Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Another place that I have wanted to visit is the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge so Sean and I took a little day trip there yesterday.  I'm pretty sure that Sean only agreed to go with me because I offered him lunch but he ended up really enjoying it!  We saw lots of different kinds of birds and it was fascinating even though we couldn't identify very many of them.  I quite enjoyed the pelicans and Sean loved seeing a blue heron.  I found the wetland habitat to be both peaceful and beautiful.

To get to the refuge, take I-15 north to Brigham City (exit 363) and follow the signs for about 1/4 mile.  There is a Visitor's Center and a 1.5 mile walking trail that you can take through the wetland.  We went on the Auto Tour which is 12 miles beyond the Visitor's Center and includes a 12 mile loop through the heart of the refuge.  It is a one-way dirt road (it is very well maintained) that is open from sunrise to sunset.  There are quite a few turn outs so that you can park and get out to observe the birds.  I really enjoyed the whole tour and I recommend it (go here for more information).

Birthday Private Screening

My sister and I have birthdays a week apart and we often celebrate them together.  She has always wanted to have a private screening and I have really missed seeing movies on the big screen so my parents arranged for our immediate family to see a movie at the Megaplex to celebrate last night.  It was probably the best birthday present I have ever received!  It was so much fun!  We were able to pick from hundreds of movies ranging from classics to newer releases and we eventually chose The Goonies because that appealed to everyone.  Incidentally, I read an article about the Megaplex Private Family Movie deal and the most popular movies being picked are Jurassic Park and The Goonies.  We really enjoyed this movie and we said many of the iconic lines ("Hey you guuuuuys!") out loud because we were the only ones there.  We were also able to pick the date and time (they may require as many as seven days notice depending on the movie you select).  The deal included a large popcorn and a large drink for everyone in our group and I have to say that I have really missed movie theater popcorn!  The Megaplex staff had everything ready to go for us in the lobby and then a staff member escorted us to the theater where there was a hand sanitizing station.  We could sit anywhere we wanted and, once we were all settled, they started the movie for us.  After the movie was over we were directed to a specific door to exit.  Everything was handled very smoothly and it was such a great experience!  I loved every minute and I highly recommend booking a private screening for your family (go here for the details).

All Adults Here

This month's Barnes & Noble Book Club selection was All Adults Here by Emma Straub and, while I didn't absolutely love it, I enjoyed it much more than I did Straub's previous novel, The Vacationers. Astrid Strick is a retired widow living in the small town of Clapham with three grown children and three grandchildren. She has been conducting a relationship with her hairdresser Birdie in secret for years. When she witnesses an accident that kills a former friend, she realizes that life is short and that she needs to reveal her secret to her children and make amends for her perceived shortcomings as a mother. All three of her children are also struggling with their own lives. Her oldest son Elliott, who has felt disapproval from her his whole life, struggles to make a name for himself in business and to form a bond with his own twin sons. Her daughter Porter, about to have a child on her own, worries that she will make the same mistakes her mother made. Her youngest son Nicky, a free-spirited former actor, ships his teenage daughter Cecelia off to live with her at the first hint of trouble. Astrid sees Cecelia as a second chance to get motherhood right and it is Cecelia's problems at school that bring the whole family together. There is a lot to unpack in this novel (maybe too much) with themes of motherhood, parental responsibility, sibling relationships, birth order, mortality, drug abuse, infidelity, friendship, bullying, sexuality, gender, and even gentrification which are explored superficially, almost as if Straub was ticking boxes for every social issue without giving any of them much development. However, I really loved the message that parents are just doing the best they can and that children will survive because everyone is ultimately responsible for their own happiness. There are a lot of quirky characters behaving badly, much like in The Vacationers, but I found them to be much more sympathetic and I enjoyed their antics. It is also very interesting the role the small town of Clapham plays in the narrative (Straub mentioned in an interview that her inspiration for Clapham was Stars Hollow) because everyone knows everyone else and people can't really escape their childhoods. It is a light and easy read without consequence that I wouldn't have picked for myself but I found it entertaining.

Note:  Next month's selection is The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. There will be a virtual discussion with the author via Facebook on July 7. Go here for more information.

Spiral Jetty

I have a very long list of places that I have always wanted to visit in my home state of Utah and, with most of my usual summer plans canceled, I have decided that I will attempt to see as many of them as I can. 

Yesterday my sister and I decided to take a day trip to the Spiral Jetty which is a really cool art installation crated by Robert Smithson in 1970 in the north end of the Great Salt Lake.  It is made out of over 6,000 tons of black basalt rock from the area and winds counterclockwise from the shore to the water.

The Spiral Jetty is about two hours north of Bountiful where I live.  Take I-15 north for 65 miles and then take Exit 365 to UT Route 13 .  You will come to the city of Corinne (where the road becomes Highway 83).   Follow the signs to the Golden Spike National Historic Site and then turn left on the Golden Spike Road.  The last 15 miles will be a gravel road and it seems like you are driving to the middle of nowhere when all of a sudden the lake appears.  There is a small parking lot with a nice view (it was really crowded with lots of cars when we were there so we had a hard time driving on the narrow road and finding a place to park but I am told that this is very unusual).  There is no cost to park.  You can hike up to two other vantage points for a better views and you can also hike down to the water.

I thought it was very interesting to see and it was so much fun to actually go on a little road trip after being cooped up inside for so long!

I recommend a visit!

Retirement

I am retiring after teaching at both Kearns Jr. High and Hunter High School for 30 years!  I can hardly believe that 30 years have gone by since I nervously walked into my first classroom and was mistaken for a student.  Over the years I have taught Utah History (that was interesting because seventh graders are needy and they invaded my personal space quite a bit), U.S. History, World Geography, English 9, English 10, and College Prep English.  I have been the advisor to the Academic Team, the Peer Leadership Team, the Cheerleaders, and the Student Body Officers (at both schools!) as well as the AVID Coordinator.  I have taken three different groups of students to Europe, gone with students to leadership camps at Utah State University and Dixie State University, arranged countless field trips (my favorite was the Sundance Film Festival every year), and chaperoned various activities and dances (I am very good at holding random objects).  I have worked with some of the best colleagues and have taught some amazing students (many of whom I am now privileged to call friends).  Teaching can sometimes be a really difficult job but, on the whole, it has been such a rewarding career!

Covid-19 changed just about everything this year, including the usual fanfare attendant upon reaching the milestone of retirement, but yesterday Hunter High School had an incredibly meaningful graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 and all of the retirees were honored.  It really meant so much to me to have a banner congratulating us and to get to lead the graduates in while the entire faculty cheered.  I will always remember it!

Note:  Lots of people have asked me what I am going to do now.  I am taking a gap year (that is what I am calling it because it sounds so much better than saying that I am taking a year off!).