St. George's Red Hills Desert Garden

Visiting St. George, Utah? 

 Photos and story by John Fisher

Take an hour to wander the paths of the Red Hills Desert Garden.

As I meandered trails bordered by red rock, I saw a cascade of colors I never would have believed were found in the desert - reds, browns, rust, greens, purples, yellow, white and more. I was surprised at the variety and number of plants, almost 5,000, all found in the desert. The plants are alive and vibrant, even while they use 70% less water than plants in a similar-sized botanical garden. I stepped on rocks to cross the streams and sat under the shade of Mesquite trees. (There are eight different kinds of Mesquite trees.)

 

Stop at number 1 on the map to see a fish viewing area. In the 1,150 foot long stream or fish viewing area you may see some of the rarest fish species on earth taken from the Virgin River in southern Utah - Virgin River Chub, Desert Sucker, Speckled Dace, Woundfin, Flannelmouth Sucker, and Virgin Spinedace.

At stop 2 you'll visit a slot canyon, that is constructed to feature some of southern Utah's natural landscapes. Purple, yellow and white flowers grow from the walls.

At stop 3 you will see prehistoric fossil tracks left in the rock made millions of years ago when dinosaurs roamed the river and lake banks, leaving feet and tail marks in the mud. The smallest of the dinosaurs, the Scutellosaurus, was only 20 inches tall and weighed 25 pounds.

Within the park are varieties of cactus, sage, and yucca plants and a spectacular desert flower garden.

 

Desert Lily or not?

Another location adjacent to the garden is the 62,000-acre outdoor Red Cliffs Desert Reserve which includes miles of hiking and cycling trails and over a hundred kinds of wildlife.

Also, nearby is a 52-acre pioneer park with hiking trails, slot canyons, picnic areas, fire pits, an amphitheater and some great views of the city and the St. George Temple - the first temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints built in the west.

The Red Hills Desert Garden is located at 375 E. Red Hills Parkway, St. George UT 84770.  Phone 435-673-3617.

Contrast of red rock, green plants, and dragonflies

Visitors to Red Hills Desert Garden

Over 1,150 feet of streams

 

 

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In today's news, from Turkey, a "missing" man joins the search party looking for himself.

 

Social media planning

 Social Media Plan

A well-built plan should include:

• A clear list of goals and objectives
• An audit of your existing social media presence
• Competitive analysis
• A basic social media content strategy outline
• Building a social media calendar
• Established methods for measurement and analysis

Image from Flickr Commons
 

Set Measurable Social Media Marketing Goals and Objectives

Some of you may have already determined your specific goals but others will need to brainstorm ideas. Talk them over with your colleagues and people who matter in your life. Your goal should reflect something that interests you. In fact, it should be something you are passionate about. Focus on one thing and o it well. It should allow you a means of making income, if only from having a successful social media presence. 

Here are some examples of goals from a brainstorming session for Fisher House Publishing:

Goal: Write travel stories, sell travel products, and host travel tours. 

Goal: Provide alternative short term lodging for people, highlighting the location and things to do and see nearby.

Goal: Promote emergency preparedness and provide information and products to support preparedness.

Goal: Use a group travel tour to promote weight loss and health among seniors by changing what and how they eat.

Goal: Develop and market online courses for small business owners. 

Goal: Write food articles and recipes and promote products.

Goal: Use Fisher House Publishing to create and publish online courses for corporate training.

Objectives should be written using the SMART formula.  SMART objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based.

• Establish social media followers to over 1000 people by September.
  
• Drive conversions by offering free product to sign up followers.
  
• Use weekly email to build connections with potential customers.
• By this time next year establish an industry brand so that when business managers think "online course creation" they think "FisherHouse."
  

Sources:

Sailer, Ben.  (n.d.). How to create a social media plan that WORKS! https://www.postplanner.com/blog/how-to-create-a-social-media-plan/

How to Attract Customers - 5 Marketing Strategies to Dominate Social media

Social media calendar

 Here are examples of content that could be used in a social media.

 

Here is an example of a social media calendar for a yoga school.

