Welcome to Spring of 2008! Did you know June is National Homeowners Month? This year's theme is "Back to Basics". From the HUD.gov website: This year's theme - "Back to Basics" - is designed to underscore the importance of having strong, common-sense fundamentals as a way to maintain a sustainable housing market. Many of those basics were ignored in the lead-up to the housing bubble. HUD's Federal Housing Administration is at the center of the Administration's efforts to help qualified homeowners refinance into safer, more affordable mortgage products. Despite many news stories that suggest that buyers must put down at least 20% as a down payment in order to buy a home, there are many loan programs that allow a buyer to put a lower down payment, or even to refinance an existing loan wit... 06/04/2008

Spring is finally here. I took the chance to enjoy nature and photograph the beautiful flowers here in Vernal. It was nice to get outside and relax. I did not worry about things that needed to be done and just enjoyed the beauty of nature. Hope you are able to just relax and enjoy the view! Check out the Hawk Moth that is in two different picutres! They look like hummbirds, but they are moths.   On the technical end I learned more about my camera today and will use the micro lens next time to get closer to the flowers. I will also be watching for shadows, especially mine!                            I even caught a Hawk Moth enjoying the flowers. They look like hummingbirds with the way their wings move so quickly. They also have the long proboscus for getting nectar from the flowers. If... 05/07/2008

   There is always something to do in Vernal Utah. On May 3rd there will be a Health Beat Health fair and on May 22nd and 23rd there is a Uintah Basin Energy Symposium and Golf Tournament. For more information on these events and future events check the Chamber of Commerce site.  There are several museums and monuments to visit. The temporary visitor center at the Dinosaur National Monument is open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. It is closed November through February. There is hiking, auto tours, wildlife, a chance to see replicas of dinosaur bones, and remnants of old cabins built by homesteaders. For a printable travel guide visit  www.nps.gov/dino/pphtml/print.html Want to check out geology and photos visit  www.nps.gov/dino/dinos.htm The Duchesne County Visitor and History center, i... 05/03/2008

 The Uintah Basin is looking forward to the first Ashley Valley Farmers Market to be held on Thursdays from July 31, 2008-August 28, 2008. At the market held at the old Dinosaur Gardens on Main Street buyers can find fresh fruit, flowers and vegetables. There are some wonderful gardeners in our valley so don't miss out.This will be a fun event for the community. 04/30/2008

I have been working with the Pheasant Run Estates Development in Naples City, Utah which is located with Vernal, Utah.The first phase is 37 lots rangeing from .21 acre to .5 acre.  The total project will be 151 lots.  The new plans are to have homes built by Fieldstone which has many of their own projects on the Wasatch Front and also other states.  Their homes offer more square footage for the price which is needed here at this time.  We need more economically priced homes and even rentals.  Rentals are in demand and the rents are high.This is a great subdivision for someone moving to this area or for investment with the homes starting in the $190,000's.  I live near Pheasant Run Estates and love the  location. 04/22/2008

Vernal, Utah is a great place for many conventions.  We have the facilities for the meetings and the events and activities for convention participants to enjoy.  With many conventions  family members want to enjoy the area.  Look at the list on Vernal Activities and see that it is pretty much endless. 04/17/2008

I decided to write a brief post and let you enjoy an article from out west newspaper that features one of our dinosaurs.  This big guy is on the West end of Main Street greeting everyone.  We keep a pink one on the East end of Main Street as you enter Naples City, Utah.  Most of the Dinosaurs  are fenced in at the Utah State Field House of Natural History  or Dinosaur Museum.  04/17/2008

Each Spring the Ashley National Forest sell minimally priced permits to obtain different varieties of trees for your own yard.  When we built our current home we took advantage of this opportunity and now have many beautiful Aspens etc to enjoy.  They remind us of the adventures we had and make interesting stories to tell our visitors.  04/17/2008

