Peace

Here we are in Boulder UT. If you haven't been, you might want to make the effort to come. The scenery alone would make it worthwhile, and there's no describing it. Red, yellow, rugged, wet, cold...

Down the street from where we're being hosted, Navajo sheep graze in a field next to Belgian draft horses. These churro sheep are great to eat, but even more valuable as a source of the finest wool, or maybe mohair.

Back toward town, cattle appear and disappear again as they are moved from one field to another. These are grass-fed, mostly Black Angus (so probably corn-finished). Across the street is our friend's famous restaurant, Hell's Backbone Grill (named after a well-known nearby land formation).

We ate at the grill last night as guests of the establishment. We had, variously, trout, trout, chicken enchiladas, and meat loaf. But these are not the usual presentations of these standard foods. They were exceptional, but again, indescribable. Save your pennies and come taste these novel combinations. One clue: my trout came with quinoa mixed with lots of pine nuts and other things, and worked perfectly with the trout.

Everything at the restaurant comes from nearby, or as nearby as possible. It also comes with Buddhist prayer flags. One of the owners is Buddhist and practices the doctrine of extreme friendliness and kindness and caring.

So this has been a great stopover on our way north. First, the unseasonably cold weather has prepared us to some degree for the transition from Tucson. We drove in snow yesterday when we were out trying to see the sights. Next, we have been treated very well by our hostess. And third, we have enjoyed the company of three of our granddaughters and their father, our eldest son.

Tomorrow we go to church in this small Mormon community with half the town likely to be in attendance. Because we are friends with the owner of the biggest commercial establishment in town - the restaurant - we will be somewhat famous when we get there.

Then tomorrow afternoon we get to tour the organic farm that supplies the produce for the restaurant. It's 6.1 acres and they use everything they grow for the restaurant.

This is a neat place. The wetness comes as drainage from the surrounding mountains. It's delightfully damp and makes gardening and farming doable.

Come see!