Nevada Trip Journal: November 22-Dec 12, 2015 (Part 6)

Nevada Trip Journal: November 22-Dec 12, 2015 (Part 6)

Dec 6-11, 2015  Mr. Long Tail at Dan and Robin Barnett’s House, Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, Nevada  

Mr.Long Tail, a squirrel that frequented Dan and Robin’s yard, and I became friends.  I first spotted him on Thanksgiving day scurrying back and forth, climbing trees and digging in the snow for food.  He had the longest tail I had ever seen on a squirrel.  Then he disappeared for several days and I feared he had gotten run over or went into hibernation.  I told Robin about my concern and she put some birdseed out on her deck to try and entice him back.  It worked!  This is Mr. Long Tail feasting on her deck.

Mr. Long Tail:  “Not quite as good as nuts, but a nice smorgasbord of seeds”

Me:  “Glad you approve”

Mr. Long Tail:  “Don’t watch me while I’m eating.  You're making me self-conscious.”

Me:  “If you could see yourself from behind, that would make you self-conscious, Mr Fatty.”

Mr. Long Tail: “Getting full.  Maybe I’ll come back later for seconds.”

Me:  “Maybe I’ll put out some more bird food.  You know any birds who haven’t flown south for the winter?  Let them know we have chow.”

 

Mr. Long Tail:  “Good grub, but I’m out of here.”

Me:  “See you later, alligator.”

Two days latter, two smaller squirrels were seen feeding on the same seed pile.

A poem I wrote several years ago about the squirrels in Dan and Robin’s backyard.

The Squirrels Squirrels glide across melting snow, sliding on the icy slush --in quite a rush. They frolic in the winter forest’s beauty, jaunting left then right, then up a tree and back down to the snowy forest    floor. As I stand shivering, watching, cursing the cold. I become ashamed that I do not delight with them in God’s chilly  playground. by Chere L. Brown, Incline Village, NV,  December 2011

Nevada Trip Journal: November 22-Dec 12, 2015 (Part 5)

Nevada Trip Journal: November 22-Dec 12, 2015 (Part 5)

Nevada Trip Journal  Dec 6-11, 2015  Snow scenes at and around Dan and Robin Barnett’s House, Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, Nevada

Some people see faces in clouds, I see a face on this snow covered rock in

dan and Robin’s front yard.  Look like one of Casper the ghost’s friends.

Snowy path on side of Dan and Robin’s house.

Dan and Robin’s side yard.

 

Dan and Robin’s snow covered mailbox.

Another snow scene from Dan and Robin’s yard.

Before and after snow pictures at Dan and Robin Barnett’s House, Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, Nevada  What a difference a week makes!  

Before: Little tree in Dan and Robin’s side yard.  

After: Little tree in Dan and Robin’s side yard laden down with new snow.

Before:  Pine tree trunk in Dan and Robins back yard.

 

After: Pine tree trunks in Dan and Robins back yard sprayed with new snow.

Before: Lake Tahoe view from Dan and Robin’s deck over cast awaiting a new storm.  

 

After: Lake Tahoe view from Dan and Robin’s deck after snow storm.  The lake is under all that snowy fog.

Nevada Trip Journal: November 22-Dec 12, 2015 (Part 4)

Nevada Trip Journal: November 22-Dec 12, 2015 (Part 4)

December 6 -Dec 10, 2015   Dan and Robin Barnett’s House, Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, Nevada

Dan and Robin get their Christmas tree up.

 

Painting of Lake Tahoe over Dan and Robin’s Fireplace Mantel.

And the stockings are hung.

 

Dec 10, 2015  Outing, Dan and Robin Barnett’s House, Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, Nevada  Went out for pizza at Mofo’s at the Christmas Tree Village

Kids walking home after Christmas party at school in their Santa caps.

Nevada Trip Journal: November 22-Dec 12, 2015 (Part 2)

Nevada Trip Journal: November 22-Dec 12, 2015 (Part 2)

Nov 26, 2015  Thanksgiving, Dan and Robin Barnett’s House, Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, Nevada

Normally, I would have taken more pictures, but I was trying to keep my distance from people so as not to expose them to my cold.  Plus we had two great photographers, Mark a friend of Eric Whitaker and a professional photographer and my nephew Scott.

 

My nephew Scott and his wife, Dharma

An approval from my nephew, Patrick, while waiting for Thanksgiving dinner.

Robin, Patrick and my niece Jodi (at computer)

 

Jodi’s husband Dave’s mother and father joined us and helped one of the turkeys.

