A SHORT DIVERSION

 

“Short” is tongue in cheek, but at the end you’ll understand

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Don’t forget to join me coming Monday – Tue on SEASONS

For: Randomosity (THE GOOD), Water World, Good Fences, & Weekend Reflection

We go over this bridge to Early Toast

 

THE RANDOM: The service has been excellent every time. I had a veggie crepe with hash browns. After this brunch, saw the flowers outside, sauntering through mid town historic Jackson (Gold Rush) and saw the sunset on the way home (Jo’s Walk) – just a short diversion  in a busy week

While eating our crepes, I thought we could order Irish Coffee
and three times Irish it was!
Hubby’s eyes got real big, and asked for a normal coffee to blend it in
since he had to drive

 

 

 

THE FUN: Taken by our waitress. Had my camera on automatic. Am glad her waitress-ing is better than picture taking….
Spent some time with this pic in photoshop

Warm Heart: the clincher about our marriage is that when we announced the wedding, everyone was vehemently against it (some for the most lame reasons), because it was the 70ties and marrying another race was just a very bad idea, now I can say, “Really!”

 

In that time it took 3 1/2 years to work this out, so this is to all the letters we wrote each other, he in Berlin, I in the Hague before we could tie the knot. (Tue Treasure)

For Fri. Hunt:

Begin with H:  Happy to Negotiate. With hands covered in dust – “If you don’t take it, I will!”- a 30 lb. soapstone (like alabaster). Went from the Netherlands back with this one in my backpack back to Los Angeles, and another heavier in our luggage:). No problem at customs in either country, when I told them how much I saved in Holland-  happy:)
Family:  of Artists – my sister substitute:)
Most Favorite (pic): hubby & I

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treasure Mercantile has a simple white shop door, but the building has the colors and architectural
style I like (Mundane Monday). We’re here in the Gold Rush(1849) area that made “the Californian dream” famous.

 

Forty four years ago seems like the day before yesterday

That’s when we tied the knot
(Six words Sat.)
…
just a short diversion!

 

Thanks to All the hosts
Blue Monday *  Randomosity  * Jo’s Monday Walk * Mundane Monday *
Our World * Tue Texture *  Tue Travel *  Trees & Bushes * Tue. Treasure  * Nature Notes  *
ABC Wed. – F * Outdoor Wed.*  Wordless Wed.  *  Communal Global * Water World *
*Little Things  *  Good Fences * Thurs. Door *  Warm heart *
Sky Watch  * Weekend Reflections * Floral Fri Foto  * Fri. Photo Journal  * Fri Greens  * Blooming Friday  * Fri Hunt  *
Maleviks Rosen  * Pink Saturday *  Six Words Sat.  * Sat. Silhouette *  Todays Flowers  *

 

WHERE IS THE SUN AND THE BEACH?

 

After a few weeks, now growing into a few months, we have the wood stove burning with the Dutch antique kettle on. The latter to bring more moisture in the air. Has rained quite a bit last few days, and everywhere around streams of water have appeared at low points between the hills – so pretty and fresh green!

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TO COMMENT: Click on the title of THIS post, scroll down and a comment form will appear on the bottom of this post:)

Everyone in this area on the mountains has a wood stove, added to central heat
I miss the sun. I know – no stamina:)

 

For Friday Hunt: this photo is a sneak preview of next week’s post (Jan. 29)
Start with E: Sunday Evening
Weeks Favorite Photo of bloggie friends – the kettle and stove (runner up: the quirky house)
Sky: last photo

We had rain – that means snow in higher elevations. No Snowmageddon, although a new pack of snow last weekend. The only time when it’s trafficky in the weekend when  lines and lines of dirty cars with ski’s and snow boards came back 20 min. from higher up the mountain on Sunday Evening .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOOD:

Enjoying outside dining and the texture of these outside dining chairs

and the cheerful White Camellia (Below)

 

Warm Heart:
One tire of our Mercedes/Dodge work truck Sprinter was (way too early)  at the point of exploding, so hubby needed to buy 2 new tires. Businesses here do everything to keep their customers. When he went to Michelin to buy them, they gave his extra $$ off, by waiting for their truck to transport the exploding tire to be researched by the main store, instead of just sending it:):)

 

 

 

 

 

THE RANDOM: The same quirky house in Capistrano with Door, Fence and Reflections once posted on my previous blog, but with a few changes.

 

THE FUN: This tiny bird with long sharp beak (forgot the name) caught on Southern California beach

 

 

This background is all sky – missing the sun and the beach!

 

California’s drought is over for now
(Six Word Sat.)

