Rooting For The Home Team...Even Though It's Not MY Home

When news broke that my hometown was getting a high school, I thought I might become a supporter of the future school.

Turns out, I really didn't.

Oh, I like the idea of supporting the school, and especially, the school's sports programs. Back in the previous century, I attended many games and even ran track as a student at Dear Ol' Davis High School. And, over the years, I covered high school sports as a reporter for the now defunct Davis County Clipper. Unfortunately, the paper no longer sails.

The school was built and students arrived. They joined clubs and choirs and bands and teams. Tonight, KSL broadcast the Bountiful (formally, the Braves...) Redhawks as they took on the Farmington Phoenix (which is also plural...). I watched the game. Farmington dominated. I have no alliance to the school other than it's my hometown, but it was still nice to see them win.

The biggest reason I never attended a game or became a supporter is because my children--who would have attended the school---were homeschooled. They were never Phoenix, so in a way, Farmington High is the same as Bountiful High or Woods Cross or Viewmont, or Layton, Clearfield, Northridge, Syracuse, and the rest.

I think I'll always root for Davis. Turns out, I like watching Farmington win, too.

 

Clean Shaven...With An Added Touch

 It was time. It needed doing, so last week we got the dog groomed. The first dog we had was a Shih Tzu and due to her having hair and not fur, she needed to be groomed. The second dog also needs grooming, only he's quite a lot bigger.

We dropped him off, then came back a few hours later to pick him up. We did not expect that added touch from the groomer. I guess life is like that, sometimes.

I've often wondered what would happen to fur-less dogs if humans weren't around. All the other dogs would be okay, I suppose. But, Shih Tzus and Poodles, and the others, they'd be in trouble. We have bred dogs that are completely reliant on humans for their survival. It's sort of a strange thought.

The groomer said she picked up the ties as a fun thing to do for her clientele (and their dogs...). It was a nice surprise.

I guess life is like that, sometimes.

Ever Wish You Were Taller...?

 I was cleaning out my office the other day (okay--looking for something in my office...) and I found an old selfie stick. I wondered what the view would look like if I were nine-feet tall. Of course, I had to find an attachment because this particular selfie stick was built assuming my phone had a headphone jack.

After more looking, I configured my camera, raised the phone, and snapped the picture. I found it interesting. If I were as tall as Goliath, this would be my view in our hallway.

It got me wondering...

Ever wish you were taller?

We live in a strange world. With the click of a button, we can see people from all over the world. We can see their homes, their jobs, their families, their hobbies, basically how others live. If you're not careful, a person can get pretty depressed wishing we lived other people's lives. Not only do we wish we were taller, but richer, better looking, have better hair (ouch...), or any other traits others have that we don't.

One thing I seem to always forget is we only see what others want us to see. If I went around all day and posted pictures if I were nine-feet tall, people may or may not think I was actually that tall. I wonder if one day when we're able to know all things, will we find out half the stuff we believed was never actually true?

Possibly. 

I guess the trick is to keep things in perspective and enjoy the blessing you have. I mean, being nine-feet tall must be a pain in so many ways. ;)

Had No Idea What To Expect...Ended Up Having A Great Time

 Something on the Box Elder County Instagram post earlier in the day caught my attention. 

Saturday, August 13, 2022, 9AM 4H Dog Show in Small Indoor Area

We thought we'd give it a shot.

We're glad we did.

I thought the 4H Dog Show in Small Indoor Area was exactly what it turned out to be...kids showing off their dogs and their dog-controlling skills. But, it could have been anything, As soon as we stepped in the fairgrounds building, we knew what it was...all the apparatuses gave it away.

We arrived a little late so we didn't see all the competitors. We did see some short dogs, and some taller dogs. After each group, they announced to the helpers to raise the jumps higher and higher. The next group of dogs set about to run the course in as short as time as possible, all the while obeying their trainers.

I've only seen this type of competition on television. Must have been the big leagues because the dogs on the TV really flew. Of course, these were highly trained animals no doubt competing for cold card cash and prestige. We saw kids and dogs competing for ribbons and pride.

I think I liked the version we saw better.

Glad I found the info...glad we decided to check it out.

What Is It About Rainbows That We Just HAVE To Photograph Them...?

