Dog Days, to Aug 11, 2026

It's hot.  Dog Daze Hot.  This is to be expected in summer.  But that doesn't mean I have to like it!  Thank goodness the Dog Days end today ... sigh, just not the broiling heat.  Anything that needs doing outside should be done early, the earlier the better.  This month we've seen the weather service post heat advisories many days in a row.  Stay hydrated, they say, which we do.  Especially since we can't seem to "observe" the early morning caution, and I'm not sure why since we're up early.  Go figure.

Here you see Kane Springs Rest Area near Hole 'N the Rock, Utah (south of Moab).  I had quite a few unseen gorgeous red rock country photos from our New Mexico trip home a month ago, but too late to post 'em; we've moved on.  So, I picked just this one because I think it looks like it could be a movie set.

I can show you one more.  On the left is Flatbud Prickly Poppy along Hwy 50 in Nevada, and Desert Willow from the above rest area, at right.  New posies for me.

We've been busy since our return.  Yard work takes lots of time.  NorCal hasn't had measurable rainfall in a long time (two months?), so everything is dry dry dry.  Spring flower stalks had to be trimmed, a small Pacific Dogwood lost its life and had to be cut down, weed-eating, etc.  You know, yard stuff.

In between, we've trod our dusty Cascade Canal trail as often as possible (usually early) and we've been on our bikes locally several times.  Fun days with cards, dinners out with friends, a band concert in Pioneer Park, The Odyssey at our Onyx Theater (have you seen it?) Plus, the usual dentist and medical appointments.  

Meanwhile, on Sunday, July 19th, Matt and Evie, and Jimmy and I, attended the California State Fair at Sacramento's Cal Expo.  Sure, it was HOT, but the four of us had a grand time.  We rode a few rides (yeehaw!), visited a couple of exhibit halls, ate some gnarly fair food, walked our little feets off, and plain ol' sweat buckets.  Jimmy is standing on his tiptoes in the above pic, trying to gain height, but not enough to catch the three behind us on stilts! (How DO they do that?)

We took very few pictures and only these two survived.  Look at Evie!  She's at the age where smiling at the camera is boring, making faces is cool. 😉

All of us have the Nevada County Fair to look forward to this week, from Wednesday to Sunday!  We'll be there!  (Trust me, it'll be hot, sizzling hot, it always is for Fair week.)

Wishing for a change of pace, one (late!) morning Jimmy and I hiked the Independence Trail East, high above the Yuba River.  We put in four-and-a-half/five miles and one of us overheated (oops, me).  We won't do this trail again till winter!  Hard to see in the pic, but people are on the rocks and in the river.

Here we go again!  On the trail, my strongman, Jimmy,

holding up this huge boulder!  Good job!

First time I've seen this one -- California Sweetshrub in bloom.

Also along the trail.

Well, now, a bunch of time was spent on this -- it's a crappy subject, but Imma tell it anyway.  After 14 years of living in our house, we decided it might be time to pump out our septic tank.  "Everybody" said we should do it.  We scheduled Navo and Sons.  They arrived with their big (sh*t wagon) truck, below, top left.  They poked around the dirt, dug down and found the lid, top right pic (red x in the hole).  THEN it was determined the other lid was beneath the sidewalk! (red ? on sidewalk, same pic).

Jimmy and his friend, Cliff, tried to figure out a way to cut the cement themselves, but in the end (sorry), they said to call in a professional.  Days later (above), you see Mr Cement Man cutting the sidewalk, and in the picture next to that is a red x where we're guessing the second lid is.

We moved into our house in 2012 and in 2018 we had sidewalks poured all the way around the house.  Who knew the sidewalk was poured right over the septic tank lid?  Septic tanks have two compartments with two lids.  Both have to be pumped.  Don't poo-poo all this valuable information.

So, Navo and Sons returned, the guys aghast at having to lift two VERY HEAVY slabs of cement before searching for the second lid.  They were troupers, though.  Got 'er done.  Pumped the crap outa it, so to speak!  It took three fellas to replace the sidewalk slabs, and we'll eventually have to tweak them to get them set properly.  All done!  The three red x's show the sidewalk cuts in the last pic.  Whew.  We don't plan to ever do this again!