 

When to post on social media

According to a Buffer study, the best time to post to Facebook is between 1pm – 3pm on during the week and Saturdays. We also found that engagement rates are 18% higher on Thursdays and Fridays.

 Other studies suggested the best time to post to Facebook is:

• Thursdays and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. are the best times to post on Facebook [Hubspot]
• Thursday at 8 p.m.  [TrackMaven]
• 1–4 p.m. late into the week and on weekends [CoSchedule]
• Off-peak [Buzzsum0]

Since every study shows a different ‘best time to post’ the best time may depend on a number of factors that are specific to every business. Consider your industry, the location of your audience and when they are online, and sponsors.

Facebook IQ provides insights into Facebook users.

If you’re looking to find the best time to post on Facebook, the first best place to start is Facebook Insights.

Buffer describes the many factors for success on Instagram. Timing is most important. Their guide walks you through a step-by-step process to find the best times for your business to post.

 

Reaching customers in social media

Cohosts Jim Caldwell and Paula Shaw welcome featured guest John Oates of JPO Digital Strategy, Inc. to show you how to use social media specifically to reach more LifeWave potential customers and team members.

Air fried stuff peppers

 

 

Simple recipe for air fried stuffed peppers - low carb (2 servings)

Ingredients 

- one large pepper cut in half length wise (remove the seeds)

- 8 oz hamburger

-  8 oz can of tomato sauce

- Worchestershire sauce, 1 tsp

- dried oregano

- shredded cheese

- 1/2 cup pre-cooked rice

-  salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions

 1. Stir the meat,  1/4 cup cheese and half can of tomato with rice, adding spices and Worchestershire sauce. 

2. Spoon into both halves of the pepper.

3. Bake in the air fryer for 30 minutes at 365 degrees. Add water to the bottom of the air fryer.

4. At 20 minutes stir the ingredients in the pepper halves. Pour the remaining tomato sauce and add 1/4 cup cheese on top.

5. Let the peppers sit for a couple of minutes before eating.

 

Bright Line Eating (per serving)

4 oz protein

2 oz vegetables

1 oz grains

 

 

 

 

Conservative social media

 

Frank Speech

https://frankspeech.com/

 MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell released his free speech platform that is intended to be a combination of YouTube and Twitter.

 The Blaze TV

https://www.theblaze.com
Founded in 2011, The Blaze is an American conservative pay television network and website founded by talk radio personality Glenn Beck, based in Irving, Texas. Watch shows from top talent like Glenn Beck, Steven Crowder, Mark Levin, Phil and Jase Robertson, Dave Rubin and more.

Parler Free Speech Social Network

https://parler.com

Parler is an unbiased social media focused on real user experiences and engagement. Free expression without violence and no censorship. Parler never shares your personal data.

Parler was founded by conservative developers and is funded by Rebekah Mercer, a prominent donor to right-wing candidates and causes, looking to provide a new online hub for these users.

Rumble

https://rumble.com

Rumble is your rights management video platform. Host, distribute and monetize all your professional, social and viral video.

Chris Pavlovski created Rumble because he wanted to provide smaller creators with an opportunity to make money with online video content. The company is based in Toronto, Canada and currently has a team of just under 30 people.

 

 

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/ 

Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC), founded in 2015, is an independent online media outlet. MBFC is dedicated to educating the public on media bias and deceptive news practices. 

 

Telegram, alternative to WhatsApp

 https://telegram.org/

Telegram’s current boost in popularity is coming from users looking for a more secure messaging app. The company makes a point of accentuating its focus on privacy. Interestingly, though, Telegram has a shaky history when it comes to that. It is owned by Russian Pavel Durov.

