We had an incredible afternoon rooting for our local youth hockey team: The Tahoe Grizzlies.

"The Tahoe Grizzlies, founded in 2006, is a developmental youth hockey travel organization. It is a proud member association of the NorCal Youth Hockey Association and California Amateur Hockey Association. Its mission is to develop and promote the sport of youth ice hockey at all levels; to provide safe, supervised, and sportsmanlike training; and, to build character, sportsmanship, and citizenship, by offering both developmental/recreational programs and a competitive travel program."Could there be any other ice arena with such a view?
We witnessed some impressive athleticism with this 12 U BB co-ed team.
I had to keep reminding myself that the players were 11-12 year olds.

This was 45 minutes of fantastic (free) sporting fun. It was the perfect Saturday afternoon in South Lake Tahoe.
Oh, and the Grizzlies won which made it even more rewarding. Way to go Tahoe!

I have never been tubing in my entire life. This opportunity presented yet another FIRST for me. Woohoo.

"Join the Tahoe Chamber for a winter Chamber Mixer at Tube Tahoe! Connect with fellow Chamber members in a festive winter setting—enjoy tubing and s’mores in cozy igloos from 5:00–6:00 PM, then head to the Lodge for light appetizers, drinks, live music by The Imposters, and relaxed networking from 6:00–7:00 PM. It’s the perfect way to mix business, winter fun, and community connection, don’t miss it!"Steve and I have tried to attend as many Chamber events as possible. The company is always welcoming and interesting, and learning about new-to-us businesses continues to surprise and delight. We have passed Tube Tahoe dozens of times and never thought to stop. We've missed out."Tube Tahoe is the go-to destination for family fun in South Lake Tahoe. Come enjoy our 500 foot tubing lanes and picturesque view of Echo Summit and Mt. Tallac. Come get tubular with us!" Side note: the word tubular became a synonym for "good" in the 80s, when surfers began using it as a description for the tube-like shape of an ideal surfing wave. What a fun use of a nostalgic word to describe he fun found here.We knew it was going to be magical when we got to the tubing hill by walking through this whimsical igloo. What fun.
By the way, this is the berm that prevents one from sliding right into the parking lot. It was of great comfort knowing that it was there.

Honoring my New Year's promise of MORE, Cyndi and I spent the afternoon watercolor painting (with lots of giggling and talking happening, too).

For Christmas, I bought each of us an Artochi Watercolor Paint Kit. I thought it would be the perfect launch into our life as artists (a girl can hope).
"This portable watercolor kit provides everything you need to start painting, including a locally inspired drawing designed to introduce watercolor techniques. All you need is water." I appreciated the encouraging message, "Mistakes are features, not flaws." 
There were many features on art attempt but an artist has to start somewhere. This is only my third time painting and I'm not giving up. I enjoyed this quote by Susan Weintraub, "Watercolor seemed to have a mind of its own, not unlike a misbehaving child who needs guidance and discipline, but whose spirit and energy is best preserved." What fun! Here's to MORE.

A delightful Sunday afternoon was spent back at the Minden Mill for another exceptional performance by David and Gayle Woodruff.

Steve and I have been enamored with the natural beauty of Death Valley for decades and while the human history is incredibly rich and diverse, there is one man, in particular, who left an indelible mark on this  3.4 million acre (5,270 square mile) National Park. We were excited to have an opportunity to learn even more about this desert legend.For over an hour, we were captivated by the Chautauqua Performance of inscrutable Death Valley Scotty and his benefactor Bessie Johnson. No one is more closely tied to the mysterious lore of Death Valley than Walter E. Scott. His tales of fabulous gold mines, dangerous desperados, and opulent desert castles placed him and Death Valley on the front pages of newspapers for over fifty years…and kept historians endlessly occupied trying to sort out the truth from his tall tales.

Wanting to stroll in the sun, we drove an hour west of Tahoe for a day in Placerville. With a temperature of 20°+ warmer than home, it was the ideal way for four friends to spend time together, elsewhere.

For new readers, in 1848, gold was discovered on the American River near Placerville. The gold rush quickly populated the town, soon known as Dry Diggins, and by 1854 it had the third largest population in the state. As one would expect, a very vigorous economy developed and by the early 1850s the town had a fire department, post office, newspaper, and a Pony Express and Wells Fargo stage office. Notables who arrived included Mark Twain, Levi Strauss, and John Studebaker. Those who resorted to unlawful deeds met their end by hanging. In 1854, Dry Diggins’ name was changed to Old Hangtown, and it became the El Dorado county seat. Subsequently, the name was changed to Placerville, reflecting the city’s gold mining heritage.
Our day started on the patio of Sweetie Pie's for coffees. It is one of the three original wooden homes on this stretch of Main St.
Our history lessons were learned at the Fountain & Tallman Museum, the oldest extant building on Placerville’s Main Street, and the pride of the El Dorado County Historical Society. It is the site of John Fountain & Benjamin Tallman's Soda Works (1852), which provided clean drinking water and refreshments to early pioneers. The museum building style is called rock rubble construction and is a prime example of the first permanent buildings that transitioned Placerville from a mining camp into a proper town. The stone walls of the building are more than 2 feet thick; sufficient to keep ice and soda supplies cool. It is also the perfect start of a stroll through this historic town.
Since I've explored this museum several times, I was most interested in the temporary exhibit, Snowbound. "From pioneer mailman Snowshoe Thompson to Olympian Spider Sabich, discover how El Dorado County’s snowbound past gave rise to a culture of adventure, innovation, and world-class skiing. See rare artifacts, vintage skis, and local legends who helped make the Highway 50 corridor a hub of winter recreation."






During our day here, we patronaged The Bookery twice. The building itself has a rich history. It once housed the Blue Bell Cafe and was famous for its Hangtown Fry, a concoction of eggs, oysters and bacon made from a gold rush-era recipe. Earlier, it was where Ben Nickerson arrived in 1849, leading a grizzly bear and a donkey in order to stage fights. Public opinion forced him to look for a new business, so he erected a huge canvas tent gambling hall and did so well that in 1852 he built a two-story building with a piazza. He called it Union Hotel which had 75 sleeping rooms, two parlors and a 10-pin bowling alley. All was lost in one of the fires of 1856.
The Hangman's Tree was a real oak tree used for vigilante hangings during the Gold Rush, giving the town its "Hangtown" nickname. The tree's stump is preserved in the cellar of this building. Who knew?!
I've been wanting to dine at Mel's after seeing American Graffiti on its 50th anniversary. While not the original used in the film, the 50's vibe was groovy indeed. It was a great stop to review all we had seen and experienced on our day in Placerville.
Four old friends: learning, exploring, dining, shopping, and just delighting in one's company. Oh, and warm sunshine. Days don't get much better than this.