Northern California Road Trip Adventure - Part II

...We pulled out of Verdi, Nevada early Wednesday morning after a hearty breakfast at Mel's Diner Boomtown (boy, that place has super food and service and lucky for us, it was open 24 hours!). Here are a couple photos taken before we started toward Truckee and Donner Pass:

Sun coming up over Reno, I-80, and the Truckee River (view from the KOA RV Park)

Had to take a photo of this. Boomtown is not only the best horse in the world! 

Pulling the pass was a delight, as always, because the views are breathtaking; this time of year especially, the contrasts of evergreen and bright yellow to red deciduous trees against the granite Sierra mountains is wonderful! Of course, taking photos from the passenger seat of the motor home is iffy at best but here a few:

Capturing the Stateline sign was almost a miss, just like the Nevada Stateline sign!

The journey over Donner Pass was not as bad as we thought it might be in the motor home, especially pulling the car behind and we made it to Colfax in less than two hours. We pulled over at a wide place on Highway 174 just outside Colfax to take the car off of the tow dolly and I drove it behind Clare (and Rango) in the motor home to Dad's place. Clare skillfully maneuvered the motor home down Dad's very steep driveway to the upper pad where we plugged in and set up camp for a couple nights. Next up are photos taken Wednesday afternoon. I went down to the house with makings for a stew and while I was getting that ready, Dad and Clare drove downtown to get a few groceries. Once the stew was on the stove (a brand new unit Dad acquired just weeks ago!), Rango and I had a walk down on the "prapity." As you can see, Rango had a grand time.

I posted this on Instagram too. I love, love, love the fact that Dad is so healthy and has made this place so very inviting!

Dad in one of three "wheelchairs." This is his newest; a 1954 Oliver Cletrac tractor.

The next bunch of pictures are proof that a dog can have the time of his life here!

Dad covers the paths with wood chips from all of the trees he cuts and splits for firewood. Makes for a soft running bed!

In the background is the tractor shed and Dad's 1929 Cletrac.

On the "logging" road down by the spring. the dogwood is just turning to red.

At the top of the spring.

I will close this post with one picture of the view towards the bottom of the four acre park. 

P.S. The stew was delicious and there was plenty left over for Dad to enjoy this weekend. He had gone to the Happy Apple Kitchen in Chicago Park and got an apple-cherry crunch pie for our dessert. Talk about delicious! Oh my! 

So very beautiful and peaceful!

Ta for now.

Less of a Mystery and More Scavenger Hunt Photos

Hello friends and family!

Lots of fun (and some not-so-fun, but I won't go into that!) happenings this month so far. Some good stuff for July's Month in Numbers!

In the meantime, I wanted to talk a little about my latest creative pursuit (actually, back at it in January of this year) - quilting! Oh yes, I know there are many of you out there who are quilters extraordinaire and my feeble attempts pale in comparison . . . but who's comparing when the process is so fun?! Yes, back in the day (80's and 90's and early 2000's) I stitched my own clothes, clothes and fun things for the grandchildren, and then started quilting. Well,  I  joined the Tooele County Quilters, served as group president one year and really "got into" collecting fabric and even making a few quilts (and finishing them!). I had retired from my job as a civil servant in 1995 and until October 2004 played at stitching, scrapbooking, working parttime at a garden center, scrapbook store, even a month at an insurance company (yech!). In 2004 I went back to work fulltime at the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), University of Utah Chemistry department. Although I still did the occasional crafty project, those pursuits began to wane and I was mostly spending off-the-job hours going to grandkid's activities, reading, and gardening. So, okay, to make what is beginning to look like a very long story shorter!. . . This last January I rejoined the Tooele County Quilters and caught the quilting bug. I have vowed - and my husband reminds me - to not let myself get caught up in any leadership/chairman/spokesperson roles but rather to just enjoy the meetings, the camaraderie of fellow fabric-holics, and making beautiful things!

