The month started out with 10 days of cool weather in the low to mid-80’s for the high, unheard of in this part of California, so that lead to more hiking, pickleball, and picnics along with cleaning out the 2 sheds and staining the rear deck. My royalty checks from DVD’s on weaving arrived and I purchased some new garden art...
Youngest Grandson Kenny turned 10, Grandson Max 22 got a summer job on a shrimp boat “Early Times”, and was pleased when a large squid got trapped in a shrimp pot. Miss Megan (AK) enjoyed her final days in North Carolina with fiancé Jaron (a marine who recently returned safely from Afghanistan).
THEN, many Wildfires blanketed the State of California... The American wildfire filled our area near Colfax, with smoke for 20 days and was located about 10 mile EAST of us, as the crow flies. We were not in it’s path. It is now contained after burning about 27,740 acres in very steep and difficult canyon terrain. It was small compared to the Rim Fire near Pine Mountain Lake in Groveland/Yosemite area. This massive wildfire burns day and night and both of my brothers and my nephew have vacation homes in the immediate area... Fire is getting too close for comfort but as of this writing 8/31/13 they are all out of danger. The fire has burnt over 227,000 acres (356 sq miles) and sends tons of smoke clear up to the high sierra’s near Lake Tahoe, where we are trying to hike each Tuesday - smoke permitting. Lake Tahoe is over 100 air miles from the fire. http://inciweb.org/incident/3660/ As of today it is the 4th largest wildfire EVER, in the State of CA.
I played in a small pickleball tournament against another team in the Sacramento area. It was a slightly breezy, beautifully cool day for Sacramento...only about 80, better than the 103 degrees a week ago. My partner Vickie and I won 2 out of 3 of our ladies games and Tony and I won our mixed doubles game 15-11.
There was even time for weaving for our Art Show in AZ...and our annual hikers “Gourmet Picnic” wrapped up the month in style as we enjoyed the culinary talents of each other on the shores Lake Valley Reservoir about 35 miles northeast of Colfax.
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One of our favorite hike to Angela, Flora and Azalea lakes
near the PCT and Donner Ski Ranch |
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| Flora showed the calm... before the wildfires... |
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Garden art ( 24" Egret) guards the stump of a 100'
pine tree we took out last year, |
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and near the deck a large Great Blue Heron has a face-off
with a giant "Mosaic" ant...
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| Kenny and friends in his back yard. |
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| Huff and PUFF - Happy 10th... |
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| Another great Hike part of the Desolation Wilderness. |
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| Now you see where it got it's name!!! |
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After climbing for 2.5 miles with an 1800' elevation gain...
we had lunch and a great view of Lake Tahoe.
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All downhill for the next 2 miles. Yes, that's
the trail hanging on the side of the granite!!! |
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| Son Eric and wife Susan hiking in AK |
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| Jaron and Megan |
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| The "Early Times" Shrimp Boat (Max's ride) |
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| Max's catch (no not a shrimp) |
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Men's doubles... Other team won!!! Check
out that blue sky in Sacramento
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| Vickie left (me) and Tony grinning after our wins!!! |
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Our back yard looking east...wildfire smoke when I got home
after the games... |
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| Handwoven Towels for our AZ Craft Show & Sale |
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Glad to hear the wildfires are not a threat to you, but sorry to hear about the rest of your family's worries. I wonder if the hazy skies in our area are a result of all the wildfire smoke? Looks like you have had a busy month. Love the woven towels. and LOVED your donation to the CA basket for the auction. You have been a...wait for it...busy weaver! HUGS!
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