Merry Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all! Here are a few of the few pictures we took this year.
Joss' dinner table
Barbara and Lee at our "coctail party"
The Clarks at Waffle Barn breakfast.
Cutting Joss' tree.
And...

J&J at Joss's Christmas Day Dinner.

A night at the opera

Wounded Duck was shocked! Upon being invited over to watch the Charger-Browns game, I thanked him for the invite but I had decided to go to the opera instead!!!

What a wonderful way to kick off the Christmas Season! The story is delightful and the orchestra was especially good. (Jossy was one of two oboists among 15 musicians -largely strings).

We celebrated the successful conclusion of the weekend performances with dinner at one of our favorite restaurants: Latitudes in Auburn.

;-) :-)

Thanksgiving Day 2009

Jossy hosted Thanksgiving dinner this year and it was a wonderful day in a most beautiful setting.


Around the table were: John C. (that would be me), Joss, Lee, Barbara, Kyleigh, John and Shelly W., Bob, and Penny.

Being perfect dogs, Gabe and Ruby -W's two great Australian Shepherds- were curled up on the living room floor.

Dinner and dessert were great and the beautiful Fall view from the table could not be beat.

The photo, above, courteous Norman Rockwell and Saturday Evening Post (1943). Now that home photography has been made simple and inexpensive by digital cameras, I guess it has become so routine that no one remembered to take any pictures! Including cell phones and cameras tucked away in purses and drawers, there were probably 15 cameras available.

So, thanks to Norman, SEP, and the Internet, you pretty much see what the setting looked like -sorry LPC.
;-}

Devil's Falls -An American River Adventure

(with apologies to all: we both forgot our cameras on this adventure and all we have are cell phone pictures)



click on map to enlarge

The American River in Northern California is formed by snow melt and rain in the Sierras. Many tributaries flow into what becomes 3 major forks -the South, Middle, and North forks. These eventually come together behind the Folsom Dam and form Folsom Lake. After Folsom, the American River flows into the Sacramento River (at Sacramento, CA), which then flows on to San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. (for a complete description, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_River )
;-)
Because the river originates high in the Sierras (at over 7,000 feet) and flows to Sacramento (elevation 100 feet) there are many beautiful water falls along the way. Most are obscure in that few are reachable by paved roads. On Wednesday (yesterday), Joss and I ventured to Devil's Falls on the North Fork of the American River. It is about 6 miles from Interstate 8, South-East of Colfax, CA. -about 30 miles from Roseville. The 1st mile of Yankee Jims Road is paved; the remaining portion of the road is not. Not only is it dirt and gravel, it is one lane wide and is essentially carved along a very high and steep cliff. Definitely NOT for the fainthearted. The going is very slow, but the vistas are incredible. Luckily it is not heavily traveled. In most places, if you were to meet a vehicle coming the other way, ONE of you would have to back up to the nearest spot that would be wide enough for two vehicles (that would be the vehicle heading downhill). We were fortunate that we didn't find ourselves in that situation. In fact, we saw just two other vehicles on this road and, at the time, one of us was parked at a rare wide spot.
:-)
About 1/2 miles from Devil's Falls, the road crosses the river on an old rusty bridge that doesn't look terribly safe -about 200 feet above the water (my estimate). We looked at the bridge, then at each other, took a deep breath and slowly crossed. Whew!
;-)
There is a wide spot in the road adjacent to the falls where we were able to park and enjoy our picnic lunch. The falls were pretty -but less than spectacular, as they probably are in late Spring, early Summer. We decided to return to the bridge, park on the other side, and return to the falls on foot. It was a great decision. In addition to the healthy 1.2-mile walk, we were able to enjoy many more vistas than when in the car.
:-)
The map, above, shows the key points along the way. The numbers and arrows on the map correspond to the numbered photos. (1) Devil's Falls, (2) Jossy on the sun-splashed, rusty old bridge, (3) A long, straight stretch of the North Fork -looking downstream, several hundred feet above the river.