Thanks to All the Hosts

These are all the links, so clicking on it, brings you back there!
Blue Monday  *  Randomosity  *
Our World *  Trees & Bushes *  Nature Notes * Tue Texture  *  Tue Travel * Tue. Treasures *
ABC- Wed. – C *  Water world  * Outdoor Wed.  *  Communal Global  *
Little Things *  Good Fences  * Thurs. Door  * Warm Heart *
Sky Watch *  Weekend Reflection  * Floral Fri Foto  *  Fri. Greens  * Fri Photo Journal  * Fri Hunt * Todays Flowers *
Sat. Silhouette * Maleviks Rosen  * Pink Saturday *  Sat. Critters *  Six Words Sat.* 

FRIENDS WALK TOGETHER

Some friendships we have for a short period in life, others for a life time.
Some friendships are to be likely to happen, others unlikely.
Some friendships we keep because one thing we have in common, in others there are multiple things that bind us together.

Jammy (see comments) gave me this idea – you may know a lot of people, but it does not mean they are all friends. A friend I can call at 2:30 am to bring me to the hospital. I can cry on a friend’s shoulder, without he or she losing respect, or viewing me differently than before.

Something to think about: Some friendships bring well-being, other friendships may be toxic

This turned out to be an unlikely, life time friendship with multiple things we have in common.
Unlikely  because they are the age of our own adult children. Life time,  since we have known and kept up with each other for more than fourteen years. Our love for books we have in common, discussing things, healthy food, love for people, etc. etc. have enriched my and hubby’s life.

 

 

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The view of fountain and patio below ground level is where we met each other after a year ….

 

 

 

THE GOOD: From the railroad museum in Old Sacramento, sauntered on the board walk of the harbor
I taught their momma knitting. You can see both of their daughters have a lace scarf:)

 

 

THE RANDOM: Fences and Reflection

Then walked  back to the streets with the shops ….

 

 

THE yummy FUN: while friend was purchasing strawberries on our way back home, I sneaked in a few pics of organic produce

 

 

 

 

 

 

We came home LONG after this gorgeous light

 

 YOU HOLD ON TO GOOD FRIENDS

(six Words Saturday)

 

 

*Blue Monday  *  Randomosity *  Wordless * Jo’s Monday Walk  *
Our World  *  Nature Notes  *  Trees & Bushes *
ABC – C   *  Outdoor Wed.  * Water world *  Wordless Wed.  *
Alphabe – K  *  Little Things   *   Up Down view   * Good Fences  *
Floral Friday Foto  * Sky Watch *  Fri Photo Journal * Fri Greens * Weekend Reflection * Todays Flowers *
Maleviks Rosen *  Pink Saturday * Six Word Saturday *

 

TREES ‘n THINGS

Never thought I would blog about machines and trucks,
but these represent something near to my heart.
They were needed to make the ground level for my art.

 

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THE RANDOM:  With all the work below, we still took out time, taking breaks
shooting flowers in the backyard (below) and sunsets,
did go out to eat occasionally:) – where I included myself
unintentionally

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOOD – the beginning for the mold of the concrete wall behind the fence. The fence and gates are gone.  This account is for posterity – the BEFORE pic.
At the end of this post, the soil has come to the top of this wooden wall

 

 

 

The gas tank got a new concrete platform , more out of the way. Sadly,
these trees were all cut (below)

 

 

 

 

As a layman,  I had no idea what it took to build a retaining
wall,  so  in exasperation that the (mold)  form  took so long,
“Needs to build a mold, but he’s building a castle!”

Hubby in blue sweater pours concrete for the retaining wall
– which is a wall to hold the soil in place
(only half of the mold here).

 

 

 

Taken by hubby – Catch the Light

Step 2:  left this dangerous job to a professional who had first
his own company – now works for the state of CA.
He climbed the trunks (with braces on his pants with a spike
on inside at height of ankle)
to cut off the 10 feet crown of the trees.
Then went to work and cut seven 40 feet trunks plus about 10 feet
branches and leaves of the California (black?) oak.

 

 

 

on how he picks up the trunk it’s easy to see how wide these trunks are-
roped them to his truck to get them out of the way !  Hubby already cut them up
to xeric (dry) for fire wood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking down from the balcony I see branches and leaves being cut up
with this wood chipper. Talking about noise! Glad hubby (left) has his earphones on.
One trunk was so massive a root grinding machine had to remove the roots.

 

 

 

 

the concrete retaining wall on the right

Step 3: twenty-two loads of dirt dumped and compacted. The owner of the truck  -also previously owned a company – did this as a side job – took about 2 1/2 weeks because the tractor to scoop the soil into the truck broke down twice

This was an eye-opener jolting me into the reality of this area. Unemployment has remained. To make ends meet, adults are doing jobs like sweeping up dirt, etc. -something 15 year olds used to do after school.

