Who is Robert LeRoy Parker?

Who hasn't heard of Butch Cassidy.

April 1866 - November 1908

The Robin Hood of the West

Put your hand on his shoulder and become an Outlaw.

This was his home when he was a young boy. 
He was the oldest of 13 children. 

He went to the country store on a Sunday to buy a pair of Jeans. 
The store was closed.  

He helped himself to a pair of jeans anyway. 

He left a note promising the shop owner that he would be back to pay.  

 The outlaw was born.  

This is his childhood home.  He lived there for 4 years.  

Cassidy's childhood home was  restored this past Summer by our good friend Craig Paulsen who has won many awards for restoring and thereby saving many important and historic structures. 

It was completely rebuilt.  Originally the cabin had no foundation. It was listing to one side and soon would crumble into dust.

Every log was carefully taken down, a foundation was built.  And one by one each log was placed into its original slot.  

The cabin is located in Circleville Utah, about a hundred miles south from our home in San Pete County.

Would you drive five hours just so you can eat lunch at a little French restaurant? 

Well, you would if you have heard how good and authentic the food is. 


Last summer, friends, Patricia and Wayne Johnson  stopped by our house to tell us that they had opened a French Restaurant in a small Utah town.   

The Granary Cafe is located in the charming little town of Santa Clara, just west and north of St. George, Utah.  

And, yes, the food is delicious.  

Nearby, in the Santa Clara valley, live a band of 800 Shivitz, 
the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah. 

The next morning we were treated to one spectacular sight after another.  

Kolob Terrace road gives you an opportunity  to see Zions Natural Park from a different angle. 

Every bend in the road surprises one with another imposing view. 

And then it is 5 hours back.

A lonesome road where you will only see traffic going to and coming from Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Not much has changed along this stretch in the last one hundred years. 

It was great fun to be with friends and get away for a few days, but home is home. 

Safe travels to you and yours, 

Gina 

Do you know the other Grand Canyon?

Utah's Little Grand Canyon 

Only 1 and 1/2 hours from our house, in south central Utah, you will find a most glorious spot. 

Also known as "The Wedge" Utah's Little Grand Canyon is located in Emery County, Utah.

From the Wedge outlook point you can see the deepest part of the San Rafael River Canyon.

http://www.utah.com/backways/wedgeoverlook.htm

As an added bonus and still in the San Rafael Swell area, take a side road to the Buckhorn Wash Rock Art Panel. 

A well maintained dirt road will guide you through towering Sandstone rock formations.

 The road will become more winding and narrow, you can almost feel the presence of mysterious and ancient peoples. 

Somehow these simple flowers (Fireweed) look right at home. 

And around another bend and you will discover

 The Buckhorn Wash Rock Art Panel.

Painted on freshly exposed Sandstone with powdered hematite mixed with animal fat, preserving them for thousands of years. 

A Pictograph panel which spans 130 feet.  

It was painted well over 2,000 years ago.  

 It was painted by Native Americans named by Anthropologists as the  "Barrier Canyon Culture".

And when you go there, watch the sky.  Those innocent looking and white puffy clouds can turn into dark and threatening clouds. 

The next thing you know there is a torrent of water sweeping you away.  

Have a great week, dear friends. 

Gina

http://www.utah.com/backways/wedgeoverlook.htm

Have you tasted Redmond Sea Salt?

Salt that is actually good for you!

Redmond Salt is found in a large vein 400 feet below the surface, where the air is sweet and cool, in the small town of  Redmond, south central Utah.

Redmond Salt is marketed under the name of "Real Salt",

by Redmond Heritage Farms, LLC.

Images from the Redmond Salt Museum

An ancient sea covered North America. Over millions of years the waters of this sea evaporated leaving the salt in undisturbed deposits.

During the Jurassic period,  volcanoes erupted around the sea beds, sealing the salt with thick layers of volcanic ash, protecting the salt deposits from pollution "that man would eventually introduce into the environment".

See the large pink rock?  It is a block of salt, just as it is mined, beneficial to animals because of its rich mineral content.

Redmond Salt is unrefined, without additives, chemicals or heat processing. The dark flecks you see represent a full compliment of trace minerals. 

There are several grades of Redmond Salt,  all found within the same mine, but at different locations within the mine.  The salt is taken as found and ground, that's it. 







Some of the mined salt is not table salt.  It is used on highways to melt the ice for safer driving. 

Redmond Salt is shipped all over the world and is easily available. 

Or you can drive by my house and I will point to the road to Redmond, Utah.

by Ann Torrence Photography

And after our visit to Redmond Salt we can go to the Country Auction in Salina and have a bowl of chili at the auction cafe.
But only if its Tuesday.

Of course, while there, you can always buy a handsome herd of Black Angus.

Have a great week my dear Blogging Friends.

Gina