In between times, remember it's summer and that means picking and canning! Marlene and I canned 18 pints of peaches one morning and I canned 9 pints of plum jam/sauce on a different day (Jimmy helped). First time making fig jam today! (Figs from our friend, Laurie's, tree.) And, of course, tomato season is around the corner.

We're hoping ongoing road construction on Hwy 20 -- our gateway to the freeway -- and on I-80 itself is finished, as we'd love to take the bikes to the high country without major delays. We haven't been up to Truckee or Lake Tahoe in a long time!

Last week we received a brochure in the mail from OAT.  They'd really reduced prices on 2026 trips and one of them sang the siren song:  Chile & Argentina | Land Adventure | Overseas Adventure Travel.  We booked it for Oct 8th-26th and then threw in the (optional) Iguassu Falls post trip.  Our return home is Oct 30th.  Want to join us?

And, away they go! From June 22nd

 

There really wasn't much discussion.  When I mentioned it to Jimmy, he said, "sign me up!"  We figured out the logistics and decided it was doable, so I said, "yes" to Sharon.  We originally met Sharon and Randy on our Galapagos trip in April 2018.  Randy volunteer/works two weeks every summer on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.  Sharon will join him after his stint (they live in Atlanta), and this year Jimmy and I will join them!  We've been talking about riding the train for years and we're happy that, a) we'll see our friends, and b) we'll be riding the train this year!

We filled Tergel with all the necessaries and gave her a once over on mechanics.  Since we'll be traveling in summer, not something we normally do, I made reservations at campgrounds and went into sticker shock at the prices we'll be paying.  But the temps along the way will be too hot for us to dry camp or stay at Harvest Host locations (no hookups).  We'll need A/C!

Highway 50, that ol' lonesome road, is the most direct route to get to Chama, New Mexico, and so we set off on Mon, June 22nd.  Across Nevada and Utah we endured the heat.  Unfortunately, the cab A/C didn't want to work, so I lost some weight from sweating () Once we're set up, the coach A/C is fine.

Above and below photos, we passed by the Ruth Copper Mine (Ruth, NV) with its monstrous mountains of tailings.  We wondered aloud if the piles had grown larger since the last time we blew through town.

Our first night out we stopped in Fallon NV, which was HOT but okay.  Spent the next night in Ely, NV at a KOA, which has nice shade trees, but still HOT.  On Wednesday we stayed at a Love's RV park in Salina, Utah.  In itself the place was good, but smoke from the Cottonwood fire stained the sky (below) and forced us inside.

Tergel and Smartie.

Out of Salina, we enjoyed the panoramic views on I-70 through Utah.  In fact, we pulled in at a couple of viewpoints, like the ones in these pics.  Since leaving home I believe we've cruised along in Tergel always at elevations in the 4000-6000 ft range, topping passes over 7,000'.

Raven photo-bomber.

Looks like Utah, doesn't it?

So many different shapes and sizes and colors and cliffs and mountains and ranges, sharp or undulating or rounded or heaped, that's Utah scenery.

We continued from Salina to Monticello Utah, first on I-70 and then turning south on Hwy 191, past Arches National Park and Moab and into Monticello, where we're spending two nights at Mountain View RV Park.  Two nights here gives us a bit of a rest from driving.  We'll leave Saturday morning for Rio Chama RV Park, over a thousand miles from home.  If you look at a map, you'll see we're not killing ourselves by driving 400 or 500 miles per day.

Hwy 191 is amazing, as well as somewhat tortuous for its long climbs, but the scenery is what makes it.  Well, most of the way.

Approaching Wilson's Arch (at 60 mph).

Fast catch on Wilson's Arch (at 60 mph).

We call these two the alligator or turtle,

and in the background is church rock.

We had a plastic dish with some over-the-hill senile grapes.  A horse lives next door to the RV Park in Monticello, so we thought the horse might like a treat.  Oh yes, you betcha.  We only gave her a few, one at a time, and she was very gentle taking each grape from our hand.

