Pickleball, Pioneers, and Riverton City Park

https://grandmabloggers.wordpress.com/2020/07/19/pickleball-pioneers-and-riverton-city-park/

https://grandmabloggers.com/2019/09/08/my-hometown-of-orem-utah/

Our 50th Class Reunion

https://grandmabloggers.com/2019/08/06/our-50th-class-reunion/

Living in Daybreak, South Jordan, Utah

We have lived in Daybreak, South Jordan, Utah since 2013 when we retired. It is quite a new community and we live in the oldest part of it called Founder's Park. There is a lake with walkways and bridges. It is the perfect place to take a stroll or bring your grandchildren to play at the many parks. Our daughter lives on a couple of blocks from us so we feel at home here.

Pioneer Day in Utah

Family Reunion at Willard Bay

Camping Out

I had never really heard of Willard Bay, so I did not have any expectations when told it was the locale for our Kongaika Family Reunion. Not being a fan of camping out, my husband had arranged for us to stay in a Motel 6 nearby. Actually, sleeping in a tent might have been better.

The next generation (our children) had planned the reunion this year. Things were a bit late, but overall it was a success. We enjoyed spending time together with our cousins and learning more about our family history. The mountains nearby were breathtaking and although it was a bit hot, and the mosquitoes joined in, we made the best of it.

The campsite was pretty compact and included picnic tables, BBQ pits, restrooms and some water hookups. Each family took their turn preparing meals. We tried to eat the kind of meals that our ancestors had eaten in Tonga. The youngest generation aren’t that used to it, but we had plenty of snacks to fill in the gaps.

We were supposed to have a Family Home Evening, but because of the lateness and darkness, we decided to have a Family Home Morning the next day. We played a game of trying to see who could memorize the name of some of our chosen ancestors and what they were known for. The teenagers were really into it and did very well.

Afterward, we headed for the reservoir which is located twelve miles northwest of Ogden, Utah. It is part of the flood plains of the Great Salt Lake. There is a man made dike with a natural shoreline. Actually the dike is named after a former U.S. Senator from Utah, Arthur V. Watkins. The reservoir is fed by the Weber and Ogden rivers. 

Near the water was a pavilion, perfect for making our dinner and hanging out. The children ran down to the water and mud (not quite sand). They were not shy, and the mothers were busy counting heads. There are two marinas near the campgrounds. Our daring children had rented a boat, water crafts and some blow up floatees

As one of the grandmothers, I tried to let the parents look after their kids, but got a bit worried when a few of the young ones thought they could float over to a small island in the middle of the reservoir (one floatee and five children)! They actually made it, without my watching.

The food was great and the weather very cooperative until right after the boat left with a mother and a bunch of kids. A big wind kicked up and became so strong all of a sudden. There was thunder and lightening and as I went to take a bite of my food, my paper plate and dinner flew out of my hand together with several other family members.

I became very worried about the boat with some of my grandchildren in it. Quite some time later, they made it back with quite a story to tell. 

Thank you to all who planned and prepared for this reunion. I am getting to be one of the older ones, so I pretty much sit and watch and wait to be fed (sorry). If you are looking for a fine place for a family reunion, look up the Willard Bay State Park in Utah.

http://hubpages.com/holidays/Family-Reunion-at-Willard-Bay 

International Peace Garden

http://hubpages.com/living/International-Peace-Garden

Where is it?

Recently we had a family reunion (my mother's side), and it was held at the Jordan Park in Salt Lake City. Part of the park is a beautifully planned garden called the International Peace Gardens. I didn't know what to expect, but I felt a sacredness and world unity about the place. It is located on the banks of the Jordan River and has been there since 1947.

The Purpose

Utah is made up of several nationalities. This garden was created to promote the general welfare of the communities in Salt Lake City.

The motto is "Community Service for Civic Improvements". Committees that contribute and maintain the gardens come from the United Nations, Utah Youth Village, Wasatch Youth Center, YWCA, University Hospital and others.

Symbolism

The gardens and structures in the International Peace Gardens symbolize world peace, the true spirit of democracy, literature, cultural heritage, brotherly love and the history of many lands.
They were the initiated by Mrs. Otto Wiesley in 1939. She acted as Citizenship Chair for the Centennial Celebration of 1947. She hoped to promote good citizenship by having foreign groups help with the beautification of the City. It was proposed and approved, however, it was stopped at the onset of World War II, before being started again.

Labor of Love

Each group was allotted a section of the garden for them to design, create and plant with their own funds. They were approved by the City Parks Director and each part was dedicated and then presented to the City who maintains the gardens.

The first country represented in the gardens was the United States. Others include Europe, Africa and Asia. Also, the Japanese gardens were added followed by 28 countries before space ran out. Festivals include the various groups dressed in their native costumes dancing and singing traditional songs. All of this is free.

The only other known peace garden in the United States is one on the Canadian border in North Dakota.

Peace

The day we visited there were several people visiting and enjoying this beautiful peaceful place. Over 20,000 people visit the gardens each year.

I hope more people will be aware of these gardens and share in their meaning and hope for peace in our world.

A Graduation Celebration to Remember

They say, when you graduate from high school, you should never look back. Oops, I did!

Recently I returned to the town where I graduated from High School - Orem, Utah. Yes, I was an Orem High Tiger seems like a century ago, but not quite that long.

I thought I would drive past where I had hung out after school, and was surprised to see they were tearing down the old school, whose halls I walked down on a daily basis. Wow, did that make me feel old.

They are building a newer, better facility for the students. It did bring back memories of my glory days as an Orem Tigerette. We were the ones who cheered on the football team and did our half-time marches to the cheers of our classmates.

My Graduation Story

Not everyone has the police and their dogs chasing them on graduation night, but I did. What started out as a very innocent evening of fun turned into a nightmare. We had a large graduating class in 1969. We barely had a second in the ceremony to stand and have our name read before receiving our diplomas and singing our school song.

After attending the crowded graduation ball, a bunch of us graduates decided to hike to the big “Y” on the mountain. Having a lack of energy to complete that feat, we ended up at Canyon Elementary School where we relived our childhood climbing on the monkey bars, reeling on the merry-go-round and really enjoying our freedom from High School.

