Utah hosts a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP! And it’s NOT skiing! Soldier Hollow Golf Course at Wasatch Mountain State Park in Midway, Utah, will host the **87th United States Amateur Public Links Championship, July 9 through July 14, 2012.** The “PubLinks”, sponsored by the United States Golf Association, is open to public course players, only. That means that any Tom, Dick, or Harry with a 4.4 or better handicap could qualify for this tournament. All 156 of these qualifiers will compete in the first two rounds of stroke play, (regular golf, scores per round of 18), with the low 64 scorers continuing to match play, the format of the Ryder Cup. This pits players against each other, hole by hole, with one point awarded to the player who wins the hole. If the players “tie”, the hole is halved, with each player receiving half of a point.
The interesting thing about this format is that they don’t have to play the entire round. If a player is leading by, say, two points with two holes to play, the worst he can expect is a tie, (if the other guy wins both holes, which of course means they will keep playing, ugh!). If he wins or halves the next hole, he wins the match. Matches often end early, (need I say, I like that!). In the final round of match play at the PubLinks, two players will compete in 36-holes of match play, or until one of them wins outright, (really, how long could it go?) The US Public Links Champion is invited to qualify for the US Open, and compete in the Masters Championship.
Soldier Hollow-About the course; or, Making a Short Story Really Long:
The 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City were an important time for us. The Olympic Bribery Scandal had dethroned our committee, and we looked tensely to Mitt Romney as the great white knight who would save the Olympics. Our nation experienced possibly the most horrific events in history, 9-11, and we doubted we would ever feel safe again. Security became a blazing question, and the games went on.
A rising storm of patriotism heralded the fervor with which we watched our games, and rooted for our country. Volunteers were out in force, Roots hats became couture, and we fell in love with Apollo Anton Ono and Derek Para, racers in a sport we had barely watched before. Our buildings were draped in massive banners of athletes, fireworks pounded the skies, and we fell in love with our country, its meaning and its mission; all over again.
Our games were saved, successful, even profitable. There is a story about an event that was set to begin, the parking lot looked like rush hour in LA, (that’s a reverse simile…). The place was a complete mess, when up rolled Mitt Romney, jumping out of his car and directing people to their parking. “The people’s chairman”, he was willing to do whatever it took to make the games great. Now I don’t know if that makes him presidential material, you can work that out on your own, but I do know that it makes a great segue to that very special venue, Soldier Hollow, home of the Biathlon and Nordic Competitions.
Soldier Hollow now hosts cross-country skiing, tubing, mountain biking, and a sheepdog championship. You can even learn to shoot, and have your very own little biathlon. But the golf, well it’s great, and the Gold and Silver Golf Courses are the only courses ever built upon an Olympic venue. And this year, these courses, winner of Golf Digest 2007/2008 Architecture Award, will host the USGA National Amateur Public Links Championship. (Volunteers needed!)
Soldier Hollow has hosted the Utah State Amateur, but this will be its first national event. As is to be expected on mountain courses, there are significant elevation changes throughout the course, and throughout each hole. The vegetation is native grasses and scrub oak, fitting well into the landscape, which offers amazing views of the Heber Valley and Mount Timpanogas. Soldier Hollow lies within Wasatch Mountain State Park, with its sibling course, Wasatch. These two courses make a special escape for us locals, a trip to the mountains to cool off and enjoy nature with beautiful views and lots of critters. Some of my favorite summers were spent in the Heber Valley, in my childhood. Growing up means I don’t get those kinds of summers any more, but at least I can escape for a day or two, for a few challenging yet peaceful rounds at Soldier Hollow and Wasatch Mountain Golf Courses.
With the PubLinks coming, interest in Soldier Hollow is growing. Stay tuned to UVH for an upcoming Golf Package, including local transportation, lodging in one of our nearby luxury homes, and 288 combined holes at Soldier Hollow and Wasatch.
On one of the first really nice days of spring I took my one year old daughter and soon to be one year old niece to Hogle Zoo. Yes, I’m that crazy parent that takes a child who is probably too young to really appreciate the zoo to the zoo. I don’t regret it for a minute. The girls had a blast, sure sometimes they couldn’t spot all of the animals but they loved the animals they did see, watching all the other kids, and the opportunity to run outside. We didn’t spend the entire day, that would have been too much but we saw all the animals in just a couple of hours. I’m sure more time could be spent with older children.
