un-identified person likely has no more association with Tiger than they are both interested in golf.

With that in mind, just what, I inquire, does Tiger Woods need to explain to that man - or anyone else for that matter – who does not fall into one of the categories I mentioned above?

Are there really people in this country so dependant on the happenings of famous people that they feel personally harmed when one of them has fallen? Sadly I believe the answer is yes, but I was still shocked at this person’s statement.

Does Tiger Woods owe me any kind of an explanation about what caused his troubles to occur? NO!!! And I hope I never get to the point that I am so enthralled by a person I have never personally met and have no ties to, that I respond similarly to their failings.

I don’t even want to get started on the bantering between Sarah Palin and President Obama over the nuclear proliferation treaty ….

More fun With HDR Post Processing

I am not anywhere near a pro at using the Photomatix software for HDR.  In fact, I am still using the evaluation version – although I am quickly becoming hooked on what it can do.

I realize that a natural, raw image from the camera can be a thing of beauty.  I try time and time again to capture that just-right photo.  I often succeed, but sometimes I just can’t make it work.

For post processing, I usually go with Photoshop Elements 2.0. I have learned a few tricks to salvage my less-than-perfect photos. I think I like that software and what it can do, and am glad I have it. But if I find the right scene and use my camera to take the exposures necessary, HDR appears to  be a very nice way to make a photo into something special.

This photo was taken on a nice June day a couple of years ago. It is what prompted me to submit my first story to the Cache Valley citizen journalism site, and it was published in the local newspaper. I used a preset in the HDR software to create this image from a raw photo. This tractor is from the very early 1900’s. It’s used a rein steering mechanism, maybe to help the transition from horses to mechanized equipment easier.

Pretty neat effect, if I do say so myself, almost looks like a painting.  Click on the photo for a larger image to see the detail better.  My apologies for the watermark, I believe that is present because it is only the evaluation version.

Here is another photo of a different tractor owned by the elderly gentleman next door. He only works the small fields around his home these days, but that is still a giant feat, considering he’s 95 this year, I think. This is his Farmall tractor circa the 1930’s, with a hay rake, standing by to arrange the hay in his fields when it has dried just the right amount. This photo was not processed quite as much as the previous post, but it still has that art-work feel.

The third photo takes us back even farther in time, well, not really, because it was taken in 2008 as well. There is a family in our community who uses their horses to do as much of the farm work as possible, including hauling hay. My daughter was able to take the reins for a moment and drive the team toward the hay barn under the watchful eye of the farmer. I used the heavy HDR processing pre-set for this photo.

I think I will start saving up for the licensed version of this software, and see what else I can do with photos to make them come to life. I have a camera that can take the photos as prescribed, but of course I still have that dream of a really nice digital SLR to use to improve my ability to take the photos I long to take.

Spring Break

It’s a great time of the year, because it’s Spring Break in the Cache County School District!  Well, if you could call it spring ….

The photo below was taken Friday April 2nd, the last day of school before spring break for our kids officially began.  Yep, new snow.  I was on the way to school with my daughter for Dads and Donuts and saw this:

I pulled off the side of the road to take a photo of Little Mountain.  The auto setting on my camera didn’t do the sky justice, but technology made up the difference.  With the help of Photoshop Elements I was able to make it look pretty close to the way it did when I took the photo as the sun was peeking over the mountains to the east.   

Anyway…. why is it a great time to have snow when spring break is in full swing?  Because we can sleep in!  Enough said!  We are not planning on any trip to a warmer part of the world, or any grand activities at all, yet ….  I don’t mind though, because I LOVE a day when I can wake up when I need to, instead of when the School District needs us to.

I swear spring break was only 2 days off school, for a total of a 4 day weekend, when I was a kid. This year we have a total of 9 days – counting weekends – to use up.  Late church on Sunday adds to the blissful slumber that is to be had during the coming days.

There is plenty of time to hatch a plan, but with the threat of a big winter storm arriving tonight, I think we’ll just hunker down and enjoy the relaxation.  Now if I could justify skipping work …..

Tinkering With HDR

I love to take pictures.  I dream of some day having a digital SLR to use to satisfy my quest for even better photos.  Then I’ll be a star ….  Okay, probably not, but I’ll have a nicer camera!

I came across a photo blog called Stuck in Customs, where the author uses a processing technique that can create some amazing images.  I have tried to learn the technique with an evaluation version of the software suggested on the site.  I think I might investigate this further, because it can enhance the image if done right.

