Back To Beautiful Mornings...

 Twice a year, because of my work schedule, and how our house is situated on the lot, and how the mountain ridge to the east is shaped, and how the earth tilts on its axis, I get the opportunity to catch amazing sunrises.

Of course, I could catch every sunrise if I didn't like sleeping in. But, this time of year in autumn and its sibling time of year in the spring, I get to sit in my office chair and watch the sun crest the mountain top officially signaling a new day dawn.

These pictures by no means represent the best of what I've seen, and like I have stated many times on this blog, almost all pictures of sunrises and sunsets I post do not do the awesomeness of what I see justice. Last week I snapped a couple of pictures as the colors began to form.

Sunrises are a fairly new experience for me as far as appreciating them. Most of my life I lived at the base of a mountain, so I missed out on what many in the valley saw each morning. The sunsets where I used to live, on the other hand...they were spectacular. Here, because of how the house is located in the subdivision, we don't get the wonderful opportunities to see the sunsets like we once did.

So, I get to enjoy sunrises while at work. That's a great deal, in my opinion.

When We Visited Bear Lake...We Ate At Cafe Sabor

 We drove into the valley in the morning. The tourist season ended when kids returned to school and the families returned home. The streets--jam-packed only weeks before--were nearly vacant of cars, trucks, bikes, or motorcycles.

But, we were there in our trusted Toyota minivan, driving up and down the main street enjoying the beautiful (though, smoky...) scenery and wonderful weather.

Then, as the clock ticked from morning to noon, we decided to get something to eat. But, where? We are unfamiliar with eating establishments on the western shore of Bear Lake. We drove north along Main Street and after a while the businesses ended and only beach homes and other properties remained, so we turned around and gave the eating establishments a second chance.

We chose Cafe Sabor.

I never knew it existed, but that's not unusual. I didn't know 99% of the businesses in Garden City existed. One place we did notice was a shake shack (or, a place that sold shakes and other things...) that was crowded with eager shake-eaters. Since we didn't know the reputation of that place either, we thought that must be a good place because so many people were there.

When we pulled up to Cafe Sabor it was almost empty so we did't know if it was a good place to eat or not. Sure, it was only a few minutes after 12 noon, but still. We went in, ordered, and the food was quickly delivered. As we ate, we noticed more and more people followed our example and chose Cafe Sabor as their restaurant of choice for that day.

The food--we liked it a lot. The atmosphere--again, liked it. It was a cozy place and the servers were fun and engaging. The other eaters confirmed it was good.

I didn't know until I wrote this post tonight that there are more than one Cafe Sabors out there, one even closer to us than Garden City. We're glad we picked that place to eat. If given the opportunity, we'll probably do it again.

The Problem...It Works TOO Good

 When I started my seasonal gig this fall, I noticed many employees hauling around these large metal water bottles. I also noticed these bottle for sale at the employee's kitchen. I thought maybe I ought to pick me up one. It wasn't too expensive--in fact--it was quite reasonable.

I noticed a co-worker had one. I asked him if he liked it. You know, doing some research. He liked his. I asked if it was worth the price, and since he said he was given his for free, it was well worth the price. Even though they were a good deal, I decided against picking up one. 

Then, I got a message from the same co-worker that he had received an extra bottle and wondered if I would like it.

I did.

It's fantastic.

In fact, there is a problem with this item...

It works too good.

Each evening before I go to bed, I fill up a large cup with ice and water and put it in the fridge. I do this so I don't have to wake up my family when I clock in at 6:30am by the sound of the fridge's ice machine cranking out the ice. I get up, grab the mug out of the refrigerator and go to work. After receiving the metal water bottle from my friend, I decided to give it a try. I filled it halfway with ice (as I did with the mug...) and added water. 

I took it to work in the morning and during the day began enjoying the ice-cold water. The problem was the ice didn't melt...I mean, at all. With my mug, the ice would melt throughout the day and so when the water was gone, the ice would be gone, too. With the new bottle...nope. The ice would not melt.

It's really not a big deal--just add less ice. And having a product work too good is not really a problem, just impressed I guess.

The Difference Of A Simple Filter...

During a break in between shows over the weekend, I snapped a picture of a pyramid of illuminated Jack-O-Lanterns. The display--and others just like it--can be found to the entrance of Lagoon's Frightmares. It's one of the first things patrons see as they enter the park. It looks great in the day, but they look fantastic at night.

