Apple Hill, Part 1
October 20, 2010
A few weeks ago we went over the mountains to Apple Hill in California. We went with a whole group of friends and spent the day visiting the farms, going in a corn maze, making homemade candles, seeing the animals, and of course picking apples.
Baby Boo
October 18, 2010
The little puppy is still with us. Grammy took her in. So now we get to watch her grow. Grammy named her Baby Boo, although we’ll see if she keeps that name even when she’s grown up and not a baby any more.
Another Puppy Falls in our Laps
October 8, 2010
We are a magnet for stray and unwanted animals. This time it’s another puppy, a little thing that we’ve named Princess. This time we absolutely cannot keep another dog, so now we’re trying to find her a good home.
Ophir Creek Trail
August 21, 2010
A couple of weeks ago we got a big group of local homeschooling families together to go for a hike. We picked the Ophir Creek Trail, in Davis Creek Park in the Washoe Valley. Looking back we probably could have picked a better trail, since this one went straight up the mountain and the kids (and the adults) didn’t last long. But it was still fun, and next time maybe we’ll pick a trail that’s more flat.
Jack’s 3rd Birthday Party
August 14, 2010
After the big blowout at the beach for Jack’s 3rd birthday, we had a smaller party at Grammy’s house a couple of days later, on his actual birthday. The Friday beach party was all about sun and fun, and the family party was all about presents and cake.
Jack’s Birthday at Lake Tahoe
August 10, 2010
For Jack’s 3rd birthday, we grabbed a spot on the beach at Lake Tahoe and invited a bunch of friends up. Round Hill Beach has a pier and a marina, and you can swim among the boats that are anchored in the bay. Two big boats, the Tahoe Star and Bleu Wave, call this port home. We brought sandwiches and sand toys, and the kids had a great time playing together. Paddleboats, kayaks, and cupcakes rounded out the day.
Fairytale Town
July 28, 2010
Right across the street from the Sacramento Zoo is a charming little place called Fairytale Town. It is a children’s play park, more than just a playground. It spreads over two and a half acres and is full of themed buildings, animals, and play areas. The Crooked Mile sends you winding through the forest, three little pigs live in houses of straw, sticks, and brick, and Farmer Brown’s Barn has farm animals on the ground floor and a twisting slide on the second. It’s not really someplace for adults to go by themselves, but we never take the kids to the zoo without also spending an hour or two at Fairytale Town.
Sacramento Zoo
July 27, 2010
In the middle of July we took a break for a couple of days and went down the hill to Sacramento. Kind of a mistake to do that in the middle of July, when the city is at its hottest and most humid. But sometimes a change is good, even if it’s a change for the worse.
The First Run of Engine #18
July 24, 2010
Locomotive #18 used to run on the McCloud River Railroad in northern California. In 2005 it was bought by the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway to run from Carson City to Virginia City, even though they didn’t have any tracks at the time. So they sent the engine to the Sierra Railroad in central California to hold onto it for them.
Victoria and Sara Portraits
July 23, 2010
I went to my friend Victoria’s house and took some portraits of her and her daughter Sara, and their friends, both human and furry. I think they turned out pretty well, but I still have some depth of field issues to work out. Gotta pay closer attention to my aperture!
I Can’t Believe It’s an iPhone
July 10, 2010
I’ve had a number of camera phones over the years, and the pictures I’ve gotten from them have ranged from dismal to horrible to just plain crap. But now I have an iPhone 4, and they’ve actually made leaps that make this camera usable. It’s not just about the megapixels, which at 5MP might be a little too much for a sensor of this size. But it’s also the colors and the contrast that are so much better than any other camera phone I’ve had before.
4th of July Weekend at the Railroad Museum
July 7, 2010
The 4th of July is always a big weekend at the Nevada State Railroad Museum. That’s when they pull their special collections out into the sunlight, like V&T Engine #22, “The Inyo”, one of the oldest running steam locomotives in the country. This year they have a new star to bring out, the McKeen Motor Car that they just spent 14 years fixing up. And they have other running locomotives, #25 and #8, although #8 has been down for repairs for a couple of years now. Saturday I went down to the museum and got pictures of all the various equipment they had on display.
