Yes...We're Growing

 For fun I did a little research on my home state and the city where we currently live. Several months ago I came across a stat that surprised me. The year we moved to the little town, the population grew 10%. That's impressive. And in the year since, that growth rate has not stopped.

Ten percent.

There's a website that, if you're a numbers person (and I'm not, really...), you'll love. It's WorldPopulationReview.com. I searched for Utah stats and the site directed me to Utah's statistics. You can check it out by clicking: HERE.

Lots and lots of things you wanted to know--and perhaps didn't want to know--about the Beehive State. Here's some interesting stats about the state in general:

• Utah has the youngest population in the entire United States, as well as one of the highest birth rates.
• Utah's population is considered the healthiest in the entire country.
• The state also has the highest literacy rate, the highest number of high school graduates and the highest number of college graduates.
• The mountains near Salt Lake City see an average of 500 inches of snowfall annually.
• Gosiute, Paiute, Shoshone, and Ute Indians originally inhabited what is now the state of Utah. In fact, the name was derived from the Ute Indians.
• Salt Lake City has the second highest number of plastic surgeons per capita than any other city in the US.
• A higher number of Utahns are married than in any other state. In addition, the median age of marriage is lower than the nationwide average.

I knew we had a young population and I knew we married in greater numbers than other states. It's interesting to learn about where you live.

I know I can move to another part of the country and get paid more for doing the same job. Still, I do love it here. And by the looks of things, so do many others...

Especially, in our little town.

This World, Or Our Little Part Of It...Is Beautiful

 Last night as we slept, a skift of snow fell and blanketed the ground, not much, it was gone almost as soon as the sun escaped through the clouds in the morning. It was, however, enough snow to diminish the haze that so often accompanies our cooler months. The end result...

Beautiful views.

Tonight we loaded up the van--complete with dog--and traveled south to spend a pre-Thanksgiving evening meal with family. As I drove, I couldn't help but notice just how beautiful this little part of the world actually is. Safely, I was able to snap and have snapped a few pictures. They're not the greatest photos and in no way capture what I saw. 

Of course, what you don't see is some of the lingering haze, the thousands upon thousands of homes, roads, lawns, gardens, telephone poles, power lines, and other forms of visual pollution (in some people's opinion...) that you can see as well. I suppose anyone could look at the same pictures and point out how this part of the world is not beautiful--it's anything but. It's their opinion and a valid opinion in many ways.

So, is it better to look at life through rose-colored glasses and just see the good? Not necessarily. It's good to understand many viewpoints, and discuss those as well. Personally, I think a society where more and more people have access to jobs, shelter, clothing, and opportunity is a good thing.

I don't find myself in Utah County that often and now that we live farther away, we find ourselves visiting even less. I've got issues with some aspects of Utah County, but you cannot deny it's beauty, especially with snow capping the mountains as winter draws near. Yes, this world, or our little part of it, it is beautiful.

Experiencing Ogden's Farmer's Market...Simply Wonderful

We arrived to the theater a few minutes early today and I heard a farmer's market was set up just a half a block away. And I thought, "I ought to check it out."

And I did.

And it was incredible.

I live in a wonderful little town. Over the years we've kind of turned into homebodies. We go out when we need to, but we find ourselves venturing out less and less as time goes on. And because of that, we miss out on several things, like driving a half hour north to experience a farmer's market. It's in Ogden and it runs in the summer and fall. You can get more information from their website by clicking: HERE.

The city closes down several blocks on arguably their most famous street, 25th Street, right downtown. I saw things you'd expect to see in a farmer's market--fresh locally-grown fruit and vegetables. There were other things, pastries, coffee, honey, and the people--and dogs--were as interesting as what was being sold...but in a good way. Also, you couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day--overcast with the summer heat not yet arriving.

Unfortunately, I was only able to see a small portion of the market. I had to return to the theater to get ready for the matinee. Next time, if we arrive a few minutes early either next week or the week after that, I may have more time to explore, experience, and take in the sights of a classic farmer's market. If you're in the area and haven't been, you ought to give it a go.