Neighbors in the vicinity were not as gleeful as we were, and they reported us for disturbing the peace! Soon sirens and a canine van drove up. Police with weapons and their dogs appeared out of their cars, and we decided to surrender rather than run and be tackled by Rover. It was about 3:00 a.m., and thus my criminal record started. Pretty much, that is the extent of it.

Our ten year reunion was held in Provo at the Elk’s Club. It was fun to see old friends and classmates. Our class president had unfortunately met an untimely death from a motorcycle accident. Seven of our classmates were reported to have died. It was interesting to watch the same old groups form. Even more apparent was the degradation that had taken place to several members of my peer group. Although the greater percentage of my classmates were Latter-Day Saints, a bar was set up and by the end of the evening; about half of them were in a drunken stupor.

Some alumnus were disgracefully dancing with their partners and sharing their horrendous life experiences without any shame. Many were divorced and looking, and others were divorced and swearing never to marry again. I felt quite fortunate to have escaped many of the calamities the others had experienced.

It was evident that although most of us had been brought up in supposedly good homes, something was definitely lacking. I believe too much stress on the material aspects of life and popularity (at whatever expense) had overshadowed the more important issues.

Nevertheless, I do have some fond memories of High School, and I am very grateful for teachers and friends I had at Orem High School.

http://hubpages.com/education/A-Graduation-Celebration-to-Remember 

A History of Mary Ann Knopp Anderson

A Journey Into the Past With My Great Grandmother  

Mary Ann Knopp was the second child and the oldest daughter of Jens Englehardt Johansen Knopp and Anna Jacobsen, born 17 September, 1870 in Moroni, Utah.  There were three sons: James Englehardt, born at Salt Lake City, Utah on the 9th of November, 1867, John Henry, born 11th of March 1877, and Jens Jacobsen, born 11th of March, 1855.  All of the children except the oldest son, James Englehardt, were born in Moroni, Utah.  

Mary Ann's sisters were Dorthea Catherine, born 22 November, 1873; Charlotte Sophie, born 17 January 1875; Johanna Jacobeny, born 2 November 1879; and Serena Valdine, born 6 April, 1882.     Alma John Knapp, Mother's half brother, after much research and correspondence with cousins living in Denmark and in Germany has this to say about mother's father, "I don't know anything about the education of my parents, in fact, I know very little of their lives in Denmark.  My father, Jens Englehardt Johansen Knop was born in Oster Nykirke, Denmark and was a pioneer of 1866 to Utah." We have no information about mother's mother, Anna Jacobsen, as of the time of this writing.  Someday we hope to find something about her and grandfather Knopp.

As far as we know, mother received the regular grade school education that was available in Moroni in the 1870s and 80s.  She probably attended school in the first school building that was
built in Moroni.  This was a square building which was built in the year 1863.  This building still stands and is used as a family dwelling at the present time (1980), and is located at 90 Duck
Springs Drive, Moroni, Utah.

In 1883 a log school room was built in Moroni and was erected on the ground just north of where the present Lincoln Elementary School building is located.  Mother may have attended this
"Log School Room", since she would have been 13 years old the year it was erected.

Mother was married to Niels Heber Anderson in the Manti Temple at Manti, Utah on the 22nd of November 1888 by Daniel H. Wells who was the first president of the Manti Temple.  Mother had just turned 18 the 17th of September and her husband was 24 the 27th of September.

According to a family tradition, some older man approached mother's parents and proposed a polygamous marriage with their daughter, Mary Ann.  To this proposal grandmother Knopp firmly objected.  It would appear from this incident that Anna Jacobsen Knopp was not a staunch supporter of the practice of polygamy.    

Mother never had much opportunity to serve in church offices because of the many responsibilites resting upon her as wife and mother of a large family.  Apparently the only official position she ever held was that of Relief Society visiting teacher.  She and Maria J. Morley, a neighbor lady, were companions who very faithfully made monthly visits to the families assigned to them.Sister Morley, speaking in mother's funeral, said that they had a 100% record of visits and that mother always had a meaningful contribution to give during each lesson presentation in the homes.

Mother was always very busy with numerous responsibilities and work that naturally resulted from caring for a family of twelve children.  There really was little time to be spent outside of the home after present family needs were satisfied.  All of her children grew to be respected citizens of the communities in which they lived.  All have been successful in raising families of their own.  This is the greatest service one can give to mankind and is likewise the greatest tribute that can be given to another.

President Harold B. Lee said, "The most important of the Lord's work that you will do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home" (Strengthening the Home (pamphlet, 1973, p.7).

Mother learned from experience that if one intends to keep a secret one must tell no one, otherwise it is no longer a secret.  This bit of wisdom was reinforced one time when she happened to make a statement to one of her friends that another neighbor was  constantly borrowing a little flour, or sugar, or something else, and never or very seldom returned the borrowed item.  It was but a very short time after making this statement until the friend had informed the borrowing neighbor that Mary Anderson was unhappy because she never returned that which was borrowed.  It was a long time before this rift in a long standing friendship was healed. Mother was very sorry about the situation and this experience was one of the reasons why she told her children that "if you want to keep a secret, you tell no one, for when you tell another person, you no longer have a secret."

One challenge that soon comes to the attention of young, new parents is the matter of disciplining children.  Mother raised twelve children, and therefore, she was looked upon as an authority on the subject of disciplining children by her married daughters. Mother never gave them a pattern for disciplining children nor a set of rules one might apply to a given situation.  All she would ever say was that in administering discipline one must be firm  If you make a promise you must keep it.  By this she meant that an offense today brings punishment today, and not at a later day or on another occasion.  Unacceptable behavior must always be considered as unacceptable and dealt with in the same firm manner each time it occurs.  Her philosophy was that if you make a promise of certain behavior as being unacceptable and would result in certain consequences that you must keep your word.  This is a basic principle and if applied consistently produces beneficial results.    

