The Cellar Door

Last weekend we went down to Shenandoah Valley again for some more
wine and PERFECT weather. Pics by me and her.

Como

Now that my Trooper is done, I have made promise to self, to get out more. The weather was exceptional this past weekend, so we took a day trip out to the Como Mine Site south of Dayton.  This area was actually really nice.  Lots of trails and old mining encampments.  We had a good amount of rain the weekend prior, so everything was still moist, and standing water persisted in a  few mud holes along the path.

The Trooper stands mighty.

2015 is here...

The avalanche effect of time's passing is in full swing. It is now 2015.

What will the year hold for us?  Only time will tell.

This year I want to simplify, reduce, reuse, and cut down, in order to reach larger goals.
For starters, my vehicular foot print must be reduced, so I bid farewell to an 80's legend.

U wan go beach?

Doggies love the beach.

Without fail, everytime we go anywhere with sand or loose dirt, Luigi immediately starts rolling.

Flora & Fauna

Coastal California, for me, is a place of wonder. The woods here are prehistoric and full of so much exciting micro-life, especially after dark.  You merely need to break out a good flashlight, squat down, and scan the forest floor.  You will see neat stuff.  For me, of particular interest, are salamanders. In my opinion, these mysterious and private little amphibians are woodland prizes, and any time you can find one, you should feel lucky.

If I lived in this area, I would definitely familiarize myself with the vast array of different mushrooms that grow here. There are so many varieties, and I want to know which ones are good to eat. I do know that most of them are not.

Fud

For most people, vacation means time off.  But for us, it also means no holds barred eating.

First stop: Pork Belly Grub Shack. This place is off Truxel Road in Sacramento, and I am kind of obsessed with it.

Thanksgiving Northcoast Style

For the Thanksgiving holiday we went over to California's North Coast again. This is probably my favorite area of California in general.  I could see living over there.  We rented a little house on the northern end of Elk, CA right where hwy 1 and 128 meet.

This is the view of the ocean from the deck.