We are alive and moving in the Intermountain West My hobby interest in seismology (earthquakes) has practical application in my local area. I observe the Intermountain Corridor (Utah to Yellowstone) mostly on a weekly basis. This week we recorded 34 earthquakes from micro to minor, 1.0 to 3.5,at depths ranging from a fraction of a mile to several miles. The 3.5 minor earthquake was near Bondurant WY on Wednesday, Bountiful UT registered a 1.0, and Beaver UT a 2.1 at a shallow 0.1 mile hypocentral depth. If you draw an X on the map from its corners, at the crossover you have my location (right in the "Heigh-diddle-diddle"). I live in Sandy UT at 4,500 ft with the mountains of the Wasatch Front on my doorstep ~ a great place to live (Ask me anytime!) My interest in observing and reporting... 05/13/2012

  Spring changes in Utah A few days from a snow fall, and we are back to 78 F. Forecast shows a weather alert for the coming weekend - Rain and more snow. For the seasons to change, there are always adjustments before we reach a norm.  Signs of spring are everywhere, especially with trees and flowers. (Did our fruit trees blossom too soon?  Where are the bees? Do we have to put in a work order to get their attendance? Roadworks are evident ~ what do you mean sixteen blocks of State Street near me will be disrupted for another nine months? Time to get the gold pan and detector out again). Sap has risen, blood is flowing. There is change evident. A renewal. Sandy Utah is vibrant in its colors. It is a great place to live, wonderful to call home (And yet some of our youth still appear in ... 04/10/2012

Mild Winter for Sandy Utah What a strange winter! Some snow on the hills, a few chill winds and the odd snow flurry in town. Last year we could not turn the snow off - this year, the snow plow operators sit idle. With promises (unfulfilled mostly) of elusive storms, they become strangely active, showing their presence in Sandy streets, getting truly excited over a mere inch of snow if they can find it to play with. With last week's dump, I had my moments on my electric scooter, bursting through dry powder, making my way to the Trax stations, and onto sliding trains. Plowed snow quickly ices making my endeavors a real challenge - spinning my wheels, for the most part on slush in roadways, Often easier to begin my day in town than to try to return home around 6am Another storm promised tw... 03/06/2012

365 Things To Do In The Salt Lake Area:  Grace Lutheran Open House.  Grace is a school located in Sandy Utah. The school consist of grades Pre3 - 8th grade.   This year we also have the honor of Rocky Mountain Districts Teacher of the Year!!! fantastic school features small classrooms before school and after school care school sports art, choir, band and bells (music) programs challenging academics caring teachers and staff not just for Lutherans! everyone is welcome come check us out and see for yourself If you or someone you know has kids who want, need or are interested in private school and what they can offer, stop by and check it out.  I'll be there, I'd love to see you and have a chance to say hi.   OUR ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE FEBRUARY 8th:  9am - 11am OR 6:30pm - 8:30pm Grace is locat... 02/01/2012

Buyers and Sellers Are You Ready For Spring ?  I know its only the end of January but I can tell its on its way.  Every year spring and summer sales and activity increase.   The Chart below shows the dramatic increase we see in Sandy with homes sold.  If you are a seller why are you waiting to put your home on the market?  Its obvious you'll have more competition,,, look at the chart.  Even during our depressed years 2nd and 3rd quarters saw more activity.  *the key still is and always has been pricing it correctly from the minute you put it on the market. Buyers? Seriously what are you waiting for? Rates are still insanely low,.... you have choices right now, that will change.   If you are planning on looking under the $200,000 mark you better be prepared for a tougher market.  If the ... 01/31/2012

Sandy Utah, number of homes sold recap 2001 - 2011.  As you all know by now I LOVE numbers.  Here is a simple chart showing the number of homes that SOLD in Sandy Utah the years 2001 - 2011.  All I can say is WOW  what a massive drop in 2008 compared to years past.   The chart looks startling and its interesting to me that the actual number decrease in sales from 2005 (best year) is a swing of around 900 homes sold.  Imagine if every town had that drastic of a drop in sales, I believe some areas around here suffered a larger decrease than that.  No wonder we went in to a tail spin.       *data pulled from the Salt Lake Board of Realtors Website      01/31/2012

