SkyWatch Friday- Electricity is Wonderful!

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This photo was taken just this morning. They said no more storms until Monday but it's been drizzly all morning and obviously this is a storm coming in. There are creeks and ponds where there never was before. For a dry and arid climate, the ponds, streams, creeks and waterfalls are cool to see.

We take electricity for granted. It's always there. Except when it's not.

We were out of electricity for four days!

Four days of a cold house (it snowed Thursday night), no hot water so no shower, no cooking meals uh, no cooking at all. And the worry of losing all the food in the refrigerator and freezer. It was quite frankly, unbearable and I handled it badly. I whined a lot!

A pole went down in high winds from days and days of storms coming through central California and up into the Sierra foothills. The pole was in an area with no roads and apparently it was in an area that was unobtainable until the storms quit. Which they didn't but I guess yesterday there was enough of a break that PG&E was able to access the area via helicopter and make the repair. I heard (not on the news because no TV) from others that there were 16,000 people out of electricity.

My dad came up yesterday and got a propane heater going so I finally had heat and a generator that worked for a few hours gave me a hot shower and a chance for the refrigerator and freezer to cool down.

I like to camp and we used to really rough it when we camped but it was always in good weather and we went prepared. This was not like camping because I was totally unprepared to be without lights, heat, hot water and any way of cooking. I couldn't even get the BBQ to work.

I was so relieved to have electricity this morning. I had my first cup of coffee since Thursday, started a meal in the crock-pot and started a load of clothes in the washing machine.

I appreciate electricity now. It's good to have and totally miserable when you don't.

Skywatch Friday- remarkable!

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These photos were taken in the last week or two and (forgive me!) I think they're great. Last week I took my son to the bus and we crossed the road and started up the hill and voila! out of the fog we came! So I grabbed my camera and started shooting as the sun came up and the sky turned from pink to gold to blue. The fog lays like a blanket and the beautiful hills of Don Pedro poke up through it.

Then a few days ago we had a horrible storm here. It poured buckets all night long (my poor horses!) and at 5 AM I was rudely awakened by a huge clap of thunder right over my head! The dog couldn't take it and jumped in bed with me then vibrated with fear so badly I was afraid she'd have a heart attack. The next day the sun came out and we enjoyed scattered showers and long moments of blue skys. This is the sunset from that day. I thought the colors were brilliant! (click on the phot to enlarge it to see the different colors of the sunset.)

Now for the bad news. I can't keep this blog up. As those of you who "follow" me and I follow you, you know I post only occasionally now. I tried to keep it up but it's just not possible. Too much homework, work-work, kid-work, etc. I'll check in on all of you this year but I have to give up regular posts on my blog.

This is not goodbye, just farewell for now!

SkyWatch- New Moon Watch

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I hate to be redundant but this was a shot I took a few weeks ago and thought I'd share this week. And I haven't been taking my camera with me since it's been so hot so I'm low on SkyWatch pics.

This picture was taken, as usual, right off my back patio. I am so blessed to live in such a wonderful home and in such a beautiful area. I love to sit on my back porch, especially at dusk to watch the sun set behind Mt. Diablo and watch the lights come on in the valley and the stars start to shine. I get to enjoy the seasons here and my favorite is summer. I'm a sun worshiper and even though I know it's not good for me, I do like to lay in the pool and catch some rays.

I'm now advertising my home on homesforexchange.com if anyone is interested in exchanging homes and enjoying our beautiful California sunshine, the lakes, the mountains, golf and all the other great things to do here. I'm hoping to travel to Puget Sound this fall and back to Oklahoma later on to see my beautiful Grandson Kody and my son Jeremiah and his family. And with any luck someone will stay in my home and enjoy it and I can stay in theirs. Did you see the movie Holiday? It's worth renting. and it's all about exchanging homes for your holiday instead of staying in a B&B or hotel.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Caprice

SkyWatch- Moon Watch

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Didn't mean to stay gone so long. Gettin' busy tryin to get a new job. Got laid off from my contractor accounting job and looking for somehting to replace that 2-3 days of work. Had 2 interviews today and one would be a super cool place to work. Really praying that is the place God wants me to be. Please pray too, any p/t job will do.

I took this picture during the May full moon. It's looking off my back deck, over the hills below me and into the central valley (the lights are approx. N. Merced/Atwater area). I love this view. I've lived many places but this is by far the greatest place I've ever lived, with the beautiful views, my horses Sandy and Dani here with me and the pool. When it's hot and sultry the pool is the best place to be. At night I float and watch the stars come out. Listen to some jazz, or Christian, or rock, or country... depends on the mood.

Hope you enjoy this view as much as I do.

Have a super weekend.

Caprice

SkyWatch- Thunderheads over the Sierra

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This first photo was taken last week. Our weather in the Sierra foothill area stays pretty much the same all summer: hot and dry with clear blue skies. Pretty boring for SkyWatch. But if I turn around 180 degrees, the Sierra mountain tops are busy fending off thunderheads like the one I captured here. This is looking east over Lake McClure and towards Hornitos which very few people may know is the birthplace of Ghirardelli Chocolate.



A favorite photo for a special friend . . .




This lovely church, Big D, is St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Hornitos, California. Hornitos was a thriving Hispanic village and gold rush town of 15,000 people in the 1860s. It was also the hangout of desperados including Joaquin Murieta. Now the town is barely awake with only a handful of homes, a few businesses and a post office. These days, most residents are four-legged and munch on the lush, green grass that grows profusely each spring. The area surrounding it is mostly large cattle ranches backing up to Lake McClure. This was taken in late winter, right before the trees sprouted and I thought it looked haunting in Sepia. I have more photos from sleepy Hornitos but I'll save them for another time. Enjoy your Friday!

