Let's Go to Hardware Ranch

Alicia and Jeff invited our family to go to Hardware Ranch yesterday.  At first I didn't want to go.  I had plans to paint our kitchen and I don't get really excited about seeing the elk, but part of me wanted to go with the family just to be with them.  Then Jessica came home form school for the weekend and was planning to go, so I decided it would be a good thing to get out of the house and get some fresh air as well as do something with the rest of the family. I can always paint next week.  Dale and Jordan had made plans to go snowshoeing with Chad and some of the other Sorenson cousins, so it was just me and the girls.  We met everyone at 10:30.  Well, actually it was closer to 11:00 because trying to get 3 girls ready by 10:30 on Saturday morning turned out to be more of a challenge than I had thought.  We had trouble finding socks and gloves, and Jessica thought she had an extra half hour to sleep. We finally got everyone in the car and headed out.  It was a beautiful day.  The sky was blue and the weather warm for the winter.  We listened to Harry Potter 7 on CD as we drove.  I always enjoy listening to those CDs.  The reader makes it so fun and I love his accent. We drove through Sardine Canyon to get there.  As we came around the corner out of the canyon, we hit a wall of smog.  Jessica said, "Welcome to the Logan Inversion."  It was truly a wall of smog. It makes for interesting hoarfrosted trees.  They were truly beautiful, but I prefer the blue sky.  Luckily as we headed up the canyon toward the ranch, we rose out of fog, and it was beautiful again. About 10 minutes before arriving, Marie started whining.  I guess she was getting car sick.  She wanted to roll the window down a smidge to get some fresh air, but Valerie said she was getting cold and told her to roll it up.  I had to listen to her moan and groan for the next 5 minutes, knowing we were almost there, but that we may have to stop at any second.  Luckily she made it. fhew...  Hardware Ranch offers wagon rides out through the middle of an elk herd.  As we were waiting for our turn, Kaleb was getting mighty impatient. He didn't want to stand in line and he was mad at anyone who wanted to keep him there.  He kept trying to escape, but someone was always there to bring him back. Shallen (his mom) has the patience of an angel.  It was finally our turn.  We got onto the wagons drawn by two large clydesdale horses.  As we rode, there was a guide that talks about the ranch and the elk, and you can take lots of pictures. I learned that Hardware Ranch was founded in the 1940s. They feed the elk to keep them out of Cache Valley, (their natural habitat), because the elk were causing problems.  As we were finishing the ride, we were about to go over a bridge, when we saw a raccoon.  He just sat there looking at us like he had no idea what to do. It was the highlight of the trip.  Marie didn't get too excited about the elk, but when she saw the raccoon, she told me we HAD to take a picture because, "He's sooo cute!!!"  So we got the picture.  After the ride, we all headed up to the visitor center to eat.  The ranch now has a place for us to eat our picnic inside, which I was grateful for.  My hands and feet were rather numb at this point in the day.  Mom and Dad Sorenson brought the ever popular Hardware Ranch Stew.  It's what I call Higley Stew except that Mom Sorenson grates the carrots and potatoes.  It doesn't make much difference.  All I care about is how delicious it is.  Alicia and Jeff brough yummy roles, and bottled water.  I brought cookies and grapes, and chips.  We had plenty to eat. I was warm and we were happy.  The best part of the day was seeing that beautiful blue sky, especially when there is snow on the ground.  It is one of my favorite nature scenes.  I am glad I went today.