To our British friends and cousins - we offer you our prayers and support during this time of sorrow and atrocity.
You have stood with us in our time of need, and we shall stand with you in yours as well.
We also offer our continuing resolve to overcome this great evil, and to preserve freedom throughout the world. Tyranny and atrocity cannot be left to rule the day. We must stand up for freedom and liberty, and never give control to those who would take it away.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Family Blog News
We have added some more resarch aids on the Family Heritage Blog. Also we changed the background to one that is a little easier on the eyes. As you may know, we have spent much of the last two weekends out "Headstone Hunting". We were blessed in that we were able to find the headstones of several ancestors on the Lefler side of the family that the location was not known to us.
Last night, as Dawn Ann was doing some research we found a new (to us at least) web site. It is called Utah Gravestones. What we found, to our surprise, was that this web site has been collecting digital photographs of headstones throughout Utah, and then posting them on the Web. Also, their database is searchable by name, or by cemetery. It is still a small database, but what was interesting was that many of Dawn Ann's ancestors were already in there! Especially those who are in the Midway and Charleston cemeteries (we had even already taken pictures of many of these headstones.). This web site welcomes contributions, and we plan on adding the photos that we have collected to their database. We have added the link to this website on the Family heritage blogs "Family History Resources" links section. It was interesting to learn that the Spirit of Elijah has been moving on others, the same as it has upon us -- for the need to photograph and identify the location of our ancestoral burial sites. I would still like to start tagging the photos with GPS coordinates, to help locating graves within the cemetery.
We have a big of bad news, my camera, the Olympus 450d has gone on the fritz. We are going to have to take it in for repairs. You can still take pictures with it, but you can't tell if it is zoomed in or zoomed out, or on what it is focusing. At the same time, this camera is 1.3 megapixel point and shoot only camera. As I have grown into digital photography, I have desired to have a camera with a higher resoulution, as well as the ability to have more control over the camera for more technical photographs.
So, we have decided that I will get a new camera, for a combination Father's Day/Birthday Present. Well, it isn't exactly new, its a demo camera that has had very light use. It does come with a full 1-year warrantee (I opted for an additional 3-year service agreement). The camera is a Nikon Coolpix 5400. I got it on ebay for a really good price -- less than half of what they were going for new. This camera model has been out for a couple of years, and is being phased out, which adds to the good deal I was able to get. This camera is a 5.1 megapixel camera, with many features, including a manual setting, that I will be able to use, with much of the same versatility I previously enjoyed with my old 35mm single-lens-reflex cameras of the past. Digital SLR's, would be something that I would like to get oneday, but they're still out of our budget range. Although this year, both Nikon and Canon have come out with Digital SLR's in the $800-$1000 range. So maybe someday, as prices keep coming down for new technology, a digital SLR will come within reach. Hopefully this new camera will do the job for some time to come. We will get the old olympus camera repaired, and then we will use it for more family use. We expect that Bryan will get quite a bit of use out of it.
In other blog news, I have posted my high council talk from last Sunday (Father's Day) on the Gospel Study Page. It is about the battle for the souls of men, which is a continuation of the war in heaven. Since it was father's day, I tied in how father's can help in this battle. The title of my talk is, "The War For The World".
Last night, as Dawn Ann was doing some research we found a new (to us at least) web site. It is called Utah Gravestones. What we found, to our surprise, was that this web site has been collecting digital photographs of headstones throughout Utah, and then posting them on the Web. Also, their database is searchable by name, or by cemetery. It is still a small database, but what was interesting was that many of Dawn Ann's ancestors were already in there! Especially those who are in the Midway and Charleston cemeteries (we had even already taken pictures of many of these headstones.). This web site welcomes contributions, and we plan on adding the photos that we have collected to their database. We have added the link to this website on the Family heritage blogs "Family History Resources" links section. It was interesting to learn that the Spirit of Elijah has been moving on others, the same as it has upon us -- for the need to photograph and identify the location of our ancestoral burial sites. I would still like to start tagging the photos with GPS coordinates, to help locating graves within the cemetery.
We have a big of bad news, my camera, the Olympus 450d has gone on the fritz. We are going to have to take it in for repairs. You can still take pictures with it, but you can't tell if it is zoomed in or zoomed out, or on what it is focusing. At the same time, this camera is 1.3 megapixel point and shoot only camera. As I have grown into digital photography, I have desired to have a camera with a higher resoulution, as well as the ability to have more control over the camera for more technical photographs.
