Monday, 1/20/25

 

Yes, it has been a while since my last post.  Christmas and New Years Day are long past, holiday decorations put away, and we're deep into the first month of the year.  I can hardly believe we're one quarter into the 21st Century (Time:  Whoa, why the hurry?  Racing to the finish line?  Hold up!)  I've taken few photos the past six weeks, busy doing other things maybe.

I can tell you that we've had no snow so far this winter.  Nary a flake.  Is this unusual?  We think so, at least judging from our 12 winters here in NorCal.  We've had weeks of rain (yay, rain!) ... wherein you tire of it and wonder if it'll ever quit.  But we've gone two weeks now seeing cloudless blue skies, and we could use a good dousing.

Before Christmas we gave away Evie's "little kids" swing set, replacing it with this sturdy wooden set. More usable for her with the monkey bars and trapeze.  Merry Christmas!

When the rains come, the 'shrooms will follow.  We discovered these gorgeous displays on several of our (sometimes muddy) walks.  I wish I knew their names, and if any is edible.  They are huge!  You can see my foot in the lower right pic.

Some days we'd step out to the canal trail and be encompassed in a fog, or low clouds, soundless and ethereal, and exceptionally peaceful.  We feel so grateful to have this wonderful trail nearby.

Back to fungi!  The two beauties were in our yard.  The big-as-dinner-plates 'shrooms on the right are growing on an old stump amid snippets of still-green yarrow.

This pretty boy (Anna's Hummingbird) perched in a dripping Pacific Dogwood, was just lookin' around.  Its feeder is at right, out of the picture.  Much to my delight, our hummers stick around thru the winter.

Wow, look at this prize-winner!

On the 9th, Jimmy and I walked a bunch of miles on the Newtown Canal-Deer Creek Tribute Trail in Nevada City, one of those neither too hot nor too cold days.  When we descended to the creek, we found the Mother Lode of Ladybugs nearby!  Tens of thousands piled up together to a) stay warm to survive winter, and b) to find a sweetheart and mate.  You might see some coupling going on above.

I am always thrilled to see this sight!  Today is the third or fourth time we've been honored to witness the Ladybug coming-together.  This is one area, we saw lots more, left and right.  Imagine!

Those pesky water hoses are disconnected and the hose pipes covered in case of a deep freeze, 'cause tomorrow we're driving south, aiming for the odorless mineral hot springs at Catalina Spa and RV Resort in Desert Hot Springs.  THE POOLS!  (I need a new bathing suit, but the thought of trying them on and standing my aging, white body before a full-length mirror does not sound like fun!  Woohoo! 😄 Never mind, I'll model if/when I get one!)

I hope it rains while we're gone or even, uh, a bit of snow?  We plan to be camped in the desert for a month.  Don't hold me to it, though.  Stuff happens.

Potpourri -- Friday, 2/19/21

While today isn't Friday the 13th, it could be, at least meteorologically-speaking:  It's gray, drippy, gloomy, wet, foggy, chilly (43°), and decidedly unpleasant outside (good day for indoor blogging!).  We weren't surprised ... it was forecast by the weather gurus.  Because cold and damp was pretty much a given for today, we knew that if we wanted to get Out and About for a nice walk, yesterday (Thursday) would be best.  Where to?  Walking on our local Cascade Canal trail is easy, doesn't require us driving anywhere, and we can tailor the time we're out.  And, its ever-changing.  We never know what we'll encounter.  Yesterday's hike was the capper, as far as I'm concerned!

This canal trail picture is from last November, just to give you an idea.  Yesterday was a gray and cold winter's day.  We dressed in layers, beginning with long johns and ending in down parkas.  I was comfy in my silk long underwear beneath jeans, with my hands slipped into thermal mittens.  My nose was cold, though.

Cascade Canal is four-and-a-half miles one way -- with upper and lower "sections."  Plus, you can add mileage in different ways.  Jimmy and I have our own usual route from our house and it averages out at three miles.  This time we veered off the main trail onto a dirt road that led to who-knows-where?  Above, you see a bench beyond the dirt road.  We found a path down to it.  

Nice hand-hewn bench.

As we continued walking along the dirt road, we spied something downhill through the trees.  "What is it?"  It almost looked like ... a toilet?  Jimmy skittered down to check it out, and sure enough:  A toilet.  In the woods.  And a mailbox with toilet paper in it.  I don't know about you, but this brings the bear-in-the-woods to my mind.  Jimmy lifted the lid.  Yup, a toilet.  "Gotta go?" he asked.  Not in a hundred years.  

So be it.  What can you say after that?  We scrambled back to the dirt road and carried on.  We could hear hammering and after much peering, we spied two Pileated Woodpeckers dismantling a tall dead tree down near a tiny stream.

