A Walk Down Todd Valley Road !

Today I've decided to share my "walking trail" with all of you. I started walking Todd Valley Rd. about 5 years ago with my good friend Pam.......Pam has since moved to Oregon......I miss you Pam !.......and my walking routine sort of fell apart ! I used the treadmill for several years , but it never felt quite right.....and it certainly didn't look right ! A couple of months ago I decided it's outside or nothing ! I think I shared several of the routes I tried out and each one had it's pros and cons.......but something about the peace and quiet of Todd Valley Rd . kept me going back. It's about the right distance .....3 1/2 miles.....it's beautiful......the Mountain Misery smells pungent and fresh.....and it changes so much with each season. The history is also pretty awesome........the name Todd's Valley comes from the Todd family, as in Mary Lincoln Todd.......wife of Old Abe Lincoln ! They were early settlers around here and Mary herself had a home here after her husband was assassinated. Scattered around in the forest there are lots of remnants of the old homestead that dotted the valley, as well as old abandoned orchards that miraculously still bear apples every year. I routinely find bear scat on my walks , but I'm not scared a bit........Jenny walks with me and is my constant protector !
I can't wait until the tall Pines and Cedars start singing in the Autumn winds.....and one day before too long I'll be strolling in a Winter Wonderland !

Peaches and Plums !

We had a great crop of plums and a decent amount of peaches this year.......and here they are dried and put away until the coming Winter. The plums , of course, make delicious prunes when dried and the peaches, well.....they actually taste like fresh peaches ! I love dehydrated fruits.......they taste wonderful...especially mixed with some almonds .....but the thing I love most is the fact that I don't have to can them !!
Speaking of winter.........will it ever cool off ??? Pretty much my whole adult life I've lived where September is a Fall month.......cool days and cold nights......but, here, summer goes on and on. I'm sick of summer clothes, sick of summer food .......even sick of my flip-flops! I guess the "up-side" are the tomatoes we're still harvesting, my ice water tastes a whole lot better this time of year and I guess I'll put late season baseball games in the plus column.........but that's about it ! Be gone hot weather !!!

Let It Snow !

Today they came and removed a trusted friend......our old wood stove ! In it's place we have this new ,shiny, much bigger replacement. I'm sure on, or around, the first snowy day up here I'll grow to love this stove also, but for now I kind of miss the little , scarred and knicked stove that took such good care of us. Jim said it didn't have much life left in it and we were afraid of a "burnout" sometime in the near future..........hence, the new stove. I actually like the looks of this one better than the old one , but I have issues with throwing out anything !
I don't know if any of you heard about the fire down in Auburn yesterday.........60 houses burned ......in a matter of several hours. Very scary.......really hits home the reality of how precarious we are up here. All it takes is a bit of wind, a spark from somewhere and lives are changed.
Tomorrow Molly starts her first day as "Miss Molly" K/1 teacher. I think her pupils are very lucky indeed !

Morning Glory !

The first Morning Glories of the year.......perhaps my favorite flower we grow up here.......it doesn't hurt that they bloom in late August, a harbinger of the coming Fall. The color is amazing and it's so cool how they climb the pine trees......an early psychedelic Xmas tree !
I met Molly down in Auburn and we headed to Home Depot. Molly bought some plants for her classroom and I bought some gross chemicals for our pool.......but so far this year I've won the battle with the algae.
This morning Jenny and I took our walk....we're up to about 3 1/2 miles and we've found a very peaceful , relatively flat route. It's amazing how many other women are out there truckin' along......all of us remembering our "30 something" bodies!

Peace, Love and Bumblebees !

Yesterday I had such a lovely time........we went down to the Bay Area to a party at my old friend Stan's house. It was his mother Alice's 90th birthday and Stan and Jeannine threw her a beautiful party. Jim and I invited my Mom to go along with us and I know she really enjoyed herself as well. Their yard looked beautiful, the food was delicious, but for me , it was the 40 or so people there that absolutely made my day! I was among my liberal brethren of the great San Francisco Bay region......I could speak freely............nobody even mentioned Obama's medical "death squads"!...........no weird religious, or on my part lack thereof, arguments............all the cars had No on Prop.8, instead of the hateful Placer Co. "Yes on 8" contingent........I found all sorts of people I could be friends with ! I must remember to head West more often......I love the mountains, but wish the folks here were a little.....or a lot.....more like the folks who hug the coast.

Molly's Garden !

I'm wishing I was a little better photographer.....Molly's garden is so pretty and sweet, I wish I was able to capture it's goodness,but I only succeeded in making Molly appear ghost-like ! Forgive me Molly .......
I picked Molly up at her house and then we headed out to buy some fabric she needs for her class........and guess what !......we found the perfect fabric. Funny how that happens, oftener than not ! We also had a nice visit and we also bought some beer for Jim!! All-in-all, a pleasant way to spend a hot August afternoon.
Speaking of Jim........we're hittin' the town tonight.......sci-fi thriller, "Section 9"......I think that's what it's called .......and then of course, Friday night chow mein. I'm excited.....I may even paint my toenails!

Going Batty !

This morning as I was stubbling around after Jim left something "buzzed" me ! I was really so out of it I kind of didn't pay any attention......I think I thought I was outside or something.......then it dawned on me ! Something was flying around in the house! When I realized it was a bat....I freaked out ! I don't really understand why I freaked, but I guess I have more of a bat phobia than I realized. Seemed like it was trying to scare me, but probably it was as frightened as I was. It really would have been very comical to see if anyone but me was home.......I was actually letting out little screams every time it flew by. It was following me....I swear! Finally....I propped open a screen door and ran upstairs and closed myself in the bedroom. I had a doctor's appointment and so eventually had to come out......and when I did the bat was gone.....although I 'm still not convinced for sure that it's gone, it may be hiding and come back out as the sun goes down!
Anyhow.....the trip to the doctor was uneventful.....I checked out fine......luckily we live an hour from our doctor and so my blood pressure had returned to normal by then!
I met my Mom and cousins Bev and Maddie for lunch.....and finally I had an exciting story to relate...but I forgot all about the bat and so missed my chance !! Well........we found plenty to talk about anyhow and had a very enjoyable afternoon.