Quiet week in the Intermountain West   Observing Seismic Events (earthquakes) is a hobby that I enjoy. My area of interest is the Intermountain West (Utah to Yellowstone), chosen because I live at the middle of the map, in Sandy UT.   Information about Utah describes living in Earthquake Country, and Government information also lists suggested precautions to observe. Of particular interest to me are those dealing with seniors and persons with disabilities.   My hobby interest seeks to inform, never to alarm. For as long as, and wherever, I have indulged this hobby I have found myself somewhat of a Robinson Caruso in attracting other adherents. Mostly, Seismic Events go unreported.   My information is obtained from the reports of the US Seismic Service located at the University of Utah. ... 11/23/2012

A store with a difference in Sandy Utah   Scheels in Sandy Utah is a store with a difference This store is an experience   A Sporting Goods store, Scheels at 11282 South State Street, Sandy UT, shows everything in its 220,000sq ft premises, a place to get lost in.   Imagine huge bronze sporting sculptures outside; a 65 ft Ferris wheel and a 16,000 gallon fish tank inside; a mountain of stuffed animals, a float aircraft dangling from the ceiling; life size figures of Abraham Lincoln and others orating and moving for emphasis; section after section of sporting goods and clothing; rifles, guns and ammunition to satisfy any hunter; food, and much,much more.   Scheels in Sandy UT opened in September and is drawing huge crowds, likely to even increase into the Holidays. If you come as a group... 11/20/2012

Gun Show in Sandy Utah is a major event.   It is hard for me to be a photo-blogger when the subject is that great event (approximately quarterly) The Crossroads of the West Gun Show in Sandy Utah.   No Cameras (slight bummer)   But there is a way to give you a feel for the event. In words and graphics...   Major traffic (and overflow as well). Imagine a very large exhibition hall with thousands of people, eight substantial aisles of displays on many hundreds of tables. With the hunting season soon upon us, rifles and guns of all descriptions were walking out the door, closely followed by dollies of ammunition. (Have you tried to lift 1000 rounds of 9mm, or 5.56mm or .308 or...? ~ you might be surprised.)   Vendors were numerous, enthusiastic and informative; customers and visitors, eage... 11/18/2012

Something a bit fishy in Sandy UT The Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy Utah is an attraction to put on your list of things to see and do when you visit the Salt Lake Valley.   You'll find the Aquarium at the intersection of 10600 South and 700 East. There is plentiful parking. I went yesterday afternoon and was there with a grand number of school children, many of whom were willing to share their knowledge.   What a time – the place is beautiful. Well laid out, easy access, heaps of information on the exhibits, healthy, active, denizens from sea and river, a large flock of penguins on steroids (a really boiling pool of activity and showmanship), an electric eel sparking away, anacondas and green tree snakes, transparent fish, glowing jellies, poisonous and venomous, and of course, piranh... 11/17/2012

Week's seismic activity in the Intermountain West   Seismic Events (earthquakes) fascinate me. They confirm to me that we exist on a living planet. My hobby is observing seismic events over a period of a week for the Intermountain West (Utah and Yellowstone Regions).   The map of the observed area places me, in Sandy UT, right in the middle of this active earthquake region. My interest in seismic activity is to inform, never to alarm.   I obtain my information from the US Seismic Service located at the University of Utah. Each event is accompanied with plentiful data.   The Intermountain West, for the last seven days, recorded 44 Seismic Events, all in the micro range (under 3.0)   Idaho – 18 events with 15 being at Warm River ID Montana – 11 events with 8 at West Yellowstone MT and a 2... 11/16/2012

A white day in Sandy UTAH A little sunshine and a lot of cool. White everywhere. Mountain and valley floor, depths may very but everyone has plenty. Sidewalks and roads cleaned. Everything has that tidy look associated with recent snow. Sandy UT looks good. From the interior of a TRAX carriage, nicely heated, white vistas are apparent everywhere. People dressed for the cold. Outdoor furniture and toys, left out from warmer days of last week, seem a little out of place under their weight of snow. We have had our snow for a while. Please feel free to share. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11/12/2012

Sun's out but it's still cold in Sandy UT One of my Australian friends (they're heading into Summer) suggested I rename our city Snowy UT to ensure truth in advertising. (I seriously doubt whether he has ever seen snow.)   I advised that Sandy UT would remain, this recent snow fall being one of the surprises that residents enjoy for choosing to live here.   With the sun out and the blue sky appearing, the views of the mountains are truly enchanting.   It is cold. Leaves that made the most of Fall so far, by hanging on, are surrendering, and falling on top of the snow. So do I blade the snow or rake the leaves? Why not tolerate both of them for their strange beauty and do neither? A plan!   If you are intending to visit, bring a coat. If you would like to make Sandy UT your home, you mi... 11/11/2012