This was our turnaround point.  Neither of us wanted to get a soaker.  The road resumed on the other side.  It felt really chilly down here (we were far below the actual trail).

What?  Frozen resin weeping from a gnashed tree root?

We saw several patches like this.

Yes, we knew it was cold.

Ice crystals (above and below) formed on surfaces.

Sidestepping mud puddles, we returned to the trail -- you see the dirt road below us.  Interesting tree shape!  We were maybe halfway home, when I heard a swishing noise high in the trees.  Eh?  I looked up and got pelted in the face by a wee piece of ice.  It didn't amount to much, but we were pelted by tiny ice pellets for the next quarter mile.  Heck, the weather dudes didn't forecast this!  Ah well, at least it didn't rain.  We kept on, ending with nearly 3.5 miles/10,000 steps, meeting only a couple other hardy souls the entire time.  It felt good to get Out and About.  Keeps us halfway sane.

While snow has disappeared from our place,

some piles hang on forever.

Back on the home front, I made a quick pass around the yard.  Lo and behold, a native Giant Trillium is poking up from its hibernation!  Can spring be far behind?  (yes, it can)

A word on the Toastmaster toaster, which my parents bought when they first married in 1939.  It served us well for 82 years, but it died this week.  My youngest brother had it for a while after my folks passed away, then it came to us.  Jimmy (wizard man) tried to fix it, but it's shot.  It was one of the few toasters that had a clock timer in its works.  So, now we have to buy a toaster?  Think we can find one that'll last 82 years?

Finally, two weeks ago we got our first Pfizer coronavirus shots.  Next week we'll get our second jabs.  I wasn't going to participate in these vaccinations, but I figured the only way I'd get to travel anywhere would be if I could prove I'd been vaccinated.  Ergo, I capitulated.  After next week, we'll be ready to GO!

It's warming up in Nevada City! Wed, 7/5/17

If summer temperatures begin to soar, what would sensible people do?  Jump in Pioneer Park Pool, that's what!  The hour-long pool exercise class is held Mon-Thurs, but because the pool was closed on the Fourth, it'll be open on Friday this week, too.  That gives us more options and we like options!  From 10:30-11:30, you can either join the pool aerobics, swim laps, or just plain ol' enjoy being in the water.  Or any combination of the three (my choice).  Jimmy, with his new knee, likes to walk and work at limbering up that eight-week, post-op knee.

Best part is:  no hords of screaming kids during the hour-long exercise period.

Hah!  Looks like I'm gonna get a "foot sandwich" in this pic!

The water felt heavenly.

Best buds!  And nobody got hurt!

* * * * * * * * * *

We took clothes and shoes to change into when we got out of the pool so we could go for a short hike to the Chinese Bridge on the Deer Creek Tribute Trail.  Okay, I freely admit that my first suggestion of pool time was a lot better than my second proposal of hiking in the afternoon heat.  I didn't know it was going to be 90 degrees ... the last I heard was mid-80's.  Somebody turned the burners on high -- no fair!

Not much shade along the Newtown Canal "ditch," unfortunately,
as Jimmy leads the way.

We continued down to Deer Creek, often in shade on this part of the trail.

Nice bench, but not after the wood has been soaking up the sun's rays!

Quick photo, and then we popped up like jumping beans.

The attractive "Chinese Bridge" is perfectly placed at Stocking Flat, with picnic tables and benches nearby.  A memorial plaque near the bridge commemorates the role of Chinese pioneers, but frankly there was little creek cooling and lots of stifling heat, so we didn't stop to read.  Jimmy and Nannie above, walk across the bridge.

Deer Creek is dramatically lower than when Jimmy and I were here five months ago.

Click here to see.

We were looking for (and pointing to) fish in the pool below the bridge.

Zowee, look at the potential blackberries.

There will be lots and lots near the creek. 

Holy Moly, would you look at that sky!  While Nannie and I meandered down to the river to see how cool it was, Jimmy sat down to wait for us (above).  He didn't want to walk on the jumble of rocks -- too treacherous.  When Nannie and I left the river to return his way, I was very surprised to see the sky had clouded over and looked stormy!  We made for the car, not because we were afraid of getting wet, but we're wussies and wanted to get in air conditioning!  25 raindrops fell (woo-hoo!) on the car, spotting the dust that covered it.

Trudging up to the canal path, I spied this Manzanita.

Such interesting bark.

Well, so much for a clean car!  Champion Mine Road is dirt/gravel and it made a mess of the Prius!  Jimmy, bless his heart, gave it a quick hosing off.  The three of us pretty much followed suit inside!  After our showers, we cooled our heels sitting in air-conditioned splendor!  We were all kinda wiped out!

