Now you see them....now you don't

mountains visible on a clear day:

mountains hidden behind clouds on a stormy day:
It is interesting how the view near my house of the Pine Valley Mountains can change according to the weather.

Dixie Convention Center

Hosting a variety of events, from home and garden expos to volleyball tournaments to high school reunions, the Dixie Convention Center is St. George's premier facility for conventions and trade shows. Its main exhibit hall boasts 46,500 square feet of column-free space that can accommodate anything from banquets to concerts. It can seat over 6,000 people for a concert or special event, as well as fit up to 240 10'X10' booths for a trade show.

Besides its main exhibit hall, the convention center features a 13,205 square foot ballroom that can seat up to 1,886 people for a large meeting. Its 7,078-square-foot Garden Room is an inviting reception and banquet space enclosed within glass to provide a unique indoor/outdoor feel. Three other mid-sized rooms can be configured many different ways, according to your event's needs. The 178-seat auditorium is an ideal spot for multi-media presentations.

St. George residents are glad to have this facility in their midst. For more information, click on their website:
http://www.dixiecenter.com/index.html

What a delightful event

The Dicken’s Christmas Festival....an annual event held the first week in December.

Step back in time and enjoy the sights and sounds of 19th Century Old London Town as it comes to life at The Dickens' Christmas Festival held in the St. George Dixie Convention Center. This Festival is not just another craft show, but a unique and unusual entertainment and shopping experience. Guests wind through narrow village streets as they shop for gifts and rub shoulders with a cast of Dickens' characters such as Tiny Tim, Scrooge and even Queen Victoria. Old English shops, hundreds of period costumes, orphans, royalty, and the "real" Father Christmas all combine to offer guests a holiday experience like no other!

There is continuous entertainment from local and statewide performing groups seen throughout each day on three different stages. Thousands of eager customers attend and experience this magical holiday festival, then take home wonderful treasures, fond memories, and the spirit of Christmas.

Excellent healthcare in St. George

St. George has two hospitals:

....the original hospital on the 400 East Campus includes: women’s and children’s services, cancer center, acute rehabilitation, various outpatient clinics, behavioral medicine, surgery center, imaging/lab/IS, newborn intensive care unit, pediatrics, Huntsman cancer center, behabioral medicine, radiation exposure screening and education program, acute rehabilitation unit.

....the new hospital on the River Road Campus includes: critical care services, imaging services, cardiovascular, bariatrics, joint services, inpatient and outpatient. For more information, click on the following two links:
http://www.stgeorgechamber.com/Healthcare.htm
http://intermountainhealthcare.org/hospitals/dixie/Pages/home.aspx

Also, on the campus of the new hospital is a building which includes an InstaCare clinic, Doctors offices, a pharmacy, a lab and imagining services.


Due to be completed summer of 2009, is the Dixie Regional Medical Center Outpatient Pavilion, which will include surgery, adult and pediatric rehab, endoscopy, fitness institute, comprehensive spine and pain management center, sports medicine clinic. Click on the following link for more information:
http://www.p-gems.com/newsletter/view.php?storyid=13886


The Russell Taylor Health Science Center at Dixie State College has built a 78,000 square foot facility that sits on the new River Road campus of Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, located approximately two miles from the Dixie State campus. The significance of this project is that Dixie State College has gone from offering no health science programs in the early 90's to a 78,300 square foot building that will now house some of the finest health science programs in the state. It also takes education to a site where students will have an incredible opportunity to get some of the best training available right in Dixie Regional Medical Center’s backyard.
The new facility, which will also double as a training facility for the hospital, will house programs in nursing, including registered nursing, practical nursing, and nursing assistance, dental hygiene, emergency medical services, medical radiography, respiratory therapy, surgical technology, and phlebotomy. For more information, click on the link below:
http://new.dixie.edu/news/news.php?id=4

Also new, is the Jubilee Home II, which will provide temporary charitable housing for patients and families. The Foundation of Dixie Regional Medical Center built the Home from community donations. Click on the following link to read more:
http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200881022014

Low clouds in the mountains and hills

Clouds and colors of dusk

Leave the driving to us

The St. George Shuttle is a great way to travel to Las Vegas, Provo, or Salt Lake City. Their white van is extra large and roomy, and hooked to the back of it is an enclosed trailer for the luggage.

