Earthquake

It has been a while since I've felt an earthquake. But last night changed all that. We stayed here, at Lake Tahoe, in order to do so some winterizing, cover the patio furniture, meet with the furnace man to have the furnace serviced, etc.

Sometime after going to bed I felt the bed shaking - I grabbed my husband, thinking he was having some kind of seizure, (although he has never had one), or thought maybe the dog was doing it somehow. It was a pretty good shake. My husband appeared to be fine so I didn't think anything more of it when this morning he mentioned not seeing anything in the news about the earthquake last night. Earthquake? Is that what all the shaking was about?

Living in Reno, we're used to tremblers. I've felt quakes that literally rocked the furniture, but it hasn't happened in many years. We know that earthquakes have been swarming in recent months. I read that there were over 150 small ones right under our house. But we've never felt one at Lake Tahoe. It reminds me of this post on Mountain Tsunamis. They are possible here in the mountains, reminding me to make sure that our emergency plan takes into account that we spend a great deal of time here.

Most of us live in areas that have some kind of danger, lets face it. If Washington DC, and New York City can have an earthquake, despite being in an area of low seismic activity, then they can happen anywhere. Even if you're not sitting on a fault line, you are still residing on the earth's crust, and there is movement going on right underneath.

It reminds me to be thankful, once again, for each day, each minute, each blessing. This warm little house is a gift, and so many are without such luxury. My thoughts are with those in Turkey right now, those who were not so lucky as to just have had their bed shake.

Update: It was a 4.7 located 35 miles west of Reno.

A Mountain Tsunami?

I guess every rose has its thorn.

It seems even in the mountains one can be at risk of a tsunami. A study done on Lake Tahoe, with three separate fault lines running through it, has proven that tsunami events have happened in the past. A wall of water three stories high could hit Incline Village, in the event of a large earthquake. Whew! That would be very cold water. Although it never freezes, the surface temperature is usually 40-50 degrees in the winter and a constant 39 degrees at 600-700 feet deep. It warms in the summer to around 65 degrees on the surface. 

Lake Tahoe is 1,645 feet deep, covering 191 square miles. It is the largest alpine lake in North America. (Crater Lake in Oregon is 300 feet deeper, but much smaller.)

With the 7.2 earthquake in Baja California yesterday, it does cause me to consider the advantage of not being right on the lake. Being grateful for not living right on the lake is a new one for me.

You can always find something for which to be grateful.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Here's the view from my neck of the woods. It is snowing right now. Spring skiing anyone?

We had the most fabulous Easter brunch, with copious quantities of champagne. Here was our view:

This is the view of the lake from the Hyatt, (although this is a spring view - notice the umbrellas), snow still on the mountains in the background. It's usually there until sometime in June:

Hope you all had a wonderful day as we look forward to spring. I've been enjoying all of your pictures of flowers. As you can see, we are not quite there yet. Snow expected all week.

On a lighter note...

The weather is absolutely beautiful here in the mountains. The temperatures are in the high 70's and we have had perfectly clear blue skies. It's Street Vibrations in Reno so the area is full of the sound of gravelly pipes. My husband is off, as we speak, to check out the Harley dealership (a meeting spot) to ogle bikes and talk motorcycles. My brother is on his way, and my cousins are joining the pack. Friends are coming to spend the night Saturday and I am busy planning menus. Life is good.

Lucy on the other hand is enjoying some "end of summer" swims:

She comes out clean and refreshed:

No baths during the summer. The lake takes care of that:

How is your weekend looking?

