Fun with our Daughter and our Cousins

Kyria came for a visit, and we had some excellent fun.  She and Jeffery even let me win some games of Rummikub.  We went for a goodly hike on the railroad tracks from Rock Creek to past Swamp Creek, and the next day, went to Stover Mountain Ski Area near Chester, CA for some snow shoeing. We also had a nice time visiting with our Loomis Cousins in Graeagle CA after Kyria had gone home.  Love being with family!!

Kyria and Jeffery cross the railroad bridge a lot more slowly than I did.  

Rock Strata

Lupins in the rocks

One section of a pretty waterfall wall

Creek blow-out created a new open view

Close-up; can't you just hear it splashing?

I called this the "Pregnant Women Section"

Swamp Creek

Train a'comin'!

Cresta Dam and Elephant Butte

Loved the way the water flew over the drum-gate

Only one drum-gate is open

Mother and Child

The Stover Mountain Lodge

Inside the Lodge.  Someone has kept the woodstove all ready to be used, with fresh stove-pipe and chimney

Rope tow contraption?

View from the top of the ski run.  I'm in the photo.  See me?

Snow balls roll ahead; avalanche science in reality

Jeffery and the view

A different direction; Lake Almanor and Chester and the steep slope J&K will descend

Back to the bottom and almost to our car

Jeffery, Dana, Louise, Leslie, Sara, and Martin at the Graeagle Restaurant

All of us.  Sure did miss Grant being with us, too.  Next time!

Love this shot of us at the Dairy

side view

Interior view

Rear view

Medallion on the Dairy

We spotted this ant's nest, and this is only a wee bit of it.  As Louise said, "Run, run away!"

See?  Wasn't that fun?  Simple pleasures are the best, and Family is one of my favorite Joys.

Spring Things

I have skipped over many adventures,since they all look like post-flood stuff, but with Spring's arrival, I have more to offer by way of diversity.  A few storm shots still included; but these are consequences, not ongoing trouble.  Life is good here.  Spring is everywhere!

James Lee Campground road

Jeffery hung this sign using a ladder to get it up high in the tree.  Kathleen made the sign, and it really seemed to make a huge difference in the tidiness of the beach-goers in the three years it has been on display.  Guess Jeffery will have to bring the ladder back.  Also note the high water mark on the tree.

This shows the dune that was created by the floods, which has entirely transformed our community beach spot.  That's the tree with the sign on it.

Knight's Landing Drawbridge with the river still in flood stage.

Sacramento River at Knight's Landing.

Art shot of dock's?

Tile wall in Oakland

Kyria, Jeffery, and I went out to dinner in the Dimond District.

Pho

The traffic was actually moving along as we set out for San Francisco to meet up with Sierra Woods, who was in town for a pharmaceutical convention.

The new section of the Oakland Bay Bridge.

 Close up for my sister Lucy

The Yerba Buena Island to San Francisco span.

China Beach approach

That's Sierra in the far-ground center, strolling on China Beach

Crashing surf is always a bonus!

At the Legion of Honor

The Sutro Baths and Cliff House and Seal Rocks

Cool arch (heart?)

selfie-group shot

We went into the tunnel, but could only get so far in, as the tide had swamped its end

View from a Cliff House Window

One of the bars at the Cliff House

Jeffery and Sierra are lost in shadow so that you could see the view from the table we were given for our wee repast before we hiked back up the cliffs to our car.

dessert after chowder, crab cakes, and pot stickers

It made me think of Howl's Moving Castle.

path-side flower treat

One view of the Golden Gate Bridge

Jeffery takes Sierra's photo at the Fort Point access

It's a runner's thing; look it up!

We simply had to drive Sierra over the Bridge so that we could see it from the other side, and take a walk to the first tower.

Sierra at the North Tower

I like this photo of Jeffery, Sierra, and the Bridge.

This one is for Sierra's grandfather!

Coit Tower

close UP

One of the mural sections surrounding a window

and another

one more

Doorway arch

One view from the top of Coit Tower

and another direction

Coit Tower is open to the sky

We took Sierra down the Windiest Street (Lombard) which requires you to first drive straight up its back-side, and then continue down a steep hill after doing the curvy part.  The full adventure in every way!

What trip to San Francisco would be complete without a tour of China Town's food markets and shops.  We were astonished to actually find a parking spot there, which allowed us to do more while there.

It's Kite Flying Day on Table Mountain.

Sara flew the dragon

Jeffery's photo captures a sense of the gifts offered on Table Mountain

Grant has the coolest toys, which are specifically created to make flying kites easier.

There was an emergency rescue while we were there

Lot's of trucks and helicopters attended the rescue operation

Me and my sister on a blustery chilly day (a lot of folks were in shorts and t-shirts)

water has returned to Table Mountain

Sara and Jeffery on the edge of a precipice

One last view

Sacred Waterfall up close on a walk with Brenda today

Sacred Waterfall seen from the east

money plants anf pale green maple(?) hangings