San Diego

We thoroughly enjoyed our short visit with Bob and Ruth. During the day on Saturday and Sunday, we ventured out to visit some of the important places in John's past as well as some of the standard tourist spots in and around the city. One of the most interesting and fun spots was the Torrey Pines Gliderport. This scene (not from our camera) shows a tandem ride in a hang glider and two others.

Bob and Ruth have done a major remodel of their home and it is beautiful. And, with due respect to all of the other chefs around , Bob makes the most wonderful Chicken Caesar Salad in the world. And, ummm, home made croutons!
;-)

San Diego

'heading south to San Diego where we will visit Bob & Ruth, VFW, The Dollar Store, and Barber of Seville...

;-)

CU when we return!

;-)

Lake Rollins

On this beautiful Fall day, we decided to take a picnic lunch to Lake Rollins -a reservoir just off I-80 in the Sierras. Other than the caretaker and a couple of fishing boats, we had the whole lake to ourselves. After lunch, we had a relaxing walk through the woods and along the lake shore.

While at the lake, 'couldn't help making this silly picture of John, Jossy, and her imaginary twin sister Flossy.

;-)

Vacation, Part VI –WWVA, Wedding, & Home

Somewhere near the end of our planning for this trip, we discovered that the drive from East Brunswick, NJ to Winona Lake, IN was going to be just too long for our 144 year-old bones. So, we set about finding a good half-way spot to stop. We looked at Pittsburgh, PA and Wheeling, WV –and chose the latter just because it was easier to get to, and neither one of us had ever been there (who has?!!?). We made a good choice. After a lunch stop in Hershey, PA (are the streets really paved with chocolate?) we drove on to Wheeling. The Hampton Inn there was fine as usual and –as luck would have it- one of the country’s finest sports bars is located just across the street. Now, I’ve been in a lot of sports bars (although Jossy has not) in my travels across this country, and in my estimation TJ’s is the best ever. A few things of note: the “ticket window” at the entrance, the door marked with huge block letters “GATE A,” a turnstile as you enter –just before the big popcorn machine, and being greeted and served by pretty, shapely referees in shorts & zebra shirts, and widescreens everywhere. Cute, but none if that would be important if it were not for the good food, drink, and service.

Next day, the drive to Winona Lake was easy and non-eventful (no toll roads!!!). We arrived at the B&B (great planning, Shelly!) early enough to be able to relax and walk to the lake before the wedding rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. Everyone was in a great mood and now it was johnclark’s turn to meet the kinfolks. ‘sure met a lot of nice people in the game of Who’s Who.

As I mentioned there so many times, it was pretty gutsy for Leah (the bride) to choose an outdoor wedding in the middle of September in a part of the country where the weather can be very unpredictable (and even nasty sometimes). Were Tom and Leah just lucky or blessed that the weather was absolutely perfect? ‘wall-to-wall sunshine and moderate temps shrouded this happy occasion. It was a very upbeat and cheery wedding. Praise must go to the outstanding performances of the Flower Girl (Sami Kono) and Ring Rearer (Easton Grable). After the most comprehensive (and fun) photo session I have ever seen, everyone proceeded to the reception at the Lake Tippecanoe Country Club. ‘nice reception and congratulations to Tom and Leah and all involved!

The trip to Midway airport on Sunday (9/20/9) should have been a piece of cake, and it would have been were it not for the highway construction which prevented us from exiting to our destination street. PD (Garmin) was still able to get us to the hotel in spite of the nearly 10-mile detour. Our nerves were soothed by a very friendly desk clerk at the Holiday Inn and we relaxed with a good dinner and glass of wine.

Southwest Air delivered us to SMF on time late Monday morning. Rick (Jossy’s neighbor) picked us up and deposited us at 7533 Loco where we have already plotted out our next adventure. Stay tuned…

;-)

Vacation, Part V -New York, New York

Our plans called for leaving the rental car with Lori & Jana and training to Inwood (upper Manhattan) and back. That was a good call as all went well and smoothly. It also afforded a lot of walking –a good thing. One of the highlights was a long walk to and through Fort Tryon Park. Views of the Hudson River and beautiful park were spectacular. Sami had a great outing with Mom (Heather), Maga (Jossy), and me, “Johnclark.”

