Home for the Holidays

It is wonderful spending Thanksgiving with my son and his family 

Derek and Emma prepping the green beans

Rachel making her delicious pumpkin cheesecake

Love cheese 

Derek pulling a great dinner together

A very thankful dinner

Next day searching for the the perfect tree

Cousin Deckland likes this one

Fun with grandpa

What the .....

I have been beautified 

Christmas light go up

Wendy's Home

 My sisters retired to Puerto Vallarta, MX Her lovely home is on the river in the romantic zone. 

Looking through from the kitchen to the living room

The only house with a backyard in the area

The mural she had painted on the street side of the brick wall above

Mexico Bound

 I am heading down to Puerto Vallarta for a relaxing week's visit with my sister and family. My sister retired to Vallarta five years ago where her daughter and family live. 

I headed to the airport at 5:30am, no breakfast. 

The fruit and cheese plate was a welcome sight.

It was a pouring when we headed out to diner.

It would be nice to have this cloud burst in California 

A very fine diner was had at Archie's Wok

The next day we headed out...

to las Animas Beach

We did a little fishing on the way, but we were skunked

Delicious ceviche 

Followed by tasty coconut shrimp 

A great start to the week

Becca and David hanging out

Family Time

 I am at my son's home in San Jose for the holidays.

Tucked in under the redwood with a full hookup

My son Derek preparing diner

Spaghetti with a very rich mushroom sauce. So good.

Emma enjoying her drums. Guess Emma's favorite color.

Rachel with her bassoon 

EV dancing with the girls.

Rachel constructing a fort out of boxes the patio furniture arrived in.

Life is Excellent  

Olympic Peninsula

 I am banging around on the Olympic Peninsula. Not only is it gorgeous out here, it is COOL. 

The wild black berries are ripe and delicious 

I am at the South Beach Campground. 

The only campground that is first come on the peninsula.

Great walks 

Razor clams off shore

Sand dollars are related to sea urchins

Winter storms pile the beach with whole trees

There be crabs 

Washington Pass

 I was traveling across Washington on hi-way 20. The highlight of this route is the gorgeous Washington Pass area. 

Diablo Lake

The unique, intense turquoise hue of the lake's water is attributed to the surrounding glaciers that grind rocks into a fine powder that is carried into the lake through creeks. That fine powder, also called glacial flour, stays suspended in the lake, giving the water its brilliant color.

It is a beautiful area that calls to me to spend more time exploring here. But alas, I was more interested in visiting my friend in Vancouver BC. I will return. 

Games in McCall ID

 From Steamboat Springs I headed west while the WINs continued on the circuit north to Cheyanne. 

My first stop was in McCall ID I to visit my good friend Adelle and her daughter in law, Tina. We reveled in two days of marathon game play. 

Taking a short. Adelle has a lovely cabin on a beautiful small lake 

We did take a break to pick Huckleberries

There were not many ripe Huckleberries. Stands in the area sell Huckleberry pies.

 I can't imagine how long it would take to pick enough of these tasty nuggets for a pie.