Thanksgiving Eve

Jeffery and I came down into the valley a couple days early, enjoying the sights along the way. Yesterday, we went out to the coast near Bodega Bay.  It was such a nice day; even the breeze was warmish.  We had a momentous joy when we found our friend Wally after about 20 years of wondering where he was.  And we saw Charlotte and her parents, Bryan and Amy.  All in all, much to be thankful for!

We startled some geese off the water  in the rice fields near Gridley on our way down

One of only three Old Faithfuls in the world

The artist, Patrick Amiot, has spread his recycled-items artwork all around Sebastopol.  I offer several of them below.

Her tail is made of coffee can lids

one of my favorites

love this motorcyle's works

old ironing board surfboard

this sign has to be pretty darned old.  the house has neon outlines, too

I add this for my mother, who collects whales

call me a rebel

one of only three real Five and Dime stores in the country, we were told

Jeffery on a rock

the beach below Goat Rock

Spud Point Crab Company, where we dined on freshly caught crab and yummy clam chowder

It was true

Wally!

Charlotte in her Merida (Brave) costume

Trip to Chico on a Rainy Day

A few views of my rain-washed ride from Little Indian Creek to Chico this past week.

Little Indian Creek

The P.C.T. trail west of Little Indian Creek

fluffy frondy thing along the river across from the Maple Leaf

Chipps Creek

Our front steps

Swamp Creek is running fuller after the rain!

I love this shot of the Cresta Powehouse

Here's the Powerhouse itself ; we call it the Cresta Hilton since in 1986, Jeffery and Craig escaped the floodwaters to spend the night here.

the penstock at Cresta

a different angle on it

and yet another view

rain be-dewed clover

Wheelock Rd corner; down in the valley

the downtown park in Chico

Chico Post Office

The Senator theater

topped with birds

another view of the downtown park

Monday Hike

Brenda took me up the Chambers Creek trail, from 2000 ft up to around 4600 ft elevation.  I spent too much time just gazing at the views, and not enough taking photos, but I post these, both to show that I reached that landmark and then some; and to lend perspective to the rock plinths on display.  I tease Brenda that she is my perfect model if I ever compile a book of the Very Large Natural Objects that surround us here in the canyon and Plumas County.

approaching a switch-back turn

how did these rocks get here like this?

the base of the diamond shaped rock - such interesting natural stacking/erosion effects

see Brenda leaning next to it?  Behind the rocks, the mountainside simply falls away down to the river.

Seen along North Valley Road and around the Canyon

A few views of things seen, mostly in the Taylorsville-Greenville area.  Had a nice bike ride today as part of a car-tour with Jeffery around the valley,plus visits with friends and stops at fun shops having their Christmas open house weekend.  These photos are of the more au naturel variety, but I wish I'd captured the places we visited, too....
I also neglected to photo the few snow-clad peaks around the valley, but it was a lovely Autumn day!

these rocks are down near Chambers Creek, close to Tobin

young afternoon light

tiny pretties in the verge along the road

an interesting contraption

what was standing 10 feet away from me, behind the contraption, with two additional does not in the frame

sunset clouds over Greenville

I'm not sure what this is, but I'll ask, and update when possible
(update: Jeffery calls it a gauging station)

Brenda approaches the first bridge beyond the Caribou Powerhouse

we did not cross.  we might on a dry day, but not a wet or frosty one.

Caribou P.G.&E. camp