BEARS! 3rd Time's The Charm

Steve and I had errands to run, late in the afternoon. I had shared my failed attempts at a bear sighting so he agreed to return, once again, to Taylor Creek and to stroll the Rainbow Trail with me. Truthfully, I had given up all hope of spotting an Ursus americanus, much less TWO of these beautiful locals. What a delight!


Look at all the photographers. Do you think there's a bear here? Their presence is a big clue!

I love seeing animals in Nature. Watching this little guy devour salmon was such a treat!

“Bears rose to the top of the food chain solely
so they could dedicate half their lives to sleep.
It’s the world’s most intimidating power nap.”
― James Breakwel

Bear #2 was spotted farther down the trail. Cinnamon in color, this was a much larger creature.

“Bears not only make the habitat rich,
but they also enrich us just by being.”
— Linda Jo Hunter


How sweet is this face!?! I am so glad we persisted. Third time is definitely the charm!
“People probably have revered bears
for as long as we have interacted with them.
And while bear worship is not a part of most modern religions,
it is natural for us –
even those of us who have never seen a bear –
to be awed by such magnificent and formidable creatures.”
— Charles Fergus

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More Girlfriend Time...

With a continued desire to see a bear, Jenny and I returned to Taylor Creek. Again, no luck in the bear department, but Tahoe was truly showing its beauty.






"As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface, I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords.” -Mark Twain about Lake Tahoe

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Tuesday in Tahoe!

I spent an incredible morning with the wonderful women of TOP (Talking on Paper), a writing group I joined right when we relocated to South Lake Tahoe. I've actually blogged about it 23 times. While I can't attend as often as I'd like due to proximity (me being gone), I am always inspired and nourished by this time together.

We even have members I hadn't yet met. This particular morning seemed extra special. Maybe it was because I had missed so many gatherings. What camaraderie. Wow.
Hosting gave me the opportunity to sharpen my very dull hostess skills. I served a new dish, Vegetable Strata, described as, "Perfect for brunch, this vegetable strata is a savory bread pudding with spinach, gooey cheese, and cubes of deliciously rich bread baked in creamy custard." It was a complete hit!
The icing on the cake wasn't actually 'icing' but a hail storm. I'll take any of the white stuff I can get.

Yes, I am "Loving Life"!

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Christmas Tree Cutting Permit

One of the most magical activities we have participated in, over our years in the Sierra, is cutting our own Christmas Tree.

"Cutting a Christmas tree offers families a traditional holiday experience and the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) is pleased to announce the sale of Christmas tree permits which began this morning at 8 AM. Permits will be sold in-person only at the South Lake Tahoe Forest Supervisor’s office and cost $10 each, with a limit of one permit per family or address." Cyndi and I headed out at 7:30 AM. We were in the company of equally enthusiastic holiday merrymakers.
"In addition to the traditional experience, the permitted collection of smaller diameter trees, with a trunk of six inches in diameter or less, from selected areas contributes to the reduction of over-growth, particularly among firs, which are also the most sought after varieties for the holidays."

“The Christmas tree is a symbol of love, not money.
There's a kind of glory to them when they're all lit up
that exceeds anything all the money in the world could buy.”
― Andy Rooney

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My Christmas Cards are READY!

On a blustery Tahoe morning, I poured a cup of tea, found traditional Holiday music, and spent hours finishing my Christmas cards for a post-Thanksgiving mailing.

I know my timing is early, and probably a bit annoying to some, but anything related to mail brings me JOY. This was the perfect way to spend the day.

“I've always felt there is something sacred in a piece of paper
that travels the earth from hand to hand,
head to head, heart to heart.”
-Robert Michael Pyle

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Exploring Tahoe with Karen...

What a diverse day of belatedly celebrating not only Karen's birthday but also my return to South Lake Tahoe.

We headed to Taylor Creek with hopes of a bear spotting.

We saw so much evidence of bears crossing our path but no luck in actually seeing one.

Though views were enough to make us both happy!





A prescribed burn made the scenery quite interesting.


A must was a visit to admire Surfaced, a new sculpture constructed of trash pulled from Lake Tahoe during Clean Up the Lake’s 72-mile scuba diving clean-up project. It consists more than 450 pounds of discarded trash.
Using litter found underneath Tahoe’s surface (including lures and bobbers, sunglasses, paddles, traffic cones, chains, anchors, and rubber edging often found on docks and buoys), artists Joel Dean Stockdill and Yustina Salnikova created an original work of art depicting a bald eagle, a Lahonton cutthroat trout and a Ponderosa pine tree.

Stockdill and Salnikova collected precisely enough white paddles to form the tail feathers of the eagle. They used a mosaic technique to turn brightly colored bits of plastic — from sunglasses, lures and bobbers — into the thousands of tiny, life-size scales on the trout. The fins? Crafted from a traffic cone. And they made the bark of the Ponderosa pine tree stump out of hundreds of feet of chain. The stump, which measures three feet in diameter and is three feet tall, makes up much of the weight of the sculpture.

Surfaced is really something to see and thankfully Bally's allows free parking for a less than one hour visit. The perfect amount of time to be amazed by this unique artwork.
Brunch was at the local favorite, Red Hut.

Part of what makes Lake Tahoe my Happy Place is the friends with whom I share it!

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Our Lunch with Fern

I have been friends with this 96 ½ year old phenom since we arrived in South Lake Tahoe in 2012. She is a force of nature who inspires and delights. She also serves quite a delicious lunch!

Fern moved off the hill a few years ago and now lives, conveniently, on our path home from the Bay Area. Steve and I spent the afternoon in the company of this special lady. She truly is a unique thread within the tapestry that is my life!

“It is gracious to have old[er] people full of vitality and endowed with wisdom in our society.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita

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