Two of my attempts:

This is Cutler Canyon of the Bear River, southwest of Newton.  Jim Bridger rode his bull boat through this canyon, long before Cutler Reservoir was built. Here is the base image:

The second processed photo:

This is a photo of the Bear River, looking East from the Long Divide, near Newton.  Below is the base image:

These photos were not taken using the prescribed method – auto exposure bracketing - but they turned out pretty good.  I tested it with some auto-exposure photos that I took around the house today.

It does seem to work better if you can use auto-exposure bracketing when taking the picture the first time as compared to using editing software to tweak the exposure and save three versions.

I think it is a method that can make a nice end result, as long as one can justify the expense of a licensed version of the software that makes it possible.

Dad’s and Donuts

A few times a year the elementary school our kids attend (past-tense for birthright boy) invites a parent to a before school program to read together.  They also invite athletes from Utah State University to the event.

Mom’s and Muffins was earlier this year, today was Dads and Donuts.  I didn’t attend last year’s Dads and Donuts, and the theme Moms and Muffins automatically excludes me from an invitation.  I was not sure what to expect.

I enjoy going to school activities.  Elementary school programs are a lot of fun.  As our youngest is finishing up 4th grade we will only have one more year to attend the activities at this school.

Another reading centered activity this school has held every year, on or around Dr. Seuss’ birthday, is called Oreo Night.  (Oreos, donuts, muffins – a theme developing ….).

Students and their families choose classrooms to visit and the teachers read excerpts from a book.  To liven up the experience, some of the teachers dress up to match the theme of the book they chose.  After visiting three classrooms, its time to select a free book for the students, and everyone gets a snack of Oreos and milk. It’s a lot of fun.

Back to today’s program: We arrived and went to the big gym where tables with donuts and drinks were arranged in the center of the floor – yep, motivation to attend!   Dads and students were scattered around the bleachers or on chairs and some were sitting on the floor, reading from a book the student chose from the free books supplied for the event. 

The USU athletes attending were basketball and football players, scattered around visiting with and reading to the kids.  The basketball players were receiving the most attention, probably because they don’t wear helmets when they play and face recognition is easier.  Aggie sports are a big deal in Cache Valley and the kids were having a great time getting pictures taken and asking for autographs, in between reading to students.

My daughter asked me last night if we might get an autograph from some of the athletes and I said we probably would. Today the only autograph she wanted was from Tai Wesley of the basketball team. She was too shy to go ask him herself, and definitely too shy to pose for a picture with him. I took her book to him and while he signed it she snapped this photo. Yes, out of focus, but I think it’s pretty neat.

Look, It’s a Day in Honor of Me!

It’s finally here, and I’m flattered.  A day to celebrate me, April Fool’s Day!  No, not the other umpteen however many people who feel like I do, it’s my day!  Darn it….

I not that I’m big on practical jokes or pranks, but I won’t turn down the opportunity when given the chance.  It’s the odd, out of the ordinary way I view myself that makes me feel like a day with fool in its name is my day.

That being said, I’m not going to expose the inadequacies that prove my point – at least not at this time.  I will however, encourage everyone to make it a great day.  Go ahead, be like me!  Well, not that kind of fool - pull a prank!

If feel the need to do so, but you are wondering what to do to prank someone, here are some ideas:

My favorite:  Look up the phone number to a local mortuary and present it to a co-worker with a simple phone message to the effect of, call Mira Maynes at xxx-xxxx.  This has been successful for me on at least two occasions.

Our office phone system makes this next idea easy to perform:  Take some clear tape and tape down the off-hook button that rests underneath the earpiece of the phone handset.  The first call for the victim with the taped down button is good for a laugh or two.

I found a site with some other mostly harmless options to consider.  Harmless - depending on the attitude of the person being tricked, that is.

I have school age kids who are no doubt going to pull a trick on me when I get home from work.  Sometimes it works and I bite - hook, line and sinker.  I’m actually looking forward to it.  It will also be great to be myself and pass it off as just celebrating the day, instead of explaining away my awkwardness. Again. Day after day …. Can’t every day be April Fool’s Day?

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham

Who doesn’t love the classic underdog story? In the face of crushing defeat we find our hero grasping at any chance to rise above. He joins an unlikely group of men in a foreign country, hoping to ride out the ridicule back home until the next big opportunity. The deck is stacked against his new companions, together they battle their way through difficulty not imagined.

