Yosemite

December 8, Sunday
After finding a room of refuge from the storm at Tehachapi and resting there for the night we enjoyed a wonderful hot breakfast in the motel breakfast room.  The road was still closed when we checked at 8 a.m., again at 9 a.m., and finally at 10 a.m. the road was opened to traffic.  Highway 58 was chock full--two lanes of traffic, almost bumper to bumper, travelling at about 20 mph.  From Tehachapi the road was almost all down hill.  Conditions improved from clear sunny skies with wet roads and snow covered hillsides to dry roads and no snow to be seen.  Traffic picked up speed and pretty soon all was normal again.

Hwy. 58 joined 99 at Bakersfield.  It was a good thing that it was a Sunday morning as traffic around Bakersfield was light.

We stopped once at a rest area and then arrived at Merced and checked into a Motel 6 by 2 p.m.  We took a few things up to the room, turned on the heat and then went for a walk to a supermarket to pick up some food.  We passed the afternoon reading, watching t.v., writing emails.  D.S. #1 in Yosemite soon called and we discussed road conditions into Yosemite.  At this time snow tires are sufficient.

December 9, Monday
We had figured on a two hour drive to Yosemite, but because the road was narrow and twisty and Jim is a careful driver it took a bit longer.  Then the navigator (myself) made a mistake and took the first left in the park and had to make about a 15 minute circle (because the roads there are one way) to reach Yosemite Lodge where D.S. was waiting for us.  What a treat to see him and give him a big hug!

He had reserved a room for us for the next three nights, and it was lovely.  Here's a view from our balcony.  The weather was just especially wonderful; there was fresh, white snow all around and the sun was strong, making everything sparkle.  We enjoyed these birds that came chattering around our balcony.

I'm not sure if it is a kind of bluebird or a blue jay.  I'd guess a jay because of the crest.  What a gorgeous blue!

We had a nice meal in the cafeteria, which offers lots of choice, from soup and salad through burgers all the way to a complete meal of fish/meat, veggies, etc.  We skipped dessert and were plenty full.

That afternoon we went for a short hike on the valley floor.  Late afternoon and evening we spent in our room with D.S. having a very good visit.

December 10, Tuesday

Had a slow morning, a dinner around 1 p.m. in the cafeteria again.  We drove to a parking lot just beyond Curry Village and hiked to Mirror Lake, the same hike we did last year in October.  This time the lake (which was completely dry last year) was covered with snow.  We went a bit further a took a loop back for a total hike of approximately 5 miles.  It was exhilarating to be out in the snow with the sun again shining brightly, making everything gleam.

Late afternoon and evening we repeated our relaxation and visit in our room.  Such a good time!

December 11, Wednesday

Our hike today was from the meadow below El Capitan up the talus slope--no trail, just rubble, snow and bush to the base of the cliff.  D.S. said that perhaps just a few of the million visitors to the park each year ever get to the base of that impressive cliff face.  Here's the view from the base, looking straight up.

That evening as Jim was having trouble with the extremely slow internet provided for guests he asked if we could go to D.S.'s room and use his connection. That worked like a charm.

Meantime D.S. was showing me a video on his DVD play of the competition to be the fastest team to climb the nose of El Cap.  That was amazing and actually pretty scary.
We went back to our room and together watched another video about Alex Honnold, an extremely gifted climb who of "free solos."  I'm just always thankful that I don't know when D.S. is climbing!

As we were returning from our hike that afternoon we noticed that the moon was visible in the afternoon sky.

This is our last evening here.  Tomorrow we drive on to visit D.S. #2 and his family.

Sorry!

I'm sorry to leave you hanging there, having negotiated the Tehachape Pass, early in December.  We had some other adventures and misadventures along the way home, which I will tell you about later.  We did arrive home safely a week ago today, but are still having some internet issues.  We hope they will be solved before this coming weekend.

When the internet is all fixed I'll be back with an update on our trip home, and on the projects I've finished in the meantime.

Today is Christmas, so we both wish all of you a blessed day and a coming year of joy and personal contentment.
Your own Grammilou

Catching Up

After a very pleasant time at our condo in Arizona we packed up last week and left on Saturday, December 7 about 8:45 a.m., driving north on Hwy 60.  We turned north on 72 to 95 north.  All this area was pretty typical desert, but with irrigated agricultural fields along the way also.