One of the fun challenges each year is the Mystery Quilt, wherein those wishing to participate are given a new instruction each month to complete - I think by August - a full size quilt top. So, this year's Mystery Quilt started with the following formula:

Fabric Requirements:     Three fabrics as follows:
Fabric #1 - 2-1/2 yards (background)
Fabric #2 - 1-1/2 yards (focus)
Fabric #3 - 2 yards (accent)

Since I didn't have a decent "stash," I of course had to go to the store and chose a yellow/multi floral for the focus, gray on gray print for the background, and black with white dots for the accent. We have had mysterious instructions for the past five months and finally, in June, it is becoming less of a mystery and more like a possible quilt pattern! Here you go then:

 

Step #5 - Using the four patch blocks from step #3, sew together following diagram making 34 units. Following the next diagram use two of these units and make 17, 10-1/2" squares. 

You can see the colors and I'm liking how this looks! Now, what will we be doing with the 72 half square triangles from Step #4?!

Of course, Chester the cat had to get into the action:

:

Oh yes, here is a cute picture of BC resting on the charm quilt I made back in the 90's:

She is so darn cute!

On to three new finds for Rinda's 2015 Photo Scavenger Hunt. 

#5 - Architectural columns

This one had me stumped (not any outstanding architecture in this cow town) until I got to thinking that columns could be anything that is architecturally holding up something, yes?! So with that thought I took a photo of one of the older homes in town that sports four columns holding up the front porch overhang. Here you go:

This house has been painted pink and then purple until recently when new owners went for this mustard color - much more subdued. Also, where the rail fence is there used to be very overgrown lilac bushes which in the Spring were very pretty but obscured the charming architecture!

Then, #17 - At least two people wearing matching outfits or uniforms. My sweet girls down at the locally-owned coffee shop obliged me by posing in their matching aprons - and I must say, matching smiles too!

Then, #18 - An overloaded truck, car, bicycle or other vehicle. This photo may not cut the mustard but I thought it was funny. The cowboy started to head into the drive-up ATM but thought better of it and parked his horse and walked up! 

Actually, this truck is plenty heavy enough to handle the horse . . . if there were more than one horse in the back, then, yeah, it'd be considered overloaded. I will continue to look for a REAL #18 photo opportunity!

One last thing before I sign off here; if you happened to miss my Instagram photo of receipt of  a copy of Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee that I pre-ordered from Amazon back in February, here 'tis:

I started reading yesterday after I took it out of the box and am loving it. Every bit as wonderful as Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird!

Bye for now.

More Finds for the 2015 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt

Hello, hello!

Following along with Rinda's Photo Scavenger Hunt, I'm happy to add a few more finds.  Yesterday after taking a photo of the college campus down the street and then the traffic signal on Main, it occurred to me that (duh!) there are [#9] tents aplenty set up in parking lots selling fireworks for Independence Day celebrations! So, without further ado, here are not only photos of a couple of those, but a few more to whittle down the list.

#1 - A bouquet of flowers

Appropriately, an Independence Day bouquet! Display at the entrance of Albertson's market.

These, I thought, were lovely, but I didn't buy one; probably because I am pretty single-minded when I'm at the market and headed right for the steaks (for tomorrow's BBQ), cob corn, and watermelon!

#7 - A turtle

There is some controversy going on amongst hunters, I've noticed, about turtles vs. tortoises. This, after looking closely, is most definitely a tortoise; a plaster yard-art tortoise. 

I will continue to look for a "turtle" but in the meantime, I am going with this! :)

# 8 - Someone 'plugged' into social media

My husband and BC (Barn Cat) checking ...

...the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboy's Association) website which for him (my husband, not the cat) is social media!

Hoping this works!

#9 - A tent

And here are two of the, at least, three tents set up to sell fireworks for the Independence Day holiday; and, in Utah, Pioneer Days on the 24th  of July.

I thought it was cool the way I captured the big U.S. garrison flag in the background of the second tent! Doesn't take much to entertain me!

#10 - A college or university

The Tooele Regional Campus of Utah State University right down the street!

I suppose I could also claim #5 - Architectural column with this photo, but I'm hoping to find something a bit more elaborate. That is all part of the hunt, right?!

#14 - A traffic signal

Stopped at Main Street in Tooele, heading east on Vine.

This is certainly not as original as the traffic signal on the lock that Amanda put up, but it's representative of the signals in this small town. You can't see in this photo, but Main Street is under construction and traffic is very dependent on these signals!