Later, Nannie said, "What we gonna do tomorrow?"

A welcome day of sunshine! Sunday, 02/12/17

Gung hay fat choy!  Gosh, with everything that's been going on in Northern California for the past month, Jimmy and I were overjoyed to see El Sol on Sunday!  Everyone loved this break in the weather and the glorious sunshine that prevailed for the Chinese New Year parade and festivities ... oh, yes, such serendipity.

Bad enough that our national political scene is chaotic and making many of us crazy, much of our local news has not been good.  A headline on this morning's newspaper (The Union in Grass Valley) read:  "Under blue skies, storm-related havoc persists." We've seen one storm after another slam NorCal, resulting in flooding, sink holes, landslides, ruined roads, major road closures, and people whose duck feet tolerance has run out.

Since Jimmy and I returned from Pasadena on Jan 8th, it has snowed a couple of times and then rain, rain, and more rain, often accompanied by wild winds.  We'd wake up to gray, gloomy drippy skies and go to bed under the same conditions.  According to the paper, Nevada City's "normal precip to date is 34.07 inches."  As of this date, 64.08 inches of precip has unloaded on Nevada City, two-thirds of it in the last month, and the wet season is still in full swing.  Atmospheric rivers is what the weather folk are calling these back-to-back storms.

What's queer about all this wet stuff is it follows five years of extreme drought.  At first, everyone cheered when rain was forecast, but the cheering stopped and the rainy weather wore mighty thin when damage reports began ... and it all became TOO MUCH.

We hit the "like" button seeing dancers and costumed lions and dragons doing their thing in the street; it was great fun.  Lots of kids were present and watching intently.  Quite a nice turnout for our little town. Drumming and dancing were part of the featured afternoon program, but we left after the parade. 

Lions and dragons stole the show! 

Each one of these critters stomped a head of lettuce and then "chewed it."  Next, each threw little lettuce leaves into the audience.  Apparently if you caught some, you'd have a prosperous year.  I'm down with that; Jimmy pocketed a small piece!

Well done!

The guy on the far left isn't in costume....

Aloha!  Hawaiian dancers getting ready to perform.

* * * * * * * * * *

When I last left you, Tergel was in the shop getting her broken slide fixed.  That was Jan 12th.  We picked her up (in the rain) on Feb 7th or 8th, almost a month later, but the slide now goes in and out as it's supposed to.  The culprit was a bad controller.  Nice to have her back, tho we weren't planning on using her any time soon.  Seemed weird to look out where Tergel is normally parked and she was gone! A gigantic puddle took over her spot.

I understand sunlight provides Vitamin D, which every body needs 😏.  Desperate to soak in some of that sweet Vitamin D, Jimmy and I hit the Deer Creek Tribute Trail after the parade.  Deer Creek runs through Nevada City and is the baddie that flooded our favorite Nevada City restaurant, Lefty's Grille, not once but twice, in January and in February, which hardly seems fair.  Right now, the creek is noisy and ripping along at a breakneck speed, but not flooding.  We've never seen it like this.

This trail leads to a fine new Chinese Bridge across Deer Creek.

Seems fitting that we'd hike here today on Chinese New Year.

At Stocking Flat, Deer Creek Canyon opens up to a broad floodplain, and here flood waters made swirling designs in the mud high above the creek's normal bed and depositing a wall of sand at the terminus.  We checked over a pile of small rocks to see if any gold might've gotten stuck between the rocks, but we weren't fooled for a minute by sparkly dots of iron pyrite.  It was a leisurely and lovely hike following a flat Newtown Canal path most of the way, a good thing for Jimmy who is thinking his right knee is the next one to be replaced.  

Who knew a couple of Pussy Willow shrubs existed down by the creek?  Someone or some critter had already torn off branches, so I helped myself to a few.  I grew up with a nice-sized Pussy Willow shrub at our creek in Niagara Falls and loved to feel the fuzzy, fluffy catkins.  Soft, like a kitty-cat.

I'm writing this post on Monday, after a hectic 24-hour period involving the Oroville Dam emergency spillway failure.  Yesterday, an immediate evacuation of Yuba City, Marysville and other communities downstream from the Oroville Dam was ordered, affecting close to 200,000 people.  These poor people are still in evacuation shelters or staying with friends or relatives while crews work to control erosion and avert disaster.  We are safe and not in harm's way, but I sure feel sorry for everyone involved in this.  Holy Toledo, enough rain already -- what a scary mess.

I just checked our 10-day forecast.  Good lord, it calls for another solid week of off/on rain, Thurs-Thurs.  Shoot me.