North of Parker on 95 the landscape was very different, very hilly along the Colorado River.  Nearing Lake Havasu City the hills were more like sandy mounds, covered with off road vehicle tracks.

We stopped in Lake Havasu City for a bathroom break and took some cold diet cokes into the car.  We drove north to I 40 and turned west.  The sky clouded over and the wind picked up.

At Barstow we switched to Hwy 58. That's a strange road, part of the route was good expressway, and part of the route was just two lane road.  Completely inadequate for the traffic is carries, especially considering that semis make up a huge proportion of that traffic.

At Mojave I suggested we stop for the night, even though it was only 3:30 PST (we had started in MST), but Jim preferred to put on some more miles.

Not too much farther along we encountered more heavy wind and this time combined with blowing snow, and the onset of darkness.  Pretty soon we were creeping long behind a semi at about 20 mph, with trouble lights blinking.  The road surface was polished ice and there were many vehicles in the ditches.  On the other side, the eastbound lanes there was a semi jackknifed across both lanes.  Behind that truck there was a solid two lanes of stalled traffic for a few miles (seemed like).

After a bit the truck we were following came to a stop, and the whole line of traffic also stopped.  We waited, turning the engine off to conserve gas as we were getting low.  After a bit some cars and pickups cautiously went around the stopped semis and after a while longer we decided to join them.  We found that a semi eastbound had spun out and come to a rest across the ditch between the eastbound and westbound lanes.  It was blocking the left lane of our west bound road, but, fortunately, the cab was at right angles to the trailer and car/pickup traffic was able to creep around and continue down the road. We formed a kind of convoy through the swirling snow, inching along with our trouble lights on until we came to the first exit for Tehachapi where we left the road and bought some gas.

By the time we headed back, the expressway was closed.  Traffic could exit but not enter.  We drove on into Tehachapi itself and were blessed to find a large, comfortable, warm room at Best Western Mountain Inn.

Five p.m. in the evening we were settled in and enjoyed a "light" supper of hot chocolate, crackers and cheese and settled down for the night, very thankful not to be spending it on the road or in the ditch!

Blue Bunny

I am an ice cream addict!  I need my fix of good vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt every evening!  And here in Surprise I have discovered a WONDERFUL ice cream.  It's Blue Bunny Premium All Natural Vanilla. Here's the list of ingredients: Milk, Cream, Sugar, Egg Yolks, Natural Vanilla Extract and Vanilla Bean Specks.  (Quoted from the carton, complete with upper case letters.)

This is the absolutely best vanilla ice cream I have ever tasted!

The carton tells me that is is manufactured by Wells Enterprises, Inc., an Iowa Corporation, and gives an address in Le Mars, Iowa, and an 800 phone number.  I think I'll call them next week and tell them how delicious their All Natural Vanilla ice cream is.

The carton also informs me that they are celebrating their 100 years of making "everyday moments more memorable for families."  That might be slightly hyperbolic, but I'll go along with it.  To mark their 100 years they are helping to grant 100 wishes to 100 children with life-threatening medical conditions.

The carton also lets me know that every 1/2 cup serving contains 150 calories, 80 of them from fat.  That's over 50%, isn't it?  But hey, that 1/2 cup serving also contains 10% of your daily calcium requirements.

Now I wonder how much fits into the coffee cup that I use as an ice cream dish.  Maybe I really don't want to know!

Pool Time

I tried to position these two pictures side by side to show the whole pool.  They don't fit side by side on this page even if they are both the small size.  But putting them exactly together in the middle pretty much shows the whole pool.  The deepest area is in front of the waterfall, and is 5 feet deep.  Toward the edges the depth is 4 ft., and in the whole right side (in the picture) the pool is about 3 feet deep.

We like to go there around 2:30 to 3:00 p.m., after our morning activities and our dinner are finished.

Last week Thursday there was a thunderstorm in the evening, and two nights and two days of cold, steady rain followed it.  Sunday was still cloudy and the sun finally came out yesterday.  The temperatures are still pretty low, with highs in the low 70's, but the pool is at a steady 82º, so when the sun is shining and there is not much wind, swimming is very comfortable.  Yesterday afternoon it was back to the pool for me.

