Theme Day: Best Photo of 2007

Happy New Year!

For today's theme day photo, I wanted to choose something that either showed off what an amazing photographer I have become or that was especially "American Fork" and showed off what a great town we live in.

Well... when it came down to looking back at the many photos I have posted this year, the one I liked best was a simple photo that shows off the amazing beauty and variety that God has created and that we enjoy each day.


City Daily Photobloggers all over the world are showing their best today, check them out at...

Paris, France - London, England - Hyde, UK - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Grenoble, France - Stockholm, Sweden - Riga, Latvia - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Manila, Philippines - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Weston (FL), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - New Orleans (LA), USA - Wichita (KS), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - San Francisco (CA), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Greenville (SC), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Mainz, Germany - Melbourne, Australia - Portland (OR), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Toulouse, France - Naples (FL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Brussels, Belgium - Stayton (OR), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Toruń, Poland - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Baziège, France - Nashville (TN), USA - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Chicago (IL), USA - Prescott (AZ), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Nottingham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Evry, France - Trujillo, Peru - Arlington (VA), USA - Denpasar, Indonesia - American Fork (UT), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Coral Gables (FL), USA - Montpellier, France - Joplin (MO), USA - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Boston (MA), USA - Torun, Poland - New York City (NY), USA - Dunedin (FL), USA - Quincy (MA), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Chateaubriant, France - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Jackson (MS), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Budapest, Hungary - Austin (TX), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Cypress (TX), USA - Bicheno, Australia - Wrocław, Poland - Brookville (OH), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Nelson, New Zealand - Cheltenham, UK - Wellington, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - London, UK - Haninge, Sweden - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Arradon, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Orlando (FL), USA - Mumbai, India - Terrell (TX), USA - Bogor, Indonesia - Delta (CO), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Saigon, Vietnam - San Diego (CA), USA - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Belgrade, Serbia - Auckland, New Zealand - Seguin (TX), USA - Inverness (IL), USA - Oslo, Norway - Singapore, Singapore - Las Vegas (NV), USA - New York City (NY), USA - Anderson (SC), USA

Fountain on the South Side of the Salt Lake Temple

Another photo from our trip up to Salt Lake on Saturday.

Exciting News: I ordered a new camera! I REALLY hope it will be here before Christmas.

My favorite City Daily Photos for today are:

St. Louis

Belgrade

Petaling Jaya

The Lonely Water Noodle

I wanted to show off "The Bubble," the huge tent that goes over the swimming pool at the American Fork Fitness Center, but it was impossible to photo. It is a huge white 'bubble' that turns our outdoor pool into an indoor pool and it wouldn't show up next to the grey sky. There is an entrance to the pool at the top of these stairs that is only accessible during the summer. This poor lonely water noodle has probably been sitting there for at least 3 months. He caught my eye and I thought I would share him with you today. It is freezing where we are and a dip in the hot tub sounds nice and toasty... although I don't think I would ever get out. BRRRRR! I hope that you are staying warm and cozy wherever you are!

Army Trucks

I think this is the Army Reserve office. It's near the Rotary Park.

Antique

This neat old stove sits in a yard

Got Liberty? Ron Paul Revolution at the AF Library

Of course I am voting for Mitt Romney, but this guy is pretty interesting. He has some fanatical supporters here in Utah and his name seems to be plastered everywhere. Is this just Utah or is the Ron Paul Revolution occurring all over the USA?

Thanksgiving Point Nativity

Marker in front of City Hall

I don't know what this is, or what it means. Any guesses???

As Seen On Main Street: Day 1

Why does this old truck have a shopping cart in the back? I know it is wise/trendy to bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store nowadays, but this is something I have never heard of.

I had a fun walk down the Main Drag in American Fork today and will be posting a few more pictures from my trek this week.

Don't forget that tomorrow is election day in The States. Those of you who live in Utah won't have a chance to forget, we have been inundated with ads for and against Referendum 1 for what seems like months and it will just get more intense until the election is passed.

I am going to make a prediction: I don't think that Referendum 1 will pass.

NOTE: Referendum 1 is the name of the school voucher bill here in Utah. It allows parents to pull their students from public schools and take funding with them to pay for private schooling. It is VERY controversial here!!

Pumpkins

Several homes around our neighborhood have local pumpkins for sale. We bought a small pumpkin yesterday and need to carve it... but what should we carve?

Chadder's: An American Fork Original? Not Exactly.

Chadder's opened a few months ago in American Fork over near the Meadow's shopping center. It created quite a stir because people swore that it was "just like In N Out."

Well, it turns out it really was just like In N Out. The people from the real In N Out took them to court and Chadder's had to change their color scheme and quit serving items off the the In N Out 'secret menu'.

When it first opened, the line for the drive-through went clear across the parking lot of Smith's grocery store, but the lines have died down now. The closest In N Out is in Las Vegas and most California natives will say it is worth the drive. Chadder's is still pretty busy on weekends and I usually see a few people in the drive-through when I drive past. When it was making news for the copycat scandal we went and waited in line to try it, simply because we thought it might be gone soon. The food was pretty good, very much like In N Out, actually.

HOT TIP: If you want a REALLY good burger in American Fork, you will go to Parker's Drive-In or JCW's.

First Snow in the Valley

There was a few flakes last night, and then we woke up to a beautiful frosting of snow this morning. It seems a bit early, but it will probably melt off by lunch.

The Barn

I am not sure, but I think some cows live here.

Railroad Tracks

Because the tracks go through the middle of town, trains are heard frequently in American Fork.

Utah's Referendum 1

Referendum 1 is the big issue in Utah this fall... school vouchers. You can't watch television, listen to the radio or drive through town without a barrage of ads for or against it.

At our house, we have one vote for and one vote against... it makes things interesting!

American Fork Canyon Signage

This is a sign posted at the Swinging Bridge Picnic Area up American Fork Canyon. The picnic area is part of the Timp Caves National Monument, which celebrated it's 85th anniversary yesterday.

There have always been signs warning of bears in the canyon, but rarely a sighting. This summer, however, that changed. There was a fatal bear attack up American Fork Canyon and bear sightings all over the state, especially in Utah Valley. Although this is the first documented death by bears in Utah's history, this has shaken us (and others) up and we haven't camped in our favorite primitive spots all summer.

On a lighter note, this sign caught my eye. I only wish the bear in the picture was riding a motorcycle!

Geese at the Lindon Boat Harbor - Via the Dump

After shivering through another rainy Saturday (this is 3 in a row) we set out to find the landfill. We have a loveseat that was too trashed for DI and we need to take it to the dump, but we weren't sure where that was. We piled in the car and headed down to Utah Lake, where we found the landfill and the Lindon Boat Harbor.



It is UEA weekend here in Utah, which means lots of people camping, even amid the drizzle. This isn't actually IN American Fork, but it is pretty close. These geese were so happy to see me, they about drove me back into the car!

American Fork High School - The Cavemen

American Fork has just one high school, AFHS. The Cavemen. Although they have a great football team, 6-3 this season, they have a fantastic marching band. They will be marching in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. John Miller is their instructor, who also conducts the local community band, the Wasatch Winds.

Autumn Apple

Walking through the streets in American Fork, you can see apple trees growing in people's yards. Many of them large and leggy with about a million tiny apples growing on them. As you walk under their branches, watch out. They fall, "plop," whenever they please!

Not-So-Scary Scarecrows