oddment

On our last trip to Utar we ran across this frozen -well thawing- lake on our way out to our friends' new home in Midway. Thor and I were both stunned by the clarity of the day, the bright sun and the deep blue in the sky. The air was crisp and the ice was beginning to crack. As we drove there were several places where the ice had cracked completely across the lake.

Does anyone know why the ice cracks only across the lake in one direction? (I want to say it was W/E, but frankly I'm not sure.) Did I miss the cracks going the other way?

I also saw huge birds just sitting out on the ice, amazingly large birds. At first I thought they were dogs or coyotes, but nope, just big ol' birds.

We drove out to Sundance to see what all the fuss is about. Yes it's pretty, however it begged the question: "Where does everyone stay when they have the festival?" Seriously, unless we missed something, driving there would be a nightmare if more than 10 cars were involved, and it looked like only a few cabins were on the property. Where's the theatre? All the buildings were relatively small. Maybe I am wrong, but if you know the answers I'd love to hear them.

Speaking of Midway, have you ever been out there? It's like a tiny Tyrolian Village, with many of the buildings painted with flowers, Swiss Flags, and lots of "gingerbread" on the roof lines and door ways. I understand they have a great interest in community festivals and pretty much every season has some huge event to gather the folks who live there. Large grass covered fields with horses roaming and running free, skiing that rivals the best of Utah, plenty of parks and shopping, art guilds, cowboy poetry, ice skating, and that lake just around the bend. Seems like a great place to live... if you can stand the cold.

Well, that's it for today. A rather random post, but there you go. Suitable for an April Fool I suppose.

Into the woods

Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah

water, water, everywhere

Big Cottonwood Canyon

Krishna Temple, Spanish Fork, Utah

Photos from the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah.





The day we went the free yoga class was being held, but we were welcomed by Justin, who invited us to look around and ask questions.

They offer free tours everyday, just not during class or special ceremonies. Even with the class, we were invited to go ahead and check out the upper level, just be respectful and don't disturb those learning. It was beautiful and peaceful, and definitely worth your time. We were told this was the largest Krishna Temple in the U.S.

We were also told that "Hindu or Hindi" isn't really a polite term, actually derogatory, and they prefer to just leave those words at the door. Good to know.

The lower level houses an entry, a gift shop, the vegetarian buffet and small informational displays as well as large and small gods and deities. The staircase takes you upstairs to a beautiful room, used for classes and ceremonies (I presume, as it was the more decorated/ornamented and elaborate). The ceiling is painted with faux clouds and looks very pretty. We didn't get further than the top of the stairs, so that is about all I can tell you.

Out side you can roam about the ground level inside and out and even out to the grounds where they farm llama, cows, peacocks and other animals. The kids can interact with them for a very small fee, however you can see them very well without a fee. There is a pond, pavilion and other special architectural features. (writing this now I can see where an actual tour would do very nicely.) You can also access the upper level via the stairs in the front of the temple and walk around the entire second level deck, over look the entire landscape, hear the animals and take in the incredible views.

The exterior of the building has intricate castings to symbolize the meaning of this ancient religion. There are columns with lotus blossoms and scroll work. Please take a moment to go to the link and look through the galleries and grounds links for more information. There is much I am leaving out!

The public is welcome year round and during special events, holiday celebrations, and weddings etc.

The tours are free, the food and gifts are extremely inexpensive, and the volunteers friendly and informative. Check it out if you are in the area.

Love on the rocks...

Do you see it? Yup, right there in the middle... a rounded heart! Interestingly enough, but even more so when it is surrounded by the frozen water of the Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon.

Thor and I took a QUICK trip up to the BY-U to visit with #5. While we were there we took the mandatory pilgrimage to the canyon. This time of year it was a mix of frozen and liquid water, depending on the time of day and where the sun was hitting. Really fantastic!