Dan barbecued his turkey.  Here he shows it to Robin all carved and ready to serve

Nov 27, 2017  Breakfast at Wildflower Restaurant, Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, Nevada

The whole breakfast crowd, posing in front of the Wildflower Restaurant, before heading home.

Nevada Trip Journal November, Saturday 21, 2015 Yerington to Lake Tahoe

Nevada Trip Journal November, Saturday 21, 2015 Yerington to Lake Tahoe

Karen Dodd and myself at Dini’s

Had an 8:30 breakfast with Karen Dodd before checking out of the Copper Inn Motel.  Karen is another fascinating person who lived part of her life on a sailboat with her husband and is an seasoned scuba diver.  We were high school classmates as well.  I really enjoyed getting reconnected despite the fact that my cold was increasing in intensity.

Mary Burns at her home in Gardnerville.  Mary “Bunz” Burns is a real Nevada history buff.  We visited in her “Nevada” family room.  She was generous enough to lend me 64 old magazine on Nevada hoping it would help on my Yerington Monday posts.  I was suppose to meet with her in Gardnerville at 11 am, but I was so weak from my cold it took me an hour and a half to load my car.  Arrived around 1:30 pm.  Was glad to hear that she would be retiring as of Dec 26 and take to traveling the back roads.  She has been an x-ray technician for over 30 years specializing in mammograms. Mary is a “first friend” who I gave a blood nose when we were about 8-9 years old, but she had such a great sense of humor, we remained friends after our very short Mighty Might boxing match.

Gardnerville to Lake Tahoe is only 40 miles but I had to stop twice because I was feeling drowsy from cold medicine.  This is a cloud I saw during one stop.  Pyramid Cloud between Gardnerville and Carson City.  What does it mean?

Finally, I  arrived at Dan’ & Robin’s home in Incline Village, Nevada.  I was totally spent and glad to be able to turn into a safe harbor.

Dan’s Birthday Party

Dan had a birthday party at his home in Incline Village with his backing packing friends from Carson City. They have all been backpacking together since the 70’s.  It was a make your-own-pizza party that was then barbecued on Dan’s Cadillac  grill.  I didn't know any of them except Dennis & Deirdre Pederson

Dennis Pederson rolling out dough for his pizza.

Dan cooking pizza crusts for pizzas on his grill on the deck.

The party guests on deck waiting for their pizza crusts.

Birthday boy (Happy 66), Dan, with dinner guests.

Dan modeling Dennis Pederson's gift - - a Santa loin cloth.  (Me sitting in a comfy chair in living room -tired but amused.)

This was a picture of Dan’s hiking friends in the 1970’s.  We all laughed at the short shorts.  Dennis Pederson (left) and Dan with mustache (third from left)

Nevada Trip Journal: Monday 16, 2015 Lake Tahoe to Yerington

Nevada Trip Journal:  Monday 16, 2015 Lake Tahoe to Yerington

Left Lake Tahoe after 1 pm.  Drove down the grade to Carson City.  I took the route through Gardnerville, Smith Valley and then on to Yerington.  The roads were still a little icy in places.  I was glad to see that the Walker River in Wilson Canyon had some water in it after the drought, even though it looks like a small stream instead of a roaring river now.

View of Carson Valley from the grade.

In Smith Valley, I stopped by Beverly Brown’s old 5 acre farm.  Beverly was my daughter Shannon’s grandmother.  We spent many a pleasant visit on this little farm over the years. I have been trying to find out about Beverly ever since my daughter died in 2009.  That was the last time I talked with her.  I have tried to find out about her on visits home but to no avail.  I do not know if she is in a nursing home or dead.  I am really heartbroken that I cannot find out.  If anyone reading this posts knows anything about her, please let me know.  I would be eternally grateful.

The barn and out buildings on Beverly Brown’s farm on River Street in Smith, Valley.

From Smith Valley, after Wilson Canyon, I took the long route to Yerington through the farm lands of Mason Valley.  It is such a beautiful valley.  Finally at dusk I reach my motel.  Staying at the Copper Inn all week.

This is my room at the Copper Inn - Room 8.  If you cannot make it on Friday to the Facebook Meetup and want to stop by the motel, I am giving you an open invitation. Room 8 in in the back.

Decided to check out the new Pioneer Crossing Casino.  Had a good french dip sandwich and on my way out decided to play some penny slots.  I was thinking maybe I can win enough to pay for my dinner which was $10 with tip.  After ten minutes of playing I won $70.  Yahoo!  Thank you Pioneer Crossing.