"What A Beautiful Day" on Table Mt.

Tammy Edwards and I hiked Table Mr Sunday, to see the 

Spring wildflowers.  It was my first time to see this annual 

event.  I've been to the top on several occasion but  for 

some reason  never in the springtime.     WOW !

Tammy likes to do photography also and the goal was to 

take photos of what ever caught our eye.  Their are also 

several waterfalls to see this time of year.

It was early morning and not many people about.  Walking atop

the mountain was breath taking.  The green of the grass and 

the blues and yellows of the flowers was almost unreal.  Black cows 

still bedded down, enjoying the morning as much as we were.

The first waterfall we came to, had quite the trail getting into it.

There was a lot of butt sliding, getting to the bottom.

LOL....   "Getting to the Bottom on Our Bottoms"

Just Beautiful!!!   The photo on the right givers you some idea of 

the height .....   see in the top right corner, theirs a men 

and boy standing on the edge, looking over.

After some time well spent at the first fall we headed across the
 top again to the the next. Walking along the cow trails, enjoy 
the beauty of the morning.

Leaving the trail, we cut across a big flat that led us to a good size creek. 
 As we followed the water, Tammy pointed out Salamanders.
That was a first for me also, I had never seen them in the wild before.

It was fun crossing back and forth over the creek and finding 

Salamanders along our way.    

Just where the creek dropped over the edge of the cliff, 

sat this rock and tree.  A man and lady were there taking photos

and told us it was called the "Priest and the Pulpit"

The trail in and out of this water fall was much easier.

So beautiful!  that's Tammy standing to the left.  

not quite as tall as the first falls, but just as impressive.

Heading back to the road, we took our time stopping to take shots 

of flowers, landscape and cows.

There were so many different flowers, these caught my eye by the

waters edge.   The wind was blowing pretty good as we came 

back across the top, so shooting flowers was a little tricky.

Water flowing was sure a wonderful sight, even knowing it 

would be gone in a few weeks.

Tammy had pointed out these little flowers in the rock as we

 started out in the morning, but they were not open yet.  We made 

sure to look for them on the way back and this is what we found.

Had the best day.  The beauty of it all will be gone soon, 

but  Tammy and I are plan more trips for next spring.

Pretty Picture Monday

Thursdays Thoughts, April 2014

"Spring"  it takes on a different meaning this year.

Much of the country, can't seem to shake winter and the 

rest never saw it.  At least spring is making a showing.

The rains finally came, filling creeks, but not reservoirs or lakes.

No snow to speak of and no snow pack.  The grass has been growing

 good, but if it doesn't start to rain again, the grass and the state, 

 will be back where it was........ Dry.

The long term forecast shows a chance of rain, "maybe"

at the end of the month, but that doesn't look promising.

The fight over water is starting.  I think Fall is going to be 

the real indicator of how we all make it through this drought.

Lets pray, that the Winter of 2014 is wet.

Pretty Picture Monday

Pretty Picture Monday

The Biscuit Turns One

Today is Biscuit's First Birthday.

She is a Walking, Ranger Riding,

Cow Feeding, TP Terrorizer and 

Taker of Less Naps.

(That's the one that's hurting me)

She has changed our lives forever !

and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Pretty Picture Monday

Sunday Stills, The Letter " L"

I attended a photography class called,

"Winnemucca at Night"

My friend Cindy Quigley and I spent a week in

 Winnemucca NV at the Shooting The West

The Nevada Photography Experience.

If you like photography, this is a great event.

I had never taken night photos before

 and about an hour into the class, I was

about to give it up.   I was clueless.

After some one on one form our 

instructor Craig Moore,

I saw the "Light"

It was a great class and learned so much.

Check out Craig Moore at 

www.intofoto.com

Pretty Picture Monday

Winnemucca Bound

Hello!    

 Sorry the stories and photos have been far and few,

to many irons in the fire.

Sister Cindy and I are headed to Winnemucca NV this afternoon

for the 26 Shooting The West ... The Nevada Photography Experience.

Like two teenagers going to the prom ... all smiles.

Keep your fingers crossed, that the snow is light on the mountain.

;D

Pretty Picture Monday

Baby, Balloons and Basket

Daughter Dawn was by yesterday, the Biscuit is turning 

one year old next month.  Dawn is working on the big party 

and wanted photos for the invitation that she's making.

Isn't this a cut idea ... "Pinterest"     

Baby, Balloons and Basket in tow, we headed out into the orchard 

using it as a back drop.  It was a little chilly, but the kid was a trooper.

We had so much fun and Biscuit is a ham.

Although she was a little puzzled by all the yelling, whistling and

 clapping.   The neighbors probably though the cows were out.

This is my favorite.

Wordless Wednesday

Pretty Picture Monday

Sunday Stills, Things We Take for Granted.

Monday my husband and I flue over the Sierra Nevada

mountain range, on our way to Las Vegas Nevada.

It didn't start to rain in California till the coming Thursday and

 as we flue over, the lack of a good snow pack on the 

mountains below, amplified my concern.

A good snow pack is what feeds, the streams and lakes in the spring,

that supply water to our homes, farm and ranches.

With out it, it will be a long, dry year.

I am glad to say, that the mountains where completely covered with snow, 

when we flew back over them on our way home.

