July 10, 2010

Tell any favorite summertime memory.

Swimming in the canal above the house. We would always have to get the garden weeding or the chores involving the hay done before we could go but it was an almost daily event. We would sometimes walk the half mile up the road to the bridge and jump in on inner tubes and then float back to the house but most of the time it was just wading in the 2 foot deep water and floating on our backs and swatting the big horse flies that would bite with a terrible sting. It didn't take any skills to float or swim in that water but it was wet and sure was a lot of fun as most times it would turn into a huge water fight. There were several times that we would wait until dark to go swimming because the water was always really warm from having been hit by the sun all day as it flowed down the Duchesne River and then into the canal and lazily moved the 10 or more miles until it was coming past our house. It was warm too because the night air would be a bit cooler so in respect to the water we would rather be in it than standing up in the cool night air all wet. It was a special part of our daily routine except for Sundays it was never done on Sundays.

July 9, 2010

Tell about going to a circus, or a hometown celebration festival.

This author isn't LDS or she would probably would have left this for the 24th of July. Our little town of Duchesne was just like all of the other little towns in Utah and even some of the big ones. Salt Lake City has their Days of 47 parade celebration and the small towns had their 24th of July celebrations.

The day always started with a 6:00 A.M. firing of the canon over town from the nearby hills. It would only go a few times but was enough to wake you up especially since we would usually sleep outside the night before so we could hear it. There was always a parade on the morning of the 24th and the primary organization of the church was the main part of the parade. Dressed as Pioneers we would walk, ride in a little red wagon or ride bikes and trikes down main street while all of the traffic was diverted around through the dirt back streets to keep going on their way. The parade was usually led by a Flag Honor Guard from the Veteran's of Foreign Wars or the Scouts. There would also be the fire truck (only fire truck) and police and then with the Rodeo Queen and her attendants on horses, followed by everyone else that wanted to ride a horse down the street and the oldest couple in town in a car that would round out the parade entries. There might also be the Duchesne County Mayor and city council too. We had the mayor since we were the county seat for Duchesne County.

That night there would be a big dinner or something at the park and then when it got dark a few fireworks lit off above town from the hills above the rodeo grounds. All in all it was pretty fun and a good break from the farm for a few hours.