* * * * *

We asked at Monticello's Visitor Center for hikes in the area.  A helpful lady suggested we walk around the old Monticello Uranium Mill site, giving us directions.  This is a pretty small town, only about 1800 people, but the uranium/vanadium mill wrought havoc on everyone.  Construction on the mill began in 1940.  After the mill closed in 1960, the guv'mint stepped in for remediation and cleanup (boy, it needed it!) from 1989 to 2004.  If you're interested, read up on it.  Initally, the townsfolk welcomed the mill for economic and patriotic reasons, but later faced pollution, health concerns, and economic decline after its closure.  You can imagine the health concerns.  (More photo-bombing Ravens!)

Posies on the trail, L-R, top:  Palmer's Penstamon and Crownleaf Evening Primrose.  Bottom L-R: Scarlet Globemallow and Lupine.  Lots of Penstamon and Lupines here at this elevation.

Today we enjoyed an innocuous enough mile-plus hike along the site.

Quiet.  Peaceful.

After that, we found Lloyd's Lake, a lovely turquoise dammed lake west of town.  The water level looked down.  For the most part, the 2.3-mile loop hiking path around the lake is in full sun, so we elected to simply go till we wanted to turn around.  No problem.  Lovely, lovely day, with a brisk breeze keeping us cool.  The lake looks small in the pic above, but it isn't.

Jimmy starts out.

The Abajo Mountains in the distance added to the overall beauty.

Fuzzy grass provides the light color near the lake.  We watched a lady mule deer come to the water's edge (red x) for a drink, before ambling up through the fuzzy grass and into the scrub oaks.

Here she is.

Upon leaving the lake area, we wound our way up into Manti-LaSal National Forest, up and up and up.  We topped out at 8850' before turning around.  Into the Firs, Spruces and Aspens, beautiful.  Drove through Dalton's Campground, shooing deer and turkey out of our way, a fine place to stay, but not for us.

At 7,000' the days are fine and the nights are cool.  Wind turbines are nearby, so you know it's windy!  That's our week so far!

Sisters together! to June 4, 2026

 

Air travel ain't what it used to be!  Expensive, cramped (even if you pay for extra room) and not much fun these days.  But I do enjoy looking down on puffy white clouds -- they're far more interesting seen from above than craning your neck looking up at them!  Like rounded piles of soapsuds, fragile and cushiony, these same clouds can create mighty bumpy conditions when the plane plows through them.  Anyhoot, Nannie picked me up in one piece at Baltimore's (BWI) airport Tuesday evening, and we'll commence a week's worth of fun, games, and happy memories!  Oh boy!

Wednesday was catch-up day, walking the North Beach boardwalk/pier, cooking Nannie's famous spinach quiche, and watching Remarkably Bright Creatures on Netflix that evening.  A sweet day for us.

It was decided to drive down to Point Lookout St Pk on Thursday -- where the Potomac River meets Chesapeake Bay, roughly 60 miles south of her house -- new territory for both of us.

The peninsula is surrounded by water, of course.

Photo of Lake Conoy.

Every lighthouse is different.  No need for this one to be TALL, just visible in this area with a long maritime history and many recorded shipwrecks.

Built in 1830, and expanded in 1883,

with the light raised to 41 ft above sea level.

In 1965 an automated light was built on a sandbar, dead center of the pic (enlarge to see it), and Point Lookout St Pk was established.  The lighthouse light was extinguished for the last time on Jan 11, 1966, and the Light Station was turned over to the US Navy.

The cost to get in the state park was three bucks and we could tour the grounds and lighthouse, including up into the "tower."  You just know we had to climb up there, crawling through that tiny opening.

Did it!  You see the opening at my feet.

It was hot inside; we didn't linger.

And back down!

We walked and walked and walked, including looking for sea glass and shells on the Chesapeake side of the grounds (Nannie found a piece).  The sun was hot and there was no shade to be had.

I was surprised to see Prickly Pear cacti here, in bloom, no less!

Not easy to see much detail, but if you enlarge the pic, maybe you can make sense of it.  In 1862, the grounds served as a port, hospital, garrison, and prisoner of war camp for the Union Army during the Civil War. Thousands of soldiers perished due to harsh conditions in the marshes and swamps of the peninsula.  We didn't tour the cemetery.

Civil war barracks, redoubts, etc.

This area offered shade, for which we were grateful, as the day was full-on heat.  Above and below, we walked the Civil War era grounds.  Now, hungry and our water bottles emptied, we headed for the park entrance and ranger station.

We refilled those water bottles and met the cutest, most personable Diamondback Terrapin, below.

