Tragedy in the Community -- Provo Tabernacle Destroyed in Fire

In the heart of Utah county, in Provo, Utah, there is a building which is by far the most beautiful and treasured in the whole county.  It was completed in 1886 and was a hub of activity for the community.  Held in the "Provo Tabernacle" were church gatherings of various faiths, concerts, funerals and graduations.  Some of which my family and I attended.

Photo circa 1880s

Circa 1980

Circa 1986

Circa 1890s

Circa 1986

In fact, a concert was scheduled for December 17th and 18th.  Film crews were set up to film it and beautiful, expensive musical instruments were arranged inside.  In the very early morning, around 2:45 am a security guard called 911 saying there was a fire.  Fire crews worked hard all throughout the day, but it appears the beloved Tabernacle may be a complete loss.

My family and I drove past about 16 hours later and it was still burning inside.  It was surreal to see that beautiful landmark in such ruin.  The only consolation I feel is that the fire happened in the dead of night when no one was there, instead of in the middle of the concert when the building would have been packed with people. 

Below are some photos I took of the scene. (Click on the photos for larger versions)

Spray from the fire hose coated the trees in ice

Why I Love Photo Editing Software

You can go from a decent snapshot....  to a wow piece.

With very little time and effort. 

Okay, maybe I'm a little biased (this is my daughter), but I love it!

This was done with both Adobe Lightroom (cropped, applied "antique" preset, adjusted light/dark balance) and Adobe Photoshop (used heal and clone tool to remove brownie remains and stray strand of hair).

%&@#! Popcorn Garlands

I love the way popcorn garlands look on Christmas trees.  They're fun, festive and the white looks great on the evergreen tree.  Has anyone else ever made a popcorn garland?  If not, they are not as easy as they may seem.

Okay, I should say it depends on the kind of popcorn you make/get.  The larger pieces the better, but the popcorn I used was about 1/3 the size of the piece pictured above (from a cheap, old air popper that is on the fritz).

I thought it would be a project that my small children and I could do together, but unfortunately, with the sharp needles and thin thread required, it doesn't work out too well with them.

Some tips:
     - use a very sharp, narrow needle.  If you use a thicker needle it will break the popcorn more often and frustrate you more.
     - use thin thread (since I couldn't get thicker thread to fit through the eye of the smaller needle)
     - practice self calming techniques and hold your tongue when you're tempted to spout expletives after the tenth piece in a row crumbles in your fingertips or your children step on the middle of the five foot length you've already completed.

My verdict:  Not worth it.  Only if you've been snowed in for a week and have finished all your other projects.  Or you have no small children or anyone else to possibly get in the way and 10 hours of free time on your hands.

P.S.  None of the pictures are mine.  I was too frustrated to take any photos myself.  And, incidentally, I found the last picture on Bizrate.com where you can purchase a 12 foot length of wax-covered popcorn garland for $20.  Hm... tempting...

Finding a Balance

My parents are very good at keeping stuff around "just in case" and growing up around all that stuff made life seem a bit too cluttered and cramped.  So when I got married and started my own home, I decided I wouldn't have much stuff around.  But recently I've realized that having some select, beautiful things to decorate with, hang on the walls, etc, helps a house feel like a home.  I'm trying to find a balance and have been scouring thrift stores and yard sales lately in search of things to do just that.  I've definitely found some fun things and have also definitely piled up lots of projects that may or may not take me forever to complete!  We'll see. 

But a few days ago I did find a chair that I am absolutely in love with.  I paid $35 which is more than I would have liked to spend, but it's so beautiful and surprisingly very comfortable.  It makes me happy every time I look at it.  Or sit in it.  Or walk by it.  I'll post pictures soon.