We went first thing in the morning before it got too warm, which worked out well since most of the animals were active – I highly recommend this approach. I also recommend purchasing tickets online before. While the ticket line wasn’t too long when we I imagine it can get very long and by purchasing tickets online you can skip that line.
The giraffes were a hit as were the wolves, monkeys, and the tiger. We all enjoyed watching the wolves chase each other on the hillside.
It amazed me how much the zoo has changed since I was a kid. My first zoo memory is of a lion and at tiger in small cages with cement floors and steel bars separating them from me. This is nothing like the Asian Highlands exhibit, where the tigers are kept – currently there are no lions. For those interested in changes and historical information of the zoo, visit the Zoo history page on Hogle Zoo website. The Zoo has had a variety of unusual events s for example in 1931 “The community is in an uproar: Princess Alice (an elephant) breaks free of her compound too frequently and is repeatedly seen wandering Seventh East – often “wearing” on her back an odd assortment of clothing from the neighborhoods’ clotheslines. Even the Zoo’s director is frustrated with Princess Alice’s “vandalism.” Community leaders begin talking about a new location for the Zoo – and a new compound for Princess Alice.” The Zoo moved from Liberty Park to the current location in Emigration Canyon shortly after that.
Hogle Zoo will be opening a new exhibit, Rocky Shores, June 1, 2012. It was still a work in progress when we went but it looked intriguing and it will be fun to have polar bears at Hogle Zoo again. Hogle Zoo describes the new addition “Rocky Shores will be a “signature facility” for the Zoo, designed to dramatically impact and alter visitor perceptions. Guests will experience unprecedented environmental immersion through realistic, cutting-edge habitat design. Educational information about the animals what they eat, their behaviors and instincts, and their future survival will be presented through interactive technology and innovative educational programs, adaptable for Zoo and classroom use.”
The first place I ever played golf with my (future) husband holds a special place in my heart. “Wasatch” is located within Wasatch Mountain State Park, at the edge of the Heber Valley. We were playing a scramble format, he was the A Player, I was the D. I had no handicap, didn’t want one, too embarrassing, there’s no such thing as a 144. He was a PGA Professional turned stockbroker, and playing on his team was the only chance I had for a win. (It was also the best opportunity to humiliate myself, but that is another story, and not so rare.)
The course is amazing, a wooded setting, which is almost foreign to Utah. We who live here do not always appreciate incredible mountain views, but they are abundant, and spectacular. Our world famous powder, “the greatest snow on earth”, (WHICH IT IS!) leaves the mountain courses a lush green that creates an “Eden-ish” escape from the summer heat. And there is wildlife. If you don’t see moose, you will see deer. If you are really lucky, you will see both. As we approached the first green we had the pleasure of the company of a mama deer and her kids.
I’m not sure about golf-courses everywhere, but in Utah, the chipmunks and squirrels, (about the same size here, small), think the carts are their personal diners. Our generous employer gave us open access to the food and beverage cart, which meant the rodentia had open access to our goodies. We should have just taken their orders, menu pads instead of score cards, but they would have just brought their neighbors and extended families. You absolutely CANNOT leave ANYTHING in your cart that you might want to enjoy after your shot. The upside is, they follow you around the course, like it’s Hamlin, and you’re the pied piper, and you get to watch them romp.
After our round the staff at Wasatch prepared us a wonderful steak dinner, and we had an awards ceremony, out on the deck, overlooking the beautiful course, and “under-looking” the majestic Wasatch Mountains. Hmm, awards, well, by some miracle, when I do hit the ball, I can hit it pretty far. Rarely straight, but long. By the same miracle, I did that on the hole for the women’s long drive, and it was straight, and I won a putter! (I hate to think what that says about the other women’s games!)
But, (drumroll,) did we win the whole tamale? Well, for any of you who have ever played golf, and particularly a scramble, you know that there are two types of players: the honest players, who record their actual scores as they play, no mulligans, taking the required shots from each player; and the winners. And never the twain shall meet. Fortunately, we lost. I could never have fallen for a sandbagger!
