Gorgeous End to October 10-31

Sutter Creek

Yesterday was going to be a wonderfully warm fall day so we decided to take a drive up into the mountains.  We headed south on highway 49...well darn, right past the coffee house that make scrumptious chocolate croissants, we split one.  We detoured through Sutter Creek, it has been decades since we've been through there and it looked really nice, we kept going to Jackson where we jumped onto highway 88 and headed east up into the Sierras.  It was smoky everywhere and as we got into the mountains we discovered that different areas were having controlled burns and burning slash piles.  We got out at Silver Lake to take pictures and I got down to the shore in time to see a guy bring in a fish.  We took 89 north east of Kirkwood Ski area and it was just a short jump to interstate 50 at South Lake Tahoe where we headed west.  We decided to take Ice House road and we had lunch at the Ice House Resort...lucky for us, it was their last day open of the season and we split a double burger.  Ice House road to Wentworth Springs road into Georgetown and then 193 back home to Cool.  It was a 240 mile circle through the foothills to the high granite Sierras and back...just a stupendous day.  Today we got right out and took our morning hike before breakfast...we did 3.75 miles today and there wasn't any breeze today so we were able to keep the house open...a gorgeous day and weird for Halloween where traditionally the weather is cold, rainy, snowy, windy,...wicked witch weather.

Sutter Creek

gigantic heart boulder, Larry said if I got it in the car we could take it home

Silver Lake and tree growing out of the granite

Larry & Silver Lake

Kirkwood Ski Resort

Caples Lake

There is a waterfall up on the left third of the picture...hard to see unless enlarged

This series of falls was on Ice House road

Miracle Grow 10-29

I don't know what was in this month's rain but my garden loved it.  After the winds last month had wreaked havoc with everything and my having to heavily prune some of the rose bushes I was really really surprised to see how many of the plants had actually doubled in size while I was gone.  The white rose bush truly bushed out more than double with shiny new red growth and is covered in buds.  I hope it gets to bloom out before more bad weather arrives.  My Merlot bush was covered in the biggest flowers it has put out all season and two of the rose hedge plants are enormous.  My orange cosmos plants look like redwood trees and many other plants doubled also.  The vegetables are done and Larry pulled them out except for the cherry tomato which is still producing a handful or so every few days.  The surrounding countryside has greened up too.  I so love this time of year in spite of the shortening days.

Piper modeling my latest knit creation.

We have been hiking every day since I've gotten home...even the day I arrived home and though my poor legs have protested mightily... the exercise, fresh air and sun have helped detox my body from all that dessert in Ohio and the stresses of traveling.  Throw in a massage and I'm getting back in fighting form.

These Merlot roses are the size of softballs

Look at how big those rose bushes are.

Larry pruned up the cedar trees

Look at all the new red growth on the white rose bush.

See if you can find Valdo in the cosmos, I am standing.

 Some views from our hikes:

an indian mortar rock next to the pond that is spring fed

Home Sweet Home 10-25

I am home.  It was good to get a big hug from Larry and when I got out of the car at home, it smelled so good...pine and oak trees and fresh air.

I am tired.  I didn't sleep good last night, awake regular time, we took a nice walk and about all I did today was get unpacked and most everything put away.

I am going to bed.

Heading Home tonight 10-24

The last days have been days of shopping, eating, gabbing and we got in a couple of walks.  I head home tonight with my suitcase bulging and I'm bulging too.  It will be green tea, water and vegetables for me the next month.

Lori's scoop collection...I wanted the smallest scooper used, but she claimed it was for melon balls...like  we would go to scooper jail if we used it in ice cream!

Who has this after breakfast?!  We did...two mornings.  Pumpkin spice coffee and ice cream.

Piper's pathetic play with me face

A walk in the country with friends.

Lessons of Sisters 10-20

I am an observer....I don't find that I have to do everything everyone else is doing....I only participate in the things I know I will enjoy and not kill me.  Eating dessert is enjoyable, but too much might do me in before this visit is over.

Take my sister Lori for example....she loves her exercise.  She loves, loves, loves working out at the gym and feels incomplete if she misses going and subjecting herself to her favorite forms of torture.  She feels the pain strengthens her and builds character (I don't know if she really feels that way, but it sounds good).  Me...I feel the pain and I am so done with it....you have heard my opinions on exercise before so I'll spare you from hearing them again.

The greatest thing I have learned from being with an exerciseholic is that when they don't have that activity to occupy them they then go to far the other way.  I didn't know this about my sister before spending the last two weeks with her...but she has a serious, serious eating problem.  She loves food, eating and cooking, which is why she goes to the gym she says.  She's been to the gym only once since I've been here and in this time together I have lost count of the bowls of ice cream and pieces of cheesecake she has consumed and she has taken me down with her.  I may have to buy new clothes to return home in and forget the chicken and rice diet I was sure I would be on upon my return...I now will have to go to water and air.  I have the will power of a gnat, but even I reach a point where I know I have to put down the spoon.

To illustrate the sickness....this is what we shared after dinner at Olive Garden (in our defense we had soup and salad)...I ate about a third, she had the rest, pumpkin cheesecake with an entire can of whipped cream AND caramel syrup.

On our way home from dinner, we, along with friend Jennifer stopped at the market as Jen has company coming and had to pick up a few things.  As we all met up at the checkout Lori noticed Jen's three half gallon cartons of ice cream in her basket. Lori looked at me standing in line with my box of Earl Gray tea and exclaimed how could I have been at the ice cream freezer and not picked up any ice cream!  As she scolded me I shrunk into an apologetic ball....Lori I said...I would be happy to hold those two bottles of wine for you if you want to sprint back there and pick up a few gallons of coconut chocolate chip ice cream that you claim we have to have.  Well do you want any?...she asks.  No, I said...cowering with the two bottles of wine crossed in a protective X above my head (she is very tall).  I said...I can't eat any more...please, please don't make me...I just want tea.  She huffed a minute but the angry red melted out of her face and we went on through the checkouts and exited the store.  Whew...that was close.

As we entered her town and were driving by the pizza place where her daughter works ...she exclaims...CHEESECAKE...SHOULD I STOP FOR CHEESECAKE?!!!   I grabbed the steering wheel and hollered...Lori, Lori...get a grip!  WE MUST STOP THE INSANITY!!!!  (I'm sure we will be consuming something evil again tomorrow)

The moral of my story....never, never start going to the gym....it starts a dangerous cycle and creates a monster in some people!  This I have learned from the observations of the past two weeks.  Love ya Lori...hahaha.

More from yesterday 10-17

Yesterday on our walk it was cool and drizzly so we didn't walk as far as we needed to...I didn't want my camera drenched and as it was I carried it inside my jacket.  And there were lots of stops as Piper is in training.

Today the sun is out, but it is breezy and doesn't look very warm (I have yet to stick my self out the door to check).  We have a lunch date and then shopping to do...of the girly kind...woo hoo!

I finished this hat and have started on another

Bellville's blue bridge over the Clearfork River