Soda Springs Lodge

We hiked above Lake Tahoe and Fallen Leaf Lake last Wednesday and came across a very old lodge/camp that had been there since the 1870's. Many of the buildings still exist, kept standing with the help of donors and the Forest Service. It appears that they still use the main building for fundraisers, on occasion. They posted the clothes worn to hike to the lodge from then until now. Women hiked in long skirts. I imagined them walking with their umbrellas, laughing, talking with friends or family. Or straining. It was uphill for a mile:

The clothes worn now are shorts:

What struck me was the fact that high in these mountains there once was a thriving vacation spot for those lucky people wealthy enough to get there from San Francisco, Virginia City, etc. This was one of the outbuildings:

They accessed the area by boat from Tahoe (which couldn't have been easy in itself!) Then by road, then by boat again, walking the last mile to the lodge. There was a hot springs, which Lucy tried out, but there wasn't much left of it:

I'm always amazed at the spots people used to vacation back in the olden days. They really were hearty spirits. You would think life was hard enough without going to such extremes for a little R&R.

Fall is creeping into the mountains:

And the sky is so blue, you could swim in it. On second thought, maybe we humans are drawn by the same things generation after generation. The same desire to experience nature at its finest:

Change of Blanket

http://www.terragalleria.com/index.html

The fall is early to the Sierra Nevada mountains. We are only in the low 60's today, and it dipped last night to the low 40's. I think I'll bring the plants in from the deck. You never know when an overnight freeze might might drop by for a visit. The little animals are heading underground early, a sign of an El Nino winter?

Of course, as soon as we change our blanket (we froze last night), it will warm up again. We are only a week away from the official start of the new season, however. The blanket change would take place soon, if not now. I suppose some of you are considering the opposite. Are you considering changing to a lighter blanket where you live?

So out with the light cotton,

and in with the soft and warm.

For now we can fold the quilt at the bottom. But before you know it, we'll be pulling it up and over, as well. The skis will be coming out, and we will be making holiday arrangements. Time marches right along.

How about you? Are you considering a change?

Beautiful Lunch

(winter shot of the dining deck)

My husband and I had lunch today with the lovely Reya of The Gold Puppy. She and her friend, Dave joined us at the Sunnyside Restaurant for a lakeside lunch. It was so wonderful to finally meet her! Of course, not being a great photographer, I forgot my camera in my excitement. So no pictures. But I will say that she is very pretty, in a very wholesome way, exactly as she is on her blog. (Come to think of it all the Aquarius women I have known have been pretty.) She's as nice and as soulful as her blog portrays her to be. I know I will see her again someday, she's that kind of person - you want to see her again.

Where do the years go?

One of my girlfriends, that has been a friend for over 35 years, come up to spend the night and go to the lake with me today. It was fun catching up, as we rarely talk on the phone more than a couple times a year. But many years ago, when we were both very young and single, we developed a tradition of going to the lake at least once a year. When we first started going we had our bottle of wine and some towels, maybe a sandwich, and headed for the beaches you have to hike down from the road to access.

Over the years that changed to the crowded Sand Harbor beach with very soft sand that our children played in with their buckets and shovels. It has an area that is protected and shallow - which makes it warmer than the lake and ideal for little swimmers.

A few years ago my daughters and her daughter quit going with us, opting to go to the lake with their friends (to the beaches you hike down to access.)

This year our day was spent on the West end of the lake at a park that was an old mansion and playground for the rich and famous during the days of the Comstock and timber barrons out of San Francisco.

You can tour the mansion and the grounds and/or sit under some lovely trees on rolling green grass the extends down to the beach and water:

We sat mostly under the trees, as tanning is not something either of us does anymore, sans the bottle of wine. Wine? In the middle of the day at the beach? Ummm who's DD? We didn't swim much, something that we have always enjoyed doing together. But we talked and enjoyed the view, and the companionship that comes from years of knowing one another. We caught up on what our children were doing, how their lives have turned out so far, what they aspire to in the future.

We realized that time has marched right along. Our children are now in charge of their lives, making their own decisions, creating their worlds. Ours has changed. We are slowing down, enjoying the little things, the small moments. Our bodies have changed, our hair, wrinkles have appeared. But we are still the same in so many ways. All the little ways that attracted us to each other all those years ago. We may think differently, but we respect each other. We know each other's tender places, because we were there when they were experienced. The scars that are healed now, but were once so raw.

And we wonder - what is in store for us now? How many more years will we come to the lake for our day?