Midway
Wasatch Mountain State Park
Set within a state park, these are two of the most popular, affordable, and scenic golf courses in Utah. Golf Digest designated 4.5 of 5 stars. Over a mile high, with comfortable summer temperatures, play begins early spring and lasts into late fall.
The winner of our Ski Weekend Sweepstakes was recently announced. The Wogernese family will be joining us in Utah some time before March 2013 for a ski weekend trip. Several local companies contributed making this a fabulous prize.
Round Trip Airfare – Provided by UtahSkis.com
3 Nights in a 3 Bedroom Condo in Park City – Provided by UtahVacationHomes.com
4×4 Car Rental – Provided by Enterprise Rent-A-Car
4 Days Demo Ski/Board Rentals – Provided by SkiNsee.com
4 Days skiing/boarding to the Resort of their choice – Provided by Ski N See
$100 Gift Card to Market Street Grill – Provided by Market Street Grill
$200 from The Grocery Girls – Provided by thegrocerygirls.com
“I’m excited about winning the Ski Weekend Sweepstakes! There is no place I would rather spend time than in Park City with family & friends because its such a beautiful place. We planned an early season trip to Park City but due to the snowfall conditions we reluctantly put our plans on hold. Now we can’t wait until next year to come and check out the slopes. We would like to thank Utahskis.com, Skinsee.com, Utahvacationhomes.com, Enterprise Rent a car, and Market Street Grill for giving us a ski trip that we will never forget!”
Sincerely,
Kim Wogernese & Family
Congratulations Wogernese Family! We’re excited for you to join us in Utah. Thanks to everyone who entered.
Ben Behunin, aka www.PotterBoy.com, a good friend who has served his craft and fellow man, is exhibiting for the next three weeks starting March 23, 2012 at the Loge Gallery in the Pioneer Memorial Theater. An artist’s works are expected to be colorful, often stemming from an unexpectedly colorful life. Ben fits the bill. All those who know him, love him and respect his crafts. But few have heard the whole story. Thankfully, his story is now coming to life in images, art, word and . . . construction? Imagess of his works are plentiful. Art shows and galleries across the country display his pottery. His three novel series can be ordered at www.BenBehunin.ComRemembering Isaac, ‘The Wise and Joyful Potter of Neiderbipp’. And his current musings can be found on his Remembering Isaac Blogspot. But what about construction?
A recent article by Stephen Speckman of the City Weekly tells the unbelievable story of Ben’s journey of how ‘the house built him’.
The House That Built Me
The first sign that something was wrong was when the middle finger on potter Ben Behunin’s right hand suddenly felt stiff and sore.
The pain in his hand, curled around the inside of a bowl he’d made and was wrapping for a customer, was unusual. Behunin was rarely sick, and had never had much use for a doctor.
Over the next six months, this well-known potter’s hands—the sole source of his family’s income—became progressively worse.
Behunin, then 30, couldn’t wedge clay. It hurt to load kiln shelves. He was losing strength in his hands.
“I was working 14-hour days,” Behunin says. “I didn’t have time to slow down.”
But it got so bad he couldn’t pour a gallon of milk or hold his 6-month-old daughter, Eve, without excruciating pain.
Now he had to slow down long enough for a clinical diagnosis.
Psoriatic arthritis.
A June 2004 X-ray still hangs in his studio. It shows bone fragments floating around in his joints.
The assumption that Behunin might be able to continue his life in the same way as before, working as a full-time potter and creating art, began to crack and crumble.
“That was a big deal, basically because I felt like this was my mission in life—to make pots,” says Behunin, now 38. “This was my passion … this was all I ever wanted to do.”
Rather than feeling forced to abandon art and find a desk job, though, Behunin simply changed his method of making art. He shifted his focus from throwing pots on the wheel to making tiles and platters on a slab roller, which was much less painful. He never stopped creating; it wasn’t even an option.
That driving passion was what gave Behunin the strength to complete, mostly on his own, a massive renovation of his home in 2011 that took six months.
The goal of the renovation, a decade in the planning, was at once simple and incredibly formidable: “I wanted to make our home a temple of creativity.”
“Make No Small Plans”
On a shelf in his basement stands a quirky cup Behunin made when he was a student at Highland High School.
