Turning Point (CA19-12)

Brain cancer is...

...on the back half.

Because today is Day 12 of 21, we are now on the back half of Cabin Adventure 2019.  We're sad that the days are passing so quickly, and we're happy for all the days ahead: up here and back home with you.

Today our walk was an "out-and-back" (as opposed to a "loop").  Whenever we do an out-and-back, our habit is to pick a point in the distance where we will touch the turning point, and then head back.  Above you see that today's turning point was the white line by the side of the road (Hwy 38, to be exact).

It was a good thing we did turn around then because the light snow got heavier on the way back.  We even skipped lunch out and headed home to nestle in by the fire.

Our deck was like Stater Bros, creatures scurrying to stock up for the storm.

Stater Bros Deck:  The Movie (click here).

Here's to second halves!

Elsewhere in the world...

Meridyth and family sent this pic of a (Scottish) hielen coo (highland cow):

As if the adult version isn't cute enough, check out the baby coo:

Wonder if I could attract them to our deck.

We're committed! (CA19-11)

Brain cancer is...

 ...committed.

About a third of a mile into our Woodland Trail, I suggested we turn around.  So muddy.  Darrell said,  "Nope.  We're committed."  Darrell Guillaume: right again!  The trail improved.

We finished this short, scenic hike in the company of a gentle snow.

Andi did two new things today:
1.  Used a socket wrench. (Don't judge; the opportunity never presented itself.)
2.  Used the "panorama" function on the phone camera to take a tall picture instead of a wide picture.

For scale, here's the same tree, non-panorama, standing a little back and to the right.

Happy Confusing-Daylight-Savings-Time-but-Nice-Late-Sunset Sunday!

Elsewhere in California...

Curt and Barb hiked the Diamond Valley Lake Flower Trail:

Wow, kids.  Go Super bloom, go!

Promise kept. (CA19-10)

Brain cancer is...

...still camp-free. 

You probably know that Darrell is an Eagle Scout.  You may also know that, when he earned his badge, he also retired his "active camper" status.  When we married, he asked me to promise that I'd never make him camp.  Today was the closest we have come to breaking the "no camping" promise.

Given the promise, we ordinarily steer clear of campgrounds, but today (Cabin Adventure '19, Day 10) we appreciated walking throughout Serrano Campground, enjoying this snack

at this table.

Close call, but still not camping.  Promise kept!

(PS...Right after our snack, we had a happy conversation with a couple who were exuberant because they had  just located the camping space of their first tent camping adventure from years past.  It takes all kinds! Ha ha.)

Elsewhere in California... 

Kim and her family enjoyed the wildflowers in Lake Elsinore.

 

And Brady and Linda enjoyed family time in San Diego.

 What a state, California!  We hope your Saturday views inspire you too, Team D!

Darrell’s Winter What Nots (CA19-09)

Brain cancer is...

True Romance: Matching Snow Shovels

...enjoying the varied gifts of another day. 

Today (Cabin Adventure ‘19, Day 9) is another perfect day, with its collection of experiences.  Here's Darrell's collection of Winter What Nots for the day.

• By choice, Darrell doesn't plug in the bedside alarm clock here.  He woke up this morning singing the Song of the Day:  Chicago's "Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?"

• We came upstairs to admire the layer of fresh, powdery snow that sticks to tree branches and reveals tracks of frolicking animals:

• We tackled some more tax preparation.  Darrell says the quote of the day is:  "If you need to do taxes, do them with a view."  Preach it, Darrell.

• We beat the new standard deduction!  That is, we had enough itemized deductions that we exceeded the new, higher standard deduction.  Yusss! For us, this is one small victory in our battle with the new tax law.  It's not helpful for us.  (And in this way, we match other Americans, according to the nice woman on TurboTax's expert line.  So far she hasn't talked to anyone who has benefited from the new laws.  Hope her sample doesn't include you.)

• Much to do today, so we took our walk locally.  

The Lake, from Near Our Cabin

• It's Darrell's 37-month diagnosis anniversary.  Rock on Big D!

What Nots Celebrating Women

Today is International Women's Day.  On her family's flight to Scotland, KLM let women (including Meridyth) board first, celebrated their seat backs, and supplied chocolate.

Go,women, go!  Go, people who love women, go!

 

Water Watch (CA19-08)

Brain cancer is...

...marveling at much water.

