Larry O'Sullivan

Mild Winter for Sandy Utah

What a strange winter! Some snow on the hills, a few chill winds and the odd snow flurry in town.

Last year we could not turn the snow off - this year, the snow plow operators sit idle. With promises (unfulfilled mostly) of elusive storms, they become strangely active, showing their presence in Sandy streets, getting truly excited over a mere inch of snow if they can find it to play with.

With last week's dump, I had my moments on my electric scooter, bursting through dry powder, making my way to the Trax stations, and onto sliding trains. Plowed snow quickly ices making my endeavors a real challenge - spinning my wheels, for the most part on slush in roadways, Often easier to begin my day in town than to try to return home around 6am

Another storm promised two hours ago - after high 50s temperatures. Nothing yet. What a change that will be to recent sunshine, and WARMTH. Buds are bursting forth - to decorate approaching Spring. After all, it's less than four weeks to LDS Church Conference, and only a few days away from Daylight Saving.

Overcast, windy, with dropping temperatures.

Snowbird has a snow cover in excess of 100 inches (to keep our National, and International visitors happy - and there are heaps of them.)

As always, this is a great time to visit Sandy, Utah, or even to consider making it your home.

I would love to show you around.

The Australian Flag in Sandy Utah

Yesterday ~ January 26th, Australia Day~ the Australian Flag flew at my place in Sandy Utah, where for every US holiday the "Stars and Stripes" has pride of place.

My annual allowance of nostalgia in my Great American Adventure.

My mates in Australia celebrated Australia Day by being seared on both sides in summer heat - I had a backdrop of snow on the beautiful Wasatch Front. Same celebration, different global perspective.

In Utah, in the Salt Lake Valley, where I seem to be the only person without an accent, I could enjoy the songs and poems of my native country. (Too right, mate) My wife could show off her acquired "Strine" (Bewdy) and tolerate, for a while, my indulgent reverie and my occasional interspersed adjective. (After all, it is Tumbabloodyrumba that you might be headed for).

Ah, the celebrations, without the Cricket or the Tennis or The Races or the XXXX. (Stone the crows, mate, I still have the Australian spectator tendencies.)

I raised a glass because Ice Pick Strine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bumping along in the Intermountain West

From the Recent Earthquakes map from the US Seismic Service for Utah and Yellowstone Region(The Intermountain West) we have been the recipients of 43 events in the last week, with a heap occurring in the last day.

The seismic events in this region occur mostly without many paying attention to them

Most of these earthquakes have been in the micro range, yielding between 1.5 and 2.5. The patterns of events show them to the north and the south with me in the middle of the map.

From past history, this area expects around 700 events per year.

My interest in earthquake activity of the region is from a long-term hobby and is to inform, never alarm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's a DOG for Storm Mountain

Several hours of standing outdoors in a group on a winter Saturday morning in Utah can have a purpose. It's a DOG (Dutch Oven Gathering) put on by the Storm Mountain Chapter of IDOS (International Dutch Oven Society).

Storm Mountain Chapter has it's official presence in Salt Lake and Utah Counties but has members from all over Utah. This group that promotes "Good Friends, Good Food, Good Fun" lives up to its motto. Saturday's gathering was no exception.

Among the many I got to talk to:

Brian Blodgett - international competitor in IDOS events, seasoned by the competition, interested in sharing gained knowledge.

Bakin' Bill Johnson - name suits his Dutch Oven pursuits. Friendly and appealing.

German and Rosero Platero - eager,very eager,beginners with a magnificent offering. Their pride of participation and achievement glowed.

Jack Wallace - What he does with his Dutch Oven cook books on an iPad shows the touch of maestro. He is the Director of Education for IDOS. His work will soon reside on my Kindle Fire. (Imagine using your device in your kitchen as an e-cookbook).

A Dutch Oven, this simple cast iron cooking pot, produces a comfort food beyond description, its use provides the steam, the smells, the warmth to cheer a heart on even the coldest day, and a surrounding friendliness, good nature and honest communication among its proponents. The oven provides an outdoor activity, it is family friendly and can be all inclusive.

Remiss of me; I have been mainly a lurker in local Chapter activities, yet Dutch Oven Cooking has been in my life (here and in Australia) for approaching seven decades that I remember and with my ancestors for a lot longer before. You may note renewed enthusiasm.

Look for the Dutch Oven cooking at the RV and Motorhome Shows next month in Sandy UT. And be sure to be at the next Storm Mountain DOG, February 25 at Kearns UT. Yet another great reason to visit Utah or even make it your home.

Visit Storm Mountain

ps I have the TShirt!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Tourist In My Own Town

Winter chills outside, comforting warmth indoors. Century old architecture linking past and present, 66 ft murals that inspire. Paintings depicting pioneer past. Museums and information centers. Life size, and over life size, works of art. Shine.

It's all in and around the 35 acres that are Temple Square in Salt Lake City. A place to visit. So-o much to see and record. No matter the time of the year, it is pristine and beautiful. With its stream of visitors, it is the embodiment of World languages.

I live nearby, making Utah my home. I always leave Temple Square feeling I am not there often enough.

Share my enthusiasm. Put it on your list for soon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~