Mother was never one to use the rod or to lecture long and loud when one of her children misbehaved.  Proper instruction was given at the appropriate time and the desired behavior carefully explained so that there was no possibility of the child not understanding what was expected of him.  If, after this instruction had been given, there was a continuation of the unacceptable behavior, mother had a way of taking one by the arm and pinching the bicep muscle in such a manner as to cause one to walk "turkey" for a short distance.  Any of her children can bear testimony that her method was effective and produced good results.

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrews 13:2)  I do not know if mother ever fed an angel, but I do know that a hungry person was never turned unfed from her door.  Every spring and sometimes in the fall, hobos would pass through our area.  Their stopping  place was an old sugar beet dump which was located just a short distance south of our home.  There were often hungry and always in need of water.  Almost all of them came to our home for water and often asked for a little something to eat.  Mother always gave them food to satisfy their needs.  I remember one time when she had invited one of them into the house where he was fed at the kitchen table and how she scrubbed the chair after he was gone.  They were certainly not the cleanest of persons and mother was right in carefully washing everything involved in the meal.  Their wants and needs were always willingly supplied in as much as mother could supply them.

It always hurt mother to see food wasted.  Perhaps this annual exposure to hunger and want, and abject poverty kept the importance of food uppermost in her consciousness.  She has been heard to say many times "waste not, want not."  This is a principle people today might well accept and apply in their own lives and within the family.

One of her neighbors often times was next to destitute of the common necessities of life and knew that a little flour or sugar could be obtained from mother.  No matter who the person in need might be, mother was always willing to supply that need if it was within her power to do so.  Never was a person ever turned away hungry from her door.

"Follow the Brethren" is not just an idle slogan or just a catchy bit of rhetoric, but a very basic principle of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Mother learned of it early in life and
made its observance a part of her guiding philosophy of life.  A number of happenings bear this out.

At the age of 29, mother undertook the operation of the little family farm to support her husband on a two year mission for the Church with the help of six little children, the oldest three being girls of 10, 8 and 6 years of age.  Heber, the only boy, was four years old.  In addition to these four children there were twin girls who were just under one year of age, having been born the 13th of June 1899.  How she accomplished this herculean task is hard for us to understand.  Faith we are told moves mountains, and mother certainly had a tremendous mountain to move.  As we look back upon it now, we sense, perhaps vaguely, the magnitude of the undertaking and experience a flood of respect and admiration for our mother and grandmother whose heroic faith in support of the priesthood in the family during this two year period at the beginning of the twentieth century fills our hearts with pride and thanksgiving.

Father later acquired a small flock of sheep, the care of which for a number of years required him to spend some time during the winter months on the west desert.  Whenever father was away on this occasions, mother presided over the family and conducted the morning and evening devotionals regularly.  In the absence of father, mother always conducted the morning and evening prayer service and saw to it that some member of the family expressed thanks for their food and offered a blessing upon it before each meal.

Honesty was a natural ingredient of mother's personality. This great principle was taught to all of her children, not only by precept, but by example.  Jim often told of the time when his older brothers and their friends had carefully laid plans to enjoy some peas from a neighbor's pea patch but would not allow him to go along because he was too little and too young.  He told mother of their plans and as a result just as the boys were about to embark upon their excursion to the neighbor's pea patch, mother appeared upon the scene and took her sons home.  This experience was an excellent opportunity to teach the principle of honesty.  Mother seemed to recognize teaching moments in the life of her children and quietly and effectively used each one to teach or to emphasize some principle of the gospel.

I do not remember of mother publicly bearing her testimony, but every day of her life was a living testimony of her belief in Jesus Christ and in His gospel plan of life.  Contention is of the
devil, the scriptures tell us and mother would not allow quarreling or even friendly scuffling among her children.  There were no lectures or formal instruction the the matter, as I recall.  Each
of the children somehow instinctively knew that contention was displeasing to mother and out of love and respect for her feelings, such behavior was never indulged in by her children in her
presence.

She was a peacemaker in the neighborhood. One of her means of helping to create a peaceful spirit in the community was to listen attentively to the neighbor's complaints or hurts, real or otherwise, give consolation or comfort as needed, and then never breath a word of what she hear to another soul.  This method created perfect confidence and respect for her on the part of all the neighbors and friends.  They knew that they could confide in Mary Anderson in full confidence.
   
She was a lover of peace but fully recognized that sometimes and under some circumstances a person must stand firm and defend the right.  This was illustrated beautifully when she discovered that her son, Jim, had not learned that sometimes one must defend one's principles of right.  One of the older neighborhood boys was giving Jim a bad time at school and Jim was following mother's instructions about not fighting to the letter until one day mother discovered that Jim was being chased home by the neighborhood bully.  This was a teaching moment when her son should be taught the other side of the peacemaker coin.  She told Jim if he did not give the bully a beating she was going to beat him.  That was all the encouragement Jim needed. He was never chased home again by anyone at any time. 

Mother was not a one sided idealist, but was practical in the application of the great Christian principles in daily life. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)  This great principle when applied to mother helps to explain many things in her life.  She demonstrated an abundance of this power when she accepted the responsibility of providing food, clothing and health needs for six children all of them under 10 years of age for a two year period while her husband answered the call to fill a two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In addition to caring for the children, she accepted the responsibility of providing the financial needs of her husband for two years while on his mission in Missouri and Kansas.  The way she was to accomplish all of this was by operating a small farm, milking cows, tending pigs and chickens, etc.

Her faith was tested when sickness came to the children, when one of the twins became seriously ill while her husband was sharing the gospel with the people in Missouri in the early part of the year 1902.  Perhaps it was her faith and prayer that caused her husband to pour out his heart to the Lord to send someone bearing the priesthood to his home to rebuke the power of the evil one and bless his family.  The answer came in the person of George W. Jolley who arose from his bed and came to her home in the middle of the night, and by the power of the priesthood and in the name of Jesus Christ rebuked the disease and restored the health of the stricken child.

Perhaps it was mother's faith that preserved the health of her twelve children and protected them from accident and serious injury, and preserved their lives until they all arrived at
adulthood and became parents in their own right.

