summer breakfast on the back porch

Solstice is a week away but summer has definitely happened in our backyard. Nothing better than a Saturday breakfast on the back porch.

breakfast remains

Mike made one of his very Scottish Spanish tortillas, accompanied by my Scottish smoothie, and Java Rhumba coffee. Scottish, because we look around at the remains of food from the week, and then compose.

a view into the neighbors

We can barely see the Mike's porch. All of us were enjoying the morning. Including cats.

Gris

Gris-gris finished his morning neighborhood patrol and has settled in for a snooze.

there's no place like home

 

Returning home after eight nights of camping, fishing, canoeing, eating, drinking, yoga, knitting and campfires I always become intensely aware of the joys of home: Gris, the garden, my next door neighbors, seemingly endless hot water, a refrigerator, sushi close by. Camping is a wonderful way to leave behind the complications of our lives and find the essentials. Keeping warm, dry, fed, and as clean as possible become major concerns of the day. Mike and I remain solidly wedded to our tent camping experience, seemingly the last of many of our friends who are heading upward into bigger trailers, with complicated awnings, the need for solar panels, generators, and freezers. We have our ways of avoidance.

cooler management

Above is a photo of my very successful system of keeping ice. Under the towel is an expensive, and worth it, stainless steel Coleman cooler. Keeping a moist towel covering during the day is very effective way to keep it cool. The amusing thing was the first morning at Yellow Creek Mike discovered the towel was frozen. Must have been cold last night we said.

Above illustrates our setup and shows how we meet our basic needs: the tent, clothesline, wash station, table with appropriate table cloth (easy to wipe off, heavy enough to not blow away), our chairs, stove. We manage to pack this all into milk crates and fit everything into the back of the truck.

We spent three nights at Lassen National Park, and then joined our friends at Yellow Creek, a traditional gathering spot the first week in June. We arrived a day earlier than we had told everyone, the lure of hot dog night, and their companionship seemed a better choice than a large impersonal campground.

After hot dog night, a bit of potluck affair, where paper plates are permitted, we all take turns at dinner. These meals have evolved into somewhat elaborate affairs. Below is Frank's turn with pork tenderloin and a lima bean dish, a recipe passed down from his mother and modified by Pat (his wife). The salad, a dish from his daughter included pepitos, Mexican cheese, fresh red onions, and cilantro dressing. There was warm bread ( it was discovered the smoke alarm does work in Kent and Lynn's RV), and ice cream, raspberries and chocolate sauce for dessert.

The following night was our turn, the traditional paella everyone expects from us. Like our camp setup, we are the masters at simplification, paella and salad. Dessert, again simple, halvah and Turkish delight from our local Al Jazeera market.

Mr. Paella

One would think with all these gatherings that we might run out of conversation, but we all seem to gather every morning for coffee at campsite #3. The fishing does not happen in the morning, instead bird watching and wildlife observation.

The days pass quickly and suddenly we are all gathered again for dinner. This time Lynn and Kent's slow cooked chicken and chorizo dish, with couscous, orange salad, beets, asparagus, and pita bread. I'm getting full just writing about it. Dessert was Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars (freezers are handy for some things).

 

Oh my god, we have one more meal to go! We can do this. Bill and Martha prepare leg of lamb, marinated, butterflied and grilled to perfection. Of course with caesar salad, asparagus, and garlic bread. Garlic bread so good I abandoned my gluten avoidance and had several pieces. Cookies by the campfire for dessert.

We watched the moon growing every night.

after dinner, before campfire and dessert

 It was a good trip, but I am glad to be back.

what will they find when I am gone

Mike sent me this tonight after reading excerpts from "Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant", by Roz Chast. You see we have a set of unused Bocce Balls in the basement that I purchased on Ebay fourteen years ago. Good ones, never have touched our hands. When I retire I'm taking up Bocce. Oh and there is also a giant colander, a garage sale find. It was such a good deal we couldn't pass it up. If I take up canning on a full time basis, it will come in handy.
So what will they find in your house? My mother had a closet full of plastic margarine containers. I have to fight my genetic predisposition for saving such items. Mike fights the urge to buy every Coleman lantern or stove he sees for sale at this dangerous season of garage sales.

the blogger returns

The sewer is done and we await concrete.

And the marigolds are all planted. I'll be ready for Dia de los Muertos.

And I'm ready for a bath and a glass of wine. And maybe a day off. These weekends are tough.

eastside in april

The weather gods were in our favor this year. We managed passage over Sonora Pass in the small four day window it was open. I felt like we were entering a world where few had been before. It was fresh and clean. That was Sunday, by Tuesday the snow returned and it was closed. But we were safely over on the eastside, returning to all our favorite haunts.

The spring brings different birds migrating. We were treated to a flock of white pelicans floating in the lower reaches of Hot Creek.

In all the years we have been coming to the Owen's Valley this spot never fails to inspire awe in me. Hot Creek is a lush creek, with warm water from the hot springs feeding into the creek. And the backdrop is the a view into the Sierra.

This year I was able to stand there watching the pelicans circling in the air, twenty-two of them, by my count. As they move upwards in a spiral you loose sight of them as there wings catch the sunlight at an angle that hides them. And then they reappear, their black wingtips appearing.
By Friday we were ready to make our way north, by way of Reno to spend the night with friends, but we had been spending much time looking at the approaching storm, well aware we were driving our two wheel drive truck. We do carry chains, but the thought of having to use them was not something we wanted to experience. But again the weather gods were watching out for us. They gave a good warning to hurry along though when we went up into Mammoth to get gas. It was starting to snow hard enough that by afternoon there were chain controls to get up into town. But with a full tank of gas, and a loaf of chili cheese bread (an eastside treat from Schats Bakery) we were heading north out of the snow.
When we reached Mono Lake though we were treated to this view:

Mike gets credit for the above photo.
This is mine:

We made our way uneventfully to Reno, where by evening the snow was falling there, giving us an incredible view from the warmth our friends dining room table looking up to Mount Rose, snow sticking to the ground and trees. By morning it had melted off enough for and easy passage over Donner Pass and again a landscape that was clean and white. I am more than happy to not live in snow, but I do enjoy the occasional visits. This was a good trip.

viparita dandasana and other musings

I thank the person in this photo, and give credit, who ever she is. This is what we were working towards tonight. But with a couple of different approaches. I got close, and I am still able to walk and type. Friday night yoga is a wonderful group of mixed levels, flexibilities, and general willingness to at least try and help each other out. And it is the helping each that I enjoy.
The blogger will be off on Sunday to the mountains, streams,  yarn, books, and yoga. Time to catch some fish, sun, and fresh air. Recharge.

red converse

When you've had a hard week at work, the last purchase you made was glucosamine, your nightly conversations seem to revolve around sewer replacement and concrete work it's time for a little pick me up.