On the Road Again . . . Finally

With Winter closing in on us, it was with great excitement we got "The Bus" packed and loaded enabling us to get "On the Road Again . . . Finally".

Pictured here is "The Bus" with the Blazer hooked up behind, setting in our driveway at home, ready to pull out and head South.



We stayed home on Monday awaiting some paperwork on the pending sale of our house. We plan to leave in the morning, on Tuesday and probably spend three days on the road before we reach Palm Shadows RV Park in Donna, Texas . . . our planned "home" for the Winter.

Warm weather . . . here we come!

Post-Thanksgiving, Pre-Christmas

Every year it seems more difficult to get all of my family together at any time, especially during the Holiday Season. Everyone is so busy in their own world. So it was on Thanksgiving this year with various groups of my family assembling at different locations.

In an effort to get everyone together, at least between holidays, John and Becky opened their home on Sunday for a "Post-Thanksgiving, Pre-Christmas" lunch. We came close to having the whole family there . . . Steve had to work, Jonathan was reportedly under the weather, and Greg was in Guam, but everyone else was there.

Becky is shown here making final arrangements for the buffet soups, salads, and sandwich makings . . . with some of the boys in the background.


We had a good get together with the family, our last this year, as we plan to leave for Texas on Monday or Tuesday for the Winter months. This was our opportunity to say goodbye to everyone.

We love and will miss you all.

Plaza Lights

Anyone outside of the Kansas City area and anyone who has not lived in the Kansas City area have probably never heard of the Country Club Plaza, let alone the "Plaza Lights" or the Annual Lighting Ceremony on Thanksgiving night.

The Plaza is an area in South-Central Kansas City which was developed as an upscale shopping area in the early 1930's. It was actually the very first suburban shopping center in the country. The developer sent a group of builders and architects to Seville, Spain, to study Spanish building designs, and then they returned to construct the 15 square block Country Club Plaza shopping area in Kansas City using architecture styles reminiscent of Seville, Spain . . . lots of towers and brick buildings decorated with ceramic tile . . . in the old Spanish style.

For the past 80 years, the buildings in the Plaza have been decorated with Christmas lights. Last night was the Annual Lighting Ceremony. Carole and I did not make the trip to the Plaza to join the crowd of 200,000-300,000 people to view the ceremony in person, but we chose to watch the activities on TV. The "Plaza Lights" are awesome, even on TV, so I took pictures of the lighting ceremony on TV. It is not the same as being there, but it's still awesome . . . all of the Spanish style buildings outlined in Christmas lights.














Even on TV, these images are breathtaking . . .















The towers and spires are also outlined in lights . . .














Windows are outlined as well . . .















. . . and, of course, no celebration would be worthwhile without a fireworks display . . .


. . . and a Christmas ceremony had to include a stage for musical groups, and a choir . . .


For residents of the Kansas City area, as well as many who travel from across the country to experience the annual lighting of the "Plaza Lights", this is almost a religious pilgrimage. What a breathtaking sight, one nearly impossible to describe. Pictures, especially of the TV image, simply do not do it justice.



You really need to see it for yourself to fully appreciate the magnificence of the "Plaza Lights".

Thanksgiving Down on the Farm

For many years, we have had the family Thanksgiving dinner at our home. However, over the past few years, the next generation has been taking over. I guess now it's the kid's turn.

But, John & Becky's family were going to Cindy's in-laws in Nixa, Missouri, and Steve and Penny's family were going to Penny's family in Ottawa, Kansas. Neither was having Thanksgiving dinner at their home.

Carole & I were invited to both Nixa and Ottawa, and we decided to go to Ottawa to join Penny's family for "Thanksgiving Down on the Farm".

The gathering was at Penny's grandparent's farm in a very large metal building with a concrete floor. To feed the whole gang, they prepared three turkeys, 30 pounds of mashed potatoes, and an unimaginable number of side dishes, plus desserts.



A number of tables were set up to accommodate everyone. It was a very enjoyable Thanksgiving dinner shared with wonderful people. It was a big, big Thanksgiving dinner".
















After dinner, a number of us went out behind the barn where we set up a trap to throw clay targets. We shot trap until the targets were gone, and then set up a target on a big, old oak tree and shot up a couple of boxes of 9mm ammunition.

It was a very good "Thanksgiving Down on the Farm".

Otto, The Lion King

John and Becky, with kids in tow, drove to the Moore's (Cindy's in-laws) in Nixa, Missouri, just South of Springfield for the Thanksgiving Holiday. They needed someone to care for their dog, Otto, a Keeshond. Of course we volunteered.


Otto is a nice, well mannered dog, although he has sensitive skin so they need to keep him well groomed. The current trim he's sporting makes him look like a male African Lion, mane and all. Carole started calling him "Otto, the Lion King". But his disposition is not even like a tiger . . . he just wants to be a big lap dog!