How many times was she inspired to teach a valuable lesson or to give a bit of important counsel, or to warn of possible danger at sundry times during the many years of raising her twelve children and five additional grandchildren.

Mother was an excellent homemaker.  The house was always clean and orderly.  The beds were always made, the rooms swept and dusted, and the dishes always washed and put in place in the cupboard.  Mother never sat idle, there was always some chore she could be doing as she sat for a while resting from the strenuous tasks of the day. One of these chores was to darn the holes in the menfolk's socks.  Mother extended the life and usefulness of many a pair of socks by skillfully mending the holes.  She could fill the hole with a darning cotton so perfectly that the mend never made the foot sore or even red.  So perfect was the mend that one never felt the darn.  It would be interesting to know how many pairs of stockings she saved by her ability to mend the holes.

Mother was a faultless laundress. A shirt must nave no wrinkles.  The collar, front, and cuffs must be flawlessly starched and pressed, and indeed they always were.  All of her sons on numerous occasions were complimented on the perfectly ironed shirt they were wearing.  This she achieved without the use of faultless starch and the light weight electric steam irons of today.  Until the last years of her life the flat irons she used were the ones with a detachable handle and heated on the top of a coal burning kitchen stove.  One wonders what she would have thought of the no iron permanent press fabrics of today.   

Every now and then whenever the need arose for a new quilt, a fleece of wool with fine, long fibers would be saved at shearing time and be brought home for processing into wool batts for a quilt.  Mother would wash the wool in a number two wash tub in the back yard.  This was a long, smelly, tedious process. She would wash and rinse and wash again and again until all of the natural oil of the wool and the dirt was washed away.  When this was completed she would card the wool into what was called wool batts. They were fluffy white light rolls of wool about two or three inches in diameter by about ten or twelve inches in length.  She would sit and card wool at times between the daily routine duties of the day or in the evening after the regular daily activities were completed until she had enough wool batts to make a quilt.

For years mother made all of the laundry soap used in the wash.  The fat from the butchered hogs was saved and during the summer month, mother would boil it in a black number two wash tub over an open fire in the back yard.  Lye had to be added and the grease or fat, water and lye had to be boiled until the liquid would float a small potato.  The mixture when properly cooked would be removed from the fire and allowed to cool in the tub.  After the soap cooled it would be cut into small squares and placed on boards to cure in the sun.  When cured the bars would be put into boxes or small sacks and stored for use during future wash days.

Father raised porkers for the family meat supply.  The butchering was done in the winter time and three or four hogs would be dressed out at one time.  Mother received the responsibility for
taking care of the meat.  Father would trim the shoulders and hams for smoking and salting, and when they were ready they were buried or stored in the wheat bins in the granary, thus a year's supply of bread stuff and meat was always on hand.

Mother's work in connection with the pork was to wash and clean the entrails for making casings for sausages.  When these were all filled, the excess sausage was made into patties, cooked and sealed in quart fruit jars for future use.  This was a big project but mother was very efficient in her work and never complained.  She seemed to be pleased with the food storage and the assurance that she could feed the family for another year.

Mother was an excellent cook.  She very seldom followed a recipe to the letter.  She would say the proof of the pudding was in the eating of it.  She baked six or eight loaves of bread every
day except Sundays for many years.  Her bread was always perfect. It is no wonder that none of her children really enjoy baker's bread to this day because it could never come a close second to her delicious home made loaves.  Many a time her grandchildren would line up to be given slices of her delicious bread covered with rich cream and sugar.     She made delicious cake and pie.  One of her favorite pies was sour cream.  Marie Callendar makes a good sour cream raisin pie but it cannot compare with the one mother made.  Sweet rolls and raisin filled cookies were other specialties she liked to make.  She loved to cook and bake and was a master at it.

Mother never liked guns.  She was not fanatical nor adamant regarding them, but she definitely preferred not to have them in the house.  There were probably two incidents in the life of the
family which contributed to her feelings towards guns.  One evening her first born son, Niels Heber Jr., was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the front room, as it was referred to by members of the family.  He was toying with a .22 caliber small pistol in his overall pocket when the gun accidentally discharged. No one was injured but one of the children who was playing on the kitchen floor could have shot himself in the leg or foot.  Fortunately neither of these possibilities happened.

The other incident involved her husband who happened to be present along with Bill Brewer and Scott Bruno at the shooting of Sheriff James Burns on Reader's Ridge back of the Horse Shoe Mountain on the 26th of November 1894.  The lives of these three men who were the only witnesses to the murder were threatened by the murderers.  Father spent considerable time both in the wintertime and during the summer away from home with the sheep and carried a Six Shooter" for years after the murder and mother no doubt was concerned during the time of year when father was away with the sheep.  Whatever the cause, mother did not like to see a gun or have one in the house.  Mother died February 6, 1953 at her home after a short illness. We were most grateful that mother did not suffer but a very few days before she was called home to continue her labors on the other side of the veil.


Written by my cousin, George M. Anderson

October Autumn Leaves in Utah

A Great Ride!

We had been cleaning up during a rainy day at my father's in Orem, Utah. There was a break in the rain and the sun came out. I knew it was the best time to hit the road for our annual trip up Utah State Route 92, otherwise known as The Alpine Loop. It is a scenic drive from Provo Canyon to American Fork Canyon or vice versa, a 20 mile breathtaking drive through the Uintah National Forest. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Winding Road

Getting closer to the turn off for the Alpine Loop, we were able to get a fine look at Bridal Veil Falls. Since I grew up in this area, this is a very familiar site for me, but it never gets old.

Sundance

Who hasn't heard of Robert Redford and Sundance? After the turn off US 189, you soon come to one of my favorite ski resorts, Sundance. No snow yet, but you never know when it will arrive, sometimes late October, earlier or later. When I used to ski, it was a favorite place to hang out. But, this time, it was all about the autumn leaves, so on we traveled.

Wildlife

While we were making our way up to higher altitudes, all of a sudden there were two deer right on the side of the road. Lucky I was able to catch a photo of them.