I like to swim leisurely around the pool in a counterclockwise direction.  It was so peaceful there yesterday, as most people thought it was too cold for a "pool afternoon."

Two weeks ago I dropped in on the quilting time at the sewing room in the Community Center.  The two women who were working on charity quilts there welcomed me and we got acquainted.  Then a third woman arrived and introduced herself.  She and I started chatting and I found her to be very articulate and accomplished.  Her name is Kathy Brown and she is a certified sewing instructor who teaches at the sewing expos in Canadian cities.  I've been to these wonderful "conventions" in both Edmonton and Calgary, and they are very inspiring.

As we chatted she mentioned that she does tissue paper pattern fitting.  I could use a good deal of help fitting a pants pattern since my figure has changed so much over the years.  My pants pattern from my 50's just doesn't fit anymore!  She said she would be glad to do a fitting for me, and we decided that since there might be other "garment sewers" who would be interested, we would choose a date and time, and advertise this on the village email bulletin board.

This morning was the fulfillment of that idea.  Kathy and I were there before 9:30, and then several other women showed up for the class.  I think there were 8 or 9 other women attending.

I wore my bathing suit underneath my caftan, so that when the time came to fit the paper pattern, my body was available, but my appearance was still modest.

It was an excellent experience.  Kathy did a great job of fitting the pattern to my hard-to-fit body.  She was entertaining and clear in her explanations.  She also had printed notes for each person attending, so that all our attention could be given to watching what she was doing and learning.  I came home with a professionally fitted pants pattern that I can't wait to use.  At home in Alberta I have some very nice woven navy fabric that will make a great pair of slacks.  I wish it were here so that I could get started this afternoon!

Great Big Thank You to Kathy Brown!

Two F.O.s

In the Community Center here there is a sewing room.  On the door is a schedule of activities.  Quilting is listed for 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays.  A week and a half ago I dropped in to see what was happening there.  I met two very nice women, Joan and Bev, who were working on some charity quilts for babies.  After a while another woman arrived, Kathy Brown, and we started chatting together.

Kathy is from Nanaimo, B.C. and is a Certified Sewing Instructor who teaches at the wonderful sewing expos in Calgary, Edmonton, etc.  She has had training in many different techniques and she designs patterns for McCalls--a very interesting and talented person.  When she mentioned that she can do tissue pattern fitting, I clued in right away.

I could use some help with a pants pattern, I said.  Since my "senior" figure arrived, I've had a hard time altering a pants pattern to fit.  "Oh!  I can do that!" she replied.  We explored some possibilities and then decided that there might be other women in this complex who would like to see this as a demonstration.  We chose a date and advertised in the local "e blasts" from the Community Center.  It's going to happen next Tuesday morning.

I asked Kathy how much she would like to receive for this professional service, but she said it's just a way of giving back to the community for the use of the sewing room.  That was when I decided to make a set of maple leaf hot pads for her.

On Monday I went to Jo-Ann's and found some great red Kona cotton and some white cotton with a small dot figure.  Perfect!  I also bought some Insul-Bright for the batting.  Wednesday, using the cutting table, mat and rulers in the Sewing Room I cut them out.  At home that afternoon I sewed them together, but wasn't able to turn the "tube" for the little fabric loops.  A clerk at Walmart found the "tube turner" for me yesterday.  And here's the completed project.  These are 9" square, and look nice and bright!

In the meantime I had another project on the go: a caftan for covering up my bathing suit on the way to and from the swimming pool.  This bright blue print was a gift from Karen in the quilting group back home.

Quite often someone will come with fabric to "get rid of."  This is a polyester, so it's not suitable for quilting. But as soon as I saw it I recognized a caftan waiting to be made.  I bought some white poly-cotton at Walmart a few weeks ago and started working on it.  I used a caftan I already had for the pattern.  The white had to be a triple layer in order to overcome the depth of colour in the blue underneath.

I'm really happy with how this turned out.  The Dear One says it looks really good.  It's comfortable and simple and will be just right for pool days!  Big thanks for Karen for the fabric!

Great Day!

What a great day we had on Saturday!  We went to Mesa to visit some museums there.