The Australian Flag in Sandy Utah Yesterday ~ January 26th, Australia Day~ the Australian Flag flew at my place in Sandy Utah, where for every US holiday the "Stars and Stripes" has pride of place. My annual allowance of nostalgia in my Great American Adventure. My mates in Australia celebrated Australia Day by being seared on both sides in summer heat - I had a backdrop of snow on the beautiful Wasatch Front. Same celebration, different global perspective. In Utah, in the Salt Lake Valley, where I seem to be  the only person without an accent, I could enjoy the songs and poems of my native country. (Too right, mate)  My wife could show off her acquired "Strine" (Bewdy) and tolerate, for a while, my indulgent reverie and my occasional interspersed adjective. (After all, it is Tumbablood... 01/27/2012

365 Things to Do in the Salt Lake Area: The Living Planet Aquarium: Located in Sandy at 725 E 10600 South. This gorgeous facility is a fun place for all ages. Whether you are there for a casual visit, birthday party or a field trip for your kids school the Living Planet Aquarium will keep you entertained. Want to watch the penguins? Check out this camera/ video Here is a map and all the fun areas you can visit with a ton of different animals and even an area where you can pet some stingrays!  There are 1250 animals and 267 different species. So many different exhibits and rumor has it they may be relocating to a bigger building so they provide us with more great animals and education! I love watching the penguins they are so entertaining!!!   Moving to Utah? find out more about housing ... 01/23/2012

Sandy Utah 84093: Today's Housing deal of the day for buyers and market update for sellers.  Buyers want to know the deals that are out there and sellers need to know what others are asking for their homes.  Location and Price mean so much to buyers and sellers.... and sellers your neighbor can change your whole pricing plan with one swipe of the pen. Sandy Utah zip code 84093 happens to be the zip code I live in.  Its an area located along the East side of the Wasatch Front.  Surrounding zip codes 84121,84070,84092,84094,84047,84117 There are roughly 31,000 people living in this zip code.  Estimated Medium Household Income: $93,697 Estimated 7% of the population rents vs. owns   we are located 20 minuts from the major ski resorts up the little cottonwood canyon.  It takes me 20 minutes... 01/20/2012

East Side Sandy Utah Home For Sale: Asking Price only $33/sqft. Insane incredible deal. If you are interested in seeing this home or one like it, let me know. I love to help buyers find deals like this!!!! If this home isn't quite what you're looking for (it is a fixer upper) let me help you find a different one.  Talk to you soon, 01/19/2012

Book Review: 5-Minute Mindset for Success Workbook by Bob Hoffman. Following his release of The 5-Minute Mindset for Weight Loss in late 2011, my broker, Bob Hoffman, is in print again with his The 5 Minute Mindset for Success Workbook. This is the practical application of The 5-Minute Mindset, how to record your progress in its application. It contains the steps in the system, examples of form recording and multiple sets of the necessary forms. Bob writes: Whether you want to make more money, start a business, be a successful salesperson, be more successful in your relationships, have a better marriage, or lose weight, developing the right mindset is the key to your success. By using this workbook, you will become familiar with the nine steps of the mind setting process. You will come... 01/09/2012

Hey, it's on again After weeks of balmy, almost tropicality, wintery snow is falling in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah. We are white and cool once again in Sandy with our overnight and continuing falls. My truck is happy under it's little load of snow. Snow-blowers can now come out of garages and be put to use. Snow plows may even see some use after weeks of stealthy lurking. We have been dry. December (driest ever) with one tenth of one inch of precipitation (snow), instead of 20+ inches, and following a warm start to January, with 40s and 50s, tended to suggest we may have been expecting a "pass-by" of winter. Even local road works have continued past their normal time. Ten day forecasts have been promoting "excess sunshine" in an almost "your guess is as good as mine" approach to weath... 01/07/2012

Sandy Utah Price /sqft history.  The Salt Lake board has been reporting increased sales in July and August and even September this year.  Sales volume has gone up but what has happened to the prices?  What have sellers dropped their prices to so they can get the home sold   My next task is to break this down even further to get a true number of  traditional sales vs. short sales/ reo sales and their price/sqft    My focus on this report was the trend of price /sqft. Amazing and sad drop as the years move along.     Sellers pay attention, this will help you understand the true market in Sandy, Utah.   *numbers calculated off of Wasatch Front statistical information* 12/19/2011