I'm back!

Whew, it's been a wild couple of weeks. Having my little grandson and daughter here for ten days, driving them back to Portland, and then flying home has been busy, busy. You really forget just how much time and attention a toddler requires. I will be finding things for weeks, I know. He is fast and cunning! :-)

As for my daughter, I could tell she needed a break. A break from her life, which has all the trials and tribulations that this economy can throw at her. I know they will be fine, but it's hard to watch your child not smile much. The first really genuine smile of pure joy was when she emerged from the cold water of Lake Tahoe, after her first swim. I could tell she was focused solely on her senses, not on her problems. A beautiful smile of pure happiness.

She took the opportunity of having built-in babysitters and went out with friends some of the evenings. These are the kids she went K-12, and through much of college. They know her well and they had great fun, as it's been several years since they've seen each other. Laughter is very good medicine.

But now we are all back in our places. I have been doing some really interesting reading, which I will share with you over the next few days. I have an idea for a book I have been threatening to write, which I think could be interesting. So all in all, the break has been good for me, too. I have thoroughly enjoyed catching up on your posts. You are an amazing group of writers, and I am always inspired by you.

So what's new with you?

Can you feel it?

Can you feel the end of summer? It was very cool yesterday at the beach. It was about 69 degrees, but the wind was blowing, and whitecaps were visible on the lake. We packed up after only an hour and headed home to pack for the trip to Portland. I'll drive with my daughter and fly home, so that she won't be driving and caring for my grandson at the same time.

It's been lovely having them in my home. Most of the time we visit them, as it's just easier. They have very little paid time off, so it makes sense to have us do the traveling. But I'll bet some of you know what I'm talking about when I say, I like to have them in my home...

Measure for Measure

Every year there is a Shakespeare On The Lake series. It's held on Sand Harbor, which is also our favorite beach. This year the two plays that you could choose from were Measure For Measure, or Much Ado About Nothing. We went to Measure for Measure last night with a group of friends.

There is something magical about watching a great play, written by The Bard himself, while enjoying a good bottle of wine and wonderful food. You can either bring a picnic, or buy there. We chose to buy dinner there, and some of us had grilled tri-tip sandwiches or grilled fish tacos. The menus were varied and well-prepared, showcasing fresh vegetables and lean meats.

As I sat watching the sun go down on the Lake, and stars appear in the sky, I swear I could smell the beautiful clear water. I have always thought water didn't have a smell, unless it was chlorinated or not clean, but now I can actually smell water, including the stream running behind our house. Fresh clean water is what I am grateful for today. It is our last day on the beach with our daughter and grandson, and I will drive back to Portland with them tomorrow for a few days. So today is our last summer day together. It's bitter-sweet, and I will enjoy it to the max.

Hope your summer is going well, I have enjoyed reading your blogs this past week. On occasion I've tried leaving comments that have been eaten by Google. As soon as I pick a "user" which is Google, my comment disappears. Especially for those blogs outside the US. Firefox won't even let me sign in, so I've been using Safari. Anyway, I will visit you again. Have a great day!

Perfect Market

I am preparing for my daughter and grandson, who will be on their way here this afternoon. So off I went to the local Farmer's Market in Kings Beach. The market is small, with less than ten vendors, but they have everything I want. I used to enjoy the one in Lake Oswego, when we lived in Portland, but it was big and took a couple of hours to scan and then shop. This one takes about two minutes to see what everyone has to offer. Then the shopping is over in less than half an hour. Perfect. More time to spend cooking and planning for my very special guests.

Look at these strawberries! It is so nice to be near California and all it has to offer in fruits and vegetables.

This is the view the vendors have while they are open:

Hope you are having a lovely day!

Kayaking

We are thinking of purchasing a kayak. Can anyone recommend a brand? We are considering a tandem, then next summer buying a single, so maybe we can train Lucy to go along. Any suggestions, or dire warnings?

