Big Red Barn Pumpkin Patch

Today, we went to the Big Red Barn Pumpkin Patch, aka Rowley's Southridge Farms in Santaquin, UT.  It was bitter cold!  I was well layered and still cold.  Good thing Gram brought blankets!  But it was fun.  We took a hay ride to get out to the pumpkin patch, where there were plenty of things to do.  Like the little kid maze.  I liked it because I could see over the walls and was able to easily navigate out of there.  There were also two picture spots, where Aiden, Audrey and I all stuck our heads through the holes.


Anyway, then we each got to pick our own pumpkin from the patch.  I picked out the biggest one I could find.  Audrey picked out the smallest pumpkin she could find.  Actually, it was a gourd.  Aiden picked out a funky looking creation that some may consider a pumpkin.  Then we rode back to the barn where we each picked out a treat.  Audrey and Aiden picked out suckers, but I picked out the yummiest blackberry shake ever made.  I still dream about it every night.  Yum, yum, yum!

Vernal Trip

Oct. 19, 2011:  Today, Dad, Mom, Audrey and Aiden and I drove to Vernal, UT.  The first place we visited when we got there was The Utah Field House of Natural History Museum.  Hmmmm... can they make that name any longer?  Anyway, inside the building was a huge brontosaurus that was about to eat me.  Just kidding.  First, we watched a really long and boring video of what we were about to see.  Okay, it was really about how all the 
dinosaur bones got to Vernal.
  Next, we walked through the rest of the museum.  One room had a wall filled with leaf fossils.  I have to admit, that was pretty cool!  Another room had dinosaur footprints.  Outside, we alked around a bunch of dinosaur statues and saw a Diplodocus, a T-Rex, and my cousin, "Alli"saurus... just kidding... Allosaurus.

Next, Mom and I went to 

McConkie Ranch and saw a lot of amazing petroglyphs.  The scenery was awesome! The drawings on the rocks were well preserved.  Might I suggest not taking kids age 4 and younger on the Three Kings Trail, unless you feel confident about not seeing rattlesnakes and having no kids whine and complain for 30 minutes because the trail is not stroller-friendly.  The reason the trail is called Three Kings is because it is famous for some of the best preserved petroglyphs that look like kings.  The main king wore a chest piece and a suit of armor covered in intricate patterns.

 The second king wore a less intricate chest piece and a more ragged loincloth.  The third king wore a little bit of intricate jewelry and a loincloth.  If you want to see the Three Kings, then you will need binoculars because they are almost impossible to spot without them.  We never saw them until we finally tried the binoculars.  The Three Kings Trail was totally worth every rattlesnake (which was only one) and minute we spent hiking to it.

If you look REALLY closely at the middle of the upper rock, you may be able to see the petroglyph.         

October 20, 2011:  Today, we left for Dinosaur National Monument.  There was a wall in the quarry filled with real dinosaur bones that we could actually touch! After almost an hour of admiring the dinosaur bones and figuring out what kind of bones they were, we left for an old cabin built by Josie Bassett Morris in 1935.  When we got there, we ate lunch and took a tour of her cabin.  I don't think I could  stand living in that thing.  The house seemed like it was going to tip over at any second.  

After our little 5 second tour, we went on a hike in the mountains.  The hike reminded me of a fairy tale because of its gorgeous scenery.  The trees were beautifully colored, the mountains were a pretty grayish blue color, and the sky... OH MY GOSH! It was so pretty!  It was like the perfect sky blue with little wisps of cloud floating by.  Bringing a camera is a huge MUST. 

We also drove out to Fantasy Canyon, which is seriously in the middle of nowhere.  But, what I saw there was totally worth my sweat and the hour drive.  The formations were fantastic.  The view was fantastic.  The weather?  Not so fantastic...  But I guess that could be easily fixed by bringing a water bottle and a water gun next time.  The rock formations looked like fantasy characters from fairy tails, but they were just rocks that have eroded over time.  What you will need all depends on the weather, but you will want to bring a camera and good hiking shoes.  By the way, watch out for rattle snakes!

When Audrey and Aiden got tired, it was time to go home.  That is how I spent Fall Break with my family.  
       

Places In Uintah County I Would Like to Visit

         If I were to take a road trip to Uintah County, there are several places I would like to visit.  Uintah County has a variety of unique places, from dinosaur museums to national parks.  The three places that I would really like to see the most are Dinosaur National Monument, the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum, and Fantasy Canyon.

         The first place I would like to visit is Dinosaur National Monument.  It has one of the largest dinosaur bone collections in the world from the Jurassic Period.  Visitors can literally see dinosaur bones sticking out of the mountain quarry.  Visitors can also see petroglyphs made by ancient Indians.

         The second place I would like to visit is the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park in Vernal, UT.  One area of the museum uses different colored floor tiles to represent the different ages of rock.  Visitors can see the changes in the land, beginning from 149 million years ago to the present as they walk around the museum.

         The third place I would like to visit is Fantasy Canyon.  The rocks there have been eroded away and now look like creatures from a fantasy story.  Because of the ominous rock figures, it has also been called “The Devil’s Playground” and “Hades Pit.”

         Uintah County has a variety of interesting places to explore that appeal to visitors both young and old.  I would really like to go and see the dinosaur exhibits and parks and experience the beauty of nature there.

Jedidiah Smith

           Jedidiah Smith is a very interesting trapper and hunter for several reasons. He was only in his twenties when he came to Utah.  During his time as a trapper, he was considered a leader in his company, he had his ear ripped off during a grizzly bear attack, and thought to be dead by others at a rendezvous.

            First, Jedidiah Smith was considered a leader in his company.  He knew the Utah territory quite well because he had traveled across its length and width.  He also always kept his Bible with him and either read it to himself or out loud to the other trappers with him around the campfire.  Second, he got his ear ripped off during a grizzly bear attack.  The bear ripped off his entire ear, and part of his scalp was almost ripped all the way off.  Afterwards, he asked his friend to sew his ear back on, and his friend tried to stitch it on as neatly as he could.  Finally, Jedidiah surprised the trappers at a rendezvous because they thought he was dead.  He had left Utah to travel through Nevada and California to look for beaver.  He and his company almost died from starvation and thirst, but finally made their way back to the Bear Lake rendezvous point.

            Jedidiah was a brave and adventurous man.  His contributions as a trapper, hunter, and explorer have left their mark in Utah history. 

Why the Theory of Evolution is Wrong

I believe that Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is wrong.  It denies the existence of God and His role in creating the earth and all life on it.  There are many reasons why evolution can be proved wrong when you believe in God.

            First of all, I believe that God created the earth and all life on it.  There are too many life forms on this earth to have just formed by chance.  There is no way that a single cell could have produced so many life forms.

            Next, I believe that God created each and every thing to fulfill a specific purpose.  From the birds in the sky to the grass under our feet, all creations work together in perfect harmony to make life sustainable.  This is too organized to happen by chance.

            Last of all, God’s creations come out pretty perfect every time reproduction occurs.  Offspring always resemble their parents.  Flowers cannot produce humans, and cats cannot produce trees, even over millions of years.  That would upset the delicate balance of nature.

            In conclusion, I believe that God created all things, and humans did not just evolve from a fish or other living organism.  All of God’s creations have a special purpose to fulfill, and each one was carefully designed by His loving hands.