The annual event of ChristmasTtree hunting is a big deal with our family.  The first year we lived in Vernal, Utah we had two little girls getting over chicken pox and decided not too drive to the family Thanksgiving dinner 3 hours away.  We headed up the mountain in our Granada  and had the most wonderful time.  That was over 26 years ago and we have not missed a year of capturing the "best tree" on the mountain.When it comes to Christmas and my husband finding the tree is the part that counts.  We do not even need to decorate it in his opinion. (which has never happened by the way)Family members have joined in over the years and it is a super anticipated event.  It is not a matter of if they will come Thanksgiving weekend to capture their tree but when.  Take some turkey sandwhiches(p... 04/17/2008

This weekend we had a booth at the local home and garden show. It was quite a success. We had a drawing for a Wii so we were able to talk to a lot of people that stopped by our booth. Each of the Realtors had different colored drawing slips so we were able to divide up the slips easily and know which people the agent talked to. We had our version of the Plinko game ( The Game of the Century, for  Century 21) for added fun. Everyone got a little prize. We also had candy, coloring designs for children, and flyers on our properties. Has anyone had a similar event and have ideas that could be useful for next time? 04/13/2008

I have walked properties up and down and over and over figuring out the terrain, uses, accesses etc.  I love it!  I love helping with a development entitlement and studying in and out the laws of accesses and uses for a parcel of land.I list large properties and find land not listed for buyers searching.Using local knowledge and advise there are still great opportunities in the Uintah Basin.  We even have beautiful agricultural land that can remain that way for use and  enjoyment.  04/06/2008

A party off Spaniards known as the Escalante Expedition seeking  a more direct route to Monterey, California came upon the Green River.  They camped there for two days and moved on.  Soon after they came to a little hill and gazed down on the Ashley Valley.  The land was dry , arid and the soil sandy with the vegetation consisting mainly of sage brush, cactus and other desert plants.  The creek they saw in the northern section is now called Ashley Creek. That is the only record of the valley being visited by white men until 1825 when a fur trader named William H. Ashley entered the area  In his party was Jim Bridger who who received much fame later. In 1861 Abraham Lincoln set the area aside as the Uintah Indian Reservation.  Captain Pardon Dodds was appointed Indian agent. After Pardon... 03/31/2008

The Saturday before Easter in Vernal, Utah was met by the fun sight of children up to 6 years of age hunting for eggs in none other than "The Dinosuar Museum" or Utah Field House of Natural History.  After the hunt for empty plastic eggs the children were able to pick out prizes and a treat to take home with them.  My grandson gathered up 22 colorful eggs much to his delight!My Grandson was taken by his parents and having forgotten their camera , thank goodness for cell phone cameras I was able to enjoy these photos.What a clever idea to have an egg hunt there.  Vernal City and Naples City also had easter egg hunts in the parks shortly after the Museum so all could have a great day! 03/27/2008

Not A Surprise Vernal, Utah Foreclosure numbers are lower than the Utah State and National Averages.  According to an article in the Vernal Express  RealtyTrac Company places Utah 15th among the states.We have plenty of job opportunities and workers are able to make their mortgage payments.  Uintah County is a buyers market because of inventory but the sales are strong. The Uintah Basin is a good place to buy a home and invest. 03/26/2008

The area Triathlon held in the Vernal, Utah area each year has been a success.    If there are any Triathlon participators reading you might want to check out this one.  The event this year is June 28th, 2008. The area is beautiful and the competition is great.   I would like to share some of our activities indoor and outdoor in my posts.  They do not all involve competition or a certain schedule. 03/13/2008

I was looking for another event in Vernal and everywhere on the calendar were races at the Diamond Mountain Speedway.  I knew of the track but did not know much about the details.  Mini Stock, Street Stock, Modified, Pure Stock, Dwarfs and General were catagories that met me and the site telling about the races.  Any of you interested in Dirt Track Racing might be interested in some of this information.  the $25,000 prize money caught my eye. Check it out! Diamond Mountain Speedway, Vernal, Utah. 03/13/2008