So, we have decided that I will get a new camera, for a combination Father's Day/Birthday Present. Well, it isn't exactly new, its a demo camera that has had very light use. It does come with a full 1-year warrantee (I opted for an additional 3-year service agreement). The camera is a Nikon Coolpix 5400. I got it on ebay for a really good price -- less than half of what they were going for new. This camera model has been out for a couple of years, and is being phased out, which adds to the good deal I was able to get. This camera is a 5.1 megapixel camera, with many features, including a manual setting, that I will be able to use, with much of the same versatility I previously enjoyed with my old 35mm single-lens-reflex cameras of the past. Digital SLR's, would be something that I would like to get oneday, but they're still out of our budget range. Although this year, both Nikon and Canon have come out with Digital SLR's in the $800-$1000 range. So maybe someday, as prices keep coming down for new technology, a digital SLR will come within reach. Hopefully this new camera will do the job for some time to come. We will get the old olympus camera repaired, and then we will use it for more family use. We expect that Bryan will get quite a bit of use out of it.
In other blog news, I have posted my high council talk from last Sunday (Father's Day) on the Gospel Study Page. It is about the battle for the souls of men, which is a continuation of the war in heaven. Since it was father's day, I tied in how father's can help in this battle. The title of my talk is, "The War For The World".
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Mars in the Sky
Mars Approaches
The Red Planet is about to be spectacular! This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.
The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Gilligan's Island Syndrome
What is Gilligan’s Island Syndrome?
That’s a good question. When I was a 10-year-old boy, I took swimming lessons at the Kearns Pool. I was a little older than the rest of the kids in my class. I think I had a little more fear of the water, that the younger kids in my class who didn’t realize that the water could be dangerous. I still remember the swimsuit I wore to those swimming lessons. It was a pair of red swim trunks, with white piping.
Each time I got ready to go to swimming lessons, I would get a knot in my stomach because I was so nervous about having to swim (and not drown) in the pool. I think I inherited some of this fear of the water from Grandpa Hatch, who wasn’t too comfortable with swimming either.
Each day, as the time of my swimming lesson would approach, the knot in my stomach would grow. As it so happened, Gilligan’s Island would just be coming on TV, just as it was getting to be time to leave for my swimming lesson. After a period of time, I began to associate the Gilligan’s Island theme song, with the knot in my stomach.
Even today, more than 35 years later, I still get a knot in my stomach when I hear the Gilligan’s Island theme song!
“Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, . . . .” Noooooooooooo!!
Eventually, I overcame my fear of the water, and actually came to love swimming. I actually liked watching Gilligan's island, but I could have done without the knot in my stomach.
Tell me now, is this a psychosomatic illness, or what?
That’s a good question. When I was a 10-year-old boy, I took swimming lessons at the Kearns Pool. I was a little older than the rest of the kids in my class. I think I had a little more fear of the water, that the younger kids in my class who didn’t realize that the water could be dangerous. I still remember the swimsuit I wore to those swimming lessons. It was a pair of red swim trunks, with white piping.
Each time I got ready to go to swimming lessons, I would get a knot in my stomach because I was so nervous about having to swim (and not drown) in the pool. I think I inherited some of this fear of the water from Grandpa Hatch, who wasn’t too comfortable with swimming either.
Each day, as the time of my swimming lesson would approach, the knot in my stomach would grow. As it so happened, Gilligan’s Island would just be coming on TV, just as it was getting to be time to leave for my swimming lesson. After a period of time, I began to associate the Gilligan’s Island theme song, with the knot in my stomach.
Even today, more than 35 years later, I still get a knot in my stomach when I hear the Gilligan’s Island theme song!
“Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, . . . .” Noooooooooooo!!
Eventually, I overcame my fear of the water, and actually came to love swimming. I actually liked watching Gilligan's island, but I could have done without the knot in my stomach.
Tell me now, is this a psychosomatic illness, or what?
