Ode to St. George....

....by my niece, Colleen Sullivan. She wrote this piece and entered it into a contest winning the privilege to be on the first ride on Skywest out of the new St. George Airport. It's states my sentiments exactly and I wanted to share it with you (with her permission of course). Enjoy!!! (The picture is my friend Janet looking from Stone Cliff.)

Oh City of My Dreams..

How can a city have such a grip on me?

You hold me willingly hostage, unable to resist the grasp of your charms.

Brother Brigham designed your roads, organized and spacious (200 East is my favorite).

Despite your desert upbringing, you sprout green-ness in all your city blocks, contrasting against the red rock, the black rock, and Pine Valley above to create one sweeping panorama of gorgeousness.

You're beautiful, St. George, and humble about it.

You embrace those who would have a cup at Dick's,

And those who would invade from the North every weekend from President's Day on.

You attract the large national chains while making sure the Frostop plugs along.

Your climate is unparalleled -- your winter cold never reaches into my bones, and your summer heat invigorates, making me feel alive.

Geographically, you are in the sweetest of sweet spots.

You lie at a perfect distance from Las Vegas - close enough that I can make it to my concerts, and far enough away that the desert is all you have in common.

You also lie at a perfect distance from Salt Lake - separate and independent of northern Utah in every way.

You have but a single bar, it's name "The One and Only." Karaoke is on Wednesdays.

You are rich in history and character; think of The Electric Horseman.

Bruce Hurst,

the Sun Bowl,

cotton, and

Ranger Bart.

You're quite a sporty thing, St. George, with your marathon/Ironman/Senior Games and your softballing and your trails and parks and all your many city leagues.

You are self-sustaining. You welcome all your visitors with open arms, invigorating your own economy. You offer them golf, sun, Bear Paw, and pools. Your residents stand so proud. You have that intangible quality other towns could never define or have.

I tried to leave you once.

Found myself in the cold and wind of the Spectrum-sharing City to the North.

I thought I could handle being only forty minutes away.

It was the margarine to your sweet cream butter.

Away from you I lasted three months.

You are not without your quirks, St. George.

You loudly sing the siren song of the seniors,

beckoning them to bring their RVs.

Come, you say, partake of our Senior Sampler.

Bingo and slots are only thirty minutes away, you lure.

The Temple is right here, you sing.

And they come.By the Buick they come.

Beating the heartbeat of your several buffets.

They, like me, are unable to resist you.

Forever I will cruise your Tabernacle Street,

Be entertained by your goings-on,

Love your people,

And enjoy and be grateful for your goodness.

That, my friend, is a Given.

A Mona or a Bill Given, of course.