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Show Volume VIII Issue X THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 13 September 1, 2003 Layton, Wild Bird Center, Nature/Bird Walk Schedule Join us for a free nature/bird walk. We leave from the Layton, Wild Bird Center, 1860 North 1000 West (across from Barnes Noble) at 8:00 a.m., every Saturday (unless otherwise noted), rain or shine. Our walks are a great way to introduce children to the world of nature. Bill Fenimore or another local expert leads the walk. We discuss and observe birds, mammals, flowers, butterflies and other nature interests, as we encounter them. The Wild Bird Center “life list” is at 171 different bird species observed during our Nature/Bird Walks, thus far. Help us add new bird species to the Wild Bird Center list. August 30, Farmington Bay September 6, Farmington Bay September 13, Kayscreek September 20, Beus Pond September 27, Nature Conservancy Layton Wetlands October 4, Antelope Island October 11, Riverdale Parkway October 18, East Kaysville Foothills Wilderness Park October 25, USU Extension Gardens/Kaysville Ponds ARTISTS cont. from page 12 Suzie Wood, the artist featured in the Carriage House Gallery, says, “Painting is fun! At least its fun when I finish a painting I like. Often the middle stage of a painting is agony! – Smile. I love working in watercolor—its freshness, spontaneity, and its ability for bold bright colors, strong contrasts, or gentle washes.” Suzie continues, “I enjoy painting the beauty of ordinary things . . . especially fruit, vegetables, or flowers from the garden. I paint them larger than life to give them personality, and to show them off.” She concludes with, “If a painting tells a quiet story, takes my breath away, or is humorous and makes me laugh, I think it is fabulous! I like to surround myself with things that remind me of how beautiful the world can be. I hope, in some small way, my work does this or other.” The public is invited to visit the Eccles Community Art Center, and Carriage House Gallery, 2580 Jefferson Avenue, Ogden. Information: 801-392-6935 or www.ogden4arts.org. Regular Gallery Hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The Center is closed on Major Holidays. Just Listed! Huntsville town. 5 Bedroons, 2 Baths, Rambler on .75 acres. Only $179,900! Spacious 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath, elegant custom home with sweeping Ogden Valley views. Offered at $289,900! How Green Is My Valley Sometimes I wish that I did not get so involved in things in our beautiful valley. erhaps, if I just minded my own business, I would still have been oblivious and would only have seen the beauty, not knowing about all the other stuff— sort of blissfully floating around in la-la land. The Valley seemed to be a piece of paradise indeed—when we first arrived. Wonderful people and mountains as far as you could see, with the Pineview Reservoir sparkling like a sapphire in its midst, with plenty of wild life and the dark velvet nights filled with endless stars! Nothing could be better. It was all so nice. I loved to write and share my feelings of everything around me. So one of the first things I did was to call the editor at The OGDEN VALLEY NEWS and ask if there was an opening for a columnist,and I started writing again. It did not only satisfy my writing urge but I got to know my fellow Valley inhabitants. They would stop me at the Valley Market and ask, “Are you the lady that writes for the OGDEN VALLEY NEWS?” I was pleased that they read my writings, and answered, “Yes, I am!” with a big smile. And they would say how they agreed with my feelings of our beautiful Valley. They were so nice! Then I joined the Ogden Valley Business Association. I loved going to the meetings, learning more about the Valley, and I got involved in all sorts of projects. And I met more folks. It was great and oh – so very nice! Then I started writing for the StandardExaminer as one of the “Top of Utah Voices,” and people from Ogden started calling me. “Are you the lady who writes for the Standard?” They wanted to know. “Yes!” I said with a smile in my voice. They loved the positive tone of the articles, they said. I was thrilled that people on the other side of the mountains were also reading my words! It was so very, very nice. In Minnesota where I used to write for a newspaper, I was officially called – a “Life Columnist.” It was appropriate because I write about “life.” And that is what I did in my new habitat—I wrote about life—all that happened around me. All the new experiences in this place called Eden. I loved it – it was incredibly nice! Then I heard about the new venture in Eden! A group of people told us that Edenites should be making decisions for their own future! “Those” people across the mountains should not be making decisions for us! There was a wonderful “master plan” for the Valley, and when Incorporated as a city we could follow the master plan, ensuring that the Valley develop in a good way—keeping the night sky, wild life, rural lifestyle as we like it—they said. I looked up into the clear blue, no-pollution sky above our Valley, and I reveled in the wildlife around me—moose, deer; and humming birds, hawks, and eagles! And at night I looked at the millions of stars with no city lights, and I couldn’t wait to sign up for one of the Incorporation committees! It sounded sort of noble and all. And I met more Edenites! I felt that I was becoming part of the community! It was a very nice feeling. Then I noticed some activity at the crossing over the Pineview Reservoir! People told me that it was a good thing! A very reliable construction company was checking if the dam wall was still good so it could withstand earthquakes. Huh? What? There are e..e..earthquakes here? I stammered. “No one told me about that!” But seeing that there was indeed a possibility of an earthquake, this “checking the dam wall” was a very good thing—a very nice thing indeed. When