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Show Pfowfiug By Janet Wallis Or have you noticed? All America may claim Johnny Appleseed, but US 40 has it own folklore hero, Alphy, the Alfalfa Lover. Or have you noticed? Alongside US 40 from Roosevelt to Vernal, usually barren except for beer cans and other trash, yellow clover is in full blossom. ' I know it didn't grow there naturally. The hills and dales along the road are presently covered with a purplish grass, sprinkled with musky sage and a few junipers. They are spring lovely, but they are not the lush green spreading fields of Idaho. And it isn't likely that the alfalfa fields, which are a welcome sight from viewpoint hill, could jump to the edges of the highway. Obviously the right-of-way blossoms are a planned effort. A delightful conspiracy between some do-gooders and Alphy, the Alfalfa Lover. Most likely the clover planting is the result of a special grant from the Utah State Highway Department. "Alphy, travelers from Roosevelt to Vernal need something to keep their minds off the smashed prairie dogs. Go spread some of your yellow cheer along the way." Or maybe the United States Department of Agriculture higher-ups reasoned, "Let's brighten Utah roadways with some of this excess alfalfa seed the farmers can't afford to plant anymore." And Alphy was dispatched to scatter sunshine. Or the clover may be the outcome of some brain-storming by the beautification committee of the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce. "Why not?" And a call went through to Alphy. Both sides of the twenty-eight mile ' I y f, ;'Tv - ... ' yy yn stretch to Roosevelt would be quite a planting task, even for Alphy. I'm sure he solicitated some help. Did anyone see Alphy and the Sunrise Lions seed the highway edges early this spring? Or AlDhv may have engaged the help of some eager Cub Scout, probably Pack 237, who were delighted to do two good turns in one and make a profit on the side. "Everytimeyoupickupa beer can, drop a few alfalfa seeds," were Alphy's instructions. I have noticed struggling yellow blossoms along the Maeser road and scattered alongside US 44 to Manila (Alphy has been busy). But this is the first spring I have seen alfalfa blossom in such abundance on the shoulders of US 40 from Roosevelt to Vernal. So Alphy and helpers, it's time for thank -yous. Please stand up and take a bow. The way home is brighter because of you. In a note from Carma Richens who moved to Las Vegas, Nev., with hubby, Hugh, over twenty years ago, she laments her membership in the Vernal Switcheroo Club. "All the time we lived in Vernal and would go to Salt Lake City, Main Street in Heber City ran north and south. But on the return trip the road had 'turned' and it would run east and west." Carma explains her mix-up malady, "I think my confusion started in the fifth grade (in Vernal, naturally) when we studied maps. Instead of mounting the maps of Utah and the United States on the north wall, our teacher had them on the west wall. As a result, I always associated the tops of maps with the west. And now, everytime we return to Vernal, we go 'west' instead of 'north' and the opposite when we return' home." Good to hear from you, Carma, but I can't blame my turn-around on a derelict teacher who hung his maps wrong. But I'll try anything. I'd even take fifth grade over again if I thought it would straighten me out. |