Well, it's really me who copies the site all the time, so I deserve it. All the same, they ripped off "Sunshine on my Jarod makes me happy!"
http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/2007/08/sunshine-on-my-.html
Friday, August 24, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Heaps Peak Arboretum
On Highway 18, heading toward Lake Arrowhead from Green Valley, there's the Heaps Peak Arboretum. You can take a guided walk through a grove of trees ranging from Ponderosa Pines, Incense Cedars, Dogwoods to Black Oaks, Sequioas and Sugar Pines. This area also almost completely burned in the "old fire" of 2003. But many trees survived and thrived.
A sequoia grove was planted in the 1930s.
A grove of dead trees stands eerily in the landscape. The relationship of forests (and nature in general) and fire is obvious in this area. Living and dealing with fires is a reality for anyone living here.
The beautiful view looking toward Lake Arrowhead.
A sequoia grove was planted in the 1930s.
A grove of dead trees stands eerily in the landscape. The relationship of forests (and nature in general) and fire is obvious in this area. Living and dealing with fires is a reality for anyone living here.
The beautiful view looking toward Lake Arrowhead.
Come up and go hiking with us! We're planning to hike our butts off on all the local trails.
Keller Peak/The Children's Forest
Jarod and I went exploring the other day, taking the road by the Deerlick Firehouse up to Keller Peak and The Children's Forest trail.
There are some amazing views of the surrounding mountains.
Normally you can get into this tower and look around, but it was locked up when we were there.
The Children's Forest trail is an easy, paved walk through a part of the forest that burned in the early 70s. A group of 40 children helped to build a trail to teach people about how forests grow back after a fire. It was pretty cool, but the information was not that well maintained.
There are some amazing views of the surrounding mountains.
Normally you can get into this tower and look around, but it was locked up when we were there.
The Children's Forest trail is an easy, paved walk through a part of the forest that burned in the early 70s. A group of 40 children helped to build a trail to teach people about how forests grow back after a fire. It was pretty cool, but the information was not that well maintained.
Summer Thunderstorm
I've been anxiously awaiting some good storms. All the forecasted storms blew by us until yesterday, when we had to first rain in months.
This cloud seemed ominous, but it produced no storms for Green Valley Lake.
The view of the rainy weather outside the cabin.
This cloud seemed ominous, but it produced no storms for Green Valley Lake.
The view of the rainy weather outside the cabin.
Visit with the Stanovics
The Stanovic family came up to the mountains for a visit the first week in August. Their whole clan rented an awesome cabin in the Moonridge area of Big Bear, so Jarod and I drove over there to spend a day. I never would have suspected that we would find my Aunt Veronica playing Guitar Hero!(our favorite video game around here) She beat "Ballroom Blitz."
My Uncle Bill's brother, Jeff, likes to make movies. He got most everyone to participate in a Spaghetti Western that they spent a good part of the day filming! We got to preview what they had done before we left and it was pretty hilarious.
Here are my twin cousins, Sam and Jesse, dressed in their Western garb.
My Uncle Bill's brother, Jeff, likes to make movies. He got most everyone to participate in a Spaghetti Western that they spent a good part of the day filming! We got to preview what they had done before we left and it was pretty hilarious.
Here are my twin cousins, Sam and Jesse, dressed in their Western garb.
Big Bear Animal Park
My Grandma Loretta, my mom's mom, used to have a cabin in the Moonridge area of Big Bear, close to the Big Bear Animal Park. We went to this zoo many times when I was little, but I don't remember it.
I have to say that it's much cooler than I thought it would be. It's small, but it's one of only 2 Alpine zoos in the country, meaning that they're located over 5,000 ft. elevation. This means they can have some pretty special animals: Bald eagles, a snow leopard, grizzlies. I thought there would be a pen with a few goats in it.
The crowds were sparse so we got these grizzlies all to ourselves. The honored us by biting each other's faces for most of the time.
The largest one won the rights to the swimming hole.
This beautiful Snow Leopard named Ivan is indigenous to the Himalayas, but the climate in Big Bear suits him. He has a cancerous sore on his lip and isn't expected to survive for much longer, so it's a privilege to see him.
I wish I had more pictures! My Aunt Veronica treated Jarod and myself to this trip to the zoo and it was really fun. I want to go there and just plant myself and spend the whole day. Unlike a lot of small, horrible city zoos that lock the animals in cement enclosures, the forest surroundings and cool temps bring the animals out and about. No bear butts in the far corner.
I have to say that it's much cooler than I thought it would be. It's small, but it's one of only 2 Alpine zoos in the country, meaning that they're located over 5,000 ft. elevation. This means they can have some pretty special animals: Bald eagles, a snow leopard, grizzlies. I thought there would be a pen with a few goats in it.
The crowds were sparse so we got these grizzlies all to ourselves. The honored us by biting each other's faces for most of the time.
The largest one won the rights to the swimming hole.
This beautiful Snow Leopard named Ivan is indigenous to the Himalayas, but the climate in Big Bear suits him. He has a cancerous sore on his lip and isn't expected to survive for much longer, so it's a privilege to see him.
