Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Drive to California

Day #1 of the trip was pretty uneventful with a few glitches. It was raining off and on through Oregon and even a little snow around Weed California.

We did notice a slight problem in Ashland, Oregon when Sharyn tried to make coffee, the generator wouldn't start. We fussed about it just knowing it was going to cost some big bucks. When we arrived at the campground in Redding, California for the night it was still light.

Since I had installed new axillary batteries I looked in the battery compartment under the stairs and with some good reading by Sharyn we decided to clean the battery cables using baking soda in water and a wire brush. Well it worked and only cost us15 minutes and 3 hours of discussion on the way down while driving. A MacGyver moment for sure.


Up we got the next day Thursday April 29, Peter's birthday and after stopping at Walmart for band aids and a few other supplies we stopped at one of our favorite places for lunch Granzella's Italian Deli in Williams, CA. They have great meatball sandwiches.


While Sharyn went in to get the food I took a few pictures like this one of the scenic Quonset hut across the street.


Before I knew it Sharyn was back with the grub.


We stopped tonight at Flag City RV Park a nice RV Resort in Lodi that had thousands of flowers...


...that were lovely to photograph.

We had a very nice neighbor named Bill Freeman who was on his way to Texas to pick up his wife. Bill is a sales associate with Southeast Publications USA. Anyone who has stayed an RV park is familiar with the brochures they hand out with a park map and other information. Well Bill's company is the one that produces those great maps.


I took a few pictures around the RV park like this one of the Cave & Mine tours that go through the Sutter Mine and California Cavern.


The park is fairly empty on this side but the other side of the park was pretty full, however, this side gets Wi-Fi.


Shooting through the window I could see some huge clouds in the distance (Northwest) and some highway traffic on Interstate 5.


I liked the tilt on these trailers on the back of a semi tooling down the road. It was as shorter trip today and tomorrow we make Bakersfield and see Peter.

Scrabble Score - Scrabble Queen 312 ~ The Contender 321

Quote of the Day ~
"... when someone blushes, doesn't that mean yes?" ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry from "The Little Prince"

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Aragon Alpacas and the Plein Air Painters



I Alpacas


The Plein Air Painters of Lane County had a paintout that was a real hoot (lots of fun) at Aragon Alpacas. The Alpaca farm is not far from our home and we had no idea it existed before we went.


The house is beautiful to look at ...


... and everything a farm home should be from subtle trim to a great porch...


... and farm implement yard art. We were greeted by Ann & Mike Dockendorf the owners and while Mike got back to work...


... Ann showed Sharyn and I around the farm.


Ann told us how they had moved here from Santa Barbara and she was originally from Tyler, Texas ...


... which explains the Texas star on the side. Then she told us about the barn that was close to ruin when they moved in and was now in tip top shape.


We had a chance to meet these wonderful animals like these two who I gave the title "The Twins."


The first Plein Air artist who arrived just before Sharyn and I was Kerri who walked out to a great spot in the field...


... and immediately started her work.


Then along came Victoria with her trademark baseball cap (she may call it a Plein Air cap) who also set up and talked about technique with Kerri.


The third arrival was Leigh who was working with ...


... Pastels.


So there they were and you may ask, where are the Alpacas?


They were all around



In herds and ...


... all over the place. On this property we are the minority.


Leigh's pastel was looking great...


... Victoria's hills were taking on a real mystical quality.


I can't tell you how relaxed the atmosphere is for an outdoor painter and how much I enjoy seeing the creating as I do the ...


... the creations like Kerri's landscape that was vibrant and as warm as the day.


There is a magical atmosphere on the farm with old growth trees...


... hops for home brewing...


... gadgets for spinning ...


... and bags of Alpaca hair ...


... and even an avocado plant.


The stars of the show are the Alpacas.


The big guy here, however, is a Llama but all the camelid's (you look up the word) are stars.
* Actually I .looked it up and Camels, Bactrian Camels, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos are in the Camelid group

Elegant,


sometimes comical,


or beautiful


they remind us the true gifts of nature and it's kinder gentler side.


Then we are brought back reminded there are a lot of turkeys still running around.

Scrabble Score - Scrabble Queen 348 - The Contender 327

Quote of the Day ~

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Evergreen - Our Favorite Eatery in Eugene, Oregon

Sharyn couldn't wait to get to her favorite eatery in Eugene, Oregon


located at 1525 Franklin Blvd, Eugene, OR 97403


The Chicken Makhani is my favorite and the tomato based sauce it to die for ...


... especially with the soft hot Nan.



We were there when the owners opened and Sharyn was on the phone with Steven so I went in to take a few pictures since we were the first to arrive and I would not be annoying the patrons. We were greeted by the owners son, a wonderful little boy I call little bit (not his real name).


Little bit ran over to tell his mom that the customers had begun to arrive. I was also taking in the delicious smell of great food and getting hungry.


The blur in the serving line is Sharyn who was already hungry and she was moving fast to load her plate and eat.


They are not real but beautiful none-the-less.


The restaurant is clean and comfortable and the food really is 5 star quality.


Table # 10 was set and waiting for us to sit and enjoy one of the best meals in Eugene and perhaps the entire state.

If you are anywhere near Eugene be sure to stop in for the treat of your life.

No Scrabble Today

Quote of the Day ~
"Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity." ~Voltaire

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©Paul Viel