Summer at Home

Upon returning home from our recent voyage to the various mountains of Northern California, we found our yard bursting forth with the ripe fruit offered up by the July valley heat. When we first moved here, I planted some blackberries along the fence near the clothes line. It seemed like a good idea. I mean, it was a good idea. The berries have been really happy there with the morning sun and afternoon shade. They offer up their sweet tempting scent on the breeze while I hang out laundry. Often they are difficult to resist. But I tell myself to finish hanging up the clean clothes before indulging. On more than one occasion I didn't take my own advice and set some nice stains on otherwise clean laundry. I cannot be trusted.

I love the way the berries ripen in waves. There's always a few red ones that hold out a while longer while the bush offers up its dark sweet ones in the meantime. I pulled almost enough ripe ones off to make a crisp. Almost. It's a good thing that I also planted a Persian Mulberry tree in the way-back. Mulberries and Blackberries are a delightful combination for pies and cobblers.

Passing by our summer garden on the way to the orchard I was rewarded with views of cheerful sunflowers and zinnias, towering pole beans and corn, fat zucchinis and cucumbers, bursting fire of red jalapeños, juicy tomatoes, the pungent scent of ripe ambrosia melons, zesty basil and the hopeful remaining mounds of potatoes that the dog didn't yet dig up. 

Aha! Mulberries! For years Michael referred to this tree is my $30 stick. I babied it along. I really didn't think it would survive, much less thrive. It took a good seven years or more before it started to produce fruit. And now I get rewarded with waves of ripe mulberries that surely outnumber our blackberries. This tree also throws out clumps of berries where some will be red and not yet ripe while hiding the juiciest purple gems beneath the shade of its leaves.

Mulberries are very delicate berries. I'm sure they don't travel well. That's probably why we don't see them in supermarkets. Just look at this hand after picking mulberries. I'd say I was caught red-handed. Guilty for sure. I would make up for it by making a crisp for dessert.

Here is my berry medley ready to be prepped for dessert. Nom nom nom.

I may have mentioned that Michael is the number one poultry farmer here. We have more chickens and turkeys than I can shake a stick at. How many, you ask? I really have no idea. Really. And those young turkeys are always getting into trouble. Once, when they were younger, a bunch went missing. He found them all clumped together in a food canister into which they had fallen and couldn't figure out how to escape. Recently while we were on vacation the young ones were escaping their pen and ranging with the older, bigger ones. Our resident Major Tom was having none of it and sort of terrorizing the young upstarts. Michael is regularly back there sorting birds into one area or another as they regularly re-sort themselves as they please.

The other evening we heard a clatter and found one of the young white ones perched on the roof of the chicken house. Turkeys!!

Also, when we returned home from our recent vacation, Amira took off again. She was invited by Henry's family to go with them on their boat up to Lake Almanor. I think they had a great time. Henry's parents shared some great photos with us.

On the boat at sunset ...

Relaxing at the country club ...

Sharing a meal ...

Valerie hasn't yet been able to luxuriate in time off. She is really putting her all into the fast-paced CNA program. I think she is really into it. She was taking our blood pressures the other day and showing us disgusting pictures of gangrene - no thank you!  Here she is collapsed into the hammock on the back patio trying to have a private phone conversation when I couldn't resist barging in to take a photo. She hadn't even changed out of her scrubs!

Now that we are back at home, we can give the pets the attention they deserve. They had the critter sitter come by daily to give them treats and visit. But, hanging out on game night with us is the bees knees.

Summer Vacation

About a year ago when Rex was still in Long Beach and Valerie was ready to head to Oregon we decided that 2020 would be the year to take a family vacation, all five of us, someplace together. So, we picked our dates: June 27-July 6th and asked everyone to make sure that their calendars were clear from obligations so we could perhaps go to Spain or something exotic. 

Our plane tickets had been booked and I was prepared to update the passports in March when everything became very serious and we had to hunker down. Even if I had wanted to still update our passports, the passport offices were now only processing emergency travel requests.

As the calendar pages flew toward summer and we hunkered down together attempting to social distance ourselves like good citizens, we knew we were not going abroad. Our income was depleted and it just wasn't safe to get on an airplane. But now we were all desperate to get out of the house. What could we do to catch a break and not be part of the problem? And we needed to do it on a more restricted budget. Well, the good news is that camping started to open up in California. I quickly grabbed a spot at Lake Siskiyou for a few days.

At this point Valerie had entered a CNA program (postponed from April due to COVID) and Rex had some other obligations. So, Michael and I packed up Amira and her friend, Sarah, and headed for the hills.

Here is the view of Mount Shasta from Lake Siskiyou. I never get tired of this view. There was shockingly little snow on it this year but it still maintained its magnificence. 