The pièce de ré⋅sis⋅tance on this leg of our vacation trip was seeing “Jersey Boys” on Broadway. Especially great was the personal aspect of this musical, i.e., seeing and hearing Ben Kono on stage –and behind the stage after the show.

Vacation, Part IV -East Brunswick

We arrived at the Pruski-Clark home just about the time the family arrived home from work & school. Ellie and Audrey were a little shy at first but warmed up very quickly.
We had fun playing with the girls –Jossy on the floor with the Lego blocks; grandpa bouncing them on his knee to the old Animal Fair song.

Lori & Jana turned over their 5-star suite to us for our stay –a very generous and gracious gesture. We enjoyed our stay with this warm, loving family.

On Saturday (9/12/9) we went along to watch Ellie at her gymnastics class (priceless) and then enjoy a breakfast get-together at Panera's with all.

We have a couple of great video clips from our breakfast. Unfortunately I am unable to upload them.

Vacation, Part III -Rome, NY

‘be it ever so humble, there’s no plate like chrome.

It’s always fun to visit Rome, New York –the place of my birth and of my earliest recollections. And of course the home of Sister Lois. Lois opened her home to us and we had a great time visiting -and seeing Linda and Rick at a good, old-fashioned Italian restaurant (The Savoy).

823 Calvert Street has been beautifully upkept and the grounds improved. We are happy that the old homestead has been turned over to someone with TLC.

Our daytime tour included the cemetery where my mother, father, brother, and little niece rest. ‘saw a bit of the (closed) Erie Canal Village. We went around Lake Delta, seeing Lois’ former home, the dam, lake, and fish hatchery. Also included in the tour were my former schools. The engraved “Boys” and “Girls” separate entrances to my elementary school kinda blew Jossy’s mind.

After dinner with Lois, Linda, and Rick, Jossy and I toured one of the finest VFW lodges in the country. This mansion, formerly owned by a wealthy industrialist, is now owned by VFW Post 2246.

On Thursday (9/10/9) we left Rome and drove the Thruway, Garden State Parkway, and New Jersey Turnpike to Lori & Jana’s home in East Brunswick –arriving after paying all those tolls with just enough change to buy a bottle of Barefoot Chardonnay…

Tomorrow: East Brunswick.

Vacation, Part II -Adirondacks

"Its not just a place, its a way of life."

They're not cabins or cottages on the lakefronts in the Adirondack Park -they are "camps." I am used to this term, having grown up in and around the Adirondacks, but Jossy was not. So, we researched the subject while at the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake. The best answer was given by the opening statement, above. And that way of life must be experienced first hand to really appreciate it. In this posting I have included just 4 photos of many taken to illustrate our experience.

After driving from Niagara Falls on Saturday morning (9/5/9) we joined the gang for the 44th Annual Darksiders Clambake around 1 PM. (Explanation: Piseco Lake runs roughly North & South -about 4-1/2 miles long. The camps along the West shore find themselves in the shadow of the trees from the summer sun from shortly after noon until sunset. Meanwhile, the camps on the East shore -about 0.8 miles away, are brightly illuminated. So the folks on the West shore (including my family) are known as the "Darksiders." Forty-four years ago -Labor Day 1965- a few Darksider families started an annual clambake -a huge picnic celebrating the end of summer and time to pull in the docks.)

The weather was beautiful, the clambake went well as usual, and we had time to take a cruise around the lake on Doris' and George's "party boat."

On Monday we drove about 80 miles to Tupper Lake and visit sister Norma, Jane, Don & kids. Norma's house is beautiful inside and out. Inside, the knotty pine simply and wonderfully overloads the senses of sight and smell. The lake, just across the roadway is beautiful by day and especially inspiring at sunset. We visited two museums on this leg of our trip: The Wild Center in Tupper Lake and the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake.