Amy's School Concert
Yesterday I took the afternoon off to see Amy's end-of-school year concert. As I made my way into the school, my mind reflected upon the experiences I have had at the school building during the past year. As near as I can recall I have been in that school building for about 8 different events. Four of those occasions were for school meetings regarding Bryan's education plan. The other times have been for various official school functions: a Christmas concert, the Boys Maturation Program, Bryan's State Fair project and exhibit, and today's 4th grade year-end program.
I have to admit that the building gives me mixed emotions. We have had some hard times in that building, including a couple of which turned into a Battle Royale with the school administrators. The last IEP meeting was just last Friday, so it was still fresh on my mind. It kind of reminds me of "Gilligan's Island Syndrome" from which I suffered as a child.
Today's event was for Amy’s 4th grade program. We had hoped to have Grandma C. there, but she had to take Grandpa C. in for a Dr. Appointment at the same time.
Unfortunately, mama couldn't be there either, because we had Bryan in for some end of year Developmental Testing (The Woodcock-Johnson Test at our own expense: $500 out of our own pockets, - Ouch! ) So it was just me there to support Amy.
The kids sang a series of songs with a Utah history theme, plus played two songs on their recorders, which they have been practicing since January.
Here is the list of songs they sang:
- "The Indian Tribes of Utah". This song highlighted the names of all the Indian tribes from Utah.
- Song about Spanish Explorers. The search of a trail from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Monterrey, California. This was about the famous Dominguez-Escalate Expedition that took place in 1776.
- Song about Inter-Continental railroad completion on May 10, 1869. (When they were practicing this song, Amy took a picture of the driving of the Golden Spike to class to explain that her third great grandpa was there, and in the picture – somewhere.
-Song about Utah Statehood: "Utah: This is the Place!" A song written for the state centennial celebration in 1996.
They played two songs on their Recorders:
- First, a monotone recorder song – yes, all the notes were the same note for the entire duration of the song (which lasted for about 15 seconds). At first the parents didn’t know what to think – was that a song or just a warm-up? When it became apparent that this was indeed a song, an uneasy applause started. I overheard one parent say to a sibling in the crowd, “don’t laugh!”
- Second, another recorder song using only the left-hand, upper register notes (G, A, and B). This one at least had a melody. And the applause was genuine, rather than forced.
(I guess for the recorder songs, they had to keep the skill level down to the Lowest Common Denominator – too bad, because they have been practicing since January. I know that Amy can do a lot more on the recorder than that.)
- Song "Stand for Something!" A nice song about Utah Values. To do something good, and to stand up for the right. (It is interesting that a few years ago, President Gordon B. Hinckley, of the LDS church released a book called “Standing for Something” which essentially says the same things as what the song was espousing.) It’s a good thing the ACLU wasn’t there!
- "We're not that different after all". This was the obligatory tribute to multi-culturalism, which tried to help everyone realize that regardless of race, creed or color, that we are all really pretty much the same after all.
The children had all of these songs committed to memory. I know they also learned a song that included all the county names in Utah as well, even though they didn't perform it in the concert.
Actually, by committing these songs to memory, and having sung them over and over again (and having learned them at a young age) the words to these songs will likely be accessible to the children's minds throughout most of their lives. I can still remember songs that were taught to me in elementary school. I would suspect that the parts of Utah History that they will remember best, will be the the ones that they learned through the music. It will be much easier to recall the things that were set to musc, over those they heard in a lecture, or even read in a book. The concert, then, not only gave the children a chance to perform in front of their parents, but it also will help them to remember much of what they have learned about Utah History. Good for the 4th grade teaching team!
At the end, Mr. T., Amy’s teacher expressed how much he had enjoyed working with the fourth grade team, and how much he will miss the children in his class. He got a little choked up in the process. You could tell that he had formed a real bond with the children, and that he would genuinely miss them. From our experience, Mr. T. is a great teacher. He is nice and polite with the kids, but firm in his discipline. He actually expects children to fulfill their assignments, and to behave in class! A kind of velvet steel type of guy. He has just completed his 27th year of teaching.
The good news is that Mr. T. will be teaching sixth grade next year, and he is projected to be Bryan’s teacher. If we decide to place Bryan in the public school, rather than homeschooling for next year, Mr. T. will finally be a great asset in the regular classroom – which up until now has been the missing link in Bryan’s education. We have never, as of yet, had a really good and effective regular classroom teacher for Bryan. The prosect of having Mr T. for Bryan's teacher is a source of hope for next year.