With no precipitation falling, we headed back down to the lake for our walk.  It was cold (34 degrees), sure, but warmer than predicted for tomorrow. 

The lake is, of course, the lowest point in the immediate area, so much of the precipitation that falls drains to the lake.  (Side note: This is good because the lake is only fed by precipitation and melt.)

We were appreciative of just how much water was flowing to the lake as we walked our path.  Check out, for example, Stanfield marsh today as compared to on CA19-01.

Here’s CA19-01:

Here's today, a week later, CA19-08:

That is a lot of water!

Fawnskin is a relative high point in the area, so water heads downhill through Fawnskin on its way to the lake.  As we drove home, we continued to marvel at the flowing water.  This YouTube video (click here) is an example of how much water is just running down streets and gullies.

Keep it coming, water!

The clouds rolled in, and there's a chance of snow tonight.  We're back on weather watch, warm and cozy.

 Hope you are warm, cozy, and happy about water too.

Wednesay Is for Weather Watching (CA19-07)

Brain cancer is...

 ...on the weather watch.

The storm hit Southern California, as predicted.  It sounds like most of our So Cal peeps are experiencing the storm as rain.

For us it's been like this:

• Rain, thunder, and wind throughout the night
• Snow
• Hail 
• Rain
• Snow
• Rain

Wheee!  Cabin Adventure '19 Day 7 is Weather Watch Wednesday.

For those who are interested in some of the varied forms precipitation takes, here's our morning in video.  This video is not for people who have seen enough snow in their lives.

Alternate YouTube Video Link

I know what you're thinking:  "Andrea, shouldn't it be Work Day Wednesday?"  Oh, all right.  For a little while maybe.

We hope your weather offers the appropriate amount of entertainment for you today!

Adventures in the Round (CA19-06)

Brain cancer is...

 ...done with our "round" of adventures today.

We didn't plan it this way, but today's adventures took us all the way around the lake.  Here is the Cabin Adventure Day 6 (CA19-06) round of adventures, by the numbers.

1.  Our first unexpected adventure:  On our way to our trail near the lake:  Off-roading it toward Holcomb Canyon.

Sure, why not?  We made about one mile before we thought better of it.  Darrell did an eight-point u-turn and got us back to paved surfaces.

2.  We walked a trail through the forest, away from the lake. (Top pic in this post.)  It was nice and warm (54 degrees) with even more butterflies than yesterday.  We estimate that we saw literally thousands of them.  We had so many questions about these little creatures zooming past us that we stopped strangers to talk about the odd butterfly highway.  

One woman made a good point:  The butterflies are too small to be monarchs, even though they are colored the same way.  Our later research suggests that the butterflies are either the world's most widely distributed butterfly, the Painted Lady (here's a link), or the also-common California Tortoiseshell (here's a link).  

Because we wondered if the butterflies were migrating (why else move along at breakneck speeds?), we studied some more and learned a new term:  dispersal.  Whereas migration involves moving along a planned, longish path to get to a desired location, dispersal means getting the heck out of wherever you are, hoping living conditions are better somewhere else.  

The insects were flying so quickly that we couldn't get a good pic.  But for the stout of heart, we did capture their movement in a slo mo video.  I filmed for 30 seconds, but it takes 3 minutes to view the video.  Not for the busy individual.

Alternate YouTube Video Link

(Cliff Notes version:  34 butterflies in 30 seconds = 1.1 BPS--butterflies per second.  Darrell says they are small, so they may not be easy to see.)

 3.  After the hike, we headed around to the south shore.  We had lunch at a place new for us in Boulder Bay:  Blanca and Pierre's restaurant.

 Blanca commented on the butterflies too. She also commented on storm damage, #5 below.

4.   We continued around the lake, coming back to the north shore.  This photo, at the dam, shows the length of the length of the lake, looking from west to east.  (We shared the east-to-west view on CA19-01).  

Notice the clouds?  A storm is rolling in tonight. Speaking of storms...


5.  Back in Fawnskin, we caught sight of  more damage from the recent storms.

The top of this huge, downed tree is to the left.  Its upturned roots are bottom right.  We estimate its height at 70 feet or greater.  Our neighbor Mike said that the winds hit 65 mph during the Valentine's Day storm.

We're back home.  Darrell's changing light bulbs.  I'm feeding the birds so I can watch them instead of work.

Stay dry, fellow adventurers.