Winter Sunrise

When we are traveling, we often marvel at the beauty of sunrises or sunsets. But when we're home in Kansas, we don't see many sunrises or sunsets from our house as it's situated in a valley in the woods. So we don't generally see the sun directly except when it's peeking through the trees . . . or at high noon.

But here we are at home in the fall after the leaves have fallen. This morning, we were up and around before sunrise and were blessed with a beautiful sunrise through the barren trees . . . viewed from our living room window.


Not only at the beach, on the ocean, in the desert, in the mountains, out on the Western prairie, or at the lake . . . Mother Nature is beautiful and awesome everywhere!

Winter Is Near

I hang an ear of corn on a tree just outside our dining room window, so while we are eating, we can watch the squirrels trying to get the cob off of the tree . . . or just eating the kernels off of the ear.
















I think "Winter Is Near". The last few days, the squirrels have been chewing the kernels off the ear, shelling each kernel, then scrambling down the tree and across the yard to bury it. Then it's back to the corn for another kernel to bury.



They are also tearing apart Hedge balls from the Hedge (Osage Orange) trees and burying those seeds. The squirrels are all working at a feverish pace. They must know that "Winter Is Near".

I wonder how they know where to find their food during the winter. Do they remember where they buried each kernel or seed? Or do they just sniff it out? Do they only dig up the ones they buried themselves? Or do they dig up anything buried by other squirrels?

It drives Carole crazy when I ask questions like that. She usually responds, "How would I know?" Then I have to explain that these questions don't require an answer . . . they are rhetorical questions. When I really want to know the answer, I'll Google it!

Omelet School Graduate, Finally

Ever since I studied the art of omelet making at Ron's, I have been looking for the opportunity to show off my new found knowledge. Today, at home in Kansas, Carole let me into her kitchen where I could show my stuff.

With the proper equipment including a new omelet pan, I prepared omelets for a Saturday brunch. The omelets turned out great.



Thanks for the training, Ron. I will keep practicing until I become the Midwest Omelet King!

Leaves, Leaves, Leaves

When we left for California two weeks ago, some of the leaves had fallen, but most were still on the trees. While we were gone, the rains came and the winds blew . . . and when we returned to Kansas, the trees were bare!




All of the leaves were on the ground . . .

















I spent two full days on the tractor mulching leaves.

Isn't nature grand?

Omelet? Well, Kinda

Having graduated from "Ron's Omelet School", I have been anxious to show off my newly learned skill. So on Sunday for brunch at Melissa's in Sacramento, I was given the opportunity.

I quickly learned that the correct equipment is critical and Melissa didn't have the right omelet pan or spatula. My first attempt was a disaster . . . it looked awful, but I was told it tasted great.

I switched skillets and got better results, but I need better equipment and more practice before I can turn out omelets like Ron.

"Omelet? Well, Kinda", but no pictures yet. Maybe when I get back home in Kansas.

Old Farm Equipment

On the drive from my brother, Ron's, in Modesto to Carole's granddaughter, Melissa's, in Orangevale, California, I came across a building in a small "off the beaten track" place along Elk Grove Road South of Sacramento where they had a parking lot display of lots of old farm equipment. I had to stop and take a closer look.

Pictured below is what appears to be an old tractor on the left with a gasoline engine and a steam driven tractor on the right (I think).



















There were a number of plows . . .















A hay rake or two . . .















A manure spreader . . .















A bunch of old wagons or buckboards . . .















And lots of antique equipment which I didn't recognize or didn't know what they were . . .

















There is a lot more on display here than these pictures show . . . just setting in a parking lot along the road. Someone or some group has taken the time and invested some money to save this "Old Farm Equipment" for anyone to see.

What a great thing for someone to do. It sure is a lot of history!

Ron's Omelet School

My brother, Ron, has been known in our family circles as the "expert" in making omelets. Every time the family gets together near breakfast or brunch time, Ron is in the kitchen making omelets. I must admit, he does have the knack, skill or knowledge and makes really great omelets.

Since I was staying with Ron at his Modesto condo, I asked him for a lesson in omelet making. So on Saturday morning, before I was to leave to return to Sacramento, I matriculated into "Ron's Omelet School".



He said it was very simple, "Two eggs, two pads of butter, and two tablespoons of water." My comment was, "Ya, right! Easy for you to say!". There had to be more to it than that and I found out there is indeed more to it than that.

I was an attentive student making omelets under Ron's direction and supervision. Hooray! Before I knew it, I turned out a few very decent omelets. I found that there is definitely a knack to making omelets. But now that I have acquired the knowledge and been taught the knack, I only need to practice a little to develop the skill.

As a graduate of "Ron's Omelet School". I can hardly wait to show off my new talent.

