Yay! A Visit to Meridian Jacobs Ranch

Jacobs a 'frollicking on the side of Robin's shop

Had a double pleasure today - going to Robin Meridian Jacobs Ranch to very-nearly-almost-participate in Spinzilla and to pick up my lamb meat. Most of the meat will be gifted to friends because if I ate it all myself an unexpected explosion of a most unfortunate retired woman would be happening in Fair Oaks.

What the heck is SPINZILLA? By its own description: A global event where teams and individuals compete in a friendly challenge to see who can spin the most yarn during Spinning and Weaving Week, the first full week in October. Their goal is to raise sheep-loads of cash for the Needle Arts Mentoring Program.

True to type, when I arrived at Robin's place, the yard was full of happy spinsters.

That is Robin working her laptop, on the left

The Mighty SHEEPZILLA!

Alas - I meant to bring along my spinning wheel - same model as the one shown on the ruby rug above - but I couldn't for the life of me get my act together to bring the wheel, fiber and such with me *sigh*. Robin said she hopes I will show up and spin amid the other spinster for Spinzilla 2016. Sure... why not!


Robin and the gang wanted to set up a photo shoot for Spinzilla, which involves them in a photo featuring this little wooly guy. So Team Meridian decided to set up a shot with them racing through the sheep in the meadow escaping SHEEPZILLA. I hope they get a prize!

Note: wheel has a built in beverage holder

In the late afternoon as the spinners moved to cooler bits of the yard, Robin invited me to go with her to pick up the lamb. We took a warm afternoon's drive over to her new butcher. There I saw live sheep, goats, chickens, and even quail. Customers can pick out a live animal for butchering. Most of the butcher's customers are recent immigrants. Interestingly, I can say my Bronx grandmother used to be able to pick out a live chicken at a local Bronx butcher, then bring it home for plucking and ultimately becoming our Sunday dinner. 

Just a couple of days ago Robin brought the butcher her live Jacob ram lambs, to the butcher. Today we picked up boxes, each containing a half a lamb cut into chops, shanks, etc., and I think the third box we picked up was 'offal'. i.e., liver, stomach, intestines and... 'yikes'...  head! I always say one of these days I will work up my nerve and take, not just the meat, but also the organs and head of the lamb. I have a Moroccan recipe for sheep's head. Honest - I have that recipe. I admit, I haven't quite worked up the nerve to prepare such a meal - yet.
While the photo shoot was on out by the barns, I stayed by the shop and noticed that Robin's new pup, Ginny, whom I met today for the first time, had plopped a toy under my chair. She then crouched down, eyes glued to her toy, awaiting my actions. Of course, being the laziest woman in North American, I did nothing at first. Finally I gave in and threw Ginny's toy across the driveway. Doggie Joy happened.

A Little Joy, A Little Ache

I was up early today, and with droopy eyes and no right to be out in public yet, I ventured forth anyway, for some holiday shopping. Yes, holiday shopping, worse - shopping for myself. Shameful, I know. But it is rare I'm out at all these days. Most days I just zip to the gym, get in my exercise and I'm home again. That's the really shameful bit - not getting out and about, as if my brain & body are retired, not just my career. Before I headed home I decided to sit my Starbucks coffee at Sailor Bar, down by the river. As I hit the entry street - there it was... my inspiration. A man driving a jaunty red cart, pulled by - a Llama! He also had a 'back-up' llama to the rear, and an adorable tiny three year old grandson at his side. You have got to admire the moxie of this gentleman! No sitting around for him, no letting anyone tell him what he should be doing, he was out and about. A tad bit eccentric and damn it, proud of it! 

My heart speed up for the joy of the sight, and strangely it also ached a bit for reminding me of my days driving Suzi my pony, with her little black cart. That was such a brief period of my life and such a sweet one that I never think on it, as it is too painful to think on how short & sweet a time it was for me. Oh well. I drove ahead of the parade, and got in position and took a short video of the little. Alas! The video begins with my thumb over the view and it got worse from there - I guess I was a little excited.