Nurturing Nature

(a bit hazy as there was a nearby fire)

I've decided it's nurturing to be out in nature. It's like our mother wrapping her arms around us and giving us a big hug. We just returned from one of our hikes in the mountains, and I'm exhausted. We went about five miles at around 8,900 feet. I just may have overdone on this one - a bit more tired than the last time. But new boots helped, and the scenery was spectacular. Other than on a few occasions looking over my shoulder for mountain lions, we had the mountains pretty much to ourselves.

I really think we need to go outside as often as possible to really understand what it means to save our environment. We simply cannot have the same sense of our mother earth if we are continually inside, and never experience the earth in it's raw form. Even walking through a park will give a different perspective. And actually getting out where there is no one around is extremely rewarding. You begin to see the grandiosity of it all. How important it is to pass on to future generations. How imperative it is that we act, in every decision we make, to make sure those decisions have as negative an impact as possible, for all life forms, including our earth.

Have you been outside lately? What did you experience?

Fun Facts

We took our niece to lunch last week at the Hyatt, which has a beautiful restaurant right on the lake. Afterwards we took a walk out to their floating dock where they will open a bar when the weather warms up. What struck me was all of the beach equipment out, with absolutely no one on the beach. I have certainly been on the beaches when they are empty in the winter, but never when all the beach equipment is out. Anyway, I though you might enjoy some "fun facts" about Lake Tahoe. There is no doubt this place is very spiritual, and has great power.

• Second deepest lake in the US at 1,645 feet deep
• 22 miles long, 12 miles wide
• Average surface elevation at 6,225 ft above sea level
• Sun shines at Lake Tahoe 75% of the time
• Lake level average snow fall 125 in. per year
• Alpine ski areas receive 600 in. per year
• Surface temp varies between 41-68 degrees; below 600-700 ft it stays at 39 degrees
• If you poured out Lake Tahoe it would cover California 14 inches deep.
• There is 39 trillion gallons of water in the lake, enough to supply every person in the US with five gallons of water per day for five years.
• Evaporation of 330 million gallons of water per day - enough to supply a city the size of LA for five years.
• It has 63 tributaries but only one outlet - Truckee River.

What about where you live? Do you have any fun facts to share?

View From A Window

Today is a rainy spring day in the Sierras. My husband is off to Sacramento to meet with my brother on a project, and I am taking the time to just look out the window. The little creek is running high as the snow melts from the higher elevations. This runoff will go directly to the Lake. Do you have a window that you look out? This perch is where I read and think about things. What about you? Care to share a view from your window?

Spring at 6500

I think spring has arrived here at 6,500 feet. It may not be lush yet, but there are certainly signs. I always love to visit blogs that show me pictures of what it is like where they live at different times of the year. So I thought you might like to see what early spring looks like at Lake Tahoe.

We took a walk that winds us around the golf course and homes that are only used for a certain part of the year. Where I live, only 30% of the people live here year-round. I guess they don't like to shovel snow. Anyway, it's quiet right now, but soon it will be bustling with tourists and the people who are only here for parts of the year.

Lucy was having a ball running on the golf course. But she will only be able to do that for a few more walks. We could already see someone preparing the course for the summer, and she is not welcome when the little golf carts start winding their way around. As you can see she is running at full tilt. We keep a close eye on her because if she hits us running like that there is no doubt you are either going down or breaking something. We don't call her Hulk Lucy for nothing. One time I was talking with a plumber in my kitchen in Minnesota, I was on one side of a high counter and he on the other. That house was large with a big open floor plan. Lucy went into "crazy lab mode" which is running as fast as she could around and around the room. She was able to get some speed up when she hit me right behind the knees. One minute I was talking to the plumber and the next I was looking up, red faced, as he peered over the counter to see if I was okay! 

You can see that the snow is fighting to keep hold on the green grass that has been buried, just waiting to take it's turn. I love the shadows on the snow and grass from the tree branches not yet in bloom.

I'm trying to visit everyone's blog that left messages. Thanks so much for your visits to mine. Have a great day!