As March ended...

Pickleball, geocaching, lots of yard work and hiking continued to fill our days.  To get back in the swing of Sierra Foothill hiking, I joined my group on a partly cloudy 60 degree Tuesday as we took a leisurely 5 mile hike on many of the 10 miles worth of trails at the Weimar Institute  We discovered some new flowers/plants along Coyote Creek, sat on the bridge and hung our legs over like schoolgirls as we enjoyed our snack to the sounds of the rushing water.   We  were more cautious as we hiked “Bobcat Run”, “Cougar Trail” “Cardiac Bypass” and “Owls Roost”.   A stop at the Cemetery spurred our curiosity - so I did a little research “The Weimar Cemetery was originally a part of the Weimar Joint Sanatorium, administered by 15 northern California counties for indigent tuberculosis patients.  Those that died at the Sanatorium and had no other means of burial were interred here.  It was essentially a Potter’s Filed and instead of traditional tombstones, each grave was assigned a number and marked by a piece of 2x6 wood...”

Records for each patient translated names to numbers and vice-versa.  I’ll have to ask my brother-in-law Bill Harvey (our personal family genealogist) if this marker belongs to THE Harvey Family.

Oregon Grape

Close-up Oregon Grape

Sierra Nevada Pea

Giant Trillium

Roundleaf Trillium

Corby, Margie, Marilyn, Audrey

Watch out for wild things... Manzanita "sign tree"

Close up of the beautiful Manzanita...

Each marker is the same size...

Except in the other part of the cemetery

The Rest of the Story - Colfax March 21

We finished the trip home with a more positive attitude (having seen the results with our own eyes and hearing the words from Roy’s mouth!!!)  

The trip back over Pacheco Pass continued to delight
the photographer,  Loved this tree...
still growing at the top!!!

And San Luis Reservoir wasn't bad either.

How about  the crisp ridge lines of demarcation
as we headed East...the south facing side of the mountains already dry
while the north facing side was

still bright green!!! 

As I unlocked the gate,  we could hardly believe we'd been gone for a full 5 months (to the day). After maneuvering our tight driveway and arriving safely at the top of the hill, we were greeted by deer, found lots of flowers blooming and massive amounts of yard work waiting. 

Home Sweet Home

"Swing Wide"

Nancy walking - checking out the right clearance

Then the left side clearance

Mmmmm - Love these Rock Roses.

Hey, what are you guys doing here?

I still have more stuff to eat!!!

As we walked the perimeter

we discovered lots of work waiting!!!

Oh well, the inside looks inviting!!!

The next day I was off playing pickleball and attended a luncheon for a fellow pickleball gal in CA who  recovered from liver cancer and several other problems while we were gone.  She wasn't ready to play yet, but was standing up and walking...a step in the right direction.  A good time was had by all... as we enjoyed a fabulous "tea" poolside.

Million Dollar Miracle Man - March 19 - 20

Roy’s Therapeutic Hypothermia Treatment after Cardiac Arrest.  Roy had to be revived by defibrillation on the scene, of the accident, once again in the ambulance and once again in the ER, all of which took place within less than 10 minutes of his 1st attack, making him a rare candidate for the “deep freeze” treatment (as we called it), where they took his body temperature down to 90 degrees and then back up to normal, within a 48 hour period.  The results were amazing and he is referred to, in the San Jose Medical community, as the “Million Dollar Miracle Man”.  This hypothermic state can assist in preventing extensive brain damage after a heart attack, if the patient receives emergency care within 10 minutes...and Roy was one of the lucky ones.  And except for the cane now and then you'd never know he went thru this incredible ordeal.  Way to go ROY.

We enjoyed many long visits and meals at home and some out.  A flock of about 30 doves took over Roy’s back yard and provided entertainment at home.  We also enjoyed watching great niece Gracie (14) play soccer.  After that I taught Jim, Chris, Drew & Gracie how to play Pickleball at Willow Glen JR High School.  And, we stopped by to see Jim and Chris’ new pontoon boat, which will seat 12 in luxurious leather comfort.  Don and I checked it out on the streets of San Jose and we didn’t even get our feet wet!!!   

One of many outings with Anna & Roy
and their grandson Drew too.

Doves larger than the bird feeder.

Gracie 7th grade - 5'9" plays goalie

Jim & Don getting settled...

Chris relaxing after a hard days work...

Nancy relaxing after another day of playing...

Don helps Jim with the boat cover.

The back roads to Roy's house better than Hwy 101...

No, not Roy's house - but a glimpse at how the other half lives!!!

The Way to San Jose (part 2 March 17-18)

Even though we travel the same route often, many familiar sights caused this photographer to pull out her camera and snap a few shots while flying by at 60 mph!!!   Leaving Kingman AZ in the early morning light provided breathtaking beauty as did the crossing of the Colorado River.  After too many miles on I-5 north, we enjoyed our "detour" across Pacheco Pass (Hwy 152 West) to Hwy 101 as we found our way to Gilroy Garlic USA RV Park where we spent 3 nights so we could enjoy the next  2 and 1/2  days with Roy and sister-in-law Anna.  Don wasn't about to haul this "puppy" thru Metropolitan San Jose CA. 

A picture is definitely worth a thousand words.  ENJOY...

As we left Kingman AZ early, trains were busy
 heading East & West.

And there were layers and layers of Mountains to the East...

as the graceful curving highway invited you "west",

to cross the Colorado River

while "piggy backs"

followed suit!!!

Nancy left "snacks" for the crows at a rest stop

while Don did a little geocaching.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,

but Yucca Trees are hard to resist

no  matter who you are!!!

The journey continued as the winding  road once again
said "follow me".

Oops...take it easy as you make your way North on I-5.
See what I mean about a picture saying more than a
thousand words!!!

We were glad to see new orchards being planted
along the highway which has recently been referred to as
"the Central Valley (CA) Dust Bowl".

Beautiful California Oaks

graced the hillsides as we traveled west over
 the Pacheco Pass

where wild Mustard made its own personal statement.

Home for the next few days...