TOP Conservative media platforms you can join and be free of censorship:

https://redstate.com/brandon_morse/2019/06/14/top-social-media-platforms-can-join-free-censorship-n109019

Top 20 Conservative websites list:

https://aelieve.com/rankings/websites/category/news-media/top-conservative-websites/

Top 131 Conservative Websites: 

https://rightsmarts.com/top-conservative-websites/https://rightsmarts.com/top-conservative-websites/

Top 9 Conservative News and Opinion Websites

https://www.thoughtco.com/the-top-conservative-news-and-opinion-websites-3303614 

 

Top Conservative News Sites to Read in 2021 - Liberty Nation

 

https://www.libertynation.com/top-conservative-news-sites/

 

 

 

 

7 Conservative Alternatives to the Internet's Most Popular Sites

 https://gizmodo.com/7-conservative-alternatives-to-the-internets-most-popul-1614074423

 

 

 

Best Social Media for Business

 Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites

 

Social network	Monthly Active Users
Facebook	2,500,000,000
YouTube	2,000,000,000
Instagram	1,000,000,000
Qzone	563,000,000
Weibo	376,000,000
Twitter	330,000,000
Reddit	330,000,000
Pinterest	200,000,000
Ask.fm	160,000,000
Tumblr	115,000,000
Flickr	112,000,000
Google+	111,000,000
LinkedIn	106,000,000
VK	97,000,000
Odnoklassniki	71,000,000
Meetup	35,300,000

 

Social Networking App	Monthly Active Users
WhatsApp (owned by Facebook)	1,500,000,000
Messenger (owned by Facebook)	1,300,000,000
WeChat	989,000,000
Instagram (owned by Facebook)	800,000,000
QQ Chat	783,000,000
QZone	652,000,000
Viber	249,000,000
LINE	218,000,000
Snapchat	200,000,000
YY	122,000,000

The 6 Best Social Media Platforms For Your Business in 2021

 

1. Facebook
2. Instagram
3. LinkedIn
4. Twitter
5. Pinterest
6. YouTube

1 Choose Social Media Platforms Where Your Audience is Located 

2 Choose Social Media Platforms That are Specific to Your Content Type

3 Limit the Number of Social Media Platforms You Choose to be On

 

The 6 Best Social Networks for Ecommerce Advertising

 

1. Facebook.
2. Instagram.
3. Twitter.
4. Pinterest.
5. LinkedIn.
6. Snapchat.

 

 

The 6 Most Effective Types of Social Media Advertising in 2021

 

• The 6 Best Social Networks for Ecommerce Advertising
• 1. Facebook Advertising
• 2. Instagram Advertising
• 3. Twitter Advertising
• 4. Pinterest Advertising
• 5. LinkedIn Advertising
• 6. Snapchat Advertising

 

The Different Types Of Social Media Platforms To Serve Ads:

• Social networking (Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+).
• Microblogging (Twitter, Tumblr).
• Photo sharing (Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest).
• Video sharing (YouTube, Facebook Live, Periscope, Vimeo).

Three factors determine which social media to choose:

1. Where your target customers are most concentrated (usage, groups, etc.)
2. Where your target customers are most accessible (preferred media, ad targeting, etc.)
3. Where your target customers most actively engage with ads (testing required)

 According to an extensive study done by AdEspresso, the average cost per click (CPC) of Facebook ads as of 2016 was roughly .28 cents and the cost per 1,000 impressions (CPM) was $7.19.

 Instagram’s engagement rates are 58% higher than Facebook’s and 2,000% higher than Twitter’s.

 Sellers of products that are visually appealing or who are able to incorporate visual media into their campaigns tend to perform best on Instagram.

Twitter is a viable network for organic engagement. Brands don’t need to pay in order to reach their followers, which enhances the platform’s value even when running paid ads.

 On average, a thousand ad impressions (CPM) on Twitter ads cost between $9 and $11 while clicks cost roughly 25-30 cents each. Both optimized campaigns bring about similar levels of engagement for a minuscule price difference.

 Engagement is highly on Pinterest. Images are effective in showing custom product creation. Users use Pinterest to find and purchase creative products. CPM ois $5.30 and a CPC is $1.52,

LinkedIn focuses on the business to business (B2B) market. Advertising costs from $2-$7 prt vlivk (CPC).

On any day Snapchat reaches 41% of 18-34 year-olds in the U.S.