More and more snow in Sandy Utah And it keeps coming. Even though there is a hint of breakthrough, the promised 1 – 3 inches of snow has turned into 15 inches. No worry whether the mountains have a cover – the valley has its share as well. The mountains are still in cloud. Trees that have hung onto their leaves, waiting for the signal of frosts to lose them, are struggling under a weight of snow. They will exact their revenge on by-standers as they release their loads on the unwary and the underneath. Neighborhood roofs give a true indication of the amount of snow received so far. The most snow at one time for many years and we are only into November. Phone calls indicate that many part of Utah have been blessed with this moisture. It's now time for blades, snow blowers and shovels. Wha... 11/10/2012

Weather change in Utah – It's SNOW After high winds last evening, followed by brief hail this morning, snow has been the order of the day here in Sandy Utah. Sometime light, others heavy, small flakes, big flakes, not stopping yet, so the cover is building. Garbage bins awaiting collection acquired white tops. Our vehicles got their own mantle of white as did neighborhood roofs. This is the time Utah takes on its tidy look. It's not overly cold yet, but that will come. Interested people who asked about my activities were informed that I was putting chains on my scooter and power chair, after all, “ there's always work to be done”. I find that sudden weather changes engender quietness in business, allowing a time for reading, and study. A great time to indulge in my hobby of photography/... 11/09/2012

Intermountain West records a normal week of seismic events Forty seismic events (earthquakes) in the Intermountain West (Utah to Yellowstone) for the last week, one a minor earthquake, the remainder in the micro category. Utah 22 events. 3.1 at Levan UT Montana 15 events. 6 near Gardiner MT and 6 at West Yellowstone MT Idaho 3 events. My hobbly of observing seismic events for this region, places me in the middle of the map at Sandy UT. In these observations,  I only ever seek to inform, never to alarm. My information is drawn from the US Seismic Service located at the University of Utah. For life in "Earthquake Country" we enjoyed a fairly normal week. How did you fare? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11/05/2012

Salt Lake -Well served by light rail "This is the end of the line. As far as we go". With a bit of exploring and a lot of of adventure I have elicited this address on the blue, the red  and  the green lines of TRAX, the light rail system that covers so much of the Salt Lake Valley linking Salt Lake Central to Sandy City, Day Break, West Valley City and the University. The blue line on weekdays has the high floor trains; others are low floor trains. I can move with ease with disability devices, coping well with all line changes on the convenient platforms. "As far as we go" is a bit of a misnomer. City Central links to the Frontrunner, with its double level trains, that can get you to Ogden and points north. Next month the adventure continures with the Frontrunner south to Provo. Add in ... 11/05/2012

"They" are giving us our hour back again on Sunday morning. When  2am becomes 1am on Sunday morning, I will get to do that hour all over again - most of you won't even notice. It may well  be the secret to my business fortune for 2012.  It was my hour, taken in April for lots of admin reasons. It is not as though I am being bestowed a gift of an hour. My computer clock changed a week early - perhaps it had had enough of the charade. My phone is still in compliance. The microwave needs a hand to change. The new times won't make that much difference to the daily distribution of sunlight. Even now it is dark at 6am and dark at 6pm. In Sandy UT it takes the sun a while to struggle up over the mountains of the Wasatch Front. We know it's coming quite a while before it appears. Prior to invol... 11/02/2012

A heap of seismic events for the week in the Intermountain West For the last week the Intermountain West (Utah to Yellowstone) recorded sixty four seismic events (earthquakes), all in the micro range - under 3.0. My hobby of observing these events is always to inform and never to alarm. My information is provided by the US Seismic Service located at the University of Utah. Since I live in Sandy UT, I am at the middle of the observed area. 29 of the seismic events were recorded in Utah, with the largest showing at 2.1. (10 events were at at Huntington UT). The biggest for the week was 2.3 at Island Park !D, one of their eight events. Montana weighed in with 9 events at West Yellowstone MTand seven at Gardiner MT. Government preparedness programs acknowledge that this is earthquake countr... 11/01/2012

Average seismic activity for the Intermountain West for the past week My odd hobby of observing the week's seismic events (earthquakes) for the Intermountain West (Utah to Yellowstone) has produced 39 events. All events this week have been in the micro range (below 3.0). 15 seismic events across Utah. Kanosh UT produced a 2.6. 10 of 13 in Montana were at West Yellowstone MT Idaho recorded 7 events mostly at Warm River ID In summary - a fairly average week in earthquake country. My weekly summary of events is from  the US Seismic Service located at the University of Utah. Local information is updated on an hourly basis. As usual I seek to inform, never to alarm. Being in Sandy UT puts me in the middle of the map surrounded by it all. ********************* For Belinda in Colorado - Basalt... 10/23/2012