No, he's not looking for food, he just wants to interact with people.  He followed our hands/fingers all around his tank.  He's been lovingly cared for by the rangers for over eight years.  His name is Seamus, and isn't he pretty?  Or I guess I should say handsome.  The beloved Diamondback Terrapin is Maryland's official state reptile.  Now, you, too, know. 

I like taking pics of these old barns in the area.  Nannie and I left the park, trying to find a picnic table in the shade where we could eat our lunch, but no go, so we ate in the car -- in the shade of a fine old tree.  We both enjoyed our excursion to the lighthouse and didn't get home till 4:30!  We have a tendency to go check out various side roads, also. 😊

Back at the house, here's a shot of one of North Beach's Osprey's atop a nest near the pier.  We hear the couple has two chicks in the nest, hallelujah!

Tomorrow we'll do something different.  Stay tuned.

Here, There, Everywhere to June 1st

 

This was our third bike ride in May, which is not really a big deal, a bit less than 50 miles all total.  However, we have to hook the bikes to our car and go away from home (because our mountainous narrow twisty-turny roads are not safe for us to ride on, except for riding to the airport), so it's actually a bit of work and it takes time to get somewhere else.  But, with the ideal weather this month, how could we resist being Out and About?  (Well, the weather turned cold and rainy (!!) the last week in May, which is great for this dry climate but obviously no bueno for biking.)  BTW, fire season begins today .... 

On the 20th, we drove to Beal's Point and parked at Folsom Dam to ride the American River Parkway trail.  What a gorgeous sunshiny day!  Folsom Lake (no photo, sorry) was full as a tick from winter rains, thank goodness, and the river itself was fast and cold.  You see a lone kayaker in the above pic, but we saw lots of watercraft along the way.

Mom 'n Fluffy on the paddleboard.

We like to stop along the way to "see what's going on," and these next photos are from a stop we made to eat granola bars and polish off a Gatorade.  Hey, buddy, where's the rest of your tail?

Two kayakers quietly paddle up a slough or American River estuary.  I took their picture while standing on a bridge, turned around and on the other side, I spied the handsome duo below.

Loved seeing both the Blue Heron and the White Swan.

Parking the bikes at our turn around point, Jimmy checks the water temp.  He pronounced it, "cold." (No surprise) Behind him, rapids are beginning to show.  And we always ogle the fancy homes on the hills overlooking the river, picking the one we think is best.  "Oh, I like that one," kinda thing.

Riding past and below Nimbus Dam, we took an extra spur trail today, and came upon fishermen, both on the riverbank and in the water.  See the dot in the center of the pic?  Fly fisherman.  They may be hopeful, but we didn't see anyone hauling in a fish.

We always enjoy riding the parkway trail, no matter which section we do, always fun.

* * * * *

On Friday, we wanted to do something different and about burned up our brains trying to decide on something other than the same old-same old.  We settled on hiking beside the Newtown Canal, aka Deer Creek Tribute Trail.  Like our Cascade Canal, this canal is a former hydraulic mining ditch which now delivers water for the Nevada Irrigation District (NID).  The canal is roughly 6"-12" deep, zips along like gangbusters, and we even spotted fish!

While not a new trail for us, we haven't been here in a long time, maybe close to a year? And it leads 150' down a zig-zag path to the Chinese Bridge and Deer Creek.  A sunny day, we appreciated the shade that the trees provided.

 

L-R, top: Sweet pea, California (pink) Honeysuckle, middle:  Indian Pink, Golden Poppy, bottom: Seep Monkeyflower, and Twining Snakelily.  I won't say we saw an abundance of wildflowers, but, yes, flowers were still around and are always a delight to see.

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard floating merrily along the canal.

What a stellar day!

* * * * *

If you can believe this -- our granddaughter, nine-year-old Evie, graduated from third grade this week!  Above and below, she's standing with her teacher.  Not the best quality pics because it's a picture of a photo, but she sure looks happy!  She's a natural beauty!  Good show, Evie, congratulations!  On to fourth grade in August.

That's about it from Nevada City.  Almost, that is.  Tomorrow morning I'll board a Southwest jet bound for Maryland and a week's visit with my sister, Nannie!  Oh boy!  Maybe I'll post some of our shenanigans.