Tomorrow: Rome, New York.

Vacation, Part I

How does a 144-year old retired couple take a vacation?
Well, ya grab a plane, bus, car, boat, & a good pair of running shoes, and...

Our 3-week trip included a round-trip SWA plane ride to Chicago and then a rental car excursion to Ontario, New York State, New Jersey, Manhattan, Wheeling, WV and Winona Lake, IN.

To keep you readers from dozing off, falling out of your chairs, and bumping your heads, I thought I'd break this down into 6 (VI) parts.

This (Part I) will be about Niagara Falls.

After flying into Chicago on Wednesday (9/02/09) and renting our Hertz Toyota, we drove to Portage (that's pronounced por' tidge) Indiana -about 40 miles plus the 10 miles lost voyage getting out of Midway Airport. A cute, friendly neighborhood tavern across from the Hampton Inn provided us with a little snack & a glass of wine for a nightcap.

On Thursday we drove across Michigan and Ontario, Canada to get to Niagara Falls. We arrived in plenty of time to view both the American and Canadian falls before our dinner at the Spicy Olive restaurant. For future travelers to The Falls: Don't be discouraged by the honky-tonk atmosphere in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario -the river and falls area have been preserved in all its beauty and serenity. There are plenty of nice hotels within 1/2 mile of the falls -we chose Hampton Inn (very nice).

We spent all day Friday just leisurely viewing the falls from the Maid of the Mist tour boat, the Skylon Tower, and walking along the river. We were able to get some incredible photos and video snippets under the clear, blue sky.

The professional, wide-angle photo here pretty much sums up the beauty of the area. [click on photo to enlarge] I hope everyone who visits Niagara Falls has the same beautiful weather that we had for two days.

Stay tuned for our drive to and visiting the good folks of the Adirondacks.

Pacific Coast Trip

We took a little 2-day trip through the mountains and Napa Valley to the Pacific Coast -first to Bodega Bay (where Alfred Hitchcock's "Birds" was filmed) then up California 1 to Ft. Bragg, with a stop at Fort Ross. A relaxing evening at Ft. Bragg was followed by the Skunk Train the next day.

Its a great trip for everyone from Kids to Codgers.

Carnival Cruise

Thanks to a great birthday present from the kids (thank you Barbara, Lee, & Kyleigh!), we were able to go on this fun 5-day cruise to Catalina Island (Avalon) and to Ensenada, Mexico.

It was my first time ever in Avalon. The weather was perfect and the town was nice to walk around. While there, we took an "Ocean Power Raft" tour -a 2-hour boat trip in the channel where we saw dozens of dolphins (some right next to the boat!), sea lions, and a couple of bald eagles.

We spent a couple of hours in Ensenada -away from the majority of tourists: the civic center and a nearly new art museum.

Most of our time was spent "at sea" where we mostly ate and did a lot of "people watching."

Carnival is a great cruise company for families with kids. There is plenty to do for all.

He's Ba-a-ack!!!

A year-1/2 ago we started training Jackson. After about two weeks, I wrote about his progress. Today, I review that progress and see how he's doing now compared to then:

2008, Feb. 14: Jackson tangled himself, me, and any vertical object within 50 feet with
his long-line.
2008, Feb. 27: Jackson no longer is tethered, except when we have him on-leash.
2009, June 16: Other than it being the law, he really doesn't need to be on a leash as far as staying nearby and obeying. At my home he follows me around and wants to please at all times. Gentleman Jack.

☻
2008, Feb. 14: I wouldn’t think of letting him out of the car without having a firm grip on his leash.
2008, Feb. 27: I can let him out of the car and expect him to stay near me or, if planned, watch him run to a family member or friend.
2009, June 16: Whenever, wherever I park, Jax waits patiently in the back seat for me to come around and let him out.

