Bluff / Mexican Hat

The charm of hummingbirds

A “charm,” the collective noun used to describe a group of our tiny feathered aviators, has returned to Bluff for the season. Susie put out her first feeder in late March, and Frances filled the six stations on the Twin Rocks Café porch a week later. Ever since then, we’ve had a fine flock of our...

Navajo Strong – Empowering the citizens of the Navajo Nation with essential supplies

Last weekend, like the two previous weekends before, Bud Frazier was out delivering critical supplies to dozens of families in the Navajo Nation. Without physical addresses in very remote places, it was difficult to find the families who had reached out to Frazier for help. But when he finds them...

Virus counts more than double in past week

The number of reported cases of the COVID-19 virus in San Juan County exploded in the past week, largely due to more than 1,500 additional tests that have been administered. The Utah Department of Health and Utah Navajo Health Systems (UNHS) teamed up for two days of free testing on April 30 and...

Unseasonably warm April ushers in early spring-like weather

Unseasonably warm temperatures marked much of the month of April in San Juan County, with an early arrive of spring-like weather. The month closed with near-record high temperatures. While the warm weather melted much of the snow pack in area mountains, area reservoirs are filling but at a much...

A people story in dog’s clothing

This is a dog story, except... many of us realize a dog story is actually a people story in dog’s clothing. Storytellers from the beginning of time have used animals to tell humanity’s narrative – how Raven facilitated the emergence of the first people by prying open a clamshell or how Coyote...

COVID-19 cases grow, expand into Blanding

The number of diagnosed COVID-19 cases in San Juan County is expected to grow in coming days as the results of a mobile testing unit continue to roll in. The virus has infected residents of most communities in the county, including Blanding, Bluff, Montezuma Creek, Monument Valley, and Navajo...

San Juan Hill recreated in a beautiful carving by Bluff Fort Service Missionary Jerry Allred

As the Mormon pioneers who went through the Hole-in-the-Rock from 1879 to 1880 drew near to their final destination in southeastern Utah, they encountered a formidable barrier known as Comb Ridge. They had already descended down through the Hole-in-the Rock to the Colorado River, blasted roads...

Friends and neighbors

As is so often the case, the worst of times can bring out the best in people. Like everyone else in the world, our area of southeastern Utah, and especially the vast Navajo Nation, are going through a difficult struggle during the coronavirus pandemic. In one of the most isolated areas of the...

A corona

Early this morning, Jana and I were out walking Pearl as the sun began to rise in the east. Pearl, whom many of you have yet to meet, is the successor to Buffy the Wonder Dog. Buffy grew up and spent most of her days lounging on the mat in front of the Kokopelli doors. Winter, spring, summer, and...

Bluff Council votes to restrict lodging, restaurants

The Town of Bluff has voted to restrict all but “essential service” businesses, and the deemed the only “essential service” to be the K&C Trading Post. The decision was made with a unanimous vote of the Bluff Town Council on March 25. The restrictions include short term rentals, such as motels...