I snapped the picture and didn't think much about it. When I looked at the picture again tonight, I noticed more about what I captured. First, one thing I didn't capture in the shot were people...it's the art and background only.

I love that.

I do not have access to sophisticated photo editing software. I don't know what I would do to this particular photo if I did. But, I do have have the basic photo editing options that come with my Mac laptop. I usually don't even use them, but I thought I'd try to do a little magic on this one photo.

The edited photo turned out much better. The darker background brought out the lights from the pumpkins and the Frightmares sign. It made the smoke lingering in the background more impactful, and the overall feel of the shot matches the subject matter. The changes do not overwhelm, but they're subtle. I like that, too.

I should probably take more advantage of the editing tools I have or the ones I could get with a little research. Since I try to capture things I see on a daily basis, most of the time, things don't need to be doctored--at least, in my opinion. This particular photo was not used as my Pic Of The Day...sometimes that happens. But, I like how it turned out by tweaking it just a little bit.

 

Give Thanks...For The Beauty Of The Hills

 For the life of me, I can't remember an autumn with so much color in the mountains. I've lived in Utah almost all my life, and during those years, I've lived near the mountains. Needless to say, I've seen a lot of fall color displays.

This year, though...

It's like it's increased in brilliance. I have many social media friends who are exceptional photographers. The pictures of the fall colors they've posted are so beautiful. Even my non-photographer friends have shared incredible photos of our autumn.

Last week my wife and I took a drive up Logan Canyon on our way to Bear Lake. We saw displays that matched those of my friends. Unfortunately, I was unable to capture--as did my fiends--what we saw. Truthfully, any picture I could have taken wouldn't do what we saw justice. It was just so amazing. The few shots I did get were taken while driving and through a bug-pocked windshield.

I am thankful for where I live, for the four seasons of the mountains, for the ability to pilot a car effortlessly (for us...) up and down a canyon road and see God's canvas. Soon, the leaves will be gone and snow will blanket the mountains in white.

I'm thankful for that beauty, too.

Feeling Normal...

 We live in interesting times. Say what you want about life in 2020 and beyond, they are--in a word--interesting. Case in point...having my temperature taken.

I have been sheltered from most of the many things other people have had to deal with for the past eighteen months. Before covid, I was happily working at home and we didn't do a lot of extracurricular activities. Or, in other words, we didn't get out much. Sure, I'd do a convention or work a second job or even be in a play now and again. Many times, when participating in those activities, when a person was sick, they would made a determination on whether or not they were "too sick" to go to work or a convention or when in a play.

Boy, have times changed.

Last year, my seasonal gig during Halloween was canceled...bummer. Other shows kept on, but not mine. Also, the convention in which I help organize and run was canceled...bummer, again. Plus, many theaters simply closed down and so I wasn't in a play. 

This year, I haven't done a play, but I did go to FanX and Seance at Lagoon's Frightmares started up again. It seems, just saying you're not sick or if you are sick, you're well enough to work is no longer good enough. You have to have proof. 

I've had my temperature taken--and taken my own temperature--more this past month than I have in the past decade. And even with all these precautions, illness still finds a way. We are never 100% safe...something we should always remember.

These of course, are mild inconveniences. Making sure I'm not running a fever is a small price to pay to work and to attend a convention. I wonder if this is the way it will always be from here out.

Time will tell.

Finding Balance...At Bear Lake

 Earlier this week my wife and I decided to go for a drive. Because I'm now working the weekends, on Monday we loaded up the van and headed east. It was a smoky drive, but even so the canyon trees were incredible.

We also had a wonderful time just hanging out at the lake.

Bear Lake is a favorite of ours. My wife's family rented a cabin timeshare years ago and that's where she developed a love for the place. Me...I haven't spent as much time at Bear Lake, but I do love the small town, the resort feel from the small shops, the delightful homes and atmosphere in the valley.

We pulled over and walked along the shore. I was fascinated by the rocks--they're the same rocks that we dug up in mass when putting in our yard. I guess it makes sense. The entire northern part of the state was once under the same giant inland sea.

Someone set up a monument...rocks balancing on each other. I'm sure there's a proper name for just such a structure. If so, I don't know it, nor do I need to know the name to appreciate it.

There's something about large bodies of water that draws humans like a moth to a flame. As it did us. A few people roamed the shoreline dipping their feet into the water. We did not venture that far out.

Yes, it was smoky and you couldn't see very well the other side of the lake, but it was beautiful none the less. Bear Lake, Utah...a place we'd love to visit many times more.