☻
2008, Feb. 14: Jackson would come to you if he felt like it. And, he felt like it largely because he (a) hadn’t seen you in a while or

(b) suspected you had a 5-lb. rib roast in your possession.
2008, Feb. 27: Unless he is totally focused on something else, like a strong scent he has just come about, he will generally run to you upon command –even if you don’t reward him every time with a treat.
2009, June 16: Jackson constantly turns to check on my whereabouts. Unless distracted by an irresistable object (e.g., a Jackrabbit), he stays very close nearby.

☻
2008, Feb. 14: Jackson, on-leash, would take YOU for a walk.
2008, Feb. 27: Jackson, on-leash, heels almost perfectly and seldom needs “correction.”

2009, June 16: Make no mistake about it, Jackson is still Jackson -a highly energetic, healthy, strong canine. He would prefer to run freely, but still remembers what "heel" is all about. He has to be reminded frequently to NOT strain on his leash while heeling, so I am commanding "back!" quite often at this point. We'll see how he is doing after 3+ weeks here...

Lion King

This great musical compliments the movie version. The costuming, music, singing and acting were great. We especially enjoyed the way animals were depicted by the use of costumes, puppetry, stilts, etc.

With all due praise to all the animals, we felt that Timon (Meerkat) and Pumbaa (Warthog) stole the show!

It was another great night out at the theatre in Sacramento.

♪♫ The Hills are alive…♪♫

...with the sound of gurgling ditch water?

♪♫ ♪♫

This is a story about Penryn Hills, Clark Tunnel, and irrigation canals.

♪♫ ♪♫

In Penryn Hills, a beautiful pastoral community in the Sierra Foothills, and in the surrounding area, large-scale irrigation is made possible by the building of irrigation canals that provide "ditch water" the year around. Until recently, I had never heard of "ditch water" -and maybe you haven't either ("back East," special irrigation canals are a rarity as Mother Nature keeps things pretty green during the Spring and Summer months).

♪♫ ♪♫

Today, we decided to take a hike up the hill and visit the source of Jossy's irrigation* water and check on Clark Tunnel (no [known] relation). This would be a 2-1/2 mile hike RT.

* Irrigation water is also known as "untreated," "non-potable," "raw" or "ditch" water.

♪♫ ♪♫

These canals are provided and maintained by the Placer County Water Agency. The source of this water, like in most areas of Northern California, is the snow and rain in the Sierra Mountains. There are over 2000 reservoirs in California and many -if not most- dam the rivers and streams which originate in the Sierras.

To reach the "tap" on the canal which provides Jossy's irrigation water, we first hike up (yes...mostly UP) Clark Tunnel Road, then scramble up a dirt road to the railroad tracks near the tunnel (see second photo), along the tracks for a few hundred yards, then up another somewhat treacherous dirt path to a place on the canal that has 3 taps or collectors -a filtered pipe that runs from the canal bed to a small cistern and then into the pipe which runs downhill to the property. You can see a typical tap in the last frame of the first photo.

Water that is not tapped off eventually ends up in a community that collects and purifies it for use as "tap" water.

♪♫ ♪♫

And the music? For those that live in the West, believe me, the sound of gurgling water in nature is music to our ears...

More P.O.I.s

Among all of the other things we love about living in Northern California is the proximity to so many beautiful and diverse places. On this blog we've already seen such places as Point Reyes, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz, Reno, Grand Canyon...and now Sundial Bridge and Shasta Dam.

On a beautiful, sunny, Mothers' Day morning, we decided to drive to Redding (about 155 miles) and experience the Sundial Bridge. This is an actual working sundial sculpture on a walking bridge crossing the Sacramento River in Redding. The scenery, the sculpture, the nearly pristine river are all just beautiful -a wonderful way to spend a day. About 15 miles north of the city of Redding is Lake Shasta and, of course, a view of Mt. Shasta (you've all seen a pictorial of this mountain on cans of Shasta soft drinks...). The Shasta Dam is about 10 miles off the beaten path (that path being I-5) and is well worth the side-trip if you are passing through the area.

More information on these two points of interest (POI) can be Googled (of course).