I have to admit that the building gives me mixed emotions. We have had some hard times in that building, including a couple of which turned into a Battle Royale with the school administrators. The last IEP meeting was just last Friday, so it was still fresh on my mind. It kind of reminds me of "Gilligan's Island Syndrome" from which I suffered as a child.
Today's event was for Amy’s 4th grade program. We had hoped to have Grandma C. there, but she had to take Grandpa C. in for a Dr. Appointment at the same time.
Unfortunately, mama couldn't be there either, because we had Bryan in for some end of year Developmental Testing (The Woodcock-Johnson Test at our own expense: $500 out of our own pockets, - Ouch! ) So it was just me there to support Amy.
The kids sang a series of songs with a Utah history theme, plus played two songs on their recorders, which they have been practicing since January.
Here is the list of songs they sang:
- "The Indian Tribes of Utah". This song highlighted the names of all the Indian tribes from Utah.
- Song about Spanish Explorers. The search of a trail from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Monterrey, California. This was about the famous Dominguez-Escalate Expedition that took place in 1776.
- Song about Inter-Continental railroad completion on May 10, 1869. (When they were practicing this song, Amy took a picture of the driving of the Golden Spike to class to explain that her third great grandpa was there, and in the picture – somewhere.
-Song about Utah Statehood: "Utah: This is the Place!" A song written for the state centennial celebration in 1996.
They played two songs on their Recorders:
- First, a monotone recorder song – yes, all the notes were the same note for the entire duration of the song (which lasted for about 15 seconds). At first the parents didn’t know what to think – was that a song or just a warm-up? When it became apparent that this was indeed a song, an uneasy applause started. I overheard one parent say to a sibling in the crowd, “don’t laugh!”
- Second, another recorder song using only the left-hand, upper register notes (G, A, and B). This one at least had a melody. And the applause was genuine, rather than forced.
(I guess for the recorder songs, they had to keep the skill level down to the Lowest Common Denominator – too bad, because they have been practicing since January. I know that Amy can do a lot more on the recorder than that.)
- Song "Stand for Something!" A nice song about Utah Values. To do something good, and to stand up for the right. (It is interesting that a few years ago, President Gordon B. Hinckley, of the LDS church released a book called “Standing for Something” which essentially says the same things as what the song was espousing.) It’s a good thing the ACLU wasn’t there!
- "We're not that different after all". This was the obligatory tribute to multi-culturalism, which tried to help everyone realize that regardless of race, creed or color, that we are all really pretty much the same after all.
The children had all of these songs committed to memory. I know they also learned a song that included all the county names in Utah as well, even though they didn't perform it in the concert.
Actually, by committing these songs to memory, and having sung them over and over again (and having learned them at a young age) the words to these songs will likely be accessible to the children's minds throughout most of their lives. I can still remember songs that were taught to me in elementary school. I would suspect that the parts of Utah History that they will remember best, will be the the ones that they learned through the music. It will be much easier to recall the things that were set to musc, over those they heard in a lecture, or even read in a book. The concert, then, not only gave the children a chance to perform in front of their parents, but it also will help them to remember much of what they have learned about Utah History. Good for the 4th grade teaching team!
At the end, Mr. T., Amy’s teacher expressed how much he had enjoyed working with the fourth grade team, and how much he will miss the children in his class. He got a little choked up in the process. You could tell that he had formed a real bond with the children, and that he would genuinely miss them. From our experience, Mr. T. is a great teacher. He is nice and polite with the kids, but firm in his discipline. He actually expects children to fulfill their assignments, and to behave in class! A kind of velvet steel type of guy. He has just completed his 27th year of teaching.
The good news is that Mr. T. will be teaching sixth grade next year, and he is projected to be Bryan’s teacher. If we decide to place Bryan in the public school, rather than homeschooling for next year, Mr. T. will finally be a great asset in the regular classroom – which up until now has been the missing link in Bryan’s education. We have never, as of yet, had a really good and effective regular classroom teacher for Bryan. The prosect of having Mr T. for Bryan's teacher is a source of hope for next year.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Our Heritage - Memorial Day Weekend
Kanab Cemetery - Memorial Day 2005
(Click on Photos to see a larger image)
On our way to Lake Powell, from St. George, we passed through Kanab, Utah. As we went past the cemetery, I noticed two columns of flags lining the main drive in the cemetery. The display was so striking to me, that I had to go back and take a pictures of it. I got out of the truck, and started snapping some photos. To my surprise, everyone else bailed out of the truck too. Dawn Ann remembered that she had some relatives buried there. So Dawn Ann and Amy started looking around the cemetery to find headstones of relatives. Bryan, on the other hand, wanted something to do, rather than just browsing around the cemetery.
