The Pendulum is Swinging

We had an English teacher way back in "the dark ages" who pontificated regarding the way that the pendulum swings, whether economics, politics, morality, or education.  I am not sure if he applied that theory to the WEATHER, but this week it certainly applies.  Just two weeks ago we were huddling the outdoor plants together and covering them with towels IN SONORA - elevation 2,200 feet.  It was SIX DEGREES up here on the mountain, elevation 5,280 feet!!

This week it was 45 degrees this morning in STRAWBERRY; I doubt if it even hit 32 last night!  It is hard to groom SNOW when it doesn't even freeze at night.  We used to call the effects of that type of grooming "death cookies" as the tracks on the grooming machines would pick up and drop clumps of snow to freeze later in the night.  Then the ski area began assessing the temperature before even getting the machines out!!

Our three feet of snow is down to half a foot in Strawberry today, but more WET weather is due tonight and tomorrow.  I think that I will pray for an Alaskan flavor - cold enough to make snow rather than rain!   But we know that WEATHER is right up there with DEATH and TAXES; some things you just can't avoid.  You just have to be thankful for whatever you get!  But we can always HOPE!!

IT IS SNOWING!!

Boy, is that an understatement!!  In the past three days we have had three FEET of snow.  The road conditions today were a "white-out" in several places; the snow was coming down so quickly and in such quantity that Cal-Trans couldn't keep up with it.  Add to that the wealth of PG&E trucks attempting to find the sources of the scattered power outages and the roads were a MESS!  Storm is to end this evening and sunshine is the forecast for tomorrow - opening day for Dodge Ridge Ski Area!  They definately have plenty of snow - powder skiers paradise!!

We still have a few vacancies for the weekend at The Rivers Resort, but the snow has set the phone to ringing.  It will be a white Christmas for sure.  I will be in the Realty office tomorrow, hoping for some sales to close before the end of the year!!  Wouldn't a second home near the ski area just make your Christmas!?  Call me - 209)770-3168

Winter is TEASING US!

TWO snow showers at our 5,000 foot elevation this week!  It sure was pretty until about noon; poof, it was gone!  We have had the prerequisite six inches of rain needed by the ski and snow play areas to wet the dirt so that the snow will not just soak right into the ground!  Two "gulley washers" three days apart showed where all the runoff problems were, the leaks in the roof, and the weak tree branches!  So now we are ready for the REAL STORMS!!  The storm cycle is usually pretty predictable with the storms coming on the same day each week or every other week, except for this year!!  We have had rain on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday!!  The two snow showers were Monday and Wednesday; so who is going to guess which day will be the "big storm day" this winter.  Let's hope and pray that it ISN'T Saturday; that makes for a slow year in the snow business - who wants to pay to play in a blizzard?


In my thirty one years on the mountain, the year that sticks in my memory is the really dry year when the sledding hill was brown every Monday, got three inches of snow every Thursday night and the snow players were ecstatic each weekend.  It amazes me still to watch people sledding in the fresh snow.  Instant replay memories of my own youth where our favorite hill had a LARGE pine tree in the middle of the run with two or three fathers deflecting the sleds away from that tree!!  Oh, those shins by the end of the day!!  Sacrifice!!


Making memories is one of the tasks of parents!  We are so glad that our years in the resort business up on the mountain were spent helping families make those memories - swimming and fishing in the summer, snow play and skiing in the winter, and of course the gorgeous autumn leaves that are just now falling!  We are so blessed!

SEASONS

I noticed a flock of geese flying South just the other day; clear blue sky with puffy white clouds, it was a great day for flying!!  The grass in the meadows was frosty and the air crisp, you could see your breath!  The Sonora Pass is closed, at least temporarily, by the storm last Sunday that put a dusting of snow on Pinecrest Peak and Burst Rock.  Time to get the ol' wood box full for winter, wrap those outside pipes, and check the snowblower so that it is ready when that first six inches falls out of the sky.  I guess it would be easier to just FLY SOUTH like the ducks and geese, but then we wouldn't get to enjoy the WINTER - skiing, snow ball fights, a warm cup of ____ by the fire with a good book wrapped in your fuzzy afgan.

The WEATHER is a'changin

Time to pull the sweaters out, cover the swamp cooler, clean out the gutters and downspouts and DON'T WAIT TOO LONG either!! Thundershowers today following a gulley washer or TWO last Monday/Tuesday says that winter is on the way!  I could smell the wood stove smoke in MiWuk last Tuesday morning and while it was supposed to be in the high 80s Friday and Saturday, the cooler weather came in sooner and had all the various yard sales running for the tarps!  We haven't made it over the Sonora Pass to see the aspen leaves and after today, there might not BE ANY left on the trees. 

I had some friends harvesting apples this weekend so at least it was cooler than it has been!  We had better figure out a way to squeeze Ducking for Apples into our church Festival on the 30th - that is ALWAYS a winner!  We had one young man who figured out that if he took the apple to the bottom of the "pan" the resistance would allow him to snag it with his teeth - he just had to hold his breath while doing it!! 