Cruisin ' in Santa Cruz

Shelly & John rented this beautiful vacation home near La Selva Beach -actually on Manresa State Beach- for a week and we were their guests for a couple of nights. We had a great time walking on the beach with their two Aussies Gabe & Ruby, browsing shops, etc. Only a few miles South of Santa Cruz, we were able to spend time there, visiting art stores, etc. Also, Capitola was one of our highlight visits.

Concert Night

Tonight we combined dinner with friends with another lovely concert by the Sierra Nevada Winds Orchestra. Today was sunny and warm, so Pat & George, Sondra & Jim, and I enjoyed our Italian dinner on the patio. Then it was off to the Dietrich Theatre at Sierra College for the concert. This is such a happy, fun-loving group of musicians that always are able to spread their warmth and joy throughout their audiences. The music again was great and intermission is always fun when the folks get to mingle with the musicians. Bravo!

Condor #27 Spotted!

Looking over the lower ledge of “The Lookout” at the Grand Canyon, we spotted a large, black bird on a ledge below. After further viewing using binoculars, it was noted that this creature had an orangish-red head and sported a large number 27 on a tag on its side. Wow! Condor Number Twenty Seven! That’s 27 of a total 172 living in the wild! (see excerpts from Wikipedia, below).

The California Condor is a a North American Species of bird in the vulture family and the largest North American land bird. Currently, this condor inhabits only the Grand Canyon area, Zion National Park, and western coastal mountains of California and northern Baja California.

It is a large, black vulture with patches of white on the underside of the wings and a largely bald head with skin color ranging from yellowish to a bright red, depending on the bird's mood. It has the largest wingspan of any bird found in North America and is one of the heaviest. It is one of the world's longest living birds, with a lifespan of up to 50 years.

Condor numbers dramatically declined in the 19th century due to poaching, lead poisoning, and habitat destruction.

Eventually, a conservation plan was put in place by the United States government that led to the capture of all the remaining wild condors in 1987. These 22 birds were bred at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo. Numbers rose through captive breeding and, beginning in 1991, condors have been reintroduced into the wild. The project is the most expensive species conservation project ever undertaken in the United States. The California Condor is one of the world's rarest bird species. As of February 2009, there are 321 condors known to be living, including 172 in the wild.

:) ~!~
Be sure to click on the photo to see a large view. You will be able to see the "27" on the condor's tag.

Some Grand Canyon Photos

I've only been at this for 2 years now, so I haven’t yet figured out how to post multiple photos in an efficient way. Also, I've not figured out why, when I post these photos, it orders them by last-first...


So, starting at the bottom and working up: 1. Ready to go...leaving the CLFH* in Penryn. 2. At Hoover Dam. 3. Our hotel in Williams. 4. From our domed car looking forward. 5. Just one shot of the beautiful Grand Canyon.
;-)
*CLFH: Cute Little Farm House (private joke).

Napoleon Found In Grand Canyon!

Could this be the dead, fossilized Napoleon* last seen smoking a cigar, drinking whiskey and cavorting with humans? He has been missing since 1946 and now Joss and I may have uncovered his fate!

There we were walking along the South Rim about 1/2 mile East of the railroad station and the El Tovar hotel when he suddenly appeared.

Stay tuned for more pictures and wonders from our Grand Canyon trip.

*Napoleon, from Animal Farm (George Orwell, 1946). If you haven't read it, read it!

It's a GRAND CANYON!

Please read the following warning before attempting to read the Grand Canyon Journal.

Thank You.

CAUTION. MAY CAUSE DROWSINESS. DO NOT READ WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING HEAVY MACHINERY.

Grand Canyon Journal

Introduction
A 6-day, 5-night Grand Canyon trip was originally planned for September 2008 but, for a couple of reasons, was postponed until April 2009. Two days were spent traveling each way and 2 days were spent at the Grand Canyon South Rim.

