Outside of Myself

I am socially backwards.  Really, I am.  I do not always do well in spontaneous situations where I come in contact with people and need to interact.  Even with people I already know well I sometimes struggle. It could be spontaneous communication over a distance, as in a telephone conversation, but usually it’s the face to face situations where in my phobia lies. Do I present my thoughts and ideas well in the flow of the conversation, in the short time available to think about what I want to say?  It’s a feeling of inadequacy that I haven’t yet found a way to overcome.

Avoiding situations where I will be in the spotlight is a tool I have used to try to muddle through life.  It works most of the time, but not always.  There are some face to face situations I can’t avoid.  I am the Training Chief for my home town fire department, and I team teach a youth class in the Sunday school of my home ward.  Both of these responsibilities require that I present information in person. At first it was stressful, but now I am familiar enough with those tasks that I am often at ease. 

I have found, however, that blogging and other forms of social media are an escape from my fear of spur of the moment, in-person interactions that plague me.  These mediums have allowed me to express myself without the anxiety that I feel in face to face conversations.  Yes, I may still struggle to put my thoughts together intelligently during a rapid fire messaging session, but I also enjoy the freedom from fright, as it were.  I can take a little bit longer to think about what I want to say than I could in a face to face situation, and my thoughts usually flow easier.  Well, most of the time.

One of these behind the scenes communication opportunities I have taken advantage of is the citizen journalism section of my local newspaper, the Herald Journal. I have had 6 pieces published in the paper since the citizen journalism section opened up several years ago.  The latest piece was in print just yesterday.  You can read the post on my photo blog or on the portal that the local paper has set up to receive articles from the public.

I wonder about the irony of an introvert intentionally writing something that will be viewed by so many people.  I know that many of the people who read the paper don’t know me and I will never hear what they thought about what I wrote, but a few people that I do know will comment about it when I see them next.  Believe me when I say that I am already wondering how at ease I will be when those conversations happen!

Round Ball

Basketball is a big part of life for my Father in Law. He played as a youth and into his adult years in the golden era of church ball.  He has coached youth in that organization.  He is an alumnus of USU and enjoyed watching the legends of USU while he attended school.

He follows the Jazz - used to buy into a season ticket package with his brothers, now he watches on TV.  He still follows his high school team and rarely misses their home games. Given a choice of what to view on the television, it would be basketball – in season, of course.

I played on bantam and church teams as a youth.  I played on P-Day at various times on my mission to California. I never picked it up as a pastime after I returned from my mission – except for an occasional visit to the town park for a short shoot around.  Basically, I entered the ranks of spectator. 

My Father-in-Law has obtained USU Basketball season tickets every year for several years now.  I am the lucky recipient of a standing invitation to attend every game that does not conflict with the lives of the non-basketball oriented members of my family.  The ritual always includes supper after the game at one of the late night eateries of Logan.

Saturday night is the last home game of this season.  We comment often that each year the winter months fly by quickly as we meet to drive to Logan to attend that night’s game. This year has been no exception. I can’t imagine where the last 4 months have gone, it seems impossible that we are about to finish another year of the best sports entertainment in Cache Valley.

It has been a great year.  There were some losses that sting, but for the most part the Aggies triumphed in every outing. The last road games loom, followed by the conference tournament and beyond.  With a great win over St Mary’s in the Bracket Buster, the near future looks great.

We have watched the current seniors develop into a well-oiled offensive machine.  We have marveled as they became a defensive juggernaut that many teams can’t adjust to. This year’s senior night is going to be a special event, indeed.

I couldn’t post about Aggie Basketball without a shout out to Wild Bill. What a great addition to the experience of the Spectrum!  Wondering what the next costume will be is another fun part of each game.  Who doesn’t enjoy watching the opposing players struggle with the distraction of Bill and the fans behind the basket and then revisit those moments on You Tube or other media sources?

Thanks, senior class, for a great season and a great 4 year run.  It has been memorable, and we are excited for the next few weeks of basketball, where we will take a seat next to the radio or the TV, when available.

Go Aggies!

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.

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?

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

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.

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?

Summer of the Potato Bugs

A couple of years ago we reclaimed the ground under the wood pile in the backyard, and started planting a garden. It's a small 30 x 40 patch of ground that in my pre-teenage years was the location of our raspberry patch. We spent several weeks removing the old wood, we cut down some trees, and now we have a pretty nice garden spot.

Over the years, dad used different parts of the backyard for our garden. In the picture, my mom and brothers/sisters are shown when the garden was further back, right in front of the corrals.  Then the garden spot was moved to the area in front of the chicken coop, where it was when I was old enough to help. Even though I enjoyed the results of the work, it seemed a daunting task to weed and take care of everything we had planted.

One of my clearest gardening memories comes from the year I was assigned to keep the potatoes free of “potato bugs”. I've since learned that Colorado Potato Beetle is the official name of this pest. These beetles were quite the problem in those days, doing their best to eat the plants. We’ve grown a few rows of potatoes in the backyard since reclaiming the space, but luckily we haven’t seen those same beetles on our potatoes.