First up was the Mesa Historical Museum, which was somewhat of a dud!  It was very small, with one large room completely devoted to baseball, that is, spring training, which takes place in Mesa, and a few other areas.  There was one other very small room displaying scenes from a children's tv program, probably in the 60's or 70's, called "Wallace and ????" (I had never heard of this program and have forgotten the other name.)  Apparently they gave out very popular bags of prizes, which everybody wanted to take home.

We knew there was a museum of modern art somewhere around there, but had decided to skip that.  However, a woman at the Mesa Historical Museum convinced us to have a look.  And are we ever glad that she did!

 Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum occupies the lower level of this very modern building.  You can go in at the upper level and take the elevator or stairs down.  The picture to the right shows the upper level, and the stairs leading down to the courtyard.  The second picture looks down into the lower level courtyard.

There are four galleries, two fairly small and two larger.  In the first gallery we saw a display called "From Lemons to Lingerie," works by two Arizona artists.  Tom Eckert is a carver who produces works that look like cloth.  The first work we came across was a black satin chemise with one black patent leather high heel pump resting on it.  A sign next to the work warned us that "things are not always
what they seem!"  They were works carved out of wood!  You could swear that they were soft satin and shiny patent.  Several other of his works were similar.

Linda Ingraham is a photographer who combines and digitally manipulates her photos to create whimsical images of, for instance, lemons in flight.

Both artists were described as "redefining the typical still-life with their unusual medium choices and surrealist subject matter."  Their works were very interesting and entertaining.

Then there was a large gallery with a display called "Messin' with the Masters."  There were all painting or sculptures that were practically reproductions of famous works, but with an often humorous twist.  For instance there was a statue of a Japanese warrior, with "I (heart) NY" carved out of his chest.  Some of the works were very involved, large and full of symbolism.  It was an interesting collection.

Third gallery was the best, at least the one I enjoyed the most.  The title "Devocionales" grouped many very complex, dense and full of narrative, paintings done in the style of traditional retablo altarpieces by Patrick McGrath Muniz.  His words explain it best: "The intention is to provoke the questioning of our present day socio-economic conditions and what role corporations, money, profit and the neo-liberal policies play in our citizen life."  He fearlessly holds up for critical inspection, through the use of wit and sometimes sarcasm, the dominance of our society by the values of profit and power.

I was fascinated with these paintings and found his social criticism to be penetrating and exact.  I especially enjoyed the sly "Faux News" label on some of the portrayals of journalists and photographers.

The fourth gallery did not interest me.  I forget the names of the two collaborating artists because I was totally unimpressed.  No report on that gallery!

When we came out of the museum I saw a very interesting artful wall.  The facade of the building facing the museum had a huge screen, perhaps 5 stories tall and just as wide made of thousands of small squares of some reflective material.  They must have been hanging on hooks, as the whole field of silver "scales" shimmered as the breeze flowed over it.  It was beautiful!  I took a short video of it with my digital camera, but it doesn't upload to the blog.  There may be a way, but I don't know how to do it.

It was after 1 p.m. by this time, and we were headed toward the Arizona Natural History Museum about two or three blocks away, looking for a restaurant to have a light lunch.  There was an "art fair" in the neighbourhood that day; the block of MacDonald between Main and Pepper was roped off and there were perhaps 25 to 30 small tent shelters for vendors to display their wares: beads, wooden toys, scarves, pictures, etc. that they had made.

Along the way we came upon a table with the sign, "Free hot dogs, pop and chips!"  What a fun treat!  We each had a hot dog and a pop, and I had some Fritos.  I think the last time we had a hot dog was one time in the 90's as we were travelling through Wisconsin and stopped in Ashland where a Target store had a grill set up outdoors and were selling hot dogs for $1 each.  It was delightful yesterday to sit on the sidewalk and enjoy this "all American" treat.

Next stop was the Arizona Natural History Museum, and that was a treat too.  Here's the lobby with its Wooly Mammoth skeleton.  On the left you can see just the tips of the Mastodon's horns.

We spent a long time in the dinosaur and early civilizations area. Lots of wonderful displays and lots to see and lots to read.

I highly recommend visiting either the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum or the Arizona Natural History Museum, both in Mesa.