Trout & Berry Days

Trout and Berry Days
For years I’ve wanted to attend Paradise sponsored, Trout & Berry Days but missed it because the date wasn’t cemented in my mind. Why? because I like trout. Most small town celebrations serve common, typical food so the unique combination of trout and berries made a special appeal to my palate.

This picture was the goal, to eat fresh trout meal. I started eating and realized I should document the meal.

Sharla very carefully prepped her potato and food to make the plate presentable for a pic. ( true artist) vs a hungry artist.

We took our cameras ready for anything that interested us enroute to Paradise, Utah. We didn’t know the exact location but I assured Sharla, that in a small town just look for a crowd and parked cars. We old buildings a wagon wheel fence along the way but were in a hurry to get to the activities. “Well shoot those afterwards” we commented to each other.

Mud volleyball preceded the meal and captured our interest. Notice how clean the clothes are at the beginning of the game.

The longer the game went the better the shots as mud caked individuals faceplanted and dove for the ball. One team of mostly girls couldn’t hit the ball or get dirtly. To Sharla, “lets take a break and wait for another team with more guys. These girls can’t hit the ball let alone get dirty.”

So off we checked out the children’s colorful activities. ( Inflatable Fun)
Something for everyone.




Back to the volley ball, yes, the teams were getting muddy. Back and forth all afternoon cloud cover vs sunshine. Of course we photographers like the sun shine shots better.




This was such a beautiful setting. No wonder it was named Paradise.















face plant







Hey who put their hand on my back?























To our side several boys grabbed some
attention by jumping their bikes over a
dirt pile and taking some nasty falls.









We learned that the best mud pics come after the volleyball game when a free for all ensues and everyone is game for the water soaked mudpool. ( Photographers were off limits.)



“Take this girl down, she’s too clean.”


















A very bad hair day

bathing in mud


Swimming in mud




The mud soaked kids looked like bronzed statues.
"May I Help You Up?" ( probably after he pushed her down.)


Trying to wash off.
























The end of a perfect Day











Locals warned us to get in line early for the Trout dinner.

We lined up at 5:45 and probably ate around 6:20.


"Doesn't this line ever end?"


We made a friend in line. Local Lyons sponsored the benefit meal and had everything very organized.

Fry cooks and dough boys each knew their job.


Typical of a small town old and young,
those in wheelchairs, disabled and babies
all came for the feast. Everyone seemed
to know each other so I surmised most
were local with a smattering of visitors.
Plenty of table and chairs, entertainment.







Was this country or western music.? They sang a George Strait song.

One grandmother was voted Grand Marshall and honored by her grandson who read a tribute. He said she was a 4-wheeling grandma, that she rode her 4wheeler to visit her neighbors.

The Weeks Family furnished dessert, with a choice between raspberry and blackberry tart.








We finished eating around 7:00 and noticed the line had subsided.

We took off for Avon and shot pics along the way. We found several barns.

But the weather wasn’t cooperating. We had one hour of sun before sunset but the entire time was cloud covered.

Curiosity took us up a dirt road to Porcupine Reservoir.



In retrospect, we should have spent less time at volley ball, and waited until the end to shoot mud pics. The half hour wait in the food line, we could have used to shoot the old buildings and eaten at 7:00 without the wait. We never did get to the cemetery to visit Grandma Nielson’s grave. We ran out of day but had a great one.

A visit to Aunt Loma and Wal-Mart were our last stops on the way home. I told Noel don't expect us until after dark.( When we can't shoot any more pics.)

I dropped Sharla off, who lives two blocks from the rodeo grounds, around 10:00 pm. I found myself caught in Preston traffic jam as continual line of cars flowed from the Demolition Derby at rodeo arena. I made a ten point turn so I didn’t have to back out of the driveway. This way I could make a mad dash if there was a break in the line of cars. I had five blocks to drive to my house and was stuck in her driveway. To my good fortune, a driver noticed my blinker light and stopped to let me out. thank you very much.