6 April …

 

I did a Family History Center session last week … and do one again tomorrow.  I signed up for odd numbered thursdays and when a month has five thursdays, I double back on the first one in the next month.

Last week, Mr. Garcia (who is doing the history of Catholics in south Siskiyou county) was there, with bells on, as the door was unlocked.  He had made quite a bit of headway on the Catholics including contacts with Priest historians and some early pictures.  One old photo shows how Lake Street got its name.  All this discovery since he was at the Center a couple of weeks ago.

In addition, the personal family history bug has him in its clutches.  So Sal and I had quite a time with him.  His grandmother, like one of my great-grandmothers, seemed to get younger every time a census was recorded.  Genealogy reveals all kinds of interesting secrets.

I’m betting he’ll be back this week.

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Eric and Julie arrived mid-afternoon last saturday and it was like no time had passed since we were all together, although it had been years since we last saw Julie. 

When I think about it, I realize how lucky I am to have the family I have, both immediate as well as extended, even if we aren’t all physically close together.  Fun and laughs started over supper with planning for the tourist thing on sunday.

Sunday the weather was glorious.  Rain had been predicted, but it held off.  Julie was able to take a walk before breakfast and our part of the world gave her a welcome. 

Deer are back and the firs are setting their bright growth buds.  No lilacs yet, but lots of daffodils and narcissus. 

 

 

 

And the maple is budding so there is a slight red haze.

 

 

 

Our “tourist” trip went well.  Our first stop was in the City Park where the spring from the Mountain snow comes out of the rocks. 

On the Mountain, we were able to get as far as Bunny Flat (6,942′).  The unplowed snow was close to 10′ deep and the road above there wasn’t open. 

All the lifts were in operation at the Ski Park and the telemark slope looks even steeper than it did when I came down it on a toboggan.

 

Then out to Box Canyon to look at Lake Siskiyou

 

 

 

and over the edge to the hydro power plant.

 

Then on to Castle Lake where the lake was topped with snow.

Final tourist stop, before a great Mexican dinner at Casa Ramos, was the train depot and turntable in Dunsmuir.

As I said, my family is great and we fit together well.  It was a comfortable visit.   They left early monday morning to catch a plane back home.  George and I are looking forward to their next trip west.

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I caused a controversy last week over enhanced photos on the net. 

My horoscope had instructed me to avoid contentious conversation.  I should have paid attention.

For quite some time now there have been posts on Facebook which I find unsettling.  They usually consist of calming advice such as “Stress … go for a walk with nature.”  Good advice … BUT … it is then accompanied by a picture of woods (or ocean or lakeside or flower garden or …) in which the colours have been supersaturated to the point that lavender is a purple which temporarily dulls your sight, the blues are all electric, the various greens are acid green, the sun rays are BRIGHT BRIGHT white shaded to orange and the reds can make your eyes bleed.

I’ve reached the point where when I get a hint such a post is next, I just hurry past.  However, last week I posted a query asking if I was the only one who felt this way.  The problem was I phrased my question sloppily and wound up setting several sets of teeth on edge.  Seems there is a way to enhance the dulling sometimes present in photographs which is used by family and friends to get across what they see.

Interestingly, I see what they are trying to present in those photos without seeing the manipulation.  In fact, I sort of wish I knew how to do that because there are times what I see is not visible in the photos I take in my effort at sharing … such as the yellow sky preceding rain. 

Oh well …

At any rate, I still continue to zip past the overdone photos (and continue to wonder at the lack of appreciation of actual nature) and enjoy the ones in which I see what I am being shown without seeing overt manipulation.

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Weather has yet to settle.  There was a shower with distant lightning and thunder sunday evening.  But otherwise clear and warming.

This morning … (photo unretouched).

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My new stove is waiting for us to come get it.  As soon as I get the blog posted, we will be on our way to Medford.

~~~

As a final thought …

I have initiated a project which means a lot to me.  I am not able, at this time, to share … BUT I request your positive thoughts for its success. 

I am trying to remember that people with courage do not slay dragons, they ride them.

Blessings and Thank You.

So … ’til next week …