He was already on his way, but it wasn’t until he served an LDS mission in Germany until the end of 1994 and baptized potter Irene Adeler there that something really clicked. He returned in February 1995 to do an apprenticeship under Adeler for four months.
People would come in to the studio in Germany and talk about their lives over cups of peppermint tea. Those times would later become inspiration for a trilogy of novels Behunin wrote and published while still working hard at his pottery.
By May 1996, he was making pottery full time. He attended the Buyers Market of American Craft in Philadelphia in 2001, which opened up a huge wholesale business with galleries and gift shops (as many as 300 at one point) around the country.
Against the odds—most potters have a “real” job—he was paying bills and making a good living with just his art. He was happy.
Then along came arthritis. So did the potions and “snake oils” from well-meaning fans and friends.
Only prescription pain medication and a change in his pottery methods would keep the pain and swelling at bay over the next seven years. Throwing pottery on the wheel caused the most pain, so he made fewer bowls and began using a slab roller—which requires less hand strength—to make tiles, platters and “slab bowls.”
“It saved my hands and gave them a chance to rest,” Behunin says.
He managed the pain and continued working as the sole breadwinner in his family.
He and his wife, Lynette, would sometimes talk about moving their two children to a different home, never finding one they liked, all the while planning to renovate the one they were in.
The plan was to take on the job himself—saving money and doing it the way they really wanted.
But how on earth would he be able to handle demolition, pouring concrete, building walls and doing jobs that can be hell on healthy hands?
“I was worried about my hands, but they had been doing well for a few months—and we were headed into summer, which is always a much easier time for my hands,” Behunin says.
The hands felt good. The money was there. The timing was right.
“One of my favorite quotes that I embossed on several tiles throughout my home is, ‘Make no small plans; they have no magic to stir men’s souls,’ ” Behunin says.
Breaking the Mold
On May 8, 2011—Mother’s Day—Behunin moved his family out of their home and into the basement of his in-laws’ home in order to start work.
This was to be no ordinary renovation.
Behunin didn’t want another McMansion or some utilitarian, nondescript home when he was done. He wanted to build—or rebuild—a home that his kids would be proud to claim someday.
“There is a spirit to place,” Behunin says. “When you thoughtfully imbue a place with creativity and detail and color, it takes on a spirit of its own. Many children grow up with art around them. I wanted to see what might happen to kids who grew up in the middle of art.”
Behunin estimates he put in about 2,200 hours on his home, using 2,000 pounds of thinset mortar and 400 pounds of grout to help pull the final look and feel together.
For months, Behunin logged 12- to 18-hour days, trying to both provide for his family as a potter and tackling the monumental renovation, which began with tearing the roof off the place. There were huge setbacks, like a flood in the basement where they were storing everything.
Work continued inside, where, after the walls went back up, he laid thousands of his own handmade tiles by himself all over the house.
Outside, he used a welder, chop saw, plasma cutter, anvil and “a lot of colorful words” to create more whimsy and wonder, sometimes using junk pulled right out of dumpsters.
Was it the work of a madman? Even Behunin began to wonder at some points.
Or a genius?
“Ben is definitely a genius, but he could not have done what he did if he were not willing to break the mold of traditional conservatism,” says Becky Conover, who toured the home in December with her mother. “That takes courage and maybe a little madness.”
Not completely insane, Behunin employed an out-of-work friend and also hired contractor Mike Allred, whom he found on the web, to help with framing, finish work and siding.
“He’s a stud—there’s no question about it,” says Allred, who has worked on hundreds of homes. “It’s the most eclectic thing I’ve worked on by far. The thing about Ben is how he combines dissimilar materials and makes them look like they belong together.”
Allred was impressed by the saving and planning that took place prior to the project and the herculean efforts of one man.
“That is so rare to meet someone who has the discipline, self control and vision to do that and the guts to try and pull that off,” Allred says.
By the end of summer, Behunin’s intricately designed home project still wasn’t complete.
His “blisters had blisters,” Behunin says, but he was now lean, stronger and in the best health of his life.
As the weeks dragged on, the paint—21 vibrant colors—finally went up on the walls.