Sunday, April 5, 2009
Alternate routes were planned to travel the first day to Beatty, NV. Our 1st choice would have been to travel Rt 50 to Markleeville and over Monitor Pass to Rt 395. As suspected, the pass was still closed due to snow, so we took our alternate route: I-80 to Lake Tahoe, down the Nevada side and over Rt 50 to 395. We proceeded south past Mono Lake, over to Benton, NV, then on to Tonopah and finally to Beatty via Rt 95.
After reaching Beatty, we saw our reserved hotel –the El Portal. After one look at this dump, we cancelled and, instead, secured a room at the Death Valley Motel 6 in town. A very nice, clean motel! ‘very happy with the accommodations –right next door to the Death Valley Candy Store.

Monday, April 6, 2009
On to Williams, AZ! …but first a stop at Hoover Dam and the amazing new Grand Canyon Bridge.
Passing Las Vegas with ease, we stopped for lunch at a nice little eatery in Boulder City, AZ. Then we joined the stop ‘n’ go traffic down the hill to the dam. It wasn’t the famous, fabulous Hoover Dam that caught our eye, it was the new, nearly completed Grand Canyon Bridge (neither one of us were aware that this amazing project was even going on). After catching our breath, we settled down to a nice walking tour of the dam. The day was warm with wall-to-wall sunshine.
The remaining trip to Williams, AZ was scenic and pleasant. We arrived in Williams around 5PM and checked into the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel.


Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The National Weather Forecast called for a cloudy, windy, rainy (possible isolated thunder storms) day. But, today was mild with light breezes, and wall-to-wall sunshine. Go figure.
It was an incredibly beautiful day to view the Grand Canyon.
We started the day off with a little walking tour of Williams. We had to take pictures under the famed Route 66 signs, of course.
The 60-mile train ride in a domed car was fun and set the mood for the tour of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
The bus tour, led by driver and tour guide Bob, was fun and took us to exceptional vista points. This bus tour set the base for the rest of the rim walking tour.
This has been said over and over, but let’s say it one more time: All of the descriptions, all of the photos, all of the artists’ paintings of the Grand Canyon just don’t cut it. You must see it in person to appreciate its awesome beauty. Some people weep. Some just stand and gaze in silent awe. Most say something like “Oh my god!”
The Grand Canyon doesn’t just sit there…it “moves” constantly. If you are fortunate –like us- to see it on a crisp sunny day, you will notice that it appears differently from hour to hour as the deep shadows move from left to right. A totally different image is presented when the sky contains broken clouds. I can only imagine how different and magnificent the vista must be during snow or lightning storms…

Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Wall-to-wall sunshine again, but considerably breezier. It was definitely a jacket and hat (or hood) day. A hot-soup-for-lunch day. An ice cream cone for energy day.
A good part of the day was spent walking about 1-1/2 miles East along the rim to a point where we could look back and see the El Tovar Hotel and the area near the railroad station. In this case, “walking” is a collective term meaning “walking, stopping, viewing, and continuing on.” Most of the rim –especially in the area adjacent to the El Tovar and Bright Angel Lodges- has guard rails. Many areas do not. Caution must be taken constantly. It is possible to meet your Maker with just a little carelessness. People have been blown over the side by a sudden gust of wind. Some have fallen to their demise by backing too close to the edge for that photo “to prove that you were there.” Bob told us the story of a young man who tried to get a photo over the canyon by holding onto a tree limb with one hand and snapping the shutter with the other. Unfortunately, the limb snapped first and he fell to his death. Bob told us that about a dozen people die and about 350 rescues have to be made each year. Darwin’s Theory in action. If you take little, rambunctious children to the Grand Canyon, you might want to consider using a leash.
There is a walking trail to the bottom of the canyon starting near the Bright Angel Lodge. It is a minimum 2-day hike round trip. Most people walk a few hundred yards down the trail then return –like we did. There is a guided tour to the river using pack-mules. So, as you head down the trail, be sure to watch out for the mule poop. If you have a decent sense of smell, you already know it’s there.
We walked an estimated ½ mile down the trail and back –not bad for a 143 year-old couple, one of whom has CHF!