#16 - A panoramic view taken while standing someplace high in the air

I was standing on a knoll above this, looking down. This is the Wyoming Wild Horse and Burro Shelter in Rock Springs, Wyoming.

There are lots of wild horses here, all gathered by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) as part of the Wild Horse Adoption and Management Program. This was one interesting bit that we saw on our day road trip to Rock Springs on the 21st of June. Rock Springs isn't much to write home about, but people probably say that about Tooele! :)

So, here's how the list looks now:

SCAVENGER HUNT LIST

1. A bouquet of flowers
2. An ornate door knocker
3. A person walking a dog (or other animal)
4. People playing a board game or card game
5. Architectural columns
6. A metal bridge
7. A turtle
8. Someone "plugged in" to social media 
9. A tent
10. A college or university
11. A cellular tower or television satellite dish
12. A public restroom, bathroom, or toilet
13. A merry-go-round or carousel
14. A traffic signal
15. A flag pole with at least three flags on it
16. A panoramic view, taken while standing someplace high in the air
17. At least two people wearing matching outfits or uniforms
18. An overloaded truck, car, bicycle or other vehicle
19. A ticket booth
20. A natural body of water
21. A photograph of you with a sign reading "2015 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt". Note: you may not use a substitute for this item.
If you find something on the list too difficult, you may substitute one of the following items for any one item on the list, except for Item #21:
Alternative A: People eating outside
Alternative B: Someone holding an umbrella
Alternative C: A rocking chair

Ten out of 21 - not too bad for one month and three day's worth of hunting! Tomorrow I'm pretty sure I will find #17 (people in parades tend to dress alike!), possibly #13 (there might be a carousel at the park but most likely it'll be a bounce house!), and definitely #19 when we go to the rodeo tomorrow evening. I should consider capturing the alternatives, just in case by September 22nd, I've not found a couple that may give me a problem; like, #4 and #18!

Happy summertime greetings from HOT Utah!

I'm Back! (Perhaps!)

Hi, hi!
Long time no post; funky family stuff happened that put a stop to alot of things, but that's a story for another day . . .
Here it is 16 June 2015 and not only am I another year older but life is a treat now every day! Won't go into everything that's happened and/or changed because that would be an epistle of some length. However, one of the prompters for coming back to blogland is the startup of Rinda's 2015 Summertime Photo Scavenger Hunt! This was so much fun last year that (although I didn't finish because of mentioned stoppage of everything pretty much) after reading over the list, I wanted to jump in on the challenge! So, without further adieu, here are photos I've scavenged so far: (Some of these have been posted on my Instagram account #rindas2015photohunt.)

#3 - A person walking a dog (or other animal).

In this case, it is a person (my long, tall grandson) LEADING another animal, Pedro, the horse!

#11 - A cellular tower or television satellite dish.

Cellular tower at Sweetwater Events Center, Rock Springs, Wyoming

DirecTV satellite dish on our house roof

I know, that's two, but they were so accessible!

#15 - A flagpole with at least three flags on it.

This is a collage of two flagpoles: Panel #1 is at the Green River, Wyoming recreation center (US flag, Wyoming state flag, rec center flag); Panels #2 and #3 are the flagpole in front of the Green River, Wyoming High School. By the time I took these photos, it had rained so hard that the flags were plastered to the poles!

I thought this one would be tough to find, but on Sunday's roadtrip to Rock Springs, we pulled into Green River and lo, and behold, there were two poles displaying three flags! Of course, when we first spotted them, the flags were flying straight out. You can see in the second picture that it was raining when I took the photo!

#20 - A natural body of water.

The Great Salt Lake, Utah. 

Okay, I think I'm off to a pretty good start! Four out of 21!

Hope to check in again soon! Have a happy week!

Summertime 2014 Photography Scavenger Hunt #18

Hello, hello!
Listening to the rain pattering on the roof of our motorhome on this first day of the long Labor Day weekend. We've finally gotten a chance to get away for a little holiday/vacation, just the two of us (and Tip, the dog). Spending a relaxing five days at the Echo Island Ranch just outside Coalville with Clare's sister, brother, and sister-in-law. And because the campground is located on the Weber River, I thought that of course there would be a waterfall to fulfill #18 in Rinda's Photography Scavenger Hunt. And so there is!