 

 

 

 

Making money from your blog

 In this article you will find information about the following:

• Marketing your blog

• Making money on your blog 

• Advertising products and services

• Blogs that will pay you for writing

• Linking your blog to your business website

 

How To Promote Your Blog: The Complete Beginner’s Guide

1. Site optimization

• Make your blog site easy to read and easy for search engines to find.
• Link to material on other sites as well as linking to related articles in your own blog
• Find and fix any broken links.
• Use an analytics tool to see how many people are viewing your website 

2. Content planning and research

• Know what you're writing about and who you are writing for.
• Find keywords that represent your blog and sort them into topics.
  
• Decide on the topics and do research for articles in your blog.
  

 3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• Put your keyword at the beginning of your title.
• Use short URLS that include the keyword.
• Use meta descriptions that induce curiosity.
• Include the keywords in headings and paragraphs.
• Pictures should be compressed but at least 600px wide. Include Alt text.

4. Encourage sharing of content

• Build an email list by encouraging people to sign up for the blog. 
• Start with an attention-getting headline.
• Longer content gets more social shares and a higher search engine ranking. 
  

 5. Promoting your blog

• Email your subscribers and contacts about your most recent article, inviting them to subscribe.
• Include an email signature. 
• Ask an associate to email their list.
• Share your blogs on social media. 
• Participate on social media. Manage replies and engage your audience. 
• Use a reciprocal sharing sites like Triberr and Viral Content Bee.
• Social bookmarking sites (like Reddit and Flipboard) allow users to post and tag favorite stories, pictures, and videos.
• Use established groups on social media that fit your niche.
  

6. Leverage content 

• Save your content on websites of lists and collections, like Flipboard, List.ly, Scoop.it, Paper.li, and Pearl Trees.
• Use a content aggregator which puts content from other websites in one place. Examples of aggregators are Alltop, AffDaily, Blog Engage, WP Clipboard and WP News Desk.
• Republish your blog in third-party websites like Medium and LinkedIn.
• Turn the content of your blog into another format like an infographic, a video, a podcast or a Slideshare presentation.

7. Relationship marketing 

• Influencer marketing involves connecting with and asking individuals that influence your target audience. 
• Mention influencers in your posts.
• Interview an influencer blogger.
• Invite influential bloggers to contribute to your blog.
• Form content partnerships, guest blogging, or backlink acquisition. How to write better outreach emails. 
• Use guest bloggers to promote your blog.
• Comment on top blogs in your niche and get others to comment in your blog. 

8. Paid marketing

• Pay for advertising on social media that reaches your audience.  
• Reddit is one of the biggest online communities, with an estimated 17 million monthly users. Its advertising costs are cheaper than traditional social sites.
• Put advertising at the end of articles presented as: “You May Like”, “Recommended For You” or “Promoted Stories”.
• Search advertising places advertisements in search engine results.

9. Measure your blog promotion. 

• Install web analytic tools.
• Use social media monitoring tools to check how your blog posts are performing.
  

 

25 Ways To Make Money From Your Blog

 Forbes Magazine lists 25 ways to make money from your blog. 

1.  Create a business directory.
2. Promote an affiliate product.
3. Sell ad space.
4. Offer services.
5. Offer consulting services.
6. Write sponsored posts.
7. Offer coaching services.
8. Host webinars.
9. Host sponsored contests or giveaways.
10. Teach an online course.
11. Create a private community.
12. Write an ebook.
13. Sponsored social content.
14. Sell premium content.
15. Sponsor a site.
16. Sell merchandise.
17. Sell templates.
18. Create a job board.
19. Create a private bootcamp to help audience accomplish a specific goal.
20. Write tutorials.
21. Offer expertise as a speaker or presenter,
22. Add affiliate links.
23. Provide product reviews for a fee.
24. Dropship products.
25. Create a resource page.
    

 How to get Earnings Per Click (EPC)

What is ADSENSE?

Google AdSense - Earn Money From Website Monetization

 

Top 50 List of Get Paid to Blog Sites 2021

This article discusses blog sites that will pay you for writing content for their blogs.

Add A Blog To An Existing Or A New Website

Creating a blog to market your business or share your ideas

 Step 1. Choose from a list of "best free blog sites" for a simple, easy to use platform.