Zadok Judd
We were able to find a few of Dawn Ann's relatives there. In particular, we found the grave of Zadok Judd. Zadok's sister, Mary Lois Judd Mitchell, was Dawn Ann's direct ancestor. They were born in Canada, and later joined the church in Ontario during the early 1830's. A few years later, they decided to gather with the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, only to find out that Joseph Smith, and the Elders of the church had already moved on to Missouri. The family continued on in their quest to join together with the Saints, in a 1,000-mile trip to Missouri. Soon after arriving, however, they were driven from Missouri, and eventually settled in Nauvoo, Illinois. Eventually, they were driven from Nauvoo too, and began their trek to the valleys of the Rocky Mountains.
Mormon Batallion Insignia
Zadock, joined with the Mormon Batallion, which is noted on his headstone. There was a special insignia commemorating his status as a Veteran of the Mexican war of 1846-47.
Meanwhile, while we were finding and photographing headstones, Bryan located a fellow who was installing a headstone. Bryan learned how to use the block and tackle that the installer was using. Bryan lowered the 900 pound headstone in place, while the installer guided it into position. For Bryan, this something that really caught his interest, and was even fun for him.
Bryan Installing the Headstone
Both Dawn Ann and I come from a rich heritage. Our ancestors have been instrumental in the establishment of the Church, and the settlement of the American West. We also have ancestors who came to America starting in 1620, and who fought in the Revolutionary War.
Now our children inherit the heritage from both of our family lines: From pilgrims on the Mayflower, to Revolutionary War Veterans, to the earliest members of the church (both in the United States, as well as in Great Britain), to hearty pioneer forefathers who crossed the plains in covered wagons and even handcarts, to soldiers who marched with the Mormon Battalion - on both sides of the family. One ancestor who fought on the Union side of the Civil war. Our children's ancestors helped build both the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples. They marched in Zions Camp, at Hauns Mill they were shot at, and some died. They helped settle many areas of the intermountain West as pioneers. Another ancestor was a timekeeper for the Union Pacific Railroad, and was present at the driving of the Golden Spikewhen the first transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory Summit, Utah.
We have a rich heritage in the church, and as Americans. It is our responsibility to teach our children of their heritage. They must know of the sacrifices which have been made to make this country, and to build the Kingdom of God on Earth. That is why we stop at little the cemeteries along the way. That is why we tell them their stories, and record them for future posterity.
Lake Powell - Then and Now
Lake Powell in 1985
Lake Powell in 2005
Click On the Images for An expanded view.
Twenty Years ago, in 1985, I traveled to Southern Utah. One of the places I stopped was Wahweep Marina, on Lake Powell, near Page, Arizona. Things were quite different then. We had just come through the extremely wet years of 1983 and 1984 - the years of the floods in Salt Lake City. Lake Powell was nearly full. I visited there in the fall of the year, and I remember that the Lake was only 10-15 feet from its maximum level. Today, it is some 185 feet down from the top.
The two photos above illustrate the difference between then and now. The top photo, taken in 1985 was taken from nearly the same position as the bottom photo, taken last week. In both photos, you can see Navajo Mountain in the background as a reference point. On the more recent photo, nearly everything from the half-way point on down was under water in 1985.
From what we learned on our recent trip, Lake Powell is filling up by about 18 inches per day . However it would take two or three more years of above-normal precipitation to completely fill it up again, because of the water that will be drawn down to meet contractual water obligations downstream, and the need to generate hydroelectric power.
Back in 1985, I took a boat ride out to Rainbow Bridge.
Rainbow Bridge circa 1985
As you can see, the water was right up to Rainbow Bridge, and even went under it. Nowadays, with the lake level so low, the water is nowhere near the Bridge. If you take a boat ride out there, be prepared for a hike to the Bridge.
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