Last of the Fall leaves

 

The maple trees are almost the last to shed their leaves for the winter. But being among the last does not mean they are any less colorful than all the others. We are now prepared for winter as we see the last leaves fall and snow in the forecast. 

Construction BYU Campus, Provo, Utah

 Construction on the Arts Building continues. This is a nighttime shot of one of the cranes on the construction site. Brigham Young University November 9, 2024. 

Construction of the Lindon Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

https://youtu.be/ugfXYkgZ_f8?si=f9I0VZMT2gLc0q-R This is a video of the construction and the above photo was recently taken showing the current status. 

Quoting from the Lindon Temple website: 

Announcement:  

4 October 2020

Groundbreaking and Site Dedication:  

23 April 2022 by Kevin W. Pearson

Site:  

11.87 acres  |  4.8 hectares

Exterior Finish:  

Granite

Architectural Features:  

Two attached end spires

Ordinance Rooms:  

Four instruction rooms, four sealing rooms, and two baptistries

Total Floor Area:  

87,005 square feet  |  8,083 square meters

Elevation:  

4,817 feet  |  1,468 meters

Northern Lights over Rock Canyon, Provo, Utah

 

You can see a few stars shining through the bright color of the Aurora Borealis as seen over the mouth of Rock Canyon, just east of Provo but actually in the city boundaries. It was strange because we could not see the color with our eyes but the iPhone camera could. This photo was taken in almost complete darkness with an iPhone 15 Pro Max. The camera was hand held and the software compensated for any hand movement during the 2 or 3 seconds it took the camera to take the photo. 

Your Roots Tech 2025 Genealogical AI Spotlight on Military Records

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fV1Rjv93ekc

RootsTech 2025 will be live on March 4th through the 6th, 2025 in Salt Lake City. Utah at the Salt Palace. You can register today at RootsTech.org. You can also view all currently posted videos and announcements for free on the RootsTech.org website. 

RootsTech 2025 Homeland Highlights AI Spotlight

 

RootsTech 2025 is now open for registration. Take some time to explore the website with thousands of videos. You can attend online for free or come to the live conference on March 6th to 8th, at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Panorama of Utah Valley as Fall begins

 https://youtube.com/shorts/nX6T1mLRFdQ?si=Z8wNmUJh0VPj5Qft

We had a short trip up the Rock Canyon Campground road (Kyhv Peak Road) to see the beginning of the fall leaves. The road past the pavement is rough and rocky with lots of dust. It is worth the drive. We got our car washed when we got back to the Valley. 

AI Spotlight on RootsTech 2025

https://youtube.com/shorts/nRKW79VsqDg?si=sHtdkDb1YhAcd2NR

 Come and learn about artificial intelligence and genealogy at RootsTech 2025, March 6 -8, 2025 at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah. See RootsTech.org

Night at Salt Lake, Utah Temple Renovation

 

The iconic Salt Lake City, Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is still ongoing. Here is an article about the project. "Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square Renovation Updates." The large red, white, and blue lights are large cranes used in the construction. 

Fall Pastel

 In the middle of a hot summer, it is always a good idea to remember that, unless you live in the lower desert, Fall will come and the temperatures will drop. 

RootsTech 2025 Immigration Reel

 https://youtu.be/biVzAYkhCdU?si=7W84vdYw1yivevYg

I am publishing a series of short videos about the upcoming RootsTech 2025 Conference. It isn't too early to start making plans to come to Salt Lake City to the in-person conference. Check the RootsTech website for more information about the conference. 

An Almost Empty Lot, Provo, Utah Temple May 29, 2024

 https://youtu.be/pojfvh4aYSY?si=flUCAfRgqgdaqHKQ

The demolition of the Provo, Utah Temple is almost complete. This video shows a view of the entire temple lot. We do not yet know where the new Provo Rock Canyon Temple will be built. I suppose we will know when they start excavating the basement. It was a lovely day but sad. 

The Demolition of the Provo, Utah Temple

 It is warm and beautiful day but very sad. This is what is left of the ongoing demolition of the Provo, Utah Temple. I expect that this all we gone or in piles by the end of next week. You can see the base of the spire in the center of the ruin. It was on the roof and keeps falling down in the middle as the temple is demolished. 

Provo Utah Temple Reconstruction Begins with the removal of the Angel Moroni statue.

 

https://youtu.be/f9E270KcMmE?si=b_9xd0lRh90EKeZm

The Provo Utah Temple closed on February 24, 2024 for reconstruction and will be renamed the Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple. The temple has served BYU students, missionaries, and local Latter-day Saints for more than 50 years. The actual reconstruction began the week of April 14th through the 20th with tree removal and site demolition. The Angel Moroni statue was removed on 18 April 2024. This is a short video showing the removal. 

A Colander View of the Eclipse

Using a colander or strainer, you can see miniature images of the solar eclipse. We had a few clouds but a good view of the sun. Not enough coverage to make the light go weird however. 

Cholla in the Desert

 Cylindropuntia fulgida or Hanging chain cholla or jumping cholla

Cylindropuntia fulgida, also referred to as the hanging chain cholla, is a remarkable cactus native to the Sonoran Desert and the Southwestern United States. Its greatest range encompasses nearly all of Sonora, except for the Sierra Madre Occidental cordillera on the east, and extends into northern California. In the Southwestern United States, you can find it in the Colorado Desert of California and various locales in Arizona. It even ventures into the Mojave Desert in southern Nevada and Utah, as well as the Great Basin Desert in southern Utah. The jumping cholla thrives in arid environments, where it forms striking forests of interconnected plants spanning vast areas1.

The jumping cholla is an arborescent (tree-like) cactus with a low-branching trunk. Its stems are light green, tuberculate (covered in wart-like projections), and measure 6 to 9 millimeters in length. These stems give rise to drooping branches adorned with silvery-yellow spines, which darken to gray as they age. The spines form a dense layer, obscuring the stems and creating an otherworldly appearance. As the spines fall off from older parts, the bark reveals a rough, scaly texture. The jumping cholla blooms in mid-summer, displaying white and pink flowers streaked with lavender. Interestingly, it opens its flowers precisely at 3:00 p.m. solar time, a quirk noted by naturalists1.

Cylindropuntia fulgida grows at elevations ranging from 300 to 1,000 meters (980 to 3,280 feet). While the name “jumping cholla” specifically applies to this species, it is also used more broadly for all chollas. The plant can reach heights of up to 4 meters (13 feet) and forms dense, sprawling clusters. Its cylindrical trunk holds multiple low, drooping branches, creating a distinctive silhouette. Beware of those spines—they detach easily and seem to “jump” onto unsuspecting passersby. So, if you encounter a jumping cholla, admire its unique beauty from a safe distance.

Abstracted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylindropuntia_fulgida by Microsoft Copilot

Hello, Fall

 We had a very warm Fall that suddenly jumped into Winter. Some of the plants hardly had time to process the event and their leaves were still in place when the snow started. A few of the plants turned lovely colors but others turned a dull brown and are still clinging to their branches. Now we move into snow.