Still, his pottery work suffered. He would wake up early, work for a few hours on pottery, then work on the house all day, and then go back into the studio in the evening for a few more hours of pottery. Behunin normally uses between 6 and 10 tons of clay a year, but in 2011, he used only about 3, and that was mostly after the remodel.
Behunin developed stomach ulcers and would go days without seeing his children or his wife, who was busy helping to care for her ailing mother.
“In some ways, that saved our marriage,” he says. “We didn’t fight about anything because we each had our own mountains to conquer, and we were busy. … You have to be flexible to do a project like this.”
And as work continued, something strange happened with his arthritis. A woman showed up to his studio one day and told him to try a couple of bracelets that contained rare magnets. Who knows if it was the magnets, or losing weight and eating the right things, staying away from sugars, all of the hard work—or a “miracle,” which is what Behunin figures—but the arthritis was in full retreat by the end of the summer of 2011.
He hasn’t taken a pill for pain or swelling in his hands since June 2011.
Temple of Creativity
The home people see today, inside and out, is nothing short of amazing—a “single piece of art,” Conover says, that leaves people in awe. Passing by, it’s impossible to miss the house, on 800 South just west of East High School.
On most of the stairs and around every corner inside the house are mosaics of the colorful tiles that Behunin formed and fired in his studio and backyard kiln. Nearly every room has accents or defining characteristics that are laid out in the one-of-a-kind tiles, some whimsical, others carrying a blast of spirituality.
The “potter’s potty” in the basement is alone worth a trip to Behunin’s home for a peek—knock first, and no reading materials needed in this eye-popping potty.
Behunin put up brown tiles that bear his children’s names, Eve and Isaac, jokingly referring to them as his “little shits.”
He’s a deeply spiritual man, but not one without a sense of humor. “One of my favorite tiles says, ‘Choose the Right, Damn It!’ ” Behunin notes. “I believe God has a fabulous sense of humor. He has to—He created us all.”
“Ben marked every square inch with his creative genius, and yet it flows with unusual beauty and insight,” Conover says. “His home is like a song to be sung.”
One thing that stands out for Conover are the quotes on the tiles that are all over the house: Yield Only to Truth. Every Day Is a Bonus. Do Unto Others As Though You Were the Others. Pray Always. Proceed As the Way Opens. Come and Dine. Stay Calm. Do It. Have I Done Any Good In the World Today? Free Fart Zone. Dream Big. Be Satisfied. Simplify.
There are many, many more.
The Behunins moved back into their jaw-dropping home Nov. 15, 2011, after six months of almost constant construction.
Imagine living next door.
“Even if there was a night of loud noise over there, we would just mention something about it the next day, and it would all quit,” says Kathy Schall, who, with her husband, Andrew, lives directly east of the Behunins. “He definitely likes his neighbors and wants to make them happy.”
And, yes, they were in awe.
“We’ve experienced how much he loves his kids—we’ve seen what he did for them,” Andrew says.
“I’m trying to convince him that we need to redo our basement,” his wife says with a wry smile. Andrew rolls his eyes and sighs at the spillover effect.
Kathy says she wishes she were as creative as her neighbor, an impact Behunin was going for when he dreamed up the project.
“It has been fun having my neighbors thank me for the gift our home is to our neighborhood,” Behunin says. “I hope my home gives people a reason to slow down as they drive past it and get them thinking about what they can do to make their world a little more charming. As they say, if we each do a little, we can all do a lot.”
The home will be open for Behunin’s annual Mother’s Day studio open houses, held May 10-12. His studio is open for appointments by calling 801-883-0146; he can also be reached via his website, Potterboy.com.
On March 6-9, 2012, dozens of ski athletes and photographers ascended to compete for cash prizes for the best ski photography images taken at Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude mountain ski resorts. The central location of Utah Vacation Homes private vacation rental homes on Wasatch Boulevard between Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons allowed the competitors easy 15 minute access to all four resorts. We have been happy to partner with the Salt Lake Convention and Visitor Bureau’s “Ski Salt Lake” tourism marketing program to to portray both the iconic imagery and the ease of access of these world famous destinations. Now that the top eight images have been chosen, users can vote for their favorite image by “liking” their favorite on Ski Salt Lake’s facebook page located at Ski Salt Lake Shootout Facebook Page . Make your mark and boost the livelihood of these dreamers who pack, hike, and work to bring our best dreams and memories to life.