Aspen Tree Forest

You know you have come near the top when you come to the Aspen tree forest. Feels like you just traveled to another world - short, tall, and in between, the aspen trees are mesmerizing. You can catch a few where initials have been carved into the trees. Makes you wonder about the story behind it - were they lovers?

Seasonal

The Alpine Loop is only open from May through October, so it is good to schedule a trip during those months. There are turn offs so you can stop and take some photos of all the beauty.

Cascade Springs can be seen through the trees, and then you can turn off and get a closer view further on.

The entrance to the trail to Timpanogos Cave National Monument is along the road as well. If you want a great hike, this is the place.

Over Too Soon

The ride didn't last long enough, but if you decide you want to stay longer, you can bring your camper and pay $6 pass good for 3 days; a $12 pass is good for 7 days; there is also a $45 annual pass available in case you want to get away from all the hustle and bustle.

http://elayne001.hubpages.com/hub/October-Autumn-Leaves-in-Utah

International Peace Garden

Where is it?

Recently we had a family reunion (my mother's side), and it was held at the Jordan Park in Salt Lake City. Part of the park is a beautifully planned garden called the International Peace Gardens. I didn't know what to expect, but I felt a sacredness and world unity about the place. It is located on the banks of the Jordan River and has been there since 1947.

The Purpose

Utah is made up of several nationalities. This garden was created to promote the general welfare of the communities in Salt Lake City.

The motto is "Community Service for Civic Improvements". Committees that contribute and maintain the gardens come from the United Nations, Utah Youth Village, Wasatch Youth Center, YWCA, University Hospital and others.

Symbolism

The gardens and structures in the International Peace Gardens symbolize world peace, the true spirit of democracy, literature, cultural heritage, brotherly love and the history of many lands.
They were the initiated by Mrs. Otto Wiesley in 1939. She acted as Citizenship Chair for the Centennial Celebration of 1947. She hoped to promote good citizenship by having foreign groups help with the beautification of the City. It was proposed and approved, however, it was stopped at the onset of World War II, before being started again.

Labor of Love

Each group was allotted a section of the garden for them to design, create and plant with their own funds. They were approved by the City Parks Director and each part was dedicated and then presented to the City who maintains the gardens.
The first country represented in the gardens was the United States. Others include Europe, Africa and Asia. Also, the Japanese gardens were added followed by 28 countries before space ran out. Festivals include the various groups dressed in their native costumes dancing and singing traditional songs. All of this is free.
The only other known peace garden in the United States is one on the Canadian border in North Dakota.

Peace

The day we visited there were several people visiting and enjoying this beautiful peaceful place. Over 20,000 people visit the gardens each year.
I hope more people will be aware of these gardens and share in their meaning and hope for peace in our world.

My Incredible Great Grandmother, Mary Ann Knopp

Mary Ann Knopp, Niels Heber Anderson and their large family.

