CSP - Emerald Bay

1954

1956/ 1957

Growing up we visited Tahoe a few times, camping in the Emerald Bay area.  One learned to stay up on water skis quickly as the water was so cold.  Tahoe is over 6000 feet above sea level and 1645 feet deep.  It is the largest alpine lake in North America and the second deepest in the United States.

Like most of the camping trips we took before leaving China Lake and Dad getting too busy to take them, I remember little about the trips to Tahoe.  But I believe the picture here with Maura would be when I was five....it looks very similar to my fifth birthday picture.  

I remember another trip, this one was in 1962 and Great Uncle Tom was visiting.  I'm pretty sure it was just a day trip, I can't imagine that we camped.

Although we visited Tahoe many times after I was married, we never did camp there, instead gravitating towards more remote spots in the state.

Emerald Bay State Park

Trail Posts: A Literary Exploration of California's State Parks - In his book Roughing It  Mark Twain describes an effort to stake a claim on the shores of Tahoe.

Emerald Bay State Park - Wikipedia

Shamrocks

Lá Naomh Pádraig

Mission - Nuestra Señora de la Soledad

CALIFORNIA REGISTRER HISTORICAL LANDMARK #233

Nuestra Señora de la Soledad was founded 9 Oct 1791, the thirteenth mission,  by Fermín Francisco de Lasuén.  It was named for Our Lady of Sorrows (Solitude).





Located not far off 101 near the town of Soledad, this mission seems completely isolated.  When the missions were secularized it became part of a Rancho and eventually lay in ruins.





With the help of the Native Daughters of the Golden West it was restored and the new chapel dedicated in 1955.







I visited on a misty January afternoon and found only one other person and one employee on the site....a great way to be able to wander unimpeded.

The Mission Soledad  Restoration Project has hopes of restoring the mission to what it was in its heyday.






36641 Fort Romi Road
Soledad, California 93960

CA State Landmark #233

36641 Romie Road
Soledad, CA 93960
831-678-2586

Open Daily 1-4 (except major holidays)

• Nuestra Señora de la Soledad - Official Site
• Nuestra Señora de la Soledad - Wikipedia



Plan of Mission located in Mission Museum

• Nuestra Señora de la Soledad - Images on Calisphere

 Pictures in Dropbox

Model of Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad
in the Mission Museum

Chair pads

I made these fruit / vegetable appliques and couldn't decide what to do with them.  First they were hangings and now they are on their second rendition as chair pads.  The newer version got much more comfortable.

Shops - Always Quilting

Everyone has a home base shop.  The one closest to home, or the one where you can find that last minute need.  Always Quilting is my home base.  Located in San Mateo, it is where I go to rent a long arm, find that missing piece of material or stock up on thread.

You'll find a great selection of material, lots of patterns, wonderfully helpful staff and a great selection of classes in a large warehouse style shop.

Always Quilting

Monkeys for Daniston

Dani with her pink and purple monkey quilt. 2016

NPS - Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial

The Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial is a National Park Historic Site, a unit of Minidoka Historic Site which has sites throughout Washington and Idaho. 





While taking a walk we strode right through the memorial.  When we went through the next day, I was prepared with my camera.  The BIJEMA.org website provides a great background for the memorial and the American Travesty that made it necessary.

NPS - Minidoka 

BIAJEMA.org

Joy

A tiny monkey peeks out of the flower forest in this study in pinks!

The Leftover Collection 2018

CSP - Castle Crags

"From a distance, the granite spires and dome of Castle Crags......really do look like the sindly towers, buttresses, and ramparts of some time-weathered fort, rising out of dark pine and fir forest." Trail Posts

Castle Crags are over 170 million years old.  Rising over 6500 feet they tower above the Sacramento River Valley.

We camped near here, probably not within the boundaries of the park when the girls were young.  I remember Maura and William being there, but Maura does not, so perhaps we just discussed going back with them so William and Greg could do some rock climbing.

Greg and I stopped again on our way home from Portland, scoping it out as a possible place to meet Jess and family.  That plan never did materialize...guess everyone got busy.

It is a beautiful area, well worth a short detour off the road on the trip down Interstate 5.










Castle Crags State Park
Trail Posts: A Literary Exploration of California's State Parks - The Battle of Castle Crags, Joaquin Miller 1894
Castle Crags - Wikipedia

Valentines

Mini placemats made for the family for Valentines day 2018.

everyone's was a different color.  

NPS - Lassen Volcanic

Years ago we drove through Lassen on our way to pick up Jessica at University of Oregon.  I'm sure we must have taken pictures, but they have hidden themselves from the world.  So I decided to drive through last October on my way to visit Melanie and see Mariah and Michael get married.





It was a rainy, but beautiful day.  Much of the scenery was hidden and there was no opportunity to stop and hike for a while.  I guess that means I will just have to make this side trip again!













The Lassen area was first protected by being designated as the Lassen Peak Forest Preserve. Lassen Peak and Cinder Cone were later declared as U.S. National Monuments in May 1907 by President Theodore Roosevelt. 

From 1914 and 1921, a series of eruptions occurred on Lassen. Of varying intensity, the events created a new crater, and released lava and a great deal of ash.  Timely warnings resulted in there being no fatalities, but several dwellings were destroyed.  In an effort to protect the volcanic beauty of Lassen, Lassen National Park was established on 9 Aug 1916.  

NPS - Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park - Wikipedia

Looking for a good read while touring.  Try Nevada Barr's Firestorm an Anna Pigeon mystery set in Lassen Volcanic NP.

Silk Cabin

Almost finished in 1995....If you look closely there are a few areas that are not quite quilted.  It is found in Jessica's guest room these days!