My dad indicated that I could be a big help that year by keeping the beetles off the potatoes. He gave me a quart-size oil can, one of the cardboard ones with metal ends. The contents of the can had been used for the last oil change in the family car or for his truck, with just a little bit left inside.  My job was to routinely scour the potato plants to pick off any of the offending beetles, and drop them into the oil can through the little hole that had been made by the oil spout.

To encourage my potato guarding efforts he proposed a compensation plan. The “bounty” was a penny for every beetle that I had picked off the potatoes and dropped into the oil can. The greater reward to the family would be less beetle-eaten potato plants and a better crop.

I accepted the challenge, and along with my other gardening duties, I took to the potato patch often, to make sure I had every beetle possible in my oil can. Weeding was always a chore, watering was a bit more enjoyable, but picking the beetles off the potatoes was the best of all.

I’d like to think that we had the best harvest of potatoes ever, because of my diligence at keeping the plant-eating beetles in check. I don’t know if it was better than any other year’s crop or not, but I do remember what happened when we opened the oil can to count out the beetles.

Sitting on the back porch, my dad cut the metal top off of the cardboard side and began tallying up my work. After considerable effort to keep the bit of oil that was the beetle’s final resting place inside the can, we reached one hundred. Somewhere near that point I was offered a deal. My dad looked at the remaining beetles in the can, and said, I will give you $2.50 total. I don’t think he was trying to pay less than what was due - it was just a chance to keep the oily mess to a minimum.

I declined the offer. I wanted to see how many beetles there really were in the can. Dad continued counting, and finally came up with around 500 of the little oil-soaked beetles. I was as impressed as he was. I knew I had a lot of beetles in the can, but didn’t think there were that many.

I don’t remember what I did with the nearly 500 pennies that were my reward for a summer of beetle collecting, but recalling a memory like that from the gardens of my youth is priceless.

Rivalry, Renewed

When I was just a boy, I remember my dad taking me to watch my brother play at Romney Stadium, USU. I don't remember the year for sure, but I would guess it was 1980 or 1981, or thereabouts.

It was a beautiful fall day, about like this one I bet, and the big game had been the talk of the town for the last week. It was that year's renewal of the gridiron rivalry between Logan and Sky View, and I was going to watch the game! I was excited.

As we were walking towards the stadium, I distinctly remember two kids a fair piece off the sidewalk, in the grass, squaring up for a fight. I am pretty sure the combatants were from the opposing high schools, and I often wonder if they thought they were going to settle the matter of supremacy once and for all, with their fists.

I was quite amazed by this spectacle. I looked over my shoulder again and again to see what was happening as we continued up the walkway to the stadium. As is often with my memory, I focused in on that particular part of the event, and other than knowing where I was and why I was there, I don't remember anything about the game - beyond those two boys psyching up for the battle.

I started high school the same year that Mountain Crest went into operation. It may have been a sign of the times - 3 schools instead of 2 - or for some other reason, but the Logan vs. Sky View rivalry seems to have lost it's consuming traditions. I just had a short conversation about this with my brother, the one I had gone to watch that day long ago. He feels the same way I do about it, too.

He recalls the way it was back then. It was the county kids against the city kids. It was a big deal. There were activities like school against school burger eating contests at the A&W in Logan; big pep rallies; the usual pranks - a fever pitch leading up to the match on the field.

During my high school days there were some great valley football seasons too, especially the year just after I graduated and Sky View lost a close State Championship game at Romney Stadium, to the Mustangs of Hyrum. These yearly matches are still great games, but it just doesn't seem as consuming as it was in the "old days".

But tonight, it's the old Logan vs. Sky View rivalry renewed again. The burger eating contests are gone, maybe the fever pitch has largely gone too. I don't imagine the days leading up to the game have generated quite the same interest that they did in times past. It's still an exciting event for me because I remember the stories about the way it was. On top of that, Sky View will inaugurate their new field tonight, the first game ever on the new artificial turf, playing one of their oldest opponents.

I know that Logan leads the series, and I know that both teams have very talented players, but tonight I'm going to pick Sky View - because I'm an alumnus, and because it's a home game for them. Other than that, I will just be glad to be there watching two good teams face off, and enjoy the outcome whatever it may be - but a little bit more if my pick is correct.

Tubing Photos

In the previous post I mentioned that the kids went down by themselves.  They did after 1 trip down to get them comfortable with the river.  This photo is from the first trip down while my son was riding with me.  This is also during the time when I was getting acclimated to the cold temperature of the water, and the grimace on our faces is directly related to that.

In this photo my daughter is on her own tube, tied to mine with a bit of a rope.  It was much better this way.  While on her own she was never far enough away to make her feel scared.  My boy was tied to a cousin who is his same age, they had a great time.

Family Reunion

We spent last Friday to Saturday at my wife's-side family reunion in Ogden Canyon.

It's a really nice spot, on the way from Huntsville to Causey, Monte Cristo and points East. Her family has been camping there for a long time, over 30 years I think.