Today I was inspired by our fearless Operations Manager, Josh (often called the “Prince of Repair”). With one of our Maintenance Techs in Korea for three weeks serving our country with the Utah National Guard, we are all a bit stretched to keep up our high level of guest service. Josh sent an email updating us on the progress of one Arrival Inspection (45-60 minute inspection of home prior to each and every guest reservation arrival).
His actual report is now put to the music of ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’. It goes something like this:
“On Arrival Inspection I cared for our dear guest,
Anyone in the ski business knows how intense it gets mid-season. Like running a 400 Meter race – you have one lap of the track to run as hard as you can. Months of training leads to a December starters gun shot. As we round the first turn, we are excited and feeling strong. Then we hit the February long stretch. At this point, there’s no time to stop, yet you must start planning your second turn and kick to the finish. To help us fend off the strains, we enlisted the help of Park City Out Call Massage. Cassie came to our office and gave all of our staff a welcome massage. And judging but the positive impact we all felt, we could all use another dose prior to the final kick in March. Thanks for helping us run the season’s race!
If your team could use some focus and rejuvination, call Cassie at 801-717-8083 or email her at parkcityoutcall@gmail.com. For more information see http://parkcityoutcallmassage.com/
Jenny Oaks Baker performed magical violin selections with third grade students for the school student body February 17th, 2012 at the Weilenmann School of Discovery in Park City, Utah.
Assistant Principal Lisa Moon started the event by inviting the jacket, tie, and gown wearing student body to behave in a manner befitting the grand concert.
Jenny Oaks Baker then lead 25 third grade students in a stirring rendition of Mozart’s Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman (otherwise known as Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star).
Jenny Oaks Baker http://www.jennyoaksbaker.com/ then played selections from her Grammy nominated album, Wish upon a Star: a Tribute To The Music of Walt Disney. The songs on the album were produced and arranged by Emmy-Award-winning composer Kurt Bestor.
The Weilenmann School of Discovery http://wsdpc.org/ includes the Suzuki Violin Method as curriculum for all students directed by faculty music specialist Devon Colby.
Mrs. Baker dedicated one song to “Miss” Colby for her dedication to the violin and enriching the lives of her students. At one point in the concert Mrs. Baker asked which of the K through eighth grade students played violin. Nearly all hands shot up in enthusiastic affirmation.
This magical opportunity offered by Mrs. Baker and WSD inspired one student to write a note of appreciation for the direction given by Principal Mary Kimball and the entire WSD community to “dream big” for her future in the musical arts. Mrs. Baker responded that she also grew up in Utah and is thankful for those who inspired her to dream big. We are all so grateful she did.
I’m standing with good friends Krista Parry (Director of Marketing and Communications at Park City Mountain Resort), Nathan Rafferty (President of Ski Utah), and the Greatest Snowflake on Earth (Utah Great Salt Lake Effect Atmosphere) in the Salt Lake Capitol Rotunda. Governor Herbert and many state representatives came to mingle with the Utah Office of Toursim, Salt Lake CVB “Visit Salt Lake”, Park City Chamber, Ski Utah, ski resorts, counties, outdoor tourism brands, and others today at the state capitol building. The Ski Utah Snowflakes and Yeti were also in attendance. The tag line for the event was “Tourism Works”. Not only does tourism employ a large share of Utah’s workforce, but it succeeds in bringing in billions of dollars from out of state, country, and continent. Repeated analysis shows a terrific ROI (return on investment) from any funds allocated to tourism marketing. We are thankful for the support of Governor Herbert and the Legislature and their commitment to helping us showcase the fantastic industry we work in. And we are thankful for all the visitors to our state who experience “Life Elevated” during their vacation, business, or other varieties of travel and tourism.
Governor Gary Herbert and Greatest Snowflake on Earth
Krista Parry of Park City Mountain Resort, Nathan Rafferty of Ski Utah, Tristan Webb of Utah Vacation Homes, and Greatest Snowflake on Earth of Great Salt Lake Effect Atmosphere mingle at Tourism Day at Capitol in Salt Lake City, Utah
