A Merry Christmas to all

Mom & Dad at the Fishery

In years past I have always taken my folks for a 'walk in the woods' to admire the redwoods and get some    exercise - you know ...  to balance out all that extra eating ( and eating out).  This year we had a much shorter excursion to Rio Del to visit the town's small, but nicely done, fishery.

Glenna Girl

This is my Australian Shepherd taking over my bed when I get up in the morning.  She never used to like being on the bed but the longer she lives with two labs, the more she takes on their characteristics: love of food, comfort and anything flying.

I don't usually like pets on furniture, but how can I say no to my sweet "baby girl"?

Why do I have a Suburban?

I don't often post photos of myself - I guess I never learned how to smile/ham-it-up for the camera.  Our store is open 6 days a week, closed only on Sundays and holidays.  That leaves us one day a week for R&R.  Two different Sundays we drove up towards Ruth Lake for firewood.  That's where our monster-hog comes in handy - carry that load home so we can stay warm in the winter! When not carting wood around, we use this vehicle for kayaking.  Kayaks don't fit very well on either the Saturn or the Prius, so we keep the hog.  I also used this car while working for the Census - it got me out of town and out in the sticks.  I got pretty good at some of those dirt roads ... and the even worse dirt roads that turn off the main dirt roads. Potholes, ruts and lots and lots of dust. And a lot of fun. So why do I have a Suburban? Because it comes in handy.

Family Store

This is - left to right - Jacob, Ryland, Mom & Dad ... oh yes, and me! in in the middle... in our store in Fortuna. 
We carry (in a nut shell) non-toxic cleaners, sustainable clothing and locally made 'stuff'.  I'm learning quite a lot every time I look for new products - it keeps my brain active (LOL).  Its always great to have my folks here for Thanksgiving, which they have done each and every year since I moved here with my children (Jacob & Ryland) some 14 years ago.  BTW: my son Ryland is 23 and standing on a chair for this photo - he is a dwarf, well adjusted about it and a bit of a pistol at times, squirmy the rest of the time.  My son Jacob HATES having his photo taken so it's hard to get a good one of him.  Mom & Dad are in their mid-80s and doing very well, although they often drive my older sister a bit crazy - makes me wonder how I will be when I'm their age.

Sir Frog

I have this photo on my desktop and get a thrill every time I see him/her - Sir Frog.  He was nestled in calla lily leaves, taking in the sun that day.  I saw him several more times over the next few days, but as the flowers finished blooming, he lost his cover and moved elsewhere.

BHLG

We are moving our store to Main Street -
a bigger & better location.

I don't know what plants these are, that seem to
grow using the redwood for support. It is still
winter here so there are no leaves or berries for
identification. I'm sure an expert - who already
knows what it is cold identify the plant from this picture, but I need more to go by for looking it up. While most trails are nicely groomed and placed in especially aesthetically pleasing spots,
the forest is messy, littered with tree debris and
hard going without a well maintained trail. I know this because I've tried it - you can spend an hour just making 30 feet of progress.

What I liked about this area was the strong, straight - and large - tree trunks in contrast to their twisting, undulating vine-like friends. I haven't seen this in very many places, although I do usually stay on the beaten track.

Dusting of Snow

Here is a second photo from the day we had a light dusting of snow - which is about all we ever get in the redwoods. Nothing to slow you down or require a shovel.

Finally a walk in the woods

A rare snow in the redwoods. Of course, once you step more than 5 feet into/under the canopy, no snow can reach the ground. In closer studying of the Redwood Tree, they have uncovered & documented an amazing array of life - from fallen tree to the tippy-top of still-growing trees. The rain forests in tropical zones have been better studied than our own coastal redwoods - a temperate rain forest.

The first report I've heard on the fall salmon run (Nov '09 to Jan '10) is good - lots of them !! This report is on the Van Duzen River salmon. I have not heard yet on the Delta salmon population and their return statistics (spawning salmon). We've had lots of decent rain the last several weeks - and two noticeable earthquakes as well - and its good to see the Eel so full .... its been a few years. Glenna was also glad to get out of the house, into the car and on to the forest.