Festival of Trees in Sandy Utah.  Its the 41st year of Festival of Trees in Utah.  This year the event will again be held at the South Town Expo Center.  It will be crowded, as it is a favorite yearly event of many Utahns.  My daughters dance company will be performing on Saturday evening.  I can't wait to see Studio56 dance along with all the other performers.  Gorgeous trees and an amazing program that I love going to that raises an amazing amount of money for Primary Childrens Medical Center.       11/29/2011

Teacher of the year award= Big Budah Cool School: This Wednesday, November 30th Fox 13 news will be at our school.  Big Budah will be reporting from our school bright and early.  Students need to be at the school by 6am so we can be ready when the cameras start to roll for the morning news segment.  Big Budah will be visiting our school to help acknowledge our Teacher of the Year.  This year our very own Mrs. Fjeldsted has been awarded Rocky Mountain Districts Teacher of the Year.  Mrs. Fjeldsted is the first grade teacher at Grace Lutheran School in Sandy Utah.   We will have 8 different news segments ready for Wednesday mornings newscast.  The kids are excited.  There will be coffee and rolls for the parents dropping off their children early that morning and breakfast will also be ser... 11/26/2011

Veterans Day Event!  11-11-11 Sandy Utah. A free cinnamon roll and some milk this morning at Grace Lutheran School for the Veterans! From 7:30- 8am stop by and have a treat.   The students at Grace will also be putting on a Veterans Day Assembly today starting at 1:00 everyone is invited and we hope to see you there.  Following the Veterans Day Assembly will be lite snacks and beverages and good times visiting.   Thank you to all the Veterans who have served us in the past and are currently serving our country.  The majority of the men in my family have served our country.  I think we've had Veterans in all the branches and in all the wars.  I can't imagine what they have sacrificed and been through for all of us.   Words just don't seem like enough, but Thank You!      ... 11/10/2011

                                    Fall Colors in Sandy UT Sandy UT is taking on its Fall mantle. Not just Sandy but all around the Salt Lake Valley and throughout Utah,  the reds, oranges and yellows of Autumn brighten the landscape. The early snows of recent weeks have retreated to the higher peaks, but provide a beauty of their own, adding white to the color palette. Combine these colors with beautiful skies and pleasant temperatures, and you have a place close to heaven. We are in that hiatus between summer visitors wanting to see what Utah has to offer and the influx of skiers needing the "Greatest Snow on Earth". Now is a great time to visit Sandy UT. Come to think of it, ANYtime is a great time to visit. You may even make Sandy your home. You might even call me on 801 824 3276 ... 10/23/2011

It's been a great year In a little quiet time I have realized that I have been blogging on ActiveRain for just over a year. In fact it was 10/04/10 that I reached tentatively into blogging after lurking for a while. What would the old and the bold think! With 311 posts (2000 comments made/1984 received), and a growing list of readers, I am more involved than I could ever have dreamed (2/6/13 for city/county/state position). Early encouragement  and criticism was extremely beneficial. I have learned so much about so many different parts of the United States and Canada, so much about giving, caring and sharing people who communicate and educate so willingly. I expect to meet more of you personally in the future. My reach to others is now global as well as just around the corner. My commen... 10/08/2011

They said "snow at higher elevations" What "they" failed to add was "snow at all other elevations (including my place) as well". And how do they account for the sudden downward temperature variations from predictions as well. Sure felt like a cold front, even though we were not having one. It was a chilly day up to the time the sun finally appeared in Sandy UT. And then we were rewarded with the picture postcard appearance that makes our landscapes so delightful ~ perfect mountains of charcoal and white, top to bottom, against a perfect sky, east and west. What's a few extra layers of clothing in exchange for this local beauty?   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 10/06/2011

We are in for a change. I have my sliding door open here in Sandy UT to enjoy the outside night air. In the last few minutes I have been listening to falling moisture. We started the day with (light) rain. This is certainly different to our norm in our high altitude desert location where rain is often recorded in drops per acre and our ten inches of rain is "ten drops ten inches apart". National forecast maps allow us to anticipate rain all over Utah, with the TV versions being supported by the appropriate moving graphics. Often I can look outside and wonder where it all went. Crickets are obvious in the night air. We are promised a drop in temperatures in the next 48 - 72 hours with the possibility of snow at higher altitudes, of which we can see quite a few from here. I tend to a fore... 10/04/2011