The camping part of it is not a bit of fun for me, for various reasons.  The fun part is visiting with family members; maybe go swimming/fishing in Causey; take a drive towards Monte; eat good food, and tubing down the river.

Back a few years ago we would attend the entire reunion, 3 nights and 4 days of relaxation mixed in with the above mentioned recreational activities.  The last few years we have only been able to arrange for 1 or 2 nights of the reunion, but we still get our fill of fun.

This year was possibly the most enjoyable for me.  Our children are old enough that they can float the river on their own tubes, and that makes it much easier.

Friday last week we went down 4 times, and it was great.  Everyone had a lot of fun in the water.  It takes about 40 minutes or so to float the stretch from the campground we stay in down to the pickup spot.  We break the law and ride un-restrained in the back of trucks to our camp, then get back in and go again.  I will post some photos of this years tubing, as soon as I can.

The first time down was earlier in the morning and it was cold.  I wasn't expecting it to be that cold and was surprised when my legs went numb.  Before the first trip was done I was used to the temperature and all was well.

Except for a break for lunch and waiting at the pick up spot for a ride back to the starting point, we were in the water, and if we'd had more time before supper we would have gone again.

After having such a fun time on the water, I can't wait 'til next year.

AWOL

I don't imagine I have many dedicated readers, especially after a long, long, long time without a post.

I have been upset over something and didn't feel like I could talk that much about it.  I obsess about such problems, so I didn't focus much time on other interesting things to write about either.

The issue at hand is still an issue, but it's not monopolizing as much of my thought process as it did a few weeks ago. In fact, right this moment, I am wondering why I was so constantly bugged by it in the first place.  I could have managed all the needed contacts and work on this problem and still had time to think about more enjoyable things, but I just didn't ease up.

So, I think I need to do a better job compartmentalizing my frustrations and enjoy things more.  We have a camping trip coming up and a trip to SLC the week after that.  Now those are some real important things to worry about.

They don't make them like they used to

I live in the middle of Newton, on Main Street. Right next to us is a hay field. A hay field on Main Street? It’s not that uncommon for rural Cache Valley. There are several areas inside the town limits where hay or grain is raised every year. They are becoming fewer as the years pass because of children growing up and wanting to build and live in Newton. The family owned ground inside the town limits is the logical place to plant those homes, but some interior fields still exist.

The gentleman who lives next to us is a relic. He's 94 or 95 years old this year (an estimate, but pretty close) and still gets out and takes care of his hay fields that surround his home. He's a very private person. He has a sister who is in a care facility in Logan and I don't know of any other family living.

I remember a day a long time back when one of our cows got its head under the corral fence. He alerted my mother to the problem - dad was at work - and my mother didn't feel she was up to the task. She asked him for help and he came back with a saw and cut out a section of the fence to free the cow’s head.

Last year we were fixing the corral in an area that borders his property and had some conversations with him. He offered me some grass hay from around his barns, and we helped him cut down part of a tree.

I know that he likes to watch baseball, and back in the day when a thriving competition existed between all of the small communities (carried on today by the Blue Sox and other local teams), I believe he was involved on the teams Newton sponsored.

On his property is the finest replica of an old farm barn that I have seen in Cache County. I know of others in other communities, but because it's in such good shape for its age, and because it was in the background watching over the childhood memories of my backyard, it is my favorite.

 

In a way, it's a representation of the man who owns it - strong and silent, surviving through the ages, holding years and years of memories inside. Since I was a youngster I had wondered what was inside, but never had the courage to ask to look inside it.

That changed last year, when we were helping him with his tree and he agreed to show me the barn. Mostly it wasn't anything spectacular, just the kinds of things you would expect in an old farm barn. There were some ancient tractors inside, but that wasn't news because I have seen them year after year when he cuts and rakes the hay around his home and barns.

The one treasure that I didn't know about was an old 1916 Hudson farm truck that he reports still runs, and he occasionally starts it up to make sure of that.

Another spring has come and almost gone, and it's hay cutting time all around the valley, including the lot just next to us in Newton. Every day and into the night there are tractors criss-crossing Newton to the fields that surround us. It's a parade of all makes and models of farm equipment.

I watch these tractors and trucks driving by all day, but seldom is there a time when I stop and watch one of these farm implements at work. What is really special is the day that my neighbor brings out his hay cutting tractor.

A larger photo would be better, but I hope you can get a feel for the history at work in this little field next to our house. I have watched him use this same tractor and hay knife setup since I was knee high, and still love to pause and watch when he cuts his hay once or twice a summer.

If you take a look at the area where a steering wheel would be - and notice that it doesn't have a steering wheel, then you'll get a sense of the age of this little tractor. What it does have is a set of reins. They attach to levers on the sides of the frame and operate the steering mechanism. A museum piece in operation, I love it!

Lately I have been wishing that I had taken the time to find out about things that my dad and grandparents could have told me about their lives. Except for the few things that we have recorded or remember, those stories are gone from this earth. I hope I can avoid that mistake by taking time to learn and record the memories of friends and family that are still with us.