You just phone them to reserve a seat and then pay when you board the shuttle. If your plans happen to change, call them and they will remove your name from their list….you are not out a penny. Their service is great.

They now make two trips a day to Salt Lake and many trips a day to Vegas. Click on their link below to get information on their time schedule and prices:
http://www.stgshuttle.com/

From a historic cotton mill factory to a nursery and landscaping business

Star Nursery, today

One of St. George’s neighboring towns is Washington City. Washington, named after our first president of the U.S., was established by the pioneers around the late 1850’s, before the now bustling town of St. George came into existence, which the pioneers also established. Washington was settled mainly at that time to grow cotton. Because of the war soon to break out between the North and South states, it was evident that obtaining cotton from the southern states was going to halt.

The climate and weather conditions were perfect in Washington City and trial cotton crops were planted, proving that cotton could grow and mature there and cloth made from it. By 1870 the Cotton Factory was fully completed with three floors, enabling the cloth to be produced there rather than having the lint baled and sent away to others to produce cloth. This offered a ready market for the cotton grown.

The factory never was a real money maker but it helped keep the pioneers in the area and provided them with work and an income, which they could not get anywhere else. It also supplied them with the cloth they needed to make their clothes.

Once the railroad came through and the Civil War ended, the pioneers were able to obtain goods from the east, and the need to raise cotton decreased. The Factory was closed in 1910 and basically stood empty for around 75 years.

The Civilian Conservation Corps used the factory grounds for their campground in the 1930’s and in 1985 the old cotton factory property was saved from demolition and was renovated and used for a community social hall and the Washington Cotton Factory was then listed on the national register as a Utah Historic Site.

In 1998, the old factory building and grounds was resold and the lower floor of the building and most of the grounds were converted into a nursery and landscaping business called Star Nursery, which prospers today.

Click on the following link to see photos and read more:
http://www.millpictures.com/mills/details.cfm?millid=886

Gratitude for our wonderful weather !

I just got back from visiting up in colder northern Utah for a week, and gosh I am sure appreciative for the mild weather we have here in St. George this time of year and also into the winter months. I can’t handle the colder temperatures.

Do you want to take a ride over St. George in a hot air balloon?

This might be a fun, scenic ride but I don’t care to find out, thank you. But you might be interested.

For information on how to take these balloon rides over St. George, go clear to the bottom of this home page for a photo and a link to where to go to find out.

St. George Art Museum..."The Art of Zion National Park"

Show available:

August, 25 2008 through January, 24 2009

Zion National Park is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2009. To mark this historic event, the St. George Art Museum will host the most comprehensive exhibit of Zion ever mounted, a landmark three-part exhibition display August 25, 2008-January 24, 2009.

Click on the following link to learn more about the exhibit:

http://sgcity.org/artmuseum/exhibititem.php?id=77

The St. George Marathon

The 32nd annual St George Marathon is underway and set to be largest race in its history.

This 2008 marathon cap was set higher than ever before at 7000 runners.

The Marathon experience starts Friday morning October 3, at the NordicTrack Health and Fitness EXPO held at the Dixie Convention Center from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The EXPO will consist of nearly 70 vendors, Runner Packet distribution, marathon information, and multiple prize giveaways. Also there will be various clinics being held throughout the day including a first timer’s clinic, a Clif Bar Pace Team clinic and a special guest speaker Rod Dixon. An all-you-can-eat pasta dinner will be served from 4:00-8:00 for all paying customers.

The race itself will begin with bus loading at 4:00 a.m. The last bus will leave at 5:30 a.m. Hand cycle and wheelchair participants will start their journey at exactly 6:40 with runners following closely behind when the gun goes off at 6:45.

Come share with the St George City in this historic event, when 7000 runners from 49 states and 10 foreign countries take part in a run of a lifetime.

Click on the following link to visit the St. George Marathon website:

http://www.stgeorgemarathon.com/events/press.php

I love this time of year in St. George

After our very hot summers (110-115), this time of year is so refreshing as it begins to cool down. On these nice days, I especially love to sit out on our back deck in the glider swing, with my feet up and read for hours. The refreshing breeze and beautiful sky makes it just perfect.