When given the chance to follow his dream, I was very impressed with the pride of organization and team shown by our star, Rick, by choosing to stay with his commitment instead of taking a selfish path. He’s still not perfected as we soon learn, but he is maturing. No life and death consequences exist, but I was happy to see him caring for the dreams of others more than his own.

A quick read compared to many of Grisham’s other works, I enjoyed the easy light feel of this novel. I would guess that a book like this is as fun to write as it was to read. In its own way this story reminded me to look around and see what can be done for the benefit of others. Doing just that improves attitude and more than likely the outcome.

Scary-Spookies

I don’t mind being scared from time to time, it keeps the adrenalin flowing. Sometimes I even seek it out. I don’t like bloody horror flicks, but I like to watch a movie with some creepy twists and turns. For example, when the aliens suck people off the face of the earth in The Forgotten, or when unexplained things happen in Dragonfly. The Others’ and Sixth Sense are among my favorites in that genre. Paranormal investigation shows are also of interest to me.

The funny thing is that I startle easy. Seeing someone pop up from somewhere I didn’t expect can produce a hilarious reaction – for them. It kind of annoys me. I prefer the slow methodical entry into a creepy feeling.  My daughter has taken pity on me and has not laid in wait for me as much as she used to, but just the other day I was walking from room to room in broad daylight and without even half trying she startled me.

A few nights ago it was very late and it was time to call the cat in for the night. I went to the garage and at the back door I hesitated a moment, because I had been watching a paranormal investigation program on television. I knew that I wouldn’t come face to face with a boogeyman when I opened that door, but it was a bit creepy nonetheless.

With the back door open to the moonless night, I began calling for the cat. He likes to roam around the back yard or beyond, and it can take a little while for him to get to the house. As I was standing there, calling and peering into the darkness, from another part of town I heard a horrible bellow. Fitting for the moment, it was just a very vocal cow with an unusual wailing tone. Animal noises are part of our little farming community, but knowing the source did nothing to ease my mind about the situation.

The cat took his own sweet time to travel the distance to where I stood, and finally we were all locked and secured for the night. My nervousness over the situation eased. Thinking about that experience of feeling scared to be out in the dark, and the “charge” that came with it, my mind went back in time and recalled similar memories of my youth.

I had a friend my age living on the same block. I don’t remember how it began, but one of our occasional pastimes was to create that feeling of fright, on purpose, by wandering around in the dark of night.  When one of us happened to be at the others’ home after dark and could find nothing better to do, the game was on! We called it Scary-Spookies.

The goal was to see how far we could walk into the darkness of the backyard before we lost control of our faculties and ran back to the house, screaming all the way. The contagious effect of fear seldom let one of us continue very far after the other had “bugged out”, and that was the best part anyway. The great times of youth!

Many times I have found myself feeling that same way when I have been outside in the dark, feeding the cows on a pitch black night, or for other reasons. At those times I have often remembered this game we used to play as kids. Who knows, the next time I might just bolt and run, for old time’s sake. Yelling would be mandatory, of course.

Articles in Print

From time to time I post to a Cache Valley Citizen Journalism site, Your Cache Valley.

The following articles have been posted to that site, and have also ended up in the local newspaper, the Herald Journal:

• The Last Casualty, Remembered – March 18, 2010
• Summer of the Potato Bugs  -September 9, 2008
• Rivalry, Renewed – September 5, 2008
• Times Change, but Some Things Stay the Same – August 29,2008
• They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To – June 18, 2008

The Broker, by John Grisham

I have finished my second reading of THE BROKER by John Grisham.

I really enjoy Grisham’s ability to tell a story.  It had been quite awhile since my first reading of this novel, and I found the experience was as enjoyable as reading it the first time.

I continue reading Grisham’s work because he can weave a story that pulls me in.  I am often at odds with the choices the characters make and the overall outcome – the bad choice and minimal accountability scenario – of some of his stories.  I can usually overlook that because I don’t feel that the purpose of the story is to promote the lifestyle that produces such choices and outcomes.

“Marco” if that is his real name … with potential for danger looming closer and closer, thrust into a situation he can not control, wins me to his cause because of the vulnerability he feels.  His resourcefulness in a difficult situation is also laudable.  I also enjoyed sampling another culture through the pages of this book.

I was so interested in the day-to-day events of the story that I was seldom anxious to discover the mystery that had started it all in the first place.  When it was time to reveal the key pieces of the puzzle it was done quickly and appropriately, not belaboring the point.

I will definitely put this back on the list of re-reads, and expect to enjoy it even more the third time.

A Victory That Wasn’t

I am proud of myself!  I took some time and manipulated a theme to make it do what I wanted it to do.  I am hacker, hear me roar!