Ten Best Free Blogging Sites 

Step 2. Choose a name for your blog.

How to Choose Your Blog Name

http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-Your-Blog-Name

1. Choose your niche.
2. Search for available domain names.
3. Research your competitors.
4. Take a look at your company, business, or topic.
5. Try to choose a name that describes your blog as effectively as possible.
6. Ask friends, family members, or associates for assistance on choosing your blog name.
7. Make sure that you purchase the domain as soon as possible or sign up for it through a free blog site as soon as you choose your blog name.
8. Google keyword tool is another powerful tool to use to search for blog name.

Step 3. Setting up your platform, choosing a theme, format and start blogging.

• Do a web search for instructions  for the blog platform you have chosen.
  

How to create a free blog using blogger

 

Sign Up for a Google Account

If you don't have a google account, you will need to sign up for Gmail or another google product.

 

Sign in to your Blogger Account

At blogger.com SIGN IN using your Google account login.

 

Choose a Blogger Profile

When you first sign in yo Blogger, you will be asked to set up your profile.

 

Create your blog

In the blogger dashboard, choose “New blog” or “CREATE NEW BLOG” option to start your blog creation.

 

Choose your blog title, address and theme

Enter your blog name, address, and then pick a theme. Then click the ” Create blog” button to finish your initial blog setup. You can change/modify your setup later if you want to.

 

Launch your blog

Now that your blog is live,  you are ready to start blogging. You can check it by clicking the “View Blog” link, or you can visit directly by typing your blog address (URL) at any web browser.

Step 4. How to buy a unique blog name.

How to buy a domain

Find your place online

 

Choose from more than 300 domain endings. Get 24/7 Google support from real humans.

Transfer a domain you already own

NEXT UP

• Marketing your blog
• Making money on your blog
• Blogs that will pay you for writing
• Linking your blog to your business website
  

Smoking versus COVID deaths

I just watched my grandson online in a concert. They all wore masks and were socially distanced. When they stopped blowing their horns they quickly brought their masks up to cover their mouths and noses.  How sad that they are being forced to do these things when the number of deaths from COVID among their age group are almost non-existent. To the week ending April 3, 2021 only 300 deaths from ages 0-18 years. (If you are sick or your immunity is compromised, stay home.) 

Source: CDC. (2021, April 7). Provisional COVID-19 deaths: Focus on ages 0-18 years. https://data.cdc.gov/NCHS/Provisional-COVID-19-Deaths-Focus-on-Ages-0-18-Yea/nr4s-juj3

 

Cigarettes and Death

Cigarette smoking causes about one of every five deaths in the United States each year. Cigarette smoking is estimated to cause the following:

• More than 480,000 deaths annually (including deaths from secondhand smoke)
• 278,544 deaths annually among men (including deaths from secondhand smoke)
• 201,773 deaths annually among women (including deaths from secondhand smoke)

Cigarette smoking causes premature death:

• Life expectancy for smokers is at least 10 years shorter than for nonsmokers.
• Quitting smoking before the age of 40 reduces the risk of dying from smoking-related disease by about 90%.

Secondhand Smoke and Death

Exposure to secondhand smoke causes an estimated 41,000 deaths each year among adults in the United States:

• Secondhand smoke causes 7,333 annual deaths from lung cancer.
• Secondhand smoke causes 33,951 annual deaths from heart disease.

Source: CDC. (2020, April 28). Tobacco related deaths. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/tobacco_related_mortality/index.htm 

 Next week I will post an article about COVID and suicides. Did you know that in Japan more people committed suicide in the month of October than deaths in the whole year from COVID-19.

Here is the source: 

WAVE3 News. (2020, December 4). Study reveals increased suicide rates across U.S.  https://www.wkyt.com/2020/12/04/study-reveals-increased-suicide-rates-across-us/

 

Whooping Crane Migration

Platte River Valley is on migration path for Whooping Cranes

 

                                                                                                                    Photo courtesy of earth.com

Poor planning I guess, but whenever we leave on a trip it takes most of the day to get out of the house. We were exhausted by the time we got four hours from home so we stayed at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Grand Island, Nebraska. It is off the road about 10 miles but worth the trip because it was less busy than the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Kearney. 