Even as we get into winter, our weather is just gorgeous. St. George has a wonderful mild climate...no wonder retired people come here and spend their winters.

A fun new friend at McDonald's

Scenery from Canyon View Drive

The only warehouse store in town where you can get your tummy full at the many free food sample tables!

...plus they have lots of wonderful bulk merchandise for sale at wholesale prices. It does require a membership to be able to purchase items.

The beautiful red rock hills on Diagonal Street

One of my favorite little stores in town

Seagull Book Store..."Where you never pay full price for anything".

Unusual sky

Monday night I looked out our kitchen window and noticed the sky, with this unusual color contrast between the cloud and sky.

Scenery on Sunset Blvd.

A store that can help your health

This Dixie Nutrition Store was built last fall, and is the second one bearing the same name in the St. George area. It is a wonderful large health food store containing all kinds of herbal, and other types of nutritional supplements. They also have health books, special health foods, fresh organic produce, and many other specialty items. Stop in and meet the friendly staff, who are highly knowledgeable in the field of herbs and nutrition.

Part 2 of 2...Slick Rock Park

[Slick Rock Park is located on Riverside Drive between 2250 East and the Dinosaur Discovery Museum. It is a small park that sets back in from the road and has the feeling of seclusion from the traffic].

St. George Area Towns and Neighborhoods

This post is quite lengthy. It contains information about each of the neighboring towns around St. George and a link to a website where you can find more information on each town. Use the 3 maps at the end of this post to locate the towns and their roads.

Apple Valley
Apple Valley started out as a housing development between Hurricane and Hildale on SR-59. However, they grew concerned in 2003 over possible annexation by one of the neighboring towns or the possible construction of a truss factory. The town of Apple Valley officially incorporated in October 2004. It is very picturesque with the beautiful desert scenery that makes nearby Zion National Park attractive to people from all over the world.

Children in Apple Valley attend Three Falls Elementary, Hurricane Middle School, and Hurricane High School. In 2004 it had a population of 650.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Valley%2C_Utah

Bloomington
Bloomington is a community that is located in the southern part of St. George city and is on the west side of Interstate 15. Bloomington was originally established as a development around the Bloomington Golf Course. The Virgin River follows a winding course through the community and is crossed by Man O' War Bridge. Part of the community

Elementary students attend Bloomington Elementary and eventually feed into Dixie High School (a few miles away) through Dixie Intermediate School and Dixie Middle School. Bloomington, Christensen, and Petroglyph parks are also in Bloomington. Bloomington Park has 24 acres which includes three ball parks, volleyball court, basketball court, picnic area, and a playground.

Central
Central is a small community about 26 miles north of St. George on SR-18. Many people live here who enjoy the opportunity to enjoy a rural open space area while enjoying the amenities of St. George nearby.

Students from Central attend Enterprise Elementary School and Enterprise High School.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central%2C_Utah

Enterprise
Located 40 miles north of St. George on SR-18, Enterprise is an agricultural town. It produces products like potatoes, alfalfa, and hay. In fact, the hay from Enterprise is shipped all around the world.

Children in Enterprise attend Enterprise Elementary and Enterprise High School.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise%2C_Utah

Gunlock
Gunlock is located about 21 miles northwest of St. George. It was established on the Old Spanish Trail so that the residents could trade with people traveling on the trail. The name "Gunlock" is the nickname of the community's founder, William Hamblin, who was a gun expert. Each year Gunlock hosts its own rodeo.

Children from Gunlock typically attend Red Mountain Elementary, Lava Rock Intermediate School, Snow Canyon Middle School, and Snow Canyon High School.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunlock%2C_Utah

Hildale
Hildale is an interesting town in that it is home to a clan of polygamists along with its sister city, Colorado City, Arizona. It is south of Hurricane and Apple Valley on SR-59 just 20 minutes away from Pipe Springs National Monument.

Children from Hildale attend Three Falls Elementary, Hurricane Middle School, and Hurricane High School.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildale%2C_Utah

Hurricane
Hurricane is a rapidly growing town located about 19 miles northeast of St. George. It is on Highway 9 which connects with Interstate 15. It was originally settled at the turn of the century when a canal was eventually built to support a town here in Hurricane. Now the area has many orchards and turf grass farms. It also welcomes millions of people a year who travel through the town to visit Zion Canyon in Zion National Park.

