Happy Thanksgiving

We celebrated yesterday, because I was off and my hubby was working a short day, and my daughter and her hubby get off work at 2 pm. We had a great time. Hubby had today off. It was sunny, so we took a walk in Tolowa Dunes. We got back in time to eat leftovers and then I had to go to work. This was the first time EVER that I was in a store for Black Friday. Walmart starts Black Friday at 6 pm on Thursday. I was only there 4 and 1/2 hours. It wasn't too bad. People asked me a lot of questions I couldn't answer, because I lost my list. I could hardly read it anyway, because it was such tiny print and faded. People were polite, no pushing and shoving. All my co-workers looked really tired. Some had been there since noon and some had to stay until midnight.

Here are some pictures from today:

Sick again....darnit

Tourist Season is booming, I have customers from everywhere! Scandinavia, Canada, other states, who knows where else. Some pull into the Walmart parking lot in huge motor homes. Crescent City certainly is a vacation destination. Unfortunately I have heard a lot of coughing. I have been extra careful, but Tuesday night my throat was scratchy. My days off are Tuesday and Wednesday. By Wednesday I was full-blown sick. I sat on the couch all night, unable to breath laying down. I sucked on a lot of Zinc tablets. I stayed home today. It was my 4 hour day anyway. My chest congestion is already starting to break up with the help of some Mucinex. Hubby was worried. He wanted to rush me to the doctor, but I told him I will be ok, I'll only go if it lingers or gets worse. It's common in Europe for people to rush to the doctor for just about anything. After all, it only costs a couple Euros. It's hard to explain to him we really can't do that here.

Anyway, hubby has been working the early shift at Rumiano, so he gets home about 2 or 3 pm, plenty of time to grab a bite to eat and do something together. Tuesday we decided to take a walk. We had not done that since December or January. The dry weather is leaving its mark. We rarely get rain and I must water my potted plants every week. I hear there may be a change coming, which might bring mudslides to the people who live on cliffs in Southern Cal. It's always something, no matter where you live.

Pretty white flowers or grass, not sure

Skunk Cabbage (no smell this time of year)

A dead fern shines like gold

A dry field. I assume the green area in the distance is what it should all look like.

Smith River Rocks

So, I've learned some more about this river.

(1) The water is pure and clear, like glass.
(2) There is no sediment, except after a storm, but then it clears out.
(3) The riverbed is all rock, Serpentine rock, and somehow this is one of the dynamics for the blueness.
(4) There is no moss because the river is swift and cold, although there can be some moss in summer in certain areas.
(5) The sky here, when clear, is incredibly blue, which is reflected by the water.

I found, by examining my photos, that the water reflects blue and green and turquoise at any angle, which must be from the rocks. Serpentine can look dull when dry, but get it wet and it has a whole new dynamic.

The amazingly beautiful Smith River:

At this angle, incredible turquoise is reflected

I turned and shot the other direction, and less blue is reflected

A very low angle, my camera was almost touching the water

Looking down, the rocks are grayish white when dry but lovely when wet

You can't deny the amazing dynamic of America's last Wild River, no dams!

Why is the Smith River so BLUE?

It is blue, the bluest of blue that water could be. Every picture I take is breathtakingly blue. So I am asking, what makes the Smith River so blue? I did some searching, and got two different answers, (1) mineral content, (2) sunlight reflecting off the rocky bottom through crystal clear water. I really don't know which is correct. Here are some pictures of the Smith River, taken in different locations.

Craig's Beach area

Hiouchi area

Near the mouth of the river

Some Dry Flowers and the Promise of Spring

We moved here in September, when most things were finished blooming. I still see little flowers hiding in the grass here and there. The deciduous trees are bare. Grasslands are a mix of green underneath and brown on top. And then there are these dry flower bracts, shining silvery in the sun, standing tall on long stems, having finished blooming long before I came. They catch my eye when we walk. I wonder, "What flower were you when you were blooming? What splash of color will you paint the fields when again you bloom?" It is a mystery to me. I could just look it up, or ask someone, but I prefer the poetry of wonder. I want to be surprised.

Summer Break

We're having a run of beautiful weather, like summer. Back in Indiana the weather is frightful. Yesterday it was 75 in the bedroom, and it felt just as hot waiting in the car in the parking lot for my hubby to run in and buy a Red Bull and some snacks for our walk.

We have walked the 4 mile loop at Lake Earl several times, and Tolowa Dunes twice. We needed another area. So about 1:30 pm we took off for Howland Hill Road, east of town. This road quickly turns into a one lane road with turnouts as soon as you cross into the Jedediah Smith National Forest. From there it is a good 4 mile drive through giant Redwoods. It's slow going, as the road has many potholes. After parking we walked along a trail that follows the Smith River.

Howland Hill Drive

Stout Grove, some of the "little" trees - the log on the left is 7 feet in diameter

My hubby, walking among giants

 The river path

The Smith River

If any of these places look like the movies, some of them were filmed here in Del Norte County and Humbolt County to the south. Check out this Map of the Movies

I promised some pictures...

So here they are. These are from December 6th, all from the Lake Earl Recreational Area. This is one of our favorite places to walk.

 I love taking pictures of cute mushrooms

 I spotted this pinky-nail sized yellow one

The Road Less Traveled

4 mile loop, a walking path along Lake Earl. It's hard to believe this is a 5 minute drive and a half-hour or so walk from town. Lake Earl is behind us to the right. We are looking toward the ocean, but at an estuary that is separated from the ocean by dunes. Many water fowl gather here.
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These are from December 13th.

 Honey Bee

 Small orange 'shrooms

 Beaver Pond sign...this is new, along with a picnic table and an observation bench.

 Beaver Pond

 Some dried flower bracts, along the path leading to Lake Earl

 Lots of 'srooms on a log. After reaching the lake we turn west and follow another trail that takes us back to the parking lot.

The trail back to the parking lot. The late afternoon air is cool and damp. You can see dew on the grass. The tire tracks are from the park ranger's vehicles. 

Bright yellow 'shrooms growing on a log.