SkyWatch Friday Stormwatch

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This was a few weeks ago when we had a few dry electrical storms. Sorry it's not very clear but I have an autofocus camera. We're having some great weather here in the central Sierra Mtn area. Cool, a little wet (expecting rain Saturday) and very comfortable. Hope yours is as well.

Have a super Weekend!

SkyWatch- Barn Watch

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This was taken about a month ago when our last winter storm blew through. This is looking at the horse barn at dusk and the silver clouds above it.

I've been terribly busy and unable to post as often as I'd like to. I did get some fairly decent shots of lightning a few days ago but have been unable to download, save, post them yet. I'll try for next Friday's SkyWatch.

We've had some funny weather here. Yesterday there was a flash flood warning above us in Strawberry with downpours that lasted hours and hail the size of nickles. and it's HOT! Probably hit 100 the last 2 or 3 days. The sky in the evening is lovely and every time I see a good shot, guess what? No camera!!!

Have a super Friday!

Caprice

SkyWatch Friday

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I took this photo a few years ago on one of the back-roads when coming home from town. The skies can be so beautifully blue against the lovely green grass and these black and white cows just begged to be photographed. When I first saw it I thought it looked a lot like the Windows background- but better with cows!

SkyWatch Friday- Good Friday

Sunrise always brings hope.

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He was a man and He was God.
He came to earth poor and grew up simple.
He knew what He had to do and He knew what was to come.
He gave His all for me and you and did so without a qualm.
He prayed in a garden before being betrayed.
He asked His Father to take it all away.
Then He lifted His eyes to heaven and softly said,
"Your will not mine be done."
They brutalized Him and humiliated Him.
Throughout His death walk they taunted Him.
When they raised the cross upon which He was nailed,
He said, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do."
For three days He was dead
For three days He carried my sins
For three days all who loved Him wept and tore
For three days all thought Love was gone for sure.
Then there appeared, an angel of God, with good news!
He is here! He is alive! He is not dead!
My Jesus, you came and died for me.
My Jesus you are all to me!
My Jesus is Alive! He is Alive! Alive!

I hope you know the Living God. If not, every church in America is ready to welcome you in this Easter Sunday. I pray you find one so that you too can know my Jesus! My Savior! The one true Living God!

He is Alive!

SkyWatch Friday

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We are what we have experienced in life. Our memories, our parent's influence, our community's influence, the schools we went to and the teachers we had. All of that is what makes us what we are today. Is what we learned growing up right? Is it wrong? Is some of it true? Most of it?

What I know to be true and right is the bible. According to 2 Timothy 3:15 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ..." That means God breathed every word, every command, every instruction and He did it for us. And He meant it for training.

So next time you hear a young mother say, "I wish there was a manual for raising children!" Be sure to tell her that there is. Or when a married couple is having difficulties, tell them there is a place to go for good marital advice. When you are depressed, stressed, feeling unloved, and more there is a place to go to for instruction, comfort and peace.

He has given us everything we need. Go to Him.

SkyWatch Friday- Lake Don Pedro

Big, billowy thunder clouds soar above Lake Don Pedro. This was taken last year but could easily be today. We have sunshine now but the clouds are moving in and more rain is expected later this afternoon. Happy SkyWatch Friday! For more SkyWatch Photos from all over the globe, click here.

SkyWatch Friday- SF Skyline

San Franicisco looking East toward Oakland. The tall building on the left is the Hyatt Union Square and the green Nike sign in the forefront faces Union Square.


Sunrise in San Francisco. Absolutely Beautiful!



It's Friday!!! And that means another SkyWatch! This is the view from the window of my room at The Drake Hotel in San Francisco. I was so blessed to get away for a few days after Christmas, although it seems like forever ago now! Did a lot of tourist stuff but my fave was the just being on the streets of San Francisco (hmmm??? sounds familiar. heheheh) at night with everyone else. There were full bands playing on the street corners and a puppet show/ balloon maker handing out balloons at 10 PM! It is crazy and I loved every minute of it! What I think is so great is that I can feed my horses on my rural hill in the morning when it's perfectly quiet except for the howl of coyotes and the cry of a hawk, then jump in my car and at lunchtime be standing on the corner of Market and Broadway in SF with hundreds of people, cars, buses, cable cars, taxis, restaurants, theatres, and all that makes SF so great! It's a grat place to visit. (Glad I don't live there!)
Another fave was finally getting to the Ferry Building. If you love to cook- you have to go there!!! It is like a Foodie's Disneyland! Hope you enjoy- to see more SkyWatch Friday from around the globe, click here.



Street band at Union Square. The guy in front is the bass player/ PR guy. He was trying to get the girls to dance with him.




Puppeteer / Balloon Maker. shes making Elmo Balloons! See the little kids in the chairs in front? It was 10 PM! At that age my kids were in bed!!!

Skywatch Friday

Happy Friday to everyone around the world!

This was taken from my back porch a few nights ago as the sun set. I get some awesome sunrises and sunsets from Lake Don Pedro! This AM it''s cloudy and rainy here and I hope I'm not breaking any rules by not giving you a pic from today. But here's why: I live in the beautiful Sierra Foothills and I work in an ugly city about 45 miles away. I have to leave LDP at 6 AM before the sun comes up and get to the city after sunrise and no one wants to see pics of smog and filth! I'm looking forward to going to the Skywatch site and seeing what your hometown is like! If you want to see Skywatch Friday pics from all over the world, you can click on the Skywatch Link on this page.