Another amazing place to be in nature, right in the middle of town, is Cove East, a hidden cove and beach in the Tahoe Keys neighborhood.

A year ago, I lucked out during a Christmas Card Exchange, and met Lisa, a snail mail lover, like me, who is Canadian. She is an incredible crafter and always sends spectacular greetings. In addition her Ila & Alice etsy shop is a source for all things amazing.

Today's history lesson was found on the Lam Watah Historic Trail in Rabe Meadow.

It seems like ages since I met girlfriends for coffee and chatting.

Sixty four years ago today, Elvis Presley got a polio vaccine on the 42nd birthday of the scientist who created that vaccine- Dr. Jonas Salk.

This Day in History comes to you because I own this 1957 3¢ Fight Against Polio stamp which encouraged me to do some research. U.S. #1087 was designed to symbolize the struggle against polio with the caption that reads, “Honoring Those Who Helped Fight Polio”. The worst year for polio in America was 1952, less than five years before this stamp was issued. Over 57,000 people in the U.S. contracted the disease. In 1953, Dr. Jonas Salk developed a vaccine to prevent polio. In 1957 – the same year this stamp was issued – an oral vaccine was developed by Dr. Albert Sabin.

According to the CDC, "Thanks to the polio vaccine, dedicated healthcare professionals, and parents who vaccinate their children on schedule, polio has been eliminated in this country for more than 30 years. This means that there is no year-round transmission of poliovirus in the United States."

Happy 96th Birthday Dr. Salk.

 We strolled to the lakeshore, in blustery wind, just to get some Tahoe on us.

A sign that winter is coming is seeing this guy wandering through our neighborhood.

"We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us." -John Muir

As a late-bloomer when it comes to the magicalness that can be Instagram, I am quite often blown away (only to follow, never to post)! And SaltySeattle seems to amaze me often.

SaltySeattle is Linda Miller Nicholson, also known as the Pasta Ninja. She is an internationally-recognized pasta powerhouse. She’s been the subject of several documentaries, has a popular cookbook called Pasta, Pretty Please, and regularly appears on national television, in addition to hosting an online pasta show on The Food Network. She is incredibly fun to follow.

Now, a little history about the subject of this pasta creation- The Ouija Board. In February 1891, the first few advertisements started appearing in papers: Ouija, the Wonderful Talking Board, boomed a Pittsburgh toy and novelty shop, describing a magical device that answered questions “about the past, present and future with marvelous accuracy” and promised “never-failing amusement and recreation for all the classes,” a link “between the known and unknown, the material and immaterial.” Another advertisement in a New York newspaper declared it “interesting and mysterious” and testified, “as proven at the Patent Office before it was allowed. Price, $1.50.” It was a time when America was really obsessed with spiritualism and with Halloween looming, could SaltySeattle have picked a more perfect subject? The arrow moved to "No!" Fun stuff.

Connections, even if six feet apart, outside, and for only a few hours, is why we're back in Tahoe before the weather turns wintery.

I've posted for Throwback Thursday and Flashback Friday. Today, I've started a new blog theme, So Long Saturday.

Fall is when Tahoe puts on its most spectacular show. I'll let the photos do the explaining.

This Tahoe history lesson includes everything from Disneyland to the Polynesian Pop Movement. 

The Tiki-themed restaurant was decorated by Eli Hedley. That's the same artist who designed Tiki shops at Disneyland and a host of other Tiki-themed spots across the country.