 We drove home last night from an event. A storm had just passed through the valley dropping much needed rain on homes, crops, hospitals, even roads. As the storm moved east, the sun set in the west. When you come between light and moisture in the air, that's when you get rainbows.

My wife spotted an incredible double rainbow first. I was driving so I couldn't get any pictures of the event. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't capture the moment on my phone, but I was happy to see the beautiful rainbow shining brightly over Cache Valley.

Fast forward about fifteen minutes and fifteen miles. We crossed over into Box Elder County, crossed both the Bear and Malad rivers, passed through Riverside and drove up the hill to I-15. We turned south and that's when we saw it--stopped traffic and emergency vehicles. 

Looks like the rain caused more than light manipulated through prisms.

The little orange cones were placed there by emergency workers who attended the injured. Right before we reached the wreck, one of two ambulances took off for the hospital only a few miles down the road. Because we were stopped, I was able to snap a picture.

It's not the best photo of a rainbow. Thousands (maybe, millions...) are posted every day that equal or better my own. I wonder if those in the crash saw it. If so, I hope it made their terrible situation just a little bit better.

Since we could not assist the workers or the victims, I could take a simple picture. There's something about rainbows...it seems we must take their picture. We have no choice.

Give Thanks...Honoring Family

 My wife and I stopped by the cemetery last week--we had some errands to run in our old home town. While I was at the cemetery, I picked up a couple of pieces broken off from my parents's headstone and took them home. My mom hated that headstone. She told us many times. When my father passed away in 1974, the city cemetery changed their rules...no raised headstones. There were hundreds of raised headstones in the cemetery going back to the mid-nineteenth century. Begrudgingly, my mom ordered the headstone and abided by the rules.

Then, the city changed the rules.

I don't know when, but at some point, the city changed its mind--raised headstones were now permitted in the cemetery. I believe my mom considered getting a new headstone and having it placed on their plots. 

Cancer claimed my father and a different cancer took my mother thirty-three years later. As she got sicker, and it became evident she would soon follow her late husband, we discussed getting a new headstone. With the sale of her home, we'd certainly have the means to do it. She considered it, but asked that we leave the original one. She thought it would be a waste of money. "Just leave the one we got," she said. 

So, we did. We left the one she picked out for our dad and they carved her name and date of passing next to his. It's been fifteen years the two have had their names together on a rock.

Turns out, my mom's getting a new headstone anyway.

We gathered as a family a few months ago on Memorial Day. A few weeks later my niece sent the family a picture of my parents's headstone. Something crushed it, splitting it down the middle...basically, destroying it. My brother called the city. They apologized and said they would take care of its restoration. My brother contacted the company that we used almost fifty years ago and they are making a new headstone using the original as the pattern.

I've always loved that cemetery. Even though we no longer live five minutes away, it's still hallowed ground. I'm grateful there's a place we can go to remember them, to honor them. I'm also grateful to the city for stepping up and fixing the issue. Sorry, mom...it's not what you wanted.

Then again, it sort of is.

So...You've Got Yourself An Orb Weaver

 It must have been there a long time. By the time I saw it, the web was huge. Not just the web...

The orb weaver was, too.

Full disclosure...I am not a fan of the eight-legged living organisms that are out there. However, I do understand how important spiders are to all life on this planet. Without spiders, humans would have a much harder time surviving. I am very please this thing is living outside and not under the same roof as me and my family.

I did not know the type of spider this was so I posted a picture on social media with a simple question: Does anyone know what kind of spider this is?

I received the obligatory funny responses, which I do appreciate. My social media friends did come through for me. They identified the spider as an Orb Weaver. With a little more research I discovered these things make amazing webs. When the light allowed, I could see the web and it was incredible. I also discovered non-aggressive and not dangerous to humans. These are two traits I like in a spider.

The spider is not in our house but is currently living in the window well outside my son's room. My son seems okay with having this creature only a few feet from him when he sleeps. That might make me a tad leery. 

I should say, even though spiders are not my favorite, this thing is stunning. It's beautiful. And, I know how important it is not only in the ecosystem, but it's eating a ton of bugs, bugs that try and bug us. Thanks everyone for helping me get to know this little critter better.