It actually is a man-made falls but it takes water and re-circulates it from the river and looks quite natural. The flora all around is what grows naturally along the river too as you can see in this picture of yours truly.

That's the Weber River in the background. 

We're having a lovely time even though at the moment it is raining. No worries. We are snug and dry in our home on wheels!

Ta for now!

Sunday Zoom In Zoom Out

Sunday Hello!

I thought I'd join in with Helena's meme, Zoom In Zoom Out, for Week 34, after seeing what I saw (and photographed) this afternoon. I was sitting out in the sunshine finishing up the book Pearl by Mary Gordon when I glanced up and saw this swallowtail on the butterfly bush (appropriate):

I went into the house and grabbed my proper camera (as opposed to my IPhone) and snapped away. Above is the zoom out and below are a couple zoom in's!

You will notice that this very beautiful creature is sporting an imperfection; that is, a tear in its wing, which of course I didn't notice until I zoomed in. It didn't seem to impede its flight from bloom to bloom. I found this to be a wonderfully delightful way to spend 20 minutes or so. Thanks, Helena, for providing a platform for sharing photographic wonders!

Laters and have a wonderful week!

Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt 2014: Three Quarters of the Way Through!

Yup! Fourteen photos found for Rinda's Challenge. Last week (as in 15 to 19 July) we were in the southern part of the state, the city (I use the term very loosely!) of Panguitch for a rodeo; anyway, those four days provided quite a few opportunities to scavenge photos for the list. Panguitch is very much a tourist town because of its proximity to "Color Country," including both Bryce and Zion National Parks. So, although I suppose we could've been considered tourists, I was on the lookout for real tourists, and while in the local market (Joe's Main Street Market) ran into this group:

You'll have to take my word for it that they were a group of young tourists from France - I asked them, of course, if I could snap their picture (in my best pseudo-French!), and they were happy to oblige. When we got to the checkout and joked with the cashier about it being busy in the summer, she said, "Yes, and you are some of the first people to speak English so far today!" there you go, #4 - a group of tourists! 

Next up, #5 - a rack of postcards. Actually, I snapped two racks of postcards (again, while in Panguitch since finding postcards in Tooele was tough - see this post). The first was just inside the door of Joe's Main Street Market:

The second was in a funky little "un-tiques" store, Cowboy Collectibles. It had this rack of "vintage" postcards which I had a hard time resisting. . . I'm a sucker for old-timey papery stuff!

I actually wanted to snap up the rack too as I could see it in my craft room! hehe!

#9 - A bakery. Also on Main Street Panguitch. I really wanted to go inside but when I got these pictures, it was closed for the day. 

One other find while in Panguitch was #21 - A photograph of you with something representing the season. Although I eat ice cream in any season 8), I don't generally eat it outside an ice cream parlor; that, I think, can be considered something representing the season. Also, I seldom wear sunglasses except in the summer when it is very bright; and, after seeing myself in this photo, I [will] never wear sleeveless tops! 'Nuf said about that.

Tip, the dog, looks ready for an ice cream too!

Okay, so back home again and I captured four more photos for the hunt. Like Julie in her quest for finding #3 - birds on a wire, I had some difficulty too (although I was not as creative in looking about!). However, there are alot of wires in our neighborhood, but when I was looking, the birds weren't landed! Until, Saturday morning while relaxing with a cup of coffee on the patio I spied . . . this:

Yes, the foreground bird on a pipe is representative of the birds on the wire in the distance - doves. They are as plentiful as pigeons in the city. In fact, our Colorado blue spruce trees are dove condominiums! This next photo is of two birds on wires above a chokecherry bush just up the street a ways. These birds, starlings, are also very plentiful in these parts. 

Next up, #8 - a tattoo on a person. At first I was thinking this one might be tough to fulfill as, although there are plenty of tattooed persons to be seen, none of them are known by me well enough to photograph . . . until, our granddaughter and her fellow came out for an evening visit. They indulged me by showing off their tattoos; very enlightening for this old gramma!

What a cutie this girl is - I love her dearly! Thanks for being so cooperative my dear!