Farming in Sandy UT with Halloween decorations... that time of year Leaves are changing into their Fall colors..and falling. People are in their yards raking, even though with the breezes this might be a losing battle. My farm area in Historic Sandy UT has taken on a new energy. It's fine, it's warm(ish). Beautiful Autumn days. Friendly, receptive people... Among the delights of Fall, residents have carefully decorated their homes with an abundance of ghosts, goblins, skeletons, cats, witches, and of course, pumpkins. The western end of 9000 South with its pumpkin patches everywhere, the orange fruit of the vine ready for carving and decorating, is obviously responsible for the local supply. My three wheel, electric scooter is my vehicle of choice for easy contact with residents. It pre... 10/19/2012

Photography and Photoshop Meetup in Sandy UT The topic was travel photography. Ray Taggert's presentation hit last night's Sandy Meetup like a piranha taking your line in Manaus. Excitement, enthusiasm, "being there". Exceptional photos with lots of "how to's".  My chance of getting to exotic places - not so good. But I live in Sandy UT, a great destination, a place where I can produce exceptional localism photography to enthrall and entice people to visit, or even to make their home here. Ray's information certainly inspired at many levels.  The Meetup's format of including tips and tricks for Photoshop and Lightroom produced a goldmine of great photographic ideas becoming spectacular photographs.  I was moved to mark my calendar immediately for next month's Utah Photography and Photos... 10/17/2012

Different seismic event pattern in the Intermountain West this week As a hobby I observe the seismic events (earthquakes) in the Intermountain West (Utah to Yellowstone) on a weekly basis. My information is provided by the US Seismic Service located at the University of Utah As usual my information is to inform, never to alarm. Fifty three events were recorded for the week in the mapped area. 34 0f 39 events for Idaho were recorded at Island Park ID including a 3.0 and a 3.1 (both in the minor earthquake category, the remaineder in the micro category. Utah recorded 9 event - all micro Montana completed the list with 5 micros.  I am fascinated by the weekly patterns and the level of seismic activity in the Intermountain West. My home in Sandy UT is right in the middle of the mapped area ... 10/16/2012

Mountains everywhere, defining where I live For over 80 years, every Sunday, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir ("America's Choir") has broadcast to America and the World the delightful program "Music and the Spoken Word". ...from the Crossroads of the West, In the shadow of the everlasting hills... I can watch the program on television, or I can venture into downtown Salt Lake City and walk into the program LIVE. In Sandy UT, in the Salt Lake Valley,I live in the shadow of the everlasting hills, the magnificent mountains of the Wasatch Front. Sometimes hazy, others absolutely crystal clear, today bathed in cloud with new snow evident, soon to have the charcoal and white covering of winter ~ always beautiful. Salt Lake City, and its surrounding city/suburbs are great to visit anytime and a won... 10/13/2012

Pumpkin Time in Sandy Utah complete with season change Sandy UT is getting into the season change idea. Dropping temperatures. Just a little dampness that might qualify as rain. Clouds on the mountains that may clear to reveal snow at higher elevations, An evening promised with increasing temperatures (well, into the 50s at least). Trees that only this week showed a color change are dropping leaves with each wind gust. Fall is here.  Local advertising has changed to the yellows, reds and tans tans of Autumn. And let us not forget the pumpkins. 9000 S State Street has its pumpkin patch adding color and doing brisk business. Not long ago it was fireworks. Now it's pumpkins, sure to be followed by Christmas trees. Hey, is 2012 fast becoming history? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~... 10/12/2012

A more peaceful week for seismic events in the Intermountain West. My hobby is observing seismic events (earthquakes) in the Intermountain West region (Utah to Yellowstone) on a weekly basis. I usually post a summary of events on a Tuesday. My location is about the middle of the map in Sandy UT. As always my intent is to inform, never to alarm. This week produced 22 events for the region, way down from the 50 last week. All were in the micro category (less than 3.0). A friend in the south of Utah commented on one of them ~ most passed unnoticed. 12 events in Utah (Orderville Ut 2.0) 6 events in Montana, mostly West Yellowstone. 2 events in Wyoming, with Owl Creek WY producing an event at 1.9 The map is provided by the US Seismic Service, located at the University of Utah. They update th... 10/09/2012