Have a FUN event in October - Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming up FAST!

RAIN

There is nothing like a rain storm to clear the air, settle the dust and produce beautiful rainbows across the sky.  Yesterday afternoon's thunderstorm did all of the above. We haven't heard any fire trucks or seen any air tanker plane dropping fire retardant, so the noise and light show must not have been of the fire making variety.  One Stanislaus Complex Fire per lifetime is sufficient!!  But just the thought makes one thankful for the thinning that has been accomplished in the last few years around all of the occupied territory on Hiway 108.  Saving houses and lives can be impossible if the trees are so close together as to be unhealthy and to produce extra HOT fires!!  God bless our firefighters wherever they are and keep them safe!!

DIRECTIONS

I was stopped by the side of the highway about 15 miles east of Sonora, checking on a recent "you have a message" beep on my cell, when a motorcycle stops next to my driver's side window.  He seemed like a "normal person" so I rolled the window down enough for him to ask "Is this the road to Mariposa?  I seem to have lost my way back at that last big town." 

"Well sir, if you mean Sonora I am afraid that you missed your turn about 15 miles west of THERE!"  Then I proceeded to tell him what to look for and when to make his left turn to take him to Hiway 120 and from there to Mariposa on Hiway 49.

It got me to thinking how often we set out on a venture without knowing for sure where we are going.  The average person would go to AAA and get a map, or if they are computer savvy "google it" and find the roads to take, the time to allow, and the sights to see on the way!!  THEN THERE ARE THE ADVENTUROUS ONES!!  Like my motorcycle acquaintence, they jump on their trusty steed and see what there is to see, hoping to get to their destination, but knowing that they will experience LIFE in the process!  I would call that TRUST while others might call it irresponsibility.  Perhaps forgetting to check the weather forecast and leaving your slicker and umbrella at home will get you wet, but then again a stop at a neighborhood diner to get out of the rain will yield some new stories, some neighborhood information, a great bowl of minestrone, and quite possibly a chance to be blessed by the experience of getting in out of the rain!

Some things in LIFE do require planning; some things can be left to serendipity.  ENJOY THE RIDE!

HUNTING SEASON

It always amazes me how many folks are "into" hunting.  My father was too busy working to have a hobby that required time away without family, but then again I notice a lot of two and three generation hunting families.  He hadn't served in any military units, did not own a gun of any kind that I knew of,  preferred camping and fishing.  I remember the summer that he attempted to interest me in fishing!  Number one I was supposed to "be quiet" as the fish could "hear me!" and too much talking would scare them away.  Number two I had to bait my own hook, and I suppose gut my own fish if I had stuck around to catch any.  The minute that my reel managed to tangle the fishing line, I was back to my previous activity throwning rocks in the lake!!  I had to move away from the fishermen, but splashing myself, and anyone else that happened to be close by, was definitely more fun than baiting hooks!!

One year we camped where there were rocks just the right angle for use as a slide!  No one had a backside in their jeans by the end of the week!  That rock LOOKED so smooth!  It was a good thing that we always wore our OLD CLOTHES when camping.  Mom was no dummy!! 

Camping was a great family activity and one that a LOT of folks enjoy in our "neck of the woods" here in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.  We had an old umbrella tent and slept in sleeping bags right on the floor of the tent - "take your shoes off, we have to sleep on that floor!" said Mom.  Carrying water, finding wood for the campfire, washing up the dishes (no paper for us!) kept all of us busy and out of some mischief!

I am happy to be of the "I need a bathroom nearby" age that doesn't sleep on the ground anymore.  I paid my dues!  Give me a cabin with indoor plumbing and I will bring the paper plates and briquets for the BBQ!  We did the backpacking trips when we were younger and raising our children and what do they do with THEIR families - RVs complete with kitchens, running water, and carpeting!!  They take their "Little House on the Prairie" with them, even a satelite for TV --  you have to be able to watch the car races and the football games.  They aren't hunters either -- except perhaps finding the most level spot or the correct channel on the TV!  Happy Hunting whatever your style!

FALL is in the air!

A couple of crisp nights this week should get the deer moving so drive carefully if you are coming to look for Autumn leaves on Hiway 108 - Sonora Pass!  The cottonwoods on the east side of Long Barn haven't changed color yet, but it won't be long.  The aspens on Sonora Pass just below the "Golden Staircase" are usually the first in the area to change.  Husband and I enjoyed lunch at Kennedy Meadows last week and a leisurely walk along the Stanislaus River, watching the fly fishermen exercising their skills.  My allergies have improved so much that the alfalfa in the corral areas didn't even make me wheeze, but not sure I am ready for a "horsey ride!"

Anyone planning to book reservations for the December Holiday Week should call me at 1800.514.6777 ASAP.  Anyone wishing to purchase a cabin to use all winter can use the same number - there are still "some" for sale in Strawberry and Cold Springs!  Breathe deep, live large, and cultivate an attitude of gratitude.  It will keep you YOUNG!!