In the morning we stopped at the Nebraska Nature and Visitor Center which is off exit 305 on Interstate 80. The Center was closed during the pandemic. So we drove further west on the Interstate to the Rowe Sanctuary, which is about five miles south of the Interstate at exit 285. While the Center is closed, Audubon volunteers are onsite from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily and have opened blinds which allow visitors to view the Platte River and Basin, looking North. 

The Platte River is on the spring migration route for Whooping Cranes and Sandhill Cranes. Some 500 plus whooping cranes migrate through the Central Flyway during the months of April and October/November.  This is far surpassed by the number of Sandhill Cranes, which number is over a million. An endangered bird, the Whooping Crane is the tallest bird in North America - over five feet tall, with a wing span of 7.5 feet. If you get a chance to see one (we didn't), its imposing stature, angel white plumage, black mask, and red crown make it an amazing sight. The Whooping Crane nests in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada. If you see a whooping crane, please report it to Whooper Watch (888.399.2824) or the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (308.865.5310).

When we arrived after noon at the Rowe Sanctuary, a few bald eagles were feeding on bird carcasses but the Sandhill Cranes had lifted off and were feeding in farmers' fields across from the Center. We watched in fascination as hundreds of Sandhill Cranes dropped down into the fields to feed on last fall's stocks and leftover corn.  The volunteers indicated that about 600,000 Sandhill Cranes migrate through the Platte River Basin in March and April on their way to nesting grounds on the tundra in Northern Canada, Alaska, and even Siberia. They stay in the Platte River area about three weeks, the volunteers said. 

The Sandhill Crane while flying may look a lot like, geese except that geese fly in V formations. Sandhill Cranes have a longer tail. The Sandhill Cranes are a magnificent bird, 3-4 feet tall, with 5 foot wingspan. They can fly up to 450 miles a day. They lay 1-2 eggs a year and have a lifespan of 20-25 years. Whooping Cranes have a similar lifespan and fly up to 500 miles a day.They lay two eggs a year.

                                                                                            Photo from wind-energy-wildlife.unl.edu

Chicken asparagus

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breats, cut in half length-wise
• 16 asparagus stalks, trimmed
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• salt and pepper to taste 
• 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice and lemon zest
• fresh chopped parsley as a garnish

1. Arrange oven shelf on the middle rack and pre-heat to 400 F (200 C). Oil a casserole dish.

2. Mix together salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Arrange chicken in casserole and season with spice.

3. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, and zest. Pour 3/4 of mixture on chicken.

4. Arrange the asparagus on the chicken and drizzle the remaining juice on the asparagus. 

5. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 minute or until the inside temperature reaches 165F (75C). For the last three minutes broil the chicken on high. Eat the chicken asparagus hot.

 

Nutrition information

2 servings, 800 cal. 

Protein, 4 oz.

Vegetables, 3 oz.

Scan to Mac from iPhone

 How to scan a document on a Mac using iPhone or iPad

Step 1: On your Mac open the application you want to insert the scan into. I'm going to use MS word.

Step 2. Right click on the document where you want the scan to go to.

Step 3. Choose the device you want to use as the scanner. From the right-click menu click on iPhone or iPad.

 

 Step 4. If you chose iPhone, the camera in the iPhone opens. Center over the document and take the picture. Then crop the picture to the size you want. 

Step 5. Click Keep scan and Save.  It will appear in your Mac document. 

Sources:  

Ali, Zaib. (2019, August 9). How to scan document on a Mac using iPhone or iPad. IOS  Hacker.

https://ioshacker.com/how-to/scan-document-a-on-mac-using-iphone-or-ipad

Artichoke and Asparagus Salad

 

1 jar (8 oz) artichoke hearts in brine

12 chopped asparagus

1/2 cup mushrooms (sliced into trees)

feta cheese 

1/4 t basil

s & p

Combine all ingredients with the artichoke and brine. Serve on a bed of lettuce. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

Depending on the kind of brine, sometimes a tablespoon or more of vinegar needs to be added.