We brought the kayaks up for a paddle. The cool mountain air was such a contrast to the valley heat. Honestly, I think the water temperature was warmer than the air temperature. We inhaled the pine fresh, clean blue skies of the mountains as we rippled through the lake in the shadow of the mountain.

One of the super fun parts of camping at Lake Siskiyou for the kids is the giant floaty-splashy zone. Here is Sarah screaming down a giant slide into the lake.

Sarah and Amira splashed out toward our kayaks so I could get this photo. With the much cooler temperatures and coming in at the end of the weekend to early part of the week, we were able to avoid crowds. The girls practically had the whole splash-zone to themselves.

Even the beach had roped off areas for families to maintain social distancing. As you can see from the photo, it wasn't really an issue on this day. 

Sunshine, fresh water, mountain air ... those girls were sunkissed and exhausted at the end of the day.

We had an amazing camping spot. It was supposed to be large enough for twelve people. Our tent tucked back nicely between the trees.

On Monday we drove up to Castle Lake, above Lake Siskiyou. I was too chilly to get into a kayak or the water so I made like a lizard in a patch of sun on the shore and played photographer. The water was so clear! One side of the lake was covered in lush flora while the other side had impressively looming cliffs that lead up to the even higher altitude of Heart Lake.

Here are Amira and Sarah paddling out on the far en of the lake near the cliffs and the U.C. Davis research platform.

Good news! The only bear we saw on this trip was on a bottle.

I love a good campfire. There were marshmallows every night! I think my hair still smells like smoke. But, gosh darn it, it was worth it!

On the way home we took the girls by Hedge Creek Falls. Waterfalls are always magical. Again, it being a Tuesday morning, we had the place practically to ourselves. I'm sure this place is a zoo on a hot weekend.

After a a twenty-four hour laundry and bathing adventure at home, we headed up into the Sierras for vacation part II. I'll never get tired of this view over Donner Lake as one comes down off the Old Highway by Donner Ski Ranch (where we were married) and Sugar Bowl.

Michael's family cabin is always welcoming. It's tucked away from the street and nestled in the trees. This was going to be more mountain adventure without the campfire potpourri. (I'd had my fill and the scent of my washed hair still held the souvenir scent of camping).

Dining alfresco!

Wildflowers that naturally pop up in front of the cabin are a sunny welcome!

Michael and I hadn't actually caught any fish at Lake Siskiyou. But first thing upon arrival Michael caught a fish at Donner Lake.

Even I caught a fish! In fact, it made an awesome lunch the following day.

We were so excited that Rex could join us for a couple of days at the cabin. He took the kayak out too.

We actually saw a bald eagle fly over the lake to a tall pine tree at the beach before taking off again to it's mysterious nest in the mountains somewhere. I'm grateful for the binoculars so we could verify what kind of bird it was and see it up close.

When tuckered out from the altitude, glacial water and fresh air, snacks and games at the cabin provided a nice respite.

While fishing one afternoon we could see a waxing moon rise up over the hill. It was pretty spectacular.

Again, mountain views over a lake ... I can't get enough. These pictures do not do it justice.

Rex, Sarah and Amira went for a hike with me on Friday afternoon while Michael did some cabin maintenance. We padded up part of the Pacific Crest Trail.

While my three mountain goats scampered up the boulders, I hung low and admired the wild flowers. Also, what an intimidating looking wasp! It has what looks like a long stinger on the back. Michael looked up this insect when we got back to the cabin. Turns out that wasps with largely visible stingers like this don't sting. Good thing! I imagine it may have been responsible for pollinating all the lovely blooms on the mountainsides. 

Challenge accepted! Rex is king of the mountain. (Living up to his name, I guess).

This was an interesting critter. I stopped on the path to take a closer look at what appeared to be a fur coat thrown over a boulder. Upon closer inspection (thank you again, binoculars!) it appeared to be a rather large squirrel or prairie dog looking varmint. It's difficult to see the scale in this photo. Take my word for it, while no Yeti, he was a chunker!

July 4th still brought crazy crowds to the beaches and lakefront. (But still not as large as in years past since the annual fireworks show had been cancelled and many people were opting out of crowded public spaces). 

Michael and I found that our little fishing spot was still rather secluded. So, we used this point from which to gawk at the throngs of giddy party animals.

Sarah and Amira took the kayaks out on the Lake after Michael and I had our fill of riding in the wake of the power boats.

As mentioned earlier, Valerie didn't get to come on the vacation with the family as she has been hard at work on her Certified Nursing Assistant program. Also, she miraculously got a hair appointment. She decided that changing from green hair to brown hair would improve her employment prospects.

Valerie loves to take Rosie out to Starbucks for a "puppaccino". (I believe this is a free cup full of whipped cream for the fur babies).

On the morning of our departure from the cabin we had a little visitor out front. The woods are, indeed, magical!