Thursday, April 9, 2009
Today was a “free” day in that’s all we had to do was eat and drive. No photos. Just take in the scenery. To avoid the traffic congestion near the Hoover Dam, we decided to skirt the area by going by Bullhead City and Laughlin, AZ, then up AZ95 past Las Vegas and on to Tonopah, NV. We made a quick stop at the Death Valley Candy Store to once again look over the souvenirs and enjoy some coffee and ice cream. If you are ever passing through Beatty, be sure to visit this fascinating store.

Friday, April 10, 2009
This was get-back-home day. The weather looked (and was predicted to be) a bit “iffy.” Our concern was getting over the Sierras in the snow. I do not own tire chains. I probably will soon. After checking with relatives in Reno and the CA Road Conditions Hot Line, we decided to make a go for it. ‘earliest I’ve been “on the road” in years – O Six Fifteen Hundred Hours AM in the morning. “Light thirty.” We experienced another visual overload with the rising sun’s light on the rocky and snow-covered mountains.
If you ever pass through Hawthorne, NV –as we did– and are looking for a great lunch place, be sure to stop at Maggie’s Diner.
Our trip over Donner Pass was smooth and uneventful. We were presented with various forms of weather: rain, sleet, hail, light fog, some sun, and snow –fine and large flakes- but, no impediments.
Tired but happy, we arrived home around 1 PM.

-end- (WHEW!)

Hi from Reno

'came up the interstate today to get my blonde to her daughter's shop. I will return to Roseville with a redhead later today.
;-)
Please see the note added to Kiss Me Kate, below.

Kiss Me Kate

Great play...and it runs for one more weekend.

:-(

Come for the play, listen for the oboe...

:-)

Barbara, Kyleigh, & I were able to see this show last Sunday and loved it. This is one of Cole Porter's finest.

;-)

'ya know how a particular tune runs through your head and you just can't shake it? One such tune from this play is "Brush Up Your Shakespeare." So, don't go to the following website and watch the video unless you are willing to get hooked...

;-o ♫♪♫♪♫♪

NOTE: 30 March 2009. I also attended the last performance yesterday afternoon. It was a hoot and I picked up more of the jokes this time.

http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/kissmekate/brushupyourshakespeare.htm

;-o ♫♪♫♪♫♪

Happy Springtime!!!

I had to look this up, but here is the answer to exactly when and why the 1st day of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere:

Spring comes in between the 19th to the 23rd of March and at different times. It changes on a yearly basis because the first official day of spring is the (Spring) Vernal EQUINOX. This is when the sun is directly above the equator. It rises due East and sets due West and does not do so on the exact same day every year since the calendar is not exactly 365 precise days every single year. In 2009, spring will arrive on March 20th, and the sun will be above the equator, crossing to the northern hemisphere at 11:47pm (ish)

Spring is an especially beautiful time of year here. Not only the blazing, vivid colors of all the new growth, but of the fair weather and deep blue skies.

The photo above (with inset), taken just now, is a sample of what Loco Lane looks like today.

Happy St. Patrick's day to ya

To all the Irish and all who think they may be part Irish and all those who wish they were Irish (or part Irish) [hmm..did I leave anybody out?],

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!!!

Excuse me, I have to eat my corn beef and cabbage now...

Children's Concert

After month's of waiting and in great anticipation, we finally experienced this marvelous event -The Children's Concert at the Magic Circle Theatre in Roseville, performed by the Sierra Nevada Winds Orchestra.

Many schools in the Roseville area brought groups of young students to this performance. Coyote Ridge Elementary was not one of them. So, we (shhh... ;-} ) had Kyleigh "play hookey" -and still get back to school in time for her class Valentine's Party.

It was a great musical event for all. We sat in the 2nd row and it was a treat to see the performers up close -especially nice to see and hear our favorite Oboe player, Jossy.

'looking forward the the Winds' next concert -in April- at Sierra College.