I wish I had more pictures! My Aunt Veronica treated Jarod and myself to this trip to the zoo and it was really fun. I want to go there and just plant myself and spend the whole day. Unlike a lot of small, horrible city zoos that lock the animals in cement enclosures, the forest surroundings and cool temps bring the animals out and about. No bear butts in the far corner.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The Move Part II: Flo Jenkins
After giving cleaning up the old place and returning our keys (to Paul, our maintenance man, who told us, "I think you are a really great couple...and that's from the heart." It made me tear up as we left, realizing how much I would miss Long Beach) we prepared for the 2 hour trek that would bring our cat, Flo, up to the cabin. I'll see what Jarod has to say about my calling Flo "our" cat. :)
The ride up went quite well. Flo has gotten used to car rides since having a recurring ear infection that took her to the vet several times in the past few months. So, she was surprisingly quiet. That is, until we started up the mountain. I don't know if her ears were popping or what, but she moaned and then laid flat on her side with head down.
But she got better when we had to stop for construction. I opened the top of the pet taxi and petted her little head and then she looked out, tried to get out, and then we proceeded after I made her put her head back in the carrier. So was sprightly the rest of the way up.
Once she was on the loose in the cabin, she felt right at home. I dare say she loves it here.
Flo looking up the stairs.
Flo on windowsill.
Flo looking out from the stairs.
Flo looking up the stairs, part ii.
Flo loves the stairs. We guessed that she would.
The ride up went quite well. Flo has gotten used to car rides since having a recurring ear infection that took her to the vet several times in the past few months. So, she was surprisingly quiet. That is, until we started up the mountain. I don't know if her ears were popping or what, but she moaned and then laid flat on her side with head down.
But she got better when we had to stop for construction. I opened the top of the pet taxi and petted her little head and then she looked out, tried to get out, and then we proceeded after I made her put her head back in the carrier. So was sprightly the rest of the way up.
Once she was on the loose in the cabin, she felt right at home. I dare say she loves it here.
Flo looking up the stairs.
Flo on windowsill.
Flo looking out from the stairs.
Flo looking up the stairs, part ii.
Flo loves the stairs. We guessed that she would.
The Move!
The move went pretty smoothly thanks to our skilled packing, but mainly to our awesome friends who came over and sweated their little hearts out! It was such a hot day. We only have picks of the Long Beach side of the move- but with thanks to Mike, Ed, Jenn, Travis, Rob and Heather, we were done unloading at the cabin by 4 pm. Then we went out for pizza and beer at The Lake Inn, our local pizza joint. (Which really has the best pizza I've ever had. But more on that later.)
Boxes...
...and more boxes...Uhaul has nifty color-coded labeling tape.
Ed!...
Travis & Ed!...
...Mike, Jarod & moving truck. Jarod and Mike work like tetris masters at fitting stuff into moving trucks.
Boxes...
...and more boxes...Uhaul has nifty color-coded labeling tape.
Ed!...
Travis & Ed!...
...Mike, Jarod & moving truck. Jarod and Mike work like tetris masters at fitting stuff into moving trucks.
Squirell and Chipmunk Mayhem
There are a LOT of squirrels and chipmunks up here. Our neighbors have this contraption with corncobs hanging off it & one squirrel mastered it.
The squirrel mastering the corn ferris wheel.
A chipmunk we met while hiking. He tried to get into the bathroom stall with me. The nerve.
The squirrel mastering the corn ferris wheel.
A chipmunk we met while hiking. He tried to get into the bathroom stall with me. The nerve.
A few weeks ago a squirrel confronted me and I think it wanted to get in our car. We had food in there and when it comes to food, these guys don't mess around.
Quintessentially the Cabin
Antlers. Not something we'd normally use for decoration, but it's such a part of the cabin. Even as vegetarians, how can we deny how much they are a part of life up here?
These antlers are extra nice, as they were mounted on what seems to be a red muppet head.
Gnomes. Jarod says there's a one gnome minimum in the cabin at all times.
I love this mirror. Jarod's Grandma, Lottie, said that the guy in the tub reminded her friend of Hitler, so it was ok if we wanted to get rid of it. Obviously, it's one of the things we wanted to keep! :)
Jarod found this classic thing for bingo. I call it a thing as I have no idea what you would call this! But it's cool.
These antlers are extra nice, as they were mounted on what seems to be a red muppet head.
Gnomes. Jarod says there's a one gnome minimum in the cabin at all times.
I love this mirror. Jarod's Grandma, Lottie, said that the guy in the tub reminded her friend of Hitler, so it was ok if we wanted to get rid of it. Obviously, it's one of the things we wanted to keep! :)
Jarod found this classic thing for bingo. I call it a thing as I have no idea what you would call this! But it's cool.
Clearing space for the move!
We had to shuffle a lot of stuff around to make room for our stuff! Stuff that was in closet areas and storage beneath the stairs basically went into either the basement or the attic. Refinishing Dresser and Wardrobe
Jarod sanded/heat gunned (which is a pain in the butt) the paint off the dresser that was in the bathroom, so we painted the wardrobe and the dresser as a matching set. Both are in our bedroom now. We're trying to match the grays in our "creek bend" motif!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