When hubby told me that the house of the person who pointed out where the truck owner lived   was the size of our garage, I was shocked, “Life is not fair.” (our house is an average middle class – 3 bedroom size).

 

 

 

These guys are amazing and workaholics (worse than hubby), working 7 days a week.
That’s why these weeks was one time we couldn’t use the rain!

 

 

 

For Sky Watch & Sat. Silhouettes

THE FUN:  Why they worked so hard and all these machines were necessary,
it was for making the ground level, for a concrete floor
to put on … a barn or whatever you call it…where I can paint ….clean my brushes… make a mess:)

 

 Phew, now we need a Rest!
(Six Word Saturday)

 Thanks to All the Hosts

Click on the meme to get you there!

Blue Monday  *  Randomosity  * I Heart Macro  * Catch the Light  *
Our World  *  Trees and Bushes  * Nature Notes  * Wordless  *
ABC Wed- X *  Outdoor Wed.  * Wordless Wed. * Black and White Wed.  *  Water World  *
Little Things *  Up & Down *  Good Fences  ”  Alphabe–  F  *
Sky Watch  *  Floral Fri Foto  *  Fri Greens  *  Weekend Reflection  * Todays Flowers * Fri Photo Journal *  Maleviks Rosen * Six Word Sat.  * Sat. Silhouettes  *

MISH MASH

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Howdy’ this is Miss  Mishmash! You are lucky  I found these pics in the media folder of my blog ! Am still  by the sea  (so nice:)) and had to wait till I returned home to really start posting.

Several things I haven’t mastered yet on the Ipad, like how to get photos from my camera, or even Dropbox into my wordpress media folder, and linking to the memes went totally wrong:(

The ocean breeze reminds me to take a Good Long Break:)

Oh Dear!

Where we live now – in the middle of nowhere –  as my adult kids say, we see deer every day, sometimes a few , other times a whole group. They jump the fence, eat whatever they can find in your back yard, look at what hubby is building, and then go on

At night in the hotel have been watching a series about living in Alaska. One of the aspects was deer hunting.  Am very confused that the hunter had a moment of sadness  when he saw the deer he killed,  and said, “You did good, girl.” He sighed.  Next scene: they started skinning  the deer  … I even didn’t have to suggest to hubby to watch something else. Guess I’ve lived too long in the city:(

Don’t these look  like Spring?  Probably shot these (from archive) in the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena.

Am back home, and couldn’t go on the internet. Luckily we could still talk to our son in Holland via the Ipad’ s cellular data (now life has come to the point that things have reversed: our adult kids are worried when they can’t get in touch with us).

Today at the office hubby discovered that in the days we were gone the provider had changed to another system … and had lost all paper work on us!

 

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If you have trouble finding reflections, go to a parking lot:)

 

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On your way  back home on Wednesday we drove through this beautiful range of hills. Discovered these fences while driving by:)

 

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It pays to travel (back home) – you’re bound to see  some awesome views!

 

Little Things  *  Good Fences  *  Up Down View  * Alphabe – O  *
Floral Fri. Foto  *  Sky Watch  *  Weekend Reflection  *  Fri Photo Journal  *  Todays Flowers  *  Blooming Friday   *  Best Friday Shot  *  Pink Saturday  *  Maleviks Show Down  *

BEGINNING THE FOURTH SEASON

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The beginning of the fourth season.
The most festive for some, and the hardest for others.
They bring so many good as well as dark memories.

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For Sunday Stills

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If you belong to the latter, just hang on, live one day at a time,
do one good thing for yourself each day.
This too shall pass.

Candle modified for Mandarin Orange

This candle my oldest daughter gave me many, many years ago.
a keepsake, but had to burn it
when a blackout hit out part of the city one night.
We have many reserves in our mind as well
when we are unhinged.

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Hubby is the real photographer:)

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Blooming in the dark …
little but ever so courageous
you have more
you are stronger
than the hole you’re in
dig up that  long forgotten spunk
you tucked away.
hold onto a branch with all your might,
you are gonna be okay.
Tell yourself you really will.

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soon the dawn will break
reveal colors of the heavens
reflected on your path
inspiring to move on.

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Thanks to the host
Sky Watch  * Floral Friday Foto  * Weekend Reflection  *
Todays Flowers  *
Pink Saturday  * Maleviks Garden  *
Sunday Stills  *
Blue Monday  *  Mandarin Orange  * Travel Photo  *
Our World  *  Blo-Ma  * Nature Notes  *
ABC – U  *  Water World  *  Outdoor Wednesday