autumn arrived in glorious colors, I was well on my way, settling into my new life here in Eden and loving every minute! I made wonderful friends, and other things also fell into place. The Incorporation venture was making headway, and I loved writing for the newspapers. It was ever so very nice. It was during the first quarter of the New Year that the proverbial snake surfaced in Eden—actually several snakes. Things were not as nice as it seemed. I had a distinct feeling that Adams and Eves were grabbing leaves all over Eden—they did not even mind if there weren’t fig leaves—any old leave would do. Something was amiss! Something did not feel nice! The Incorporation venture turned out to be a disaster and I discovered, along with many, that the wonderful “master plan” wasn’t the goal after all. As usual, my articles portrayed everything that happened around me—I’m a life columnist after all. Some people were for the master plan and some weren’t! Some loved dark velvet skies, rural scenery, and wildlife; and others did not give a hoot! Give us fast food restaurants and all the conveniences that those folks across the mountains enjoy! I reported in my writings that everyone had a view and a right to these views—trying to convince myself that it was okay. But things felt wrong. Things weren’t so nice anymore. And people were starting to get a bit grumpy. Actually, some people turned out to be downright nasty at Incorporation meetings. Eden horse property. 6 bedroom, Mountain Green Beautiful Trapper’s By Drienie Hattingh 3 bath home on 2.30 acres w/barn. Includes mother-in-law apt. in walkout basement. Offered at $299,900! Price Slashed to $249,900! Beautiful Just Listed! Spacious 5 BD, 3.5 bath. 3 BD, 2.5 BA, over 1 acre, 40 x 60 garage / shop, passive solar design. Must see inside! Also available for lease. Ski Lake Estates in Huntsville. 1.27 acres. Gorgeous views. Only $89,900! Liberty horse property! 6 BD, 3BA, additional garage/workshop w/ covered boat/RV storage. $310,000! Approx. 1.8 acres in Fox Hollow Estates in Mtn. Green. Panoramic views Wolf Lodge condo, 1 bedroom, newer carpet/paint, furnished. A Bargain at $70,900 Only $179,900 Wolf Lodge condo, Huntsville 2.64 acres bldg. lot. Sweeping Valley views! Only $89,500 1 BD, hardwood floors, slate tile,new paint, wood stove. Nice! Furnished. Lots of amenities: Pool, 2 hot tubs, tennis ct. & more. Only $75,000 Owner / Agent Building Lot! .55 acre building lot on Wolf Ridge Circle. Gorgeous views of Ogden Valley. Only $54,900 Point home. 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath, main floor Master on .31 acre lot. Views from every room. Offered at $295,000! Huntsville home.w/ panoramic views 2.18 acres. Horse property Just $289,900! You newcomers should not tell us what to do in our Valley! They said. I felt downright unwelcome. It wasn’t a nice feeling at all! Then everyone started complaining about the dam wall, putting a lot of emphasis on “dam.” It was taking forever to complete! We discovered that deadlines did not mean a thing in certain circles. Then, many months later on a fine, blue-sky-valley-day, I stopped at the red light on the dam wall and while waiting, I pondered about the shenanigans in our beautiful Valley while I looked to my left as usual to the lovely view down our Canyon. This incredible view always calmed my nerves. But there was something wrong with my vision! All I saw was gray! No mountains, pine forests—nothing! I blinked, but nothing! I rubbed my eyes, and just when I started to panic, thinking I’d gone blind, I looked up and saw the blue sky above the grayness. It was a wall! A ten-foot wall! Huh! What? Where did that come from? This was terrible—not nice at all! Soon we all learned that the dam construction people were putting up a ten-foot wall all the way across the Canyon, blocking our view. Our very own scenic byway wasn’t so scenic anymore! I went to the meeting in Ogden with other Valley residents, and we told the Bureau of Reclamation members what we thought of the ten-foot wall. They weren’t pleased. “We are doing you a favor coming here to this meeting,” they told us. Mmmm . . . we thought. That’s downright mean—not very nice at all! “You never told us about the dam 10-foot wall!” We told them. “We did not think that you would mind,” they told us. We all laughed out loud at that statement. “Well,” we told them, “we do mind!” To this they replied, “You are not supposed to be looking at the view— you are supposed to keep your eyes on the road!” That sort of surprised us. Somehow Scenic Byways does imply one is to use one’s eyes to actually look at the scenery. Perhaps you should start handing out eye guards to everyone traveling on scenic roads! We thought. Through all of the above, I wrote my articles for the newspapers. Sometimes, I have to admit, I wasn’t very nice. Now, when someone stops me or calls and says, “Are you the lady who writes?” I’m not always sure what to expect but I answer. “Yes!” with a smile in my voice. “I am!” I love our Valley and its people—regardless of our difference of opinions! And I’m glad, after all, that I did get involved. We all have to. How else will we know what’s going on in our world? And yes! We can make a difference—this is America after all! And that is ever so very nice! Mountain Green 3 bedroom, 3 bath, den, 2 family rooms Offered at $204,900! Just Listed! 3 BD, 2.5 BA, .92 acre. Liberty horse property. Quiet cul-de-sac, gorgeous setting. Priced to blow out fast! $237,200! Lots / Acreage Just Listed! Radford Hills building lot 1 acre- Gorgeous views! East facing - Best deal around Only $94,900 Beautiful 5.35 acre bldg lot east of Huntsville town. Panoramic views! Beautiful rambler - over 2800 sq.ft. Gorgeous views. 4+ BR, 3 bath. Best deal in town! Assumable loan. Priced to sell fast! $185,000! Just $100,000! Price Reduced! Only $109,900 1+acre Elkhorn Subdivision building lot Just off the 6th green of Wolf Creek Golf Course Dyan Gill 801 644-5853 |