Green Air Days in Cache Valley

This winter we have had our share of days when the air was rather smoggy or at least hazy, but they are not all that way.  Today it was cold, but the air was fresh and clear and with the Winter Olympics going on, I developed a need to get outside and go cross country skiing.  Id did't do it at all last year and am a little out of shape.  Iris didn't want me to go up into the mountains alone, so I went over to the Cutler Marsh Area.  The plan was to go skiing on the frozen marsh, but for the most part it wasn't frozen over so I mostly skied along the edge near the open water.  It was a beautiful day and I worked up a good sweat.  I only went about four miles, but it did me good and I never cease to be amazed at the beauties of the earth in all of the seasons.  I'm planning another outing or two  before the winter season is past.  I did miss River, who has accompanied me on every other cross country expedition, day or night, for the past twelve plus years.  I guess I'm just a sentimental old man. I also saw two big bull elk, but they were a little to far away for me to get a good picture.  When I tried to get closer, they saw me coming and took off.  Needless to say I couldn't keep up with them.  Here a couple of views, one looking west and the other looking east.

Looking west toward the Wellsvilles

      Looking east toward the Bear River Range

Peaches and Posies

There are peaches, but there's nothing quite like my Georgia Peach

There are posies and even Irises of everey shape and hue.

Some are pure and white.

Some are colorful and bright.

Some are almost as black as night.

And then there is one like none other!

 One much better than the rest because she makes every sweet thing sweeter and every good thing better.

I love you Iris, forever and ever.

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bart

"Red Air" Days in Cache Valley

I love the mountains and seriously give credit to much of my good health to the fresh mounatin air and clear, clean water I have been able to breath and drink throughout most of my life.  However, since we moved to Logan we have had to become accustomed to a new  phenomenon ,our infamous "red air"days.  Logan is tucked into a narrow valley between two high mountain ridges with a river running through the bottom of the valley.  This is a naturual condition for fog to develop at this altitude.  The "red air" days come when that fog mixes with all the exhaust from cars, trucks and homes mixes and is trapped in the valley, especially on the floor of the valley for weeks at a time.  We've had this condition for nearly two weeks until today when it seemed to clear out following a small snow storm.  We still love this valley and our new home, but I've got to admit we enjoyed hearing about the inversion while we were in Hawaii more than we have enjoyed breathing the stuff since we got home.  Fortunately it doesn't last forever and there are things we can do to avoid the worst of it.  Stay inside, it's to cold outside anyway.  Drive up the canyon a couple of miles for our exercice.  Actually, here where we live it's not as bad  as it is down on Main Street or further out in the valley.  We're just a little bit higher and the "soup" is not quite so thick.  We can pray for frequent storms to clear out the air, or I guess we could move to Brazil and fight the chiggers or whatever else they have to contend with down there.  All in all this is a great place to live and I don't mean to complain.  We just need to find a way to cut out the excess particulates in the air. People spoil so much of what was once so clean and beautiful.  We see it everywhere, we even saw it in Hawaii and that is supposed to be Paradise.

A relatively mild "Red  Air Day" in Logan.