Knight's Ferry Wildflowers

We traveled to Knight's Ferry to see the Civil War re-enactors' event yesterday with our friends, Don and Janet. We also were privileged to see a flower show just east of the covered bridge. Don and I hiked hither and yon past massive boulders to scout out the best views, taking flower pictures on the way.

We were rewarded with a group of drunk and crazy cliff jumpers during our little adventure and are glad to report there was no bloodshedding or brains bashing while we took pictures of them!

You can link to this gallery by clicking on the 'Gallery' while mousing over the slideshow.

Rare Oldies

There are old pictures that I took 20 years ago . . . and then there are OLD pictures that were taken decades ago, before I could press a shutter. Here is a young Larry with his cousin Ginnie.






I had a girlfriend in college who was accused of robbing the cradle. She was a junior when I was a freshman. Royalynn caught Okie when he was about 10 years younger than she was, I think.





Monte was everybody's favorite little kid and he was shown off a lot around the family circuit. Here's Grandma Grace, Royalynn, Judie and Grandpa Jesse admiring the perfect boy!







Bob Anderson was the quintessential good guy, his own man and the best barber in the family.






The Foxes and Skinners only saw each other in San Luis Obispo when visiting the grandparents. 30 miles was a long way away in those days.

God's Handwriting

I am finally convinced today that spring has arrived with a furor in my backyard. The green is accented with orange, pink and golden honey bees. Thank you, Lord, for a glimpse of all that is beautiful in You, the Glory of Holiness and creator of creation's elegance. "In wisdom, you have created it all." Ps. 104:24 Emerson said, "Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful; for beauty is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing."



And as seasonal beauty reflects the fleeting nature of life, whether flower or face, all will perish. The glow of youth will be traded for wizened senescence, and life will return to dust.


This Sunday is Resurrection Sunday, a day to celebrate the sure and certain hope that the end of this life is only the beginning of the next as Paul tells us in his first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15. It is historical truth, attested by personal witnesses (up to 500 at one time), martyrdom and a changed world.


I'd encourage you to attend a church this Lord's Day and hear what great things God has done.

Hatchery Wackery

After a thirty-six year hiatus, Barb and I decided to revisit the local fish hatchery on Hwy. 88 a few miles east of Clements, CA. This is right below Commanche Dam on the Mokolumne River, where we enjoyed a church baptism event and picnic in 1975 or so. This is also the spot where thousands start a river tubing or raft trip down the river.

Angel was with us, so the adventure began. Beautiful spring-like weather. Not too many people out. We didn't see any caretakers or docents and you could take a self-guided tour of the place to see the hatchery, fish ladders and race tanks. And there was also a few gates (it's all fenced) that led to the river, where you could picnic, throw rocks and enjoy the kingfishers darting up and down the waterway.


Angel is a rockhound and spent most of her time picking up and examining anything that grabbed her fancy. Barbara chaperoned while I went on my merry way downstream at the water's edge to take pictures. Nothing spectacular, but we had a fun time . . . until we started back to the hatchery.

They lock the two gates to the paths to the river at 2:30 and my watch said 3:00. A 6' fence prevented us from getting back to the car and it looked like we were in a pickle.

I climbed the fence, leaving my camera with Angel, and ran/traipsed back to the hatchery to find someone to help. No one in the office. The door was locked. No one out working. A few families were still there, looking at the race holding runs. I went and retrieved an Army blanket from the car in case Barb would have to scale the razor sharp fence. Walking back, I checked the "Personnel Only" door to the hatchery building. Thankfully it was open and a lone caretaker was there, spraying brooms he had used to clean up with. I presented our plight and he said he'd be down to open the gate when he was done working in about 5 minutes. Great.

I walked back to find Barb wondering how this was going to play out. She saw the blanket and asked what it was for. "This is for you to sleep on tonight, sweetie." She wasn't amused.

The two prisoners were soon released and headed back to the car. Our next visit will be in the morning and we'll read ALL the signs.

You can see the rest of the pictures here.