Thursdays Thoughts, A Good Soaking Rain

Yesterday, we had a good soaking rain all day, the first in 

almost two months.  About 3/4 of an inch here.  The earth 

has sucked it all up and we need a lot more, but it's better

 then a poke in the eye with a sharp stick and it brings hope.

Sunday Stills, The Letter F

Wordless Wednesday

Shooting In The Dark

That title has many meanings, shooting in the dark.

We drove by these fields on our way to Dixon yesterday,

They were filled with, Swans, Snow Geese and Mallard Ducks.

I stated, "I wish we had time to stop"

but we had time restraints.

 JS, promised if it wasn't to late we could stop on the way home.

He made good on his promise and we stopped.  As you can see it was 

pretty dark, and countries road in the valley are flanked by ditches.

Trying not to fall in one and watch for on coming cars, JS was very 

encouraging,  and even put the flasher light on for me.

The birds were in flight, that made the shots more interesting. 

The sun was down, that made the shot harder.  They're grainy,

but I'm happy with the look and like the subject. 

  Now I need to work on settings and patience.

As Ansel Adams said,

 "Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer,

and often the supreme disappointment."

Pretty Picture Monday

Click on Photo to  Enlarge

Thursdays Thoughts, Drought

The velvet green hills are still summer brown,

we pray and pray, but no rain to be found.

We ask you God for your help,

our farms and ranches wont survive this drought.

Thursday's Thoughts, Cookbooks

Cookbooks..... Make me weak in the knees...  Love Them!

My mom is a great cook and like most of the women in our family,

didn't get many opportunities to cook outside the realm of 

meat and potatoes.  Fried stake, Fried potatoes.

What's not to like?

Of course no newly wed of my generation would think of starting 

her marital bliss without the traditional Better Homes and 

Betty Crocker's newest additions.

Santa even brings Daughter Dawn and I a new cookbook

every Christmas.  This is my new one.

Mmmmmm................  Bacon

Martha improved my pie baking and pie crust.

"It's A Good Thing"

 Cookbooks have taken some real twist and turns over the years.

I've donated my share of bad ones to the Salvation Army.

About ten years age, Cookbooks turned back to the basics.

Finally!  real cooking, with real food !!!

Here are my old and new favotites.

It's still meat and potatoes and

"Man are they good!"

;D

Wordless Wednesday

Holidays, Oranges, The Biscuit and A New Year.

By now we all have the holidays pack away and

 survived the new year.  Or, maybe still working on it.

It was The Biscuits first Christmas and with four generations

 of family and friends, the kids feet never touched the floor.

It was pretty low key and peaceful even with a house full.

New Years was just JS, me and the two big hair balls.

December had us worried with the freezing temps, 

that not only would we lose our crop but our trees.

But the Harvest Gods smiled on us and we are having

one of the best years ever.

The Biscuit is walking and has two teeth, that she's trying out

 on everything and one.  She has also discovered her voice,

making faces and has mastered the art of stair climbing.

Nanna, went today and bought a doggy fence.

Baby fence......    ;)

Well,       a whole new year in front of us.

It's always like a big empty box setting there.

What to do with it?     What not to do with it?

Me.........   I have no resolutions, no plans and no promises

I think, I'll just see where it leads me.

Sunday Stills, White

Snow would have been a great subject for this challenge,

but do to a lack of it, I went with my old Camellia.

New Years Eve

"HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL"

A quite night at home for JS and I.

A couple of fresh crabs and prawns and 

 of course a loaf of Sour Dough bread,

it's California after all.

;D

Pretty Picture Monday

Christmas & Oranges

Now I bet your asking yourself,

~

Why don't she write?

~

Like the rest of you , tacks are many and time is short.

Made it through the freeze, How? is beyond me.

We should have lost every orange.

We've picked half of the orchards and have the other half sold.

"Thank You God"

we know who did that!

Getting ready for Christmas seems to take up more time each year.

I'm sure it has nothing to do with getting older...LOL

Christmas shopping!!  I hate shopping.

Well, let me back up......   I like shopping.

I hate standing in line and then lugging it to the parking lot.

Crowds of people and traffic, don't do much for disposition.

That might be a getting older thing too.

~

"MERRY CHRISTMAS"

Pretty Picture Monday

"Our Christmas Tree"

Freezing, Snow and Navel Oranges

I don't even know what to write, this is how my week began

and this is how it's ending. 

 Yes that's snow, and we have had snow here on the farm in years past, 

so... it could happen.   Chico is about 25 miles up the road, but their weather

 is not far off of ours.  Usually, freezing in the valley pushes warm air up to us, 

here in the "Banana Belt".   But when we get this kind of freezing day after day, 

for hours on end, there is no warm air left to push. I realize that compared to 

weather in other parts of the county and for my friends in the far north,

 this is short sleeve weather.   But!!!  if your raising Citrus,  It's Hell.

We've been turning on the water during the night hours, it keeps the air

 moving and ups the temperature....... a little bit.   It your lucky it will safe 

the fruit, now we just trying to save the trees.  I had a pipe blow the other

 night, but it's to cold to fix it properly, with out breaking more.  

Any port in a storm.

This is how the tree above the brake looked, 

makes for pretty pictures and a lot of heart ache.