County Fair Time

It seems to be the season for County Fairs. When I stopped in Watsonville, California (DH's hometown), on my way to Uncle Dan's, I took the opportunity to visit the Santa Cruz County Fair. It was so relaxed and entertaining, I wish I could have stayed for the evening and enjoyed all that was offered.

I did take time to visit the handwork / needlearts displays. There is an amazing amount of talent - photographs, paintings, needle work, canning, cooking - in all the area. I took a few photos of the quilts......





This was one of the demonstrations offered and manned by a delightful lady willing to answer questions.

















This one, by Susan Roach, covers the pillows and the sides of the bed.






















A simple, but carefully planned, quilt block is very effectively executed by Jo Bridges. I LOVE "scrappy quilts" and especially love the bright colors in this one.

The Secret Tomato Stash

In the midst of all the beautiful California landscaping here at Uncle Dan's place, there is a tomato plant. Now, everyone knows you can just put a stick in the ground in this State and it will grow, but no one knows from whence this tomato plant came. Nevertheless, Uncle Dan and one neighbor have spotted the plant and reap its harvest at intervals. There is no rivalry about it, although I did pick one lonely one yesterday and immediately devoured the tasty morsel (after washing it of course). Last night the neighbor appeared at the door and presented us with a small bowl of vine-ripened cherry tomatoes.
"Your portion of today's harvest," he announced.
I wonder how many people walk past that plant every day and never take time to notice.

I have been promised a trip to "Tony's" today. Great Mexican food, not Tex-Mex, it is the California version.

Uncle Dan took this photo is of a goup of mariachis at Quail Gardens. "Si", they are living plants!

Looking Through the Lens

Having traveled down the coast of California after deleting all my previous photos. I can only offer this view of the coastline. Wild, treacherous, dangerous, yet at the same time the scene stirs a calm in the midst of constant change. One only has to wait for the sunset to experience a feeling of pending renewal for a new day.










This blooming cactus is right outside Uncle Dan's back door.
"Blooms every year," he says. It fades in the sun nd heat of the day.
There is a stability about this place that leads their GD C8 to call it "home." I always find a sense of love and acceptance here.














We visited "Quail Gardens" today and there was not a quail in sight! The arboretum abounds with bright colored flora and little creatures such as this lizard sunning on a convenient rock.













Yellow canes of bamboo glisten through the dark coolness of the arboretum path. I can't complain about the heat when it is 20 degrees cooler than home and a lot less humidity. Besides, there is so little concern about having plans spoiled by rain!

Notes from Utah on Thursday

I had only planned a short hike in "The Valley of the Goblins" in this Utah State PArk, but they keep luring me in further and further. Walking in the midst of the earthen formations, overseen by the Henry Mountains, out of cell phone contact, and no one else in sight, it seems I am alone in the world. I am, for a short while anyway. I am not sure if there is the noise of small insects around me, or if it is just the silence. Silence, it seems, does have some sound. I wonder what you hear in a sound-proof room.

I started this particular journey, through the formations, about 9 a.m. and it is now beginning to heat up. I wish I had know they were open until 10 p.m. last night or at 6 a.m. this morning. I could have come at sunset or before sunrise for the phot-ops. I did have the foresight to bring a backpack, water, a camera, and of course, paper & pen.

My footsteps beat a hollow rythym on the firm, packed earth. Each rain washes away all the imprints left by our feet. I wonder if it washes away our thoughts, or do they linger in the netherland of another time. It is rather like hiking through a Rohrsharch (sp?)Test. I see mushrooms; turtles resting atop flat stones; one on top of a lion's head; a huge arm, carved and ready to place on an unseen statue; a huge nose, for the same statue perhaps; and various other animals. It is easy to see how how some might interpret the formations as giant phallic symbols and Freud would have a field day with that.

There are many beautiful places to stop here, but I must content myself with only a few and a promise to return and spend more time.

Blog Withdrawals

I have been having computer withdrawal symptoms.....unable to get proper computer time....all photos from trip until now inadvertantently deleted....now, I am on a computer as a "guest" at the library in Watsonville and it is so slow that I will not be able to write my blog up-to-date. At least I got on this time. Seems everyone has discovered the library acess.

Oh well, maybe at Uncle Dan's when I finally get there....

Colorado or Bust!

Colorado is, as always, beautiful!
The contrast of blue, blue sky with the varying shades of green in the pines is breathtaking. The quaking Aspen and intermittent stormy skies add enough variety to keep me from getting too complacent.
I stopped for a pinic lunch in the midst of all this. Simple fare - an apple and Gouda cheese (I discovered there is no lactose in Gouda or Edam cheese) - eaten while I sat on the back bumper of the car. I was enveloped by the beauty and silence of the mountains. Only an occasional rash of passing vehicles disturbed the quiet, making the silence even more profound when the noise was gone.

I visited some of the places associated with the family name in Buena Vista and Salida, Colorado. The places were not new to me, DH and I had visited them a couple of times before. Sadly, the old school building that DH's father had attended, looked very bad. The bricks are extremely deteriorated all around the base of the building. It appears that it will fall in the near future. The trees that provided climbing joys for several generations, are overgrown and will surely show the wear after this winter's snow and ice. The land (and building?) were donated and reverted to the owners when the place was no longer used for a school.
I passed many deteriorating buildings in the area. I understand the extreme cost of restoring them but what a shame no one documents them.

One of the things I was really looking forward to was dinner at "The Laughing Ladies" in Salida. Unfortunately, they are closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I missed out! Actually, i missed out on two good restaurants because I passed up the one in Buena Vista that serves elk and caribou steaks, thinking I would have dinner at "The Laughing Ladies."
Live and learn. Be sure to stop in if you are ever in the neighborhood.

I spent some time at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison today. It was certainly worth the stop! It might be more impressive arriving from the West but I took a short hike and stood in awe at the majesty of this place. Was tempted to walk down to the creek which is supposed to take only about an hour, but the return is quite arduous and takes about two hours. I had to content myself with the view from above. Sorry I can't post photos from the computer at the hotel.
I headed across the beautiful mountains, moving from mountains, trees, waterfalls, and greenery, across Monarch Pass and the through the tree line, to the red rock formations and desert of Utah. Over all, the same gorgeous blue sky.

I am stopping a little early tonight because the next services are two hours away and because I want to visit "The Valley of the Goblins" tomorrow morning. Somewhere along the way, I missed the "rare freshwater geyser." I can see that I should spend a lot more time in Utah some day. Hmmm.....seems to me I have said that before.

On the Road....

I am on the road and a rather lonely business it is. I have been passing through areas DH and I traveled, sorting through my memories, and will keep on moving. I just make myself get out and take advantage of the areas I pass through.

The GPS system in the new car is great! I still don't always trust it, but am learning how to use it to my advantage. There is always a learning curve. The good news is that I get about 27 MPG on the road, about 400 miles to a tank, and the traffic has been light.

I am in Pueblo, CO, headed for a visit to the old home family stomping grounds. Have a little more info to look up, then will head over the mountains toward San Jose.

I will be looking for more computers along the way. There was one at the hotel the other night but an elderly gentleman spent the evening and the morning on it. I wonder if he spent the night at the computer?
Hugs to all......