Children attend Hurricane Elementary School, Hurricane Middle School, and Hurricane High School. The town hosts many recreational leagues covering many sports for all ages, and Hurricane is also home to Sky Mountain Golf Course - a scenic 18 hole and par 72 course.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane%2C_Utah

Ivins
At the foot of dramatic 1,500 foot red cliffs, Ivins is truly a beautiful place to live. It is also home Tuacahn Center for the Arts which brings Broadway to the desert and Red Mountain Spa which offers luxurious pampering and rejuvenating recreational activities. The town was not settled until the early 1920s after a canal was finally built in the area during World War I. Ivins is a few miles northeast of St. George and is near Snow Canyon State Park.

School students in Ivins attend Red Mountain Elementary School, Lava Ridge Intermediate School, Snow Canyon Middle School, and Snow Canyon High School. Ivins has one park with many amenities, two mini-parks that offer a few amenities, and two parks devoted to the natural landscape.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivins%2C_Utah

La Verkin
La Verkin is just north of Hurricane on SR-9 on the Virgin River. The La Verkin Fruit and Nursery Company which incorporated in the late 1880s, and helped bring people and money to the town. Today it is a growing town since nearby Hurricane is rapidly growing.

Children in La Verkin attend La Verkin Elementary, Hurricane Middle School, and Hurricane High School.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Verkin%2C_Utah

Leeds
Located 17 miles northeast of St. George on Interstate 15 is Leeds. It was established in 1867, but really began to grow a few years later when silver was discovered in nearby Silver Reef. Today the town enjoys a peaceful existence near the Quail Creek State Park and other points of interest like Silver Reef ghost town.

Children here attend La Verkin Elementary, Hurricane Middle School, and Hurricane High School.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeds%2C_Utah

New Harmony
About 40 miles northeast of St. George is the small bedroom community of New Harmony. This area is known for its orchards that produce delicious fruit. Of note, it was the first settlement and county seat of Washington County when it was established in 1852.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Harmony%2C_Utah

Pine Valley
Pine Valley, about 35 miles north of St. George, is a picturesque community with uncharacteristic green pine trees and meadows. This is a favorite place for Southern Utahns to visit since it is so green and unlike the desert landscape of the rest of the region.

Students from Pine Valley attend Enterprise Elementary School and Enterprise High School.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Valley%2C_Utah

Pintura (formerly named Bellevue)

http://www.lofthouse.com/USA/Utah/washington/pintura.html


Rockville
Rockville is just west of Springdale and the mouth to Zion Canyon in Zion National Park on SR-9. It was originally settled in the 1860s by early Mormon settlers who were trying to set up cotton growing areas here. Now, it is a bedroom community that welcomes millions of annual visitors who come to see Zion National Park.

Children in Rockville attend Springdale Elementary, Hurricane Middle School, and Hurricane High School.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockville%2C_Utah


Santa Clara
Santa Clara began when Jacob Hamblin and other Mormon missionaries built a cabin in the 1850s on the Santa Clara River to work with the Paiute Indians and travelers going to California during. Now, Santa Clara is a prosperous community whose borders with St. George are now almost indistinguishable. It is also near Snow Canyon State Park.

Kids in Santa Clara attend Santa Clara Elementary School, Lava Ridge Intermediate School, Snow Canyon Middle School, and Snow Canyon High School. Santa Clara is also home to the Archie H. Gubler and A, B & Pony League ball fields and the Santa Clara Arboretum that has a beautiful cactus garden.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Clara%2C_Utah

Silver Reef
Silver Reef is about 18 miles northeast of St. George and has an interesting history. It was a silver mining town after silver was discovered here in the 1870. The silver mining industry brought many businesses here, and historic building still stand. People from all over the area come here to visit this ghost town.

Springdale

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springdale%2C_Utah

St. George

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George%2C_Utah


Toquerville
Toquerville is six miles northwest of Hurricane, and is a pleasant little town.