Well, it’s a hollow victory, because in the first place I didn’t write the code for the template. I used a freeware theme. I didn’t design the base images.  I didn’t understand how to craft the lines of code that make it do what it is supposed to do.

I did however find a way to make it into a 3 column template.  Well not exactly the way I wanted it to look, but close.  I may take up that torch another time.

I did create a snappy header and footer that matches my blog title.  I’m pretty proud of that.

But what I’m most amazed at is how many times I viewed the site to see what this tweak or that adjustment would do …..

Obsessive-Compulsive is a disease.  Incurable. Terminal.   Oh crap, I think that new column isn’t shaded consistently with the other two …..  Here we go again!

Links Page

Aggieville - Tony Jones covers Utah State athletics for The Salt Lake Tribune.

Cache County Fire District – The Bravest of Cache County, Utah.

Jessica - The adventures of a tall semi-neurotic mom who can't say no and feels the need to vent. A lot.

LDS Newsroom – The official Church resource for news media, opinion leaders, and the public.

Newton Fire Department - News and information site - Newton, Utah Fire and EMS.

Tom Grover - From the desk of a Utah expatriate living in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Tyler Riggs - I am obsessed with the New York Yankees, Utah Jazz and Pittsburgh Steelers. That's who I am.

Update: Hamburger in Training

Well, my engineered feeder-tromper-stopper failed after a few days.  I went out to feed Sunday morning and one side of the structure had been knocked away by a hungry heifer, with the offender stuck in a position that I knew would take some extrication work.  I must say that this will be the last year we feed animals on that side of the corral without a better system in place.

Apologies for not having a photo of the device when it was operational, but it was sheer genius …. just not appreciated by the animal kingdom.  Stomach over brain in this case.

I did snap a photo this morning of the reason I began my quest for a fix that would keep the cows out of the hay.

That’s right, bucko, you’ve been caught with your feet in the feed box …..  I don’t care how sad you look …. oh well, what’re you gonna do?

I must say that because of Saturday’s experience with our beloved cat, I didn’t even get upset Sunday morning when I had to get in the corral and remove the barrier and help get the cow out of the mire, so to speak.

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Smokey

Today we had a scare.  A really big scare. 

We needed to go to Tremonton to work on a school project for Justin.  He had been invited to a friends house, so we were to leave around 3:00 after picking him up there.  We had everything needed with us and we retrieved the boy and worked our way out of town.

About 1 block from home we came across a cat that had been hit crossing the road.  It was dead, and that is sad enough, but it was remarkably similar in appearance to our cat, Smokey.  We stopped, I got out to investigate.  I nudged the poor cat’s body off of the road and examined it.  I just wasn’t sure, but it had some features that made me think it was our cat.

We went home and looked around for Smokey.  We couldn’t stay long because Janet’s dad was waiting for us to help us with Justin’s project.  In the short amount of time available, we were not able to find Smokey.

We had to leave.  The trip to Tremonton and back was very sad.  Krystal just loves Smokey so much and I think Justin does too, he just doesn’t admit it.  I wasn’t sold on him at first, but I’m a softy and I too was feeling a pit in my stomach at the possibility he was gone.

There was a sliver of hope, but we were all upset about seeing an almost perfect match of Smokey, expired on the road.  We had an opportunity to talk to Justin and Krystal about losing something you love.  We finished the project and headed home.  Justin and I were going to feed the cows and Janet and Krystal were to leave for errands in Logan.

While we were out feeding Justin came to me and said, “I just heard a meow from under the tarp”  I was quite surprised by that, and with the breeze causing the tarp to rustle, I wasn’t sure if he was hearing correctly.  I went over to investigate and there was Smokey, next to the haystack under the tarp!

We had a very happy reunion and Justin ran to the house to tell Krystal before they left for Logan.  We are sad for the loss of the other cat who may have been someone’s pet.  We felt like we had lost something important to us and we feel bad if someone else has lost their cat.  We are so glad Smokey is okay, and hope that he is okay for a long time to come.

The Last Casualty, Remembered

Photos courtesy Gordon Anderson with appreciation for permission to use in this post:

Fire doesn’t strike in my home town very often, at least structure fires don’t.  When they do occur, it’s an event that is so in-frequent that it leaves a lasting memory.  I can remember a fire that I watched when I was very young.  I don’t have a crystal clear memory of it, but I remember my mom loading us in the car and we drove the few blocks to watch the fire department battle the flames.