My grandmother is on the back row right in the middle

  Mary Ann Knopp was the second child and the oldest daughter of Jens Englehardt Johansen Knopp and Anna Jacobsen, born 17 September, 1870 in Moroni, Utah. 
    As far as we know, mother received the regular grade school education that was available in Moroni in the 1870s and 80s.  She probably attended school in the first school building that was
built in Moroni. This was a square building which was built in the year 1863. This building still stands and is used as a family dwelling at the present time (1980), and is located at 90 Duck
Springs Drive, Moroni, Utah.
    In 1883 a log school room was built in Moroni and was erected on the ground just north of where the present Lincoln Elementary School building is located.  Mother may have attended this "Log School Room", since she would have been 13 years old the year it was erected.
    Mother was married to Niels Heber Anderson in the Manti Temple at Manti, Utah on the 22nd of November 1888 by Daniel H. Wells who was the first president of the Manti Temple. Mother had just turned 18 the 17th of September and her husband was 24 the 27th of September.
    According to a family tradition, some older man approached mother's parents and proposed a polygamous marriage with their daughter, Mary Ann. To this proposal grandmother Knopp firmly objected. It would appear from this incident that Anna Jacobsen Knopp was not a staunch supporter of the practice of polygamy. Mother never had much opportunity to serve in church offices because of the many responsibilities resting upon her as wife and mother of a large family. Apparently the only official position she ever held was that of Relief Society visiting teacher.  She and Maria J. Morley, a neighbor lady, were companions who very faithfully made monthly visits to the families assigned to them. Sister Morley, speaking in mother's funeral, said that they had a 100% record of visits and that mother always had a meaningful contribution to give during each lesson presentation in the homes. Mother was always very busy with numerous responsibilities and work that naturally resulted from caring for a family of twelve children.  There really was little time to be spent outside of the home after present family needs were satisfied. All of her children grew to be respected citizens of the communities in which they lived.  All have been successful in raising families of their own.  This is the greatest service one can give to mankind and is likewise the greatest tribute that can be given to another. President Harold B. Lee said, "The most important of the Lord's work that you will do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home" (Strengthening the Home (pamphlet, 1973, p.7).
    Mother learned from experience that if one intends to keep a secret one must tell no one, otherwise it is no longer a secret.  This bit of wisdom was reinforced one time when she happened to make a statement to one of her friends that another neighbor was  constantly borrowing a little flour, or sugar, or something else, and never or very seldom returned the borrowed item.  It was but a very short time after making this statement until the friend had informed the borrowing neighbor that Mary Anderson was unhappy because she never returned that which was borrowed.  It was a long time before this rift in a long standing friendship was healed. Mother was very sorry about the situation and this experience was one of the reasons why she told her children that "if you want to keep a secret, you tell no one, for when you tell another person, you no longer have a secret."
    One challenge that soon comes to the attention of young, new parents is the matter of disciplining children.  Mother raised twelve children, and therefore, she was looked upon as an authority on the subject of disciplining children by her married daughters. Mother never gave them a pattern for disciplining children nor a set of rules one might apply to a given situation.  All she would ever say was that in administering discipline one must be firm  If you make a promise you must keep it.  By this she meant that an offense today brings punishment today, and not at a later day or on another occasion.  Unacceptable behavior must always be considered as unacceptable and dealt with in the same firm manner each time it occurs.  Her philosophy was that if you make a promise of certain behavior as being unacceptable and would result in certain consequences that you must keep your word.  This is a basic principle and if applied consistently produces beneficial results. Mother was never one to use the rod or to lecture long and loud when one of her children misbehaved. Proper instruction was given at the appropriate time and the desired behavior carefully explained so that there was no possibility of the child not understanding what was expected of him.  If, after this instruction had been given, there was a continuation of the unacceptable behavior, mother had a way of taking one by the arm and pinching the bicep muscle in such a manner as to cause one to walk "turkey" for a short distance. Any of her children can bear testimony that her method was effective and produced good results.
    "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrews 13:2)  I do not know if mother ever fed an angel, but I do know that a hungry person was never turned unfed from her door.  Every spring and sometimes in the fall, hobos would pass through our area. Their stopping  place was an old sugar beet dump which was located just a short distance south of our home.  There were often hungry and always in need of water.  Almost all of them came to our home for water and often asked for a little something to eat.  Mother always gave them food to satisfy their needs. I remember one time when she had invited one of them into the house where he was fed at the kitchen table and how she scrubbed the chair after he was gone.  They were certainly not the cleanest of persons and mother was right in carefully washing everything involved in the meal. Their wants and needs were always willingly supplied in as much as mother could supply them.
    It always hurt mother to see food wasted. Perhaps this annual exposure to hunger and want, and abject poverty kept the importance of food uppermost in her consciousness.  She has been heard to say many times "waste not, want not."  This is a principle people today might well accept and apply in their own lives and within the family.
    One of her neighbors often times was next to destitute of the common necessities of life and knew that a little flour or sugar could be obtained from mother.  No matter who the person in need might be, mother was always willing to supply that need if it was within her power to do so.  Never was a person ever turned away hungry from her door.
    "Follow the Brethren" is not just an idle slogan or just a catchy bit of rhetoric, but a very basic principle of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Mother learned of it early in life and
made its observance a part of her guiding philosophy of life. A number of happenings bear this out.
    At the age of 29, mother undertook the operation of the little family farm to support her husband on a two year mission for the Church with the help of six little children, the oldest three being girls of 10, 8 and 6 years of age.  Heber, the only boy, was four years old.  In addition to these four children there were twin girls who were just under one year of age, having been born the 13th of June 1899.  How she accomplished this herculean task is hard for us to understand.  Faith we are told moves mountains, and mother certainly had a tremendous mountain to move.  As we look back upon it now, we sense, perhaps vaguely, the magnitude of the undertaking and experience a flood of respect and admiration for our mother and grandmother whose heroic faith in support of the priesthood in the family during this two year period at the beginning of the twentieth century fills our hearts with pride and thanksgiving.
    Father later acquired a small flock of sheep, the care of which for a number of years required him to spend some time during the winter months on the west desert.  Whenever father was away on this occasions, mother presided over the family and conducted the morning and evening devotionals regularly.  In the absence of father, mother always conducted the morning and evening prayer service and saw to it that some member of the family expressed thanks for their food and offered a blessing upon it before each meal.
    Honesty was a natural ingredient of mother's personality. This great principle was taught to all of her children, not only by precept, but by example.  Jim often told of the time when his older brothers and their friends had carefully laid plans to enjoy some peas from a neighbor's pea patch but would not allow him to go along because he was too little and too young.  He told mother
of their plans and as a result just as the boys were about to embark upon their excursion to the neighbor's pea patch, mother appeared upon the scene and took her sons home.  This experience
was an excellent opportunity to teach the principle of honesty.  Mother seemed to recognize teaching moments in the life of her children and quietly and effectively used each one to teach or to emphasize some principle of the gospel.
    I do not remember of mother publicly bearing her testimony, but every day of her life was a living testimony of her belief in Jesus Christ and in His gospel plan of life.  Contention is of the
devil, the scriptures tell us and mother would not allow quarreling or even friendly scuffling among her children.  There were no lectures or formal instruction the the matter, as I recall.  Each