END of SUMMER

It is Labor Day and I am laboring, attempting to get the end of the month bookkeeping done for the owners of the cabins that I manage.  They wait with "bated breath" for their monthly checks.  Interesting term - bated breath - is the root "abate" as in QUIT or maybe from bait, as in bait your hook?  I know some fishermen who breath to fish; they are that passionate about their favorite hobby.  We are certainly in a good location to bait your hook and catch the trout that the State Dept of Fish and Game puts in the So Fork of the Stanislaus.  Do you know that they check the temperature of the water before putting the fish in?  I guess that the trout have a better chance of survival if the temperature is in a certain range.  I wonder what the trout think - do fish think? - going from lolling in a feeding pool at the Moccasin Fish Hatchery to sloushing around in the back of a truck to flopping around in a 5 gallon bucket to swimming in the freedom of the river where no one is tossing feed in daily; they actually have to find it themselves or be food for a larger fish!!  Kinda like going from being a teenager to being an ADULT in an hours time!! 

What a shock that must be - it has been a long time since I experienced that - being responsible for myself for the first time.  I do remember being AMAZED how much of our income went for things like toothpaste, toilet paper, shampoo and FOOD.  Those were the things that I took for granted when I lived at home; they were just there when I needed them.  Like the trout I wasn't thinking!!  It does require planning and TRUST this being an ADULT. 

LOVE / HATE

Had an interesting customer at The RIVERS RESORT yesterday.  Young man with a wife and two small boys who was trying to "get away from it all" and asked that I move him to a cabin further from the highway!

The next question out of his mouth is "What is there to do around here?"  Followed by "Why doesn't my cell phone work?" and "Where is the closest internet connection spot?"  Now, you need to know that he was only staying with us for ONE DAY!   I slapped my forehead and said, "I thought that you wanted to get away from it all?"  

I showed him how to entertain his 3 year old boy by throwing small sticks - boats - in the river and watching them go over the falls and float downstream.  I warned him about the squirrels who were harvesting the big green pine cones and showed him just how heavy they were when full of seeds!  I showed him the eaten cones so he would know just how HARD those little boomer squirrels work to secure enough food for the long winter.  

Somehow, I just don't think that he was impressed with the nature that we have all around us; he wanted to be entertained.  OH, and I told him that thanks to the electric company doing repairs, we had no cable for the day so don't even try the TV! 

HOT Time in Old Strawberry

SUMMER returns this weekend to the mountians - the cool evening breezes will feel great!  Movies under the stars at Pinecrest for the 75th SUMMER will be quite comfortable - no sweatshirts needed!  The meteor shower should still be good tonight although early Friday morning - after midnight Thursday night - was the best night for viewing this annual event!  I have been fortunate in seeing it at least twice in the 31 years here on the mountain where the sky is dark enough to really enjoy this activity, but I am such an early bird that I have to set an alarm to get up and go out to peer into the darkened sky!

Mountain TIME

When people first move to the mountains they marvel at the concept of "mountain time"  The plumber comes when the fish are not biting and the painter will come as soon as he finishes his "more pressing" project.  I am sure that there are other places where this phenomena can be found, and while it takes some getting used to, it all works out in the end.  Just keep the pressure on, so you are the "more pressing" project!

The fish are biting!

The Rivers Resort in Strawberry, just 165 miles east of the Bay Area, still has scattered vacancies for August.  The 95 degree weather in Sonora is a comfortable 80 degree weather in Strawberry. Pinecrest Lake is still quite full with all the fun you could ask for - fishing boats, paddle boats, three sandy beaches, a snack bar AND first run movies at the amphetheater most evenings.  The Stanislaus National Forest and the Emigrant Wilderness Area are right here!  Views you will never forget; family times you will cherish forever.

Don't forget that fishing pole!  The Strawberry Store has everything that you might need to put a fish on that line!  OR just laze by the pool, the best kept secret in Strawberry.  I just had a "neighbor" from up the road at Cow Creek tell me that she had owned her cabin for 30 years and didn't know that there was a pool in Strawberry!   YOU READ IT HERE!  THERE IS A POOL IN STRAWBERRY!

AUGUST already!

It is hard to believe that August is HERE already!  The nights are getting longer, the pool heater has to work to warm the water for our water aerobics group on Mon, Weds, Fri mornings at 9AM.  Guests of the Rivers Resort as well as others are more than welcome.  We work up a sweat, but in the water you hardly notice it!

The Dept of Fish and Game are putting buckets of trout in the So Fork of the Stanislaus River right here at the Resort, just a mile below Pinecrest Lake.  While the bridge railings are being replaced this month it can get a bit noisy, but in the Spring it is the woodpeckers making all the noise.  I have always wondered how the Juncos - little black headed birds who stay here even in the winter (that's why we nickname them "snow birds") PAY those woodpeckers for the holes that they build THEIR nests in!  The Juncos use and re-use them year after year!