#1 - A sign welcoming people to your home town. This photo is the welcome sign on the north end of town. I can't remember what the sister city thing is about and I'm too lazy to find out right now - hahaha! I will photograph the sign on the south end of town next time I'm out there. It, I think, has info about when the town was established, maybe population and elevation. For now, there's this:

Then there's #16 - A sign in a language other than English. This is a billboard out by the railroad tracks on the west end of town. It is sponsored by the AdCouncil and the US Forest Service and the literal translation from Spanish is, "In your home to the forest in less than 90 minutes."

[Ack! I just ran out to close the windows on my car because a surprise thunder storm is passing through; am soaking wet.]

Even though I've already posted a photo of a sunrise (#13), I think this one taken last Friday, the 25th, is clearly a SUNRISE.

I've got seven to go, and I'm thinking that finding #15 - a juggler, is going to present the biggest challenge. Maybe I'll make a special trip to Cedar City for the Utah Shakespeare Festival; there's bound to be a juggler or two there! haha!

Here it is almost the end of July. What a summer we've had thus far!

Laters!

Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt 2014 - Beginnings

Hello!
Here again with a few words about another challenge I've taken on . . . thanks to Julie's Month in Numbers where she noted that she'd gotten seven of 21 photos for this challenge.  When I went here and saw the list, I thought how fun and "should be easy!" Well, I've gotten four so far and now find my mind is dodging here and there trying to figure out how to get them all! Rinda's list is truly a CHALLENGE but I'm game. Here's the list:

SCAVENGER HUNT LIST

1. A sign welcoming people to your home town (or a nearby town)
2. A garden gnome
3. Birds on a wire
4. A group of tourists
5. A rack of post cards
6. An urban street scene
7. A rural landscape
8. A tattoo on a person
9. A bakery
10. A photo bomb (someone found lurking in the background of photo; the lurker may have intended to disrupt the picture or may be doing it unintentionally, but the background lurker is a surprise to the photographer)
11. A horn
12. A mascot
13. A sunrise
14. A parade
15. A juggler
16. A sign in a language other than English
17. A lamp post
18. A water fall
19. A public garden
20. A bus (not a car, truck, lorry, camper or RV) with a picture painted on its sides.
21. A photograph of you with something representing the season (recognizing that the season will be Winter for our friends in the southern hemisphere). Note: you may not use a substitute for this item.
If you find something on the list too difficult, you may substitute one of the following items for anything on the list, except for Item #21:
Alternative A: A kite, hot air balloon or blimp

Alternative B: A bird house

Okay, so here are those four:

#7 A rural landscape. This photo was taken at 7:15 a.m. (MDT) on June 18. It is the landscape we look at every day from our backyard. Of course, now (and, in fact, by the end of the day June 18th) the snow is melted. Note the seagull (Utah's state bird if you can imagine!) winging its way to the County Landfill probably! haha!

#10 - A photo bomb. I was taking this picture of the library to add to my Collect calendar and thought I was good when, boom, this reading patron blew out of the door! This was quite unintended on my part but a good one to use to check off the list!

#13 - A sunrise. This photo was taken at 6:30 a.m., July 2nd. the sun is just striking the tops of the trees as it peaks over the Oquirrh Mtns to the east. This I suppose, could also be considered a rural landscape as it is the same view as #7 above. But, since I took it at a time when I'm not usually up and about, and the rainbirds are still on (farmers must turn them off by 7 a.m.), I'm counting this as a sunrise! What do you think? Okay?

#17 - A lamp post. There it is to the left here at Veteran's Memorial Park in downtown Tooele on July 4th.

Alrighty then! Thanks, Rinda, for this fun summertime activity. It beats setting up a lemonade stand on the front lawn!

In other news . . . our two high school rodeo-ing grandsons arrived back last night from Winnemucca, Nevada and the Silver State International Rodeo, loaded down with great memories and accolades for super performances. They did especially well steer wrestling, both of them making the "short" round yesterday morning. Grandson Ty came away with this championship saddle for best average of the three rounds during the week. Woohoo, Ty!

Last year grandson Tee won the championship saddle at the Panguitch Invitational Rodeo. It seems we're getting quite a collection of leather! We'll be heading down there on the 16th again this year. 

That's it for now! A-hunting for photos I go!

Ta!