of the children somehow instinctively knew that contention was displeasing to mother and out of love and respect for her feelings, such behavior was never indulged in by her children in her
presence.
    She was a peacemaker in the neighborhood.  One of her means of helping to create a peaceful spirit in the community was to listen attentively to the neighbor's complaints or hurts, real or otherwise, give consolation or comfort as needed, and then never breath a word of what she hear to another soul. This method created perfect confidence and respect for her on the part of all the neighbors and friends. They knew that they could confide in Mary Anderson in full confidence.
    She was a lover of peace but fully recognized that sometimes and under some circumstances a person must stand firm and defend the right.  This was illustrated beautifully when she discovered that her son, Jim, had not learned that sometimes one must defend one's principles of right.  One of the older neighborhood boys was giving Jim a bad time at school and Jim was following mother's instructions about not fighting to the letter until one day mother discovered that Jim was being chased home by the neighborhood bully. This was a teaching moment when her son should be taught the other side of the peacemaker coin.  She told Jim if he did not give the bully a beating she was going to beat him. That was all the encouragement Jim needed. He was never chased home again by anyone at any time.  Mother was not a one sided idealist, but was practical in the application of the great Christian principles in daily life. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)  This great principle when applied to mother helps to explain many things in her life.  She demonstrated an abundance of this power when she accepted the responsibility of providing food, clothing and health needs for six children all of them under 10 years of age for a two year period while her husband answered the call to fill a two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In addition to caring for the children, she accepted the responsibility of providing the financial needs of her husband for two years while on his mission in Missouri and Kansas.  The way she was to accomplish all of this was by operating a small farm, milking cows, tending pigs and chickens, etc.
    Her faith was tested when sickness came to the children, when one of the twins became seriously ill while her husband was sharing the gospel with the people in Missouri in the early part of the year 1902. Perhaps it was her faith and prayer that caused her husband to pour out his heart to the Lord to send someone bearing the priesthood to his home to rebuke the power of the evil one and bless his family.  The answer came in the person of George W. Jolley who arose from his bed and came to her home in the middle of the night, and by the power of the priesthood and in the name of Jesus Christ rebuked the disease and restored the health of the stricken child.
    Perhaps it was mother's faith that preserved the health of her twelve children and protected them from accident and serious injury, and preserved their lives until they all arrived at
adulthood and became parents in their own right.
    How many times was she inspired to teach a valuable lesson or to give a bit of important counsel, or to warn of possible danger at sundry times during the many years of raising her twelve children and five additional grandchildren.
    Mother was an excellent homemaker.  The house was always clean and orderly.  The beds were always made, the rooms swept and dusted, and the dishes always washed and put in place in the cupboard.  Mother never sat idle, there was always some chore she could be doing as she sat for a while resting from the strenuous tasks of the day. One of these chores was to darn the holes in the menfolk's socks.  Mother extended the life and usefulness of many a pair of socks by skillfully mending the holes.  She could fill the hole with a darning cotton so perfectly that the mend never made the foot sore or even red.  So perfect was the mend that one never felt the darn.  It would be interesting to know how many pairs of stockings she saved by her ability to mend the holes.
    Mother was a faultless laundress. A shirt must nave no wrinkles. The collar, front, and cuffs must be flawlessly starched and pressed, and indeed they always were. All of her sons on
numerous occasions were complimented on the perfectly ironed shirt they were wearing. This she achieved without the use of faultless starch and the light weight electric steam irons of today.  Until the last years of her life the flat irons she used were the ones with a detachable handle and heated on the top of a coal burning kitchen stove. One wonders what she would have thought of the no iron permanent press fabrics of today.  Every now and then whenever the need arose for a new quilt, a fleece of wool with fine, long fibers would be saved at shearing time and be brought home for processing into wool batts for a quilt. Mother would wash the wool in a number two wash tub in the back yard.  This was a long, smelly, tedious process. She would wash and rinse and wash again and again until all of the natural oil of the wool and the dirt was washed away.  When this was completed she would card the wool into what was called wool batts. They were fluffy white light rolls of wool about two or three inches in diameter by about ten or twelve inches in length.  She would sit and card wool at times between the daily routine duties of the day or in the evening after the regular daily activities were completed until she had enough wool batts to make a quilt.
    For years mother made all of the laundry soap used in the wash.  The fat from the butchered hogs was saved and during the summer month, mother would boil it in a black number two wash tub over an open fire in the back yard.  Lye had to be added and the grease or fat, water and lye had to be boiled until the liquid would float a small potato.  The mixture when properly cooked would be removed from the fire and allowed to cool in the tub. After the soap cooled it would be cut into small squares and placed on boards to cure in the sun. When cured the bars would be put into boxes or small sacks and stored for use during future wash days.
    Father raised porkers for the family meat supply. The butchering was done in the winter time and three or four hogs would be dressed out at one time.  Mother received the responsibility for
taking care of the meat.  Father would trim the shoulders and hams for smoking and salting, and when they were ready they were buried or stored in the wheat bins in the granary, thus a year's supply of bread stuff and meat was always on hand.
    Mother's work in connection with the pork was to wash and clean the entrails for making casings for sausages.  When these were all filled, the excess sausage was made into patties, cooked and sealed in quart fruit jars for future use.  This was a big project but mother was very efficient in her work and never complained.  She seemed to be pleased with the food storage and the assurance that she could feed the family for another year.
    Mother was an excellent cook. She very seldom followed a recipe to the letter.  She would say the proof of the pudding was in the eating of it.  She baked six or eight loaves of bread every
day except Sundays for many years.  Her bread was always perfect. It is no wonder that none of her children really enjoy baker's bread to this day because it could never come a close second to
her delicious home made loaves.  Many a time her grandchildren would line up to be given slices of her delicious bread covered with rich cream and sugar.  She made delicious cake and pie.  One of her favorite pies was sour cream.  Marie Callendar makes a good sour cream raisin pie but it cannot compare with the one mother made.  Sweet rolls and raisin filled cookies were other specialties she liked to make.  She loved to cook and bake and was a master at it.
    Mother never liked guns.  She was not fanatical nor adamant regarding them, but she definitely preferred not to have them in the house.  There were probably two incidents in the life of the
family which contributed to her feelings towards guns.  One evening her first born son, Niels Heber Jr., was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the front room, as it was referred to by members of the family.  He was toying with a .22 caliber small pistol in his overall pocket when the gun accidentally discharged. No one was injured but one of the children who was playing on the kitchen floor could have been or Heber could have shot himself in the leg or foot.  Fortunately neither of these possibilities happened.
    The other incident involved her husband who happened to be present along with Bill Brewer and Scott Bruno at the shooting of Sheriff James Burns on Reader's Ridge back of the Horse Shoe Mountain on the 26th of November 1894.  The lives of these three men who were the only witnesses to the murder were threatened by the murderers. Father spent considerabe time both in the wintertime and during the summer away from home with the sheep and carried a "Six Shooter" for years after the murder and mother no doubt was concerned during the time of year when father was away with the sheep.  Whatever the cause, mother did not like to see a gun or have one in the house. Mother died February 6, 1953 at her home after a short illness. We were most grateful that mother did not suffer but a very few days before she was called home to continue her labors on the other side of the veil.

