Drama...in the Eastern Sierras...

"When scattered clouds are resting on the bosoms of hills, 

it seems as if one might climb into the heavenly region,

earth being so intermixed with the sky, 

and gradually transformed into it."

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Linking to...

Pretty in Lavender...

M-o-m!!!

Do you have to take pictures of me 

every time they put these stupid bows on me???

Two...they put two bows on this time!!!

And...I think...yeah...it kind of smells like a little bit of perfume too!!!

Yuck!!!

Wait...how come everyone's ooh-ing and ahh-ing over me???
And I'm getting hugged and petted more...
I even got an extra treat at the car wash!!!
Maybe there's something to this pretty lavender bow stuff!!!

Linking to...

Home Depot???

Ok...I'm stumped!!!

Now these little flags poking up on the side of a dirt road on the way to Hot Creek

might not be so curious...

if we actually had a Home Depot within 300 miles of us!!!

Anybody???

Linking to...

The End of an Era...

As of last Saturday, Whiskey Creek of Mammoth Lakes and Bishop, California

closed their doors for the final time.  

Whiskey Creek, Mammoth Lakes was opened in 1972 by Sam Walker and has been 

an iconic establishment ever since, even through changes in ownership and changes in seasons.

.   

I remember Whiskey Creek from my early days of skiing Mammoth...

my girlfriend met her husband there...

Everyone who is a "local" has a story to tell about time 

spent in Whiskey Creek.

While it started as a dinner house with a nice bar for apres skiing...

it also became somewhat of a go-to spot for 

sports bar entertainment...

and wild and woolly vacation hoopla!!!

As well as a fine spot for a great steak.

The Bishop restaurant was established in the 80's and was a favored 

dinner house in Bishop and the surrounding areas.  

Drought years are tough on mountain ski communities and the communities

that line the highway on the way to them.

There is a silver lining though...

but I'm saving that for another day!!!

Linking to...

Life in a Capsule...

"The soul is born old but grows young.

That is the comedy of life.

And the body is born young and grows old.

That is life's tragedy."

Oscar Wilde

Ouch!!!  

Damn...

...sounds familiar.

Linking to...

Evening Tide...

"What a nice night for an evening."

Steven Wright

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A Blight in California History...

Manzanar tower

"I am an invisible man...

I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids -

and I might even be said to possess a mind.

I am invisible, understand,

simply because people refuse to see me."

Ralph Ellison

The Invisible Man

Click here for information on the history of Manzanar War Relocation Center...

Linking to...

Castle in the Clouds...

"There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds."

G.K. Chesterton

Linking to...

Huh???

Mom?  What happened to all that powdery, cool, white stuff

I used to play in???

I don't like that crunchy white stuff.  When I run and try to play,

I sometimes fall through the crunchy stuff and sometimes I twist my foot.

Do you think that powdery stuff will ever come back???

I like how it sprinkles my body and gives me sparkles...

and I love to bury my nose in it...

Do you think it'll come back???

Huh???  Huh???

Update!!!

Kelly may be a happy girl when we go for her walk tonight...it started snowing around 3!!!

Not much...but it's a start!!!

Linking to...

Shhhh!!! It's Wordless Wednesday!!!

"Throw your dreams into space like a kite, 

and you do not know what it will bring back,

a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.

Anais Nin

Linking to...

Our Little Corner of the World...

Nope...this wasn't taken last Spring, Summer or Fall...

Can you believe this was yesterday?  In the same area as the below photo?

Now the next pic was taken in October, three years ago...

and truth be told...this area had snow here this year in October too...

But by mid January that year, 

Daisy (yes...she was still alive) and I had to climb up the snow bank to get to the "dog park"!

About 2 feet or more!!!  

It's been announced that there will be mandatory water rationing 

throughout California...

Now...having grown up and lived my life primarily in Southern California,

drought isn't really new...

but I've never lived these weather conditions up here...

where it's supposed to be deep in snow at this time of year...

Fortunately...there's a bit more snow a little higher up.

The "dog park" area is at about 7500' altitude...

we live at approximately 8000'...the mountain tops here...

about 10,000'...

and Mammoth Mountain...over 11,000 feet...

so yeah...the mountain has some snow...

And...it's pretty cold at night...

so the mountain is also making snow...

and did I mention?  

It was reported to me that the snow boarders who competed at the Olympic trials

said the snow was great!!!

Linking to...

Get Your Dancin' Shoes On!!!

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, 

you might as well dance."

Unknown

Which is exactly the attitude the locals here are taking!!!

Not much snow?...So go hiking!!!

Of course...the mountain is making snow fast and furiously...

and if you're a follower of all that leads up to the Olympics,

you might be aware that the Olympic snowboard trials were held here this weekend!

Yeah...we might not be swimming in snow...

but there's still a lot going on!!!

Linking to...

Old Wood...

"Age appears to be best