A "Secret Garden" Revealed

If you and your family happen to find yourselves near Trolley Square in Salt Lake with some time on your hands, you may be interested in an often-overlooked public park that is the only designated "visionary art environment" in the state of Utah.

The Gilgal Sculpture Garden located at 749 E 500 South. was the artistic vision of Thomas Child, a Salt Lake City resident who built the garden beginning in 1945 until his death in 1963.

The garden boasts a dozen sculptures and various other engravings, all created by Child in order to produce a space that could take individuals away from the world and into a place of solace. The area was a labor of love for the man, who used unique technique to create the various art pieces. The garden's interesting sculptures mostly revolve around religious themes and have been a source of mixed opinions since the site was opened to visitors (especially the Sphinx with Joseph Smith's face on it).

Speaking of the images and messages communicated by his work, Child said, "You don't have to agree with me, you may think I am a nut, but I hope I have aroused your thinking and curiosity."

Currently a restoration project is underway to repair some of the sculptures that have suffered damage from exposure and vandals over the years. More information and a photo tour of the garden can be accessed at the sculpture garden's Web site.

The small public park is open daily April-September from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and October-March 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weather permitting.

Contributing: Chris Giovarelli & Kari Newman
Photo: Wikipedia Commons

Up for the Trek?

Have you ever sat in Sunday School wondering what it would have actually been like to cross the Great Plains with the early Mormon Pioneers? What were the real challenges they faced, especially when crossing with families? What was it like traveling all of those miles by wagon or on foot? And what was the big idea behind those frilly bonnets the ladies wore? Well, whether or not you tend to daydream in your Sunday classes, the BYU Department of Recreation Management and Youth Leadership is providing an opportunity for would-be pioneers to get a glimpse of what a Mormon Handcart Company would have gone through.

From their site:

The Mormon Trail Handcart Trek 2009 allows individual participants and family groups to re-create the historic trail. Participants will wear pioneer style clothing and camp each night along the trail. All participants will also participate in various academic courses and special events, such as daily devotionals and dances.

The Trek is divided into two sections:

• Spring 2009: 27 April–20 June, 2009, Iowa City, Iowa to approximately North Platte, Nebraska.
• Summer 2009: 22 June–26 August, 2009, approximately North Platte, Nebraska to Salt Lake Valley.

A unique opportunity is available for a limited number of families to join the Mormon Trail Handcart Trek that takes place April 27 through August 26, 2009. Families who apply for participation in the trek will be research subjects in an on-going project by BYU faculty and students that focuses on how “wholesome recreational activities” strengthens families. Along with being part of the daily handcart trek, participants will be involved in research methods that include in-depth interviews, observations, and journaling.

Family participants are invited to join the trek for a week at a time beginning on a Sunday and ending the following Sunday. Sundays are non-travel days and facilitate an opportunity for families to more easily transition into the trek company and to spiritually benefit by being included in Sabbath day worship on two Sundays. If desired, families may apply for multiple weeks. Due to the logistics involved with this type of event, applications will only be considered for those who can participate for the entire week. No applications for partial week participation will be accepted.

All meals and support services are provided. All trek participants will tent camp each night. No accommodation is available for RV use. Expect to walk and help pull handcarts (approximately one per 10 people) from 15-25 miles per day.

Only 80 spots per week are available for family participants. APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR FAMILY PARTICIPANTS IS MARCH 1, 2009, but slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Costs for the week-long family trip are:

• Ages 13 and up: $250 per week
• Ages 4-12: $200 per week
• Ages 3 and under: Free

Please click here to visit the program site for more information.

Contributing: Chris Giovarelli & Kari Newman
Photo: BYU Museum of Art

Breastfeeding Should be Prolonged

According to a recent BYU study, not enough moms are continuing to breastfeed for the recommended first full year. The recommendation comes from The American Association of Pediatricians, but the study found that only 36 percent of moms breastfeed past six months. A mother's milk, when available, is the best for babies, as it is easily digested and provides antibodies that prevent ear infections and other illnesses.

Read the release and what various news outlets published about the study here.

Contributing: Chris Giovarelli
Photo: Colleen Harker

Give a Little Attention to the Younger Kids

If you are the youngest in your family, you probably felt like your parents didn't spent quite the same amount of time with you as they did with some of your older siblings (of course we probably got away with more things than our older siblings did). According to a BYU study, your perception is true. BYU researchers found that first-born children received about 3,000 more hours of quality time with their parents between the ages of 4 and 13 than those siblings who come after them and pass through the same age window.

And the kicker is, that isn't even counting the first few years of life when the first child in inevitably coddled and pandered more than any other.

If you've just had your second or you're on to many more, remember to spend some one-on-one time with each of your children, as suggested by the Church's Home and Family Resource page.

Read the release and various stories on the study here.

Contributing: Chris Giovarelli
Photo: Jaren Wilkey/BYU