Fun in the ........Partial........Sun !

  This was the long awaited weekend of the solar eclipse.......it did not disappoint !  Jack  and Donna came up on Friday afternoon so we could work out the final preparations.......and enjoy some time together !    Saturday morning Jack got to work and would have made Mr Wizard proud !  Actually, my wonderful friends....Brad and Terry Thode would be proud.......all sorts of "techy" things going on up here !   After quite a few hours in the hot sun Jack had completed our awesome viewing box.......NOT , mind you, even using a whole roll of duct tape !  Exhausted after the scientific endeavors of the day we rested our weary brains and enjoyed dinner and yet another weird netflix film !
     Up bright and early the day of the eclipse we headed on the road to somewhere in Nevada.  Our first stop was most wonderful.....Grimes Point .....outside of Fallon, Nevada.  Grimes Point is home to many,many petroglyphs and caves.....if ever you're cruising down Hwy 50 I suggest stopping for a look around.  We had considered this first stop as a eclipse viewing staging area......but, alas, too many people around.   Next stop ......Stillwater Wildlife Refuge.....further outside of Fallon.  There we found Nirvana !!  Blue shallow lakes, amazing and diverse birds, incredible vistas 360 degrees.......best of all .....we were all alone !!   We finally got our "equipment" set up......eclipse .......we're ready !!   Wow !!!  It started slowly.....changes in lighting subtle.....but it just kept getting cooler and cooler.  We were just about at the middle of the arc and so we were able to see the perfect circle of the moon on the sun.....we were also able to see some sun spots as well as some solar flares......plus all the time the high desert locale was looking more and more surreal as the lighting changed.  About 8 pm hunger began to get the best of us and we reluctantly began packing up.....all of us felt we could have stayed in that exact spot forever.

   In Fallon on the way out we had spotted a Basque restaurant ......so we high-tailed it there.  Too late....it was closed, but we all vowed that we will go back .....the place looked amazing and authentic.  Now what !! It's about 9:30 by now....just about as we were resigned to fast food somewhere Jim spied a great looking Mexican restaurant and it was open !!  Amazing food.....hardly ever had a meal taste so good !   We licked our plates and headed back out to the car........4 hour trip home !    We made good time .....stopping just once for a Slurpee in Truckee.....tucked in bed by around 1:30.




    

Salad Days !

  Salad days have arrived here on Lupine Hill !  I've never really known what "the Salad Days" means, but I think it's a positive thing........maybe ease and abundance ?  If so, those days have certainly come ......in a quite literal sense also......we have lettuce coming out our ears !!  Amazing, beautiful and delicious lettuce.
   Speaking of beautiful and amazing......Mother's Day yesterday was just such a day.  All the kids that live within a 100 miles were here , as well as my mom and brother.  It was a lovely Spring day and we had such a fun day.  Thanks again to all my loves......you mean the world to me.

    Today was a little more mundane......still a joy, however.   We headed up Deadwood once again and came home tired, but happy with a load of oak to show for an afternoon's work.  I spent the rest of the day up in the "sweatshop" filling orders for Ebay........good to get caught up on things!  Dinner tonight will be, of course, salad !! 
  

I Know.......Really ?

  Yep...every year....pictures of iris and lilacs....I just cannot seem to control myself !  But, really, aren't they beautiful ?  I'm hoping they all last until Mother's Day , next Sunday, I know my mom will appreciate them as much as I do.  Until I lived here.....surrounded by iris.... I never knew they had such a sweet and strong scent, but when I was out walking this morning it smelled so wonderful I sort of wanted to eat some !!
   This Friday afternoon I rode with Molly over to Marin Co to watch Ross play. We had such a fun time and since the music started so late we had a lot of time to hang out with Ross and he gave us a grand tour of the venue......very cool.  Of course, the music was amazing, the crowd entertaining and great filtered water.....a big plus in my book !  I didn't get home until about 1:30 am......feeling very adventurous indeed !
  I got up Saturday morning drove down and picked up my mom  and we headed up to Yuba  City to meet Tess.  Tess got her new washer and dryer, as well as a darling table and chair set ......she's hoping to start to fill their empty house !  We had a busy , but wonderful time....Tessy is beyond excited about her baby.

   Yesterday Jim and I hit Deadwood for a morning of firewood cutting.  We scored a good load and I always love going up there it's so beautiful and so full of history.
   Tomorrow I have a dentist appointment....bummer.  A new crown which doesn't sound fun, but necessary.....I guess.