Written by George M. Anderson, my uncle

Spring Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point

Pleasantly Surprised

We had often heard about the Tulip Festival that has been held every Spring at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. I have been to the Dinosaur Museum and other educational venues at this non-profit farm and garden. They feature several events throughout the year that attract local families and tourists. Life gets so busy, but I really wanted to see the tulips this year, so we made it. The entrance to the festival is just a hint of what was inside. I was blown away by the colorful, well manicured flower beds leading up to the main building.

Educational and Good Exercise

At the entrance of the Garden Visitor Center, you are given a map of the Tulip Festival. I had no idea that the gardens were so expansive. From the building you see an attractive vista all the way to the back of the gardens. They are separated into attractive theme gardens, and pathways weave back and forth throughout. You can rent a cart if you don't want to walk the whole way. It took us about two hours to walk the whole way, and we went later in the day. I'm glad we went when it was not too hot. My husband has an app on his iphone and tracked our steps. We walked over 4000 steps, so it was a good workout besides being very educational.

Along the way there were signs giving facts about tulips in general and names of groups of tulips. Some of the fun facts we learned were:

• The tulip is the national flower of Turkey and Afghanistan
• Tulips grow from bulbs, and being native to mountainous areas, the tulip needs a period of cold dormancy (Utah has four seasons).
• Tulips are part of the lily family.
• Nearly 3 billion tulips are produced in the Netherlands each year.

We took off to the left pathway first which led to some waterfalls.

Every year they plant a quarter of a million new tulips at the Thanksgiving Point Gardens.

The range of colors and variety of tulips was amazing.

My breath was taken away by the mixture of contrasting varieties and shades of tulips. I don't remember a garden that has impressed me as much as this one did.

Theme Gardens

So you can get a better idea of the variety, here are the names of the different garden themes:

• Grand Allée
• Shepherd's Hill
• Creek Garden
• Monet Lake
• Rose Garden
• Koi View Pier
• Vista Mound
• Fragrance Garden
• Secret Garden
• Italian Garden
• Light of the World Exhibit
• Butterfly Garden
• Parterre Garden
• Waterfall Amphitheatre
• Mountain Garden

It is a great place to take your mother for Mother's Day. It was quite a walk for little children under three, but I saw many families on the motorized carts. They seat five people comfortably and can go along the paths just fine.

Picture taking is welcome, in fact, they have a photo contest at thanksgivingpoint.org/photocontest where you can post your own photos. They choose the top photos to be on the Thanksgiving Point Facebook page to be voted on by everyone. The prize is an annual family membership to Thanksgiving Point!

Ongoing activities include a Tulip Tot Playland, which is open Friday and Staurday from 10 am - 8 pm and Monday evenings from 4 - 8 pm. They offer crafts, activities, games, bounce houses and much more.If you stay late on Friday nights, it is perfect for a date with music and lights. Celebrating Spring at the Tulip Festival is something I will always remember and look forward to again.

Worthwhile Attraction

I feel ashamed that I have visited Utah so many times, but have never taken the opportunity to view the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. It beats other botanical gardens I've been too.

Let me know if you have been to a bigger or better one. Cheerio!

5 reasons Utah is big in dot-com economy | Meridian Magazine

5 reasons Utah is big in dot-com economy | Meridian Magazine

Fun in Daybreak

History and Art in Utah Fairview Museum

A Sentimental Journey
I recently went on a sentimental journey with my father to Sanpete County in Utah. He wanted to drive to where he was born, raised, married and worked. My husband came along, and we taped my father as he recalled places, dates and people who had influenced him through his life. Mother passed away a few years ago, and my father often thinks about her and the relationship they had.

We began our journey in Orem, where my father now resides. He has lived there since I was four years old, so nearly sixty years ago. I must have made this trip from Orem to Sanpete County hundreds of times during my life. But, as I age, I notice different things. The mountains really impressed me this time, with their freshly fallen snow. It was a beautiful sunny day with blue sky and moderate temperatures.

We stayed on Utah's Heritage Highway I-89 for the first half of our trip and returned on I-15. Founded in 1859, nestled at the northern end of historic, pastoral Sanpete Valley, Fairview is the gateway to Huntington-Eccles Canyons National Scenic byway, I-31. We spent several fun summers up in the Fairview Canyon with my grandparents.

There is a museum in Fairview, housed in two imposing buildings; the 100 year old stone, former school (where my father attended all of grade school), and the Heritage building and more contemporary Horizon Building. This museum is a real treasure. It contains ninety works by the artist Dr. Avard T. Fairbanks.

Mammoths once roamed Sanpete County, Utah

A Life-size cast replica of a skeleton unearthed in 1988, 18 miles east of Fairview at Huntington Reservoir is a Columbian Mammoth. The discovery of this forerunner of our modern elephant, was hidden in the earth for 15,000 years. It has been preserved well. There are also hand carved and crafted historical coaches and carriages. American folk artist Lyndon Graham, is one of the founders of the museum and created many of the displays.

The Museum Mission

1. is to preserve pioneer and historical artifacts, histories and cultural collections
2. to provide an outlet for creative talent
3. to be an educational center and a source for wonder and vision.

The Museum Goals are

1. to build a strong and stable endowment
2. to create and improve exhibits and cultural exhibitions
3. to improve collections management, and 3) to further develop museum buildings.

Meeting My Relatives

As my father took us through the Fairview Museum of History and Art, there were many pictures on the wall of citizens in the area. He remembered many names, and some of them were our relatives who came from Scotland, and came to receive religious freedom and settled many of the little towns in Sanpete County. My grandfather used to be the mayor of Fairview. He also helped to build many buildings and other structures in the town.

The Museum is open year-round Monday through Saturday 10 am to 6 pm. It is located at 85 North 100 East, P.O. Box 157 Fairview, Utah 84629. You don't expect to see a quality museum in a tiny town like Fairview, but here it is for all to enjoy.

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Trading our Timeshare

Trading our Timeshare

Utah Arts Festival Downtown Salt Lake City - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com

Utah Arts Festival Downtown Salt Lake City - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com

Utah The Land of Funeral Potatoes and Lime Jello

Part of the Utah culture involves traditional comfort foods.
It began when the Women’s Relief Society Organization of the Mormon LDS Church.
With the theme of charity and ever ready to lend a hand to the sick or
bereaved, the weighty casserole otherwise known as au gratin potatoes is a cheesy
side dish of scalloped potatoes with a cornflake crust better known as funeral
potatoes in Utah. You cannot buy this at a store, but the majority of Utah
women could make it off the top of their head at a moment’s notice.

Utah The Land of Funeral Potatoes and Lime Jello

Fairview Museum of History and Art in Utah

A Sentimental Journey I recently went on a sentimental journey with my father to Sanpete County in Utah. He wanted to drive to where he was born, raised, married and worked. My husband came along, and we taped my father as he recalled places, dates and people that had influenced him through his life. Mother passed away a few years ago, and my father often thinks about her and the relationship they had.



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