Children attend La Verkin Elementary School, Hurricane Middle School, and Hurricane High School.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toquerville%2C_Utah

Veyo
Veyo is a small community about 16 miles north of St. George on SR-18. The community was established in 1914 after a canal was built to bring water to the town. Just north of Veyo is Brookside. The community has several businesses despite its small size and out-of-the-way location.

Students from Veyo can either attend Diamond Valley Elementary School, Desert Hills Intermediate School, Dixie Middle School, and Dixie High School or Enterprise Elementary School and Enterprise High School. Veyo has a park that families can enjoy together.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veyo%2C_Utah

Virgin
Virgin is a few miles east of Hurricane on SR-9. It welcomes millions of people each who travel along SR-9 on their way to Zion Canyon in Zion National Park. Access to Kolob Canyon in the national park from the south is only through Virgin. The town was settled in the 1850s as a farming community. Oil was even drilled here for a few decades.

Student from Virgin attend La Verkin Elementary School, Hurricane Middle School, and Hurricane High School.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin%2C_Utah

Washington City
Just northeast of St. George is Washington City. It was originally founded as part of a cotton growing mission in Southern Utah by early Mormon pioneers in the 1850s just before the Civil War. Since then Washington City has grown like St. George and other Washington County cities. Currently, the city is enjoying an influx of retirees who find the mild winters here attractive.

Washington City children attend Washington Elementary School, Fossil Ridge Intermediate School, Pine View Middle School, and Pine View High School. Washington City also runs Green Spring Golf Course, two parks, ballparks, and a swimming pool.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington%2C_Utah

Winchester Hills, Diamond Valley, & Dammeron Valley
These three housing developments north of St. George along SR-18 flourished over the last 15 years. People who live in these developments want to live both near the natural scenery of Southern Utah while enjoying living close to the conveniences of St. George. Many of the residents own animals like horses and chickens. These developments are all close to the northeast entrance of Snow Canyon State Park, and a new community is developing surrouding The Ledges Golf Course just south of Winchester Hills.
Students from these communities attend Diamond Valley Elementary School, Desert Hills Intermediate, Dixie Middle School, and Dixie High School. Each development has a park for residents to enjoy with their families.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dammeron_Valley%2C_Utah

click on the following maps to enlarge slightly

Part 1 of 2 .... Slick Rock Park

Slick Rock Park is located on Riverside Drive between 2250 East and the Dinosaur Discovery Museum. It is a small park that sets back in from the road and has the feeling of seclusion from the traffic.

Washington County, Utah

http://www.washco.state.ut.us/

Washington County is located in the southwestern corner of Utah. The county was formed on March 3, 1852 by an act of the territorial legislature. Harmony, one of the only settlements in the area at that time, was appointed as the first county seat. The first boundaries of Washington County stretched nearly 600 miles - the entire width of the territory. As the territory was settled the county boundaries changed several times and the county seat was later changed to St. George.

Most of the early residents of the county were Mormon Pioneers and the area was agricultural. Today, Washington County is one of the fastest growing areas of the country, as declared in 2006. People are migrating here now to enjoy the mild winter climate, beautiful scenery, and comfortable lifestyle.

St. George is the largest city in Washington County. The County was named for the first President of the U.S., George Washington.

The county has a total area of 2,430 square miles and an elevation that varies from 2,178 to 10,194 feet. The 2008 estimated county population is around 143,000.

It has two National protected areas: Dixie National Forest and Zion National Park.

The major highways are: Interstate 15, State Route 9, State Route 17, State Route 18, and State Route 59.

In addition to the primary and secondary schools that compose Washington County School District, the county is home to Dixie State College of Utah in St. George, with a campus extension in the neighboring town of Hurricane.

Summer is winding down

Tuesday, August 12, school begins here in St. George again. Parents and children are busy doing the necessary things to get ready.

It hasn’t seemed like much of a summer this year. We usually always reach temperatures up to 115-120 but that has not happened, unless it plans to do so in the next two weeks. We have hovered between 105 and 110 for our highs all summer.

I am ready for the cooler weather. Our winters average around the high of 50-60. We receive no snow to speak of. Maybe once the whole winter it will snow for 15 minutes up to a couple of hours, just long enough to put down a skiff of snow for the kids to play in and maybe roll a small snowman. Then it is all melted in a few hours.