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Hula Returns to Sequim

Honored Elder & Dance Teacher, Mokihana Melendez on the right OMG! So excited that like last year, a Hawaiian group graced Sequim with i...

Monday, August 12, 2013

Twilight: Turkey Eclipse

Had plenty of company this past week. First Barbara was up from Monterey for a visit. She left and the next shift to baby sit me was Gene & Joann Bertsch. Yeah! They were in Northern California for a wedding that took place in the vicinity of the Avenue of the Giants. It was there over the weekend their young cousin married his long time sweetie. Happily for me, Gene & Jo decided to visit me.

I took them for a nice & frankly, just for the heck of it drive through the nearby Old Folsom. We didn't opt to do any shopping there, but we did enjoy the beautiful old homes.




 On the quiet & shady back street of Old Folsom there were a couple of very old autos parked. The red one here has a nice picnic basket in a special carrying place behind the spare wheel - see it? That must have been the equalent of a fancy cup holder back in 'ought o' two'.



This equally red, not quite so shiny car looks like it was just a work horse. It's obviously out to pasture now though, and I'm sure it enjoys all the TLC the roadster in the picture above gets.






Now you know no visit from my San Diego buddies happens without us going out on  'Deer Hunt' in Sunrise on the American River Parkway.

This doe (photo by Joann) seemed a tad moth eaten. Wonder what unwanted adventures she's survived?
She was the first deer we spotted for the evening
After watching the doe for a bit, it was approaching sunrise so we drove to the far end of the park. We were in hope of having a look at 'our' turkey roosting tree, where I've brought many friends to see the spectacle of full grown turkey cocks flying up into the trees for the night. But this time we were all three of us gobsmacked! The huge Turkey Roost Oak Tree was GONE! Eventually I noticed what was left of it, as you can see below.

What happened to the Turkey Roost Oak Tree? Storm? It looks like it just fell down. Weak root system or ?
Totally bummed by the lost of this beautiful tree that was obviously important to wildlife, we decided to drive back down the road and look for a second roosting tree we spotted last May when Gene & Joann were last up this way. We squabbled and fussed over which tree was the correct tree, when suddenly, as the sun dropped lower in the sky, we got a BIG hint.

There was a turkey parade - young Toms, crossing the park road


Climbing up the hillside
The five of them, gathering at the base of their new roosting tree
All snug and safe for the night
If ever there was a parade to enjoy, that is one without floats or bands, this was it! The Toms marched up that hill, then before our eyes, they shot skyward and up into the gigantic oak tree. 

OK,here's the bed count - One... two...
Three, four and five! Can you see 'em all?
We figure that's nature for you. One oak tree down, but there is another in wait to host and keep safe the wild turkeys for the night. Tough luck coyotes!

Saturday, August 10, 2013

I'll have the spaghetti with a side of tacos

My bud Barbara is up visiting me this week. We had a sudden longing for some Thai Tom Yum soup, which for years has been my favorite food; made with lemon grass, coconut milk and tender chicken. Finally I decided we should give into our peckishness so I drove us to Andy Nguyens Restaurant. After were seated for a bit, our our waiter came to take our orders. I told him we couldn't find Tom Yum soup on the menu, and he told us, "We're not a Thai restaurant, we're Vietnamese."

Ooops...

Simple error on my part, and unfortunately it isn't the first time I've made the same error at the same restaurant. I keep thinking it is a Thai establishment - wishful thinking at that! Oh well, we enjoyed the heck out of our meal of Imperial rolls with pork & rice noodles, curried pork with rice and Thai iced tea. On our drive home I kept cracking up and laughing until I snorted. After all, isn't not being able to tell Vietnamese cuisine from Thai kind of like going to an excellent Italian Restaurant and ordering chow mein, or siting down at Mexican restaurant and demanding a nice order of Swedish meatballs. I mean, about time I learn to get my ethnicities straight, you know?