Resolved: This gentleman reminds me there is a lot out there to explore and I haven't given it its due. In part because when the Central Valley Summer hits and the temps exceed 100 degrees, I don't even want to get the mail off the front porch. But it is Autumn now; beautiful, tranquil Autumn. The days are very-nearly-almost cool and the trees are turning color. I'm not far from Tahoe or rivers. There are things to do and places to go and I ought to. Resolved: I will get my fat arse out and see things!

That Touch of Mink

Bodie State Park at the end of the road

Sage Grouse I photographed in 2012

Saturday morning started near Bodie State Park. A few years back I got some incredible shots of Sage Grouse - considering who was behind the camera - along the 13 mile road in to the park.No such luck this time, for one thing because it is hunting season and all the orange vested hunters packing shotguns seem to make the grouse a tad shy.


We loitered along the rough pebbled road into the park, paying scant attention to the scenery as we stared in hope of spotting interesting birds. Don saw one Sage Grouse high up on a ridge, unseen by too-slow-to-look-up, moi.

Green-tailed Towhee on the road to Bodie

Can't evade me forever you rosy little treasure...

Afterwards we gave another look-see and the Virginia Lakes Resort and enjoyed a nice breakfast at its restaurant. After exploring the area and again, not seeing any Gray-crowned Rosy Finches *bite the fist in exasperation*



Following breakfast we visited the County Park. Don has scope & will travel, so he hiked it down to the lake. I stayed uphill, visiting - possibly pestering - some folks visiting from the Netherlands.

Black-billed Magpie, strutting around. At home there are only Yellow-billed Magpies, just as vane actually.

Still, Black-bills are a treat as I don't necessarily see the species every year.






After a trot around Lucy Lake for Don, we headed south of Mono Lake ending up near the town of Bishop in the afternoon. Don wanted to try for Nighthawks, Owls and other denizens of the strange back country. We took a drive through Volcano Tableland a BLM property with weird pock-marked volcanic and igneous rocks.                            

Quite a few profiles were everywhere you look

Don taking some close-ups of the hole strewn rocks

At twilight a couple of Great Horned Owls were out and about, seeking their prey for the evening. And over by the quarry, against all expectations, a Nighthawk floated by overhead, winging its way toward Mexico. Having 'scored' the owls and the Nighthawk, we congratulated ourselves and     thought that was it for the evening.But when I looked up from the steering wheel I saw a dark little weasel scamper, rather like a hunchback, across the road.  I shrieked and we stared at it. There was a brief pause as the creature haulted for a bit then dove off the road and into a riverlet that ran under the asphalt road. Of course it happened so quickly I had no time to dig out my camera and anyway it was dark.

Not my Photo as I got none, but this is in the
ballpark of what we saw scamper past

"Baby otter? Naw... too small"

"Long-tailed Weasel," I concluded, incorrectly.

No, too dark', said Don. Then inspiration hit, "It's a MINK!"

And of course, he was right. A Mink, in as dry as lizard farts, Inyo County! Who'd a thunk it?

That  was as amazing a sight as I've seen in a while. MINK!  I've seen them before but they're always exciting                                                                                     

Sunday was the last day at Mono. To get home, the fun way, you drive over Tioga Pass through Yosemite. Along the way there was much birding, though we didn't really see much birdie-wise but the scenery was grandiose.

Most of my Yosemite shots were 'drive by' views

We had lunch at a picnic table, alongside a small creek at the 'old entrance' of Yosemite.

After lunch there was a short hike up the trail, on the old Yosemite entrance way. It is considered a
wilderness area.

Don headed up the old road, which once hosted Model-Ts and the like

Fruit of the Western Dogwood

Some poly-pore fungi reclaiming a fallen tree

After the short hike, I took the wheel and we headed back to Fair Oaks. Along the way we passed through Angel's Camp where I found out later in the day, my friend Jeannie was hard at work for the California Department of Forestry. While we were touring the countryside, much of it was being consumed by flames. I hope the winter rains come this year, we really need them.