My dad was on the department back then.  Maybe mom went to keep an eye out for him and see if he was okay, more than to watch the struggle. Now I am a member of the department. I think my wife feels that same way even though she doesn’t make her way to watch – she just worries from a distance.

A memory that stands out is the last time our town experienced the loss of a home to fire.  Almost 4 years ago, the slumber of many a firefighter was interrupted to answer the call.  A home in our sleepy little community was burning, its occupant alerted to the dangerous situation by his cat.  Built just after the turn of the century - a museum of memories and possessions handed down for years - was on fire.

Before discovery, the fire had been slowly and methodically working itself into an inferno.  Luckily the live-in cat filled the role of protector in time to allow the occupant to escape - safely jumping off the roof – after his first attempt to exit failed because of the smoke and heat that met him in the stairwell.  Once on the ground he was able to get to a cell phone and call 9-1-1 and start the response.

A first alarm structure fire in our town results in our two neighboring departments being summoned at the same time as our firefighters are paged.  It's always better to cancel them if they are not needed, versus waiting for them to arrive if they are not called early enough.

Fire attack began in earnest and soon the visible fire inside was extinguished.  It was realized that the fire had made its way through the walls into the attic and with no fire breaks to check its progress it was going to be a job.  A second alarm was transmitted, bringing more firefighters from another neighboring community, and then a bit later a special call for a ladder truck was made.

Racing against time, crews rotated into the upstairs rooms to pull down the lathe and plaster in order to reach the remaining fire.  With a significant head start and aided by the near century old mode of construction, the fire was winning.

When the roof was about to burn through it was time to concede the second floor and pull everyone from inside.  Hand lines and the pipe on the ladder truck continued the battle from outside.  Eventually the tide turned and mop up in the attic was possible.

Daylight came, and when the smoke lessened it was a beautiful morning.  Clear and bright - except for the mood surrounding the block where firefighters were beginning to take up tools and hose, preparing to head back to their stations and back to the routine of the weekday. 

Thankfully life was not lost, but lives would indeed be altered.  A home was rendered un-livable and though many items were saved from the home, many others were destroyed.

Structure fires in our little town don’t happen very often, and we are extremely grateful for that.  But when they do, we know what to expect:  The pagers will alert, the firefighters will come – from wherever they are stationed, and a battle will be waged.  Sometimes the fire wins, other times the firefighters win and maybe the occasional “draw” will be declared.

This specific incident is different from other fires our department has responded to because the address and the names are unique.  My memory of this incident recalls the escape of the occupant; the efforts of the firefighters; the care from the EMT’s; the concern for the homeowner from the neighbors - I hope those things are always the same.

This story was posted on Your Cache Valley, and in the Herald Journal.

Hamburger in Training?

This year we have housed a group of yearling heifers from my brother’s herd.  My brother has the remaining animals in his feedlot, enjoying the calving season that is coming to a close.  We’re just helping out with this group over the winter.  It’s been a fun time, but there are a few more with us this year and it has forced a feeding arrangement be made in one of the pens, that is not as successful as we had hoped.

Last year in this pen we had the herd bull and two yearlings bunking together.  A one-animal feed bunk was built and we also used an old culvert section in a corner of the corral.  (See the photo above) The problem is that the culvert has a section that has been turned down and that allows the animals to step into the middle of the culvert with their front feet and reach the furthest-in hay.  It also allows them to step on the closest-in hay and render it inedible, even to cow standards.

It was a problem last year, but with a 2000+ pound bull in the corral pretty much doing whatever he wanted, we didn’t try to alter the ability to misuse the culvert feeding bunk.  This year we have put up with it as long as we can, but no more!  We are tired of the wasted hay caused by mucky feet standing on it when the cows walk into the feeder to eat.

I tried one solution a few weeks ago, but it was not successful. The cows were able to step over the obstruction, but not able to pick up their front legs high enough to back out.  I realized that problem shortly after constructing this first barrier and had to rescue the stranded beast and then remove the board.

Tonight I had a little time to devote to the project and I think I may have fixed it up good.  At least none of the residents of the west side pen tried to get in the culvert tonight.  We’ll see how well it works, but hopefully we can save some hay.  I’ll post a photo of the new contraption tomorrow night.  Cross your fingers!

If this doesn’t hold up and stop them from tromping on the hay, I know what to do …..   Ketchup, anyone?

2 Years

It’s been about 2 years to the day since I started this blog, the first one I put together.  It’s been about 17 months since I posted last.

My how time flies!