Gold in Them Thar Hills

With inflation on the horizon, it seemed like a good time to go panning for gold. So while I was in Modesto with my brother, Ron, and Carole was staying with her granddaughter, Melissa, near Sacramento, Ron and I decided to go to Columbia, California, where gold was first discovered in 1850 and try our hand at panning for gold. Ron, and his son, Tim, and I made the trip to what is now Columbia State Historic Park in the mountains of Northern California.



This is a great place to look at history. In 1850, a couple of men discovered gold here and the word got out. In a short period of time, there were 7,000 men here looking for gold. Men came from all over the world seeking their fortunes.

They began panning for gold, then tunneling, and finally using hydraulic pressure to wash away the soil to get at the gold. The ground level here is now about 20-30 feet lower than it had been as that much soil was washed away looking for gold and exposing huge rock formations which were previously underground.

Today this town is a State Park . . . a real piece of history which, unfortunately, is on the verge of being closed because of California's state financial situation. What a shame!

The picture below on the left is a sluice where visitors can pan for gold, but it wasn't in operation the day we were here, so we were not able to pan for gold. You can see in the background exposed rock formations which were underground before hydraulic mining washed away the soil. In the right picture below is some of the pump equipment and pipes which had been used in the hydraulic mining operations.

















Much of the town is still intact with many stores open including several saloons. We stopped for lunch and a cold beer in the Douglas Saloon where we were told to check our shootin' irons at the door . . . just like in the old days. The "saloon" in the picture on the right below is really a candy store where they were busy making candy. I picked up some chocolate candies for Carole.

















Several buildings in the old town were set up as museums, one of which contained old historic vehicles. Below on the left are pictured a couple of horse drawn buggies. On the right below is a horse drawn hearse. Notice that the part where they coffin would have been carried is glass enclosed so people could see inside.

















In the left photo below, cases and barrels of goods are stored in the back room of an old store. On the right below is an old bowling alley which the miners used when they came to town for relaxation and recreation. The alley is very crude, much smaller that current day bowling alleys. The balls were only about 5-6 inches in diameter, and without finger holes.

















In the left photo below is the scale in the Wells Fargo office where gold was weighed. Several million ounces of gold were weighed on this scale. This scale is so sensitive it can weigh a signature in pencil on a piece of paper. On the right below are pictured some of the bottles of drugs and medicines in the town's drug store or apothecary.


















There are lots of old historic buildings and artifacts in this old town. We didn't get to pan for gold, but we did have the opportunity to soak up a lot of history.

It's just a dirty shame that the State of California is in such bad financial shape that they will soon be closing this State Park and, perhaps, losing all of this history so that future generations will miss out on all of this.

But . . . at one time there sure was "Gold in Them Thar Hills"!

Big Trees

I heard about Big Trees State Park in Northern California on the West slope of the Sierra Mountains and asked my brother, Ron, about it, but he had never heard of the place . . . even though he has lived in California for 40 years or so. "Big Trees" sounded interesting so we looked it up on the GPS and set out to see Calaveras Big Trees State Park.



Giant Sequoia trees only grow at an elevation of 4,000-8,000 feet and this park was at about 5,000 feet. These "Big Trees" are an awesome sight. The park had a wooden walkway which wound through the forest for a mile and a half with numerous places to view "Big Trees". At one stop, they provided a bench constructed with the back leaning way back so you could set on the bench, lay back, and look up at the tall trees reaching over 300 feet into the air.

That's my brother, Ron, and his daughter, Holly, enjoying the view without getting a stiff neck.






















At another stop, there was a stump 30 feet in diameter from a tree which was cut down over 100 years ago. A group of enterprising men, cut this tree down to take part of it on tour back East thinking they would make a fortune. But it didn't work out as everyone thought it was a hoax . . . "Trees couldn't grow that big!"

The stump is so large that in the past, weddings, parties, and dances have been held on it. That's some stump . . . but be careful not to step off the dance floor.





At every turn in the trail, there was another big tree. We were dwarfed by the size of many of the trunks. I'm pictured leaning against a tree on the left below. My brother, Ron, is standing in front of another big tree on the right below. These trees live for over a thousand years.






















This is the trunk of a fallen tree laying on the ground. This tree fell over a hundred years ago and, since Sequoia wood is nearly impervious to insects and rot, it is still pretty much intact today. There it lays . . . nearly 300 feet long. Now, wouldn't that make a lot of firewood!











Years ago, a tunnel was cut through one of the trees. Here I am standing in the tunnel inside a Giant Sequoia tree.

This tunnel wounded the tree to the extent that there are only a few live branches up on the top. So defacing or damaging a tree in this manner is no longer permitted.

These "Big Trees" are some of God's wonderful creations. The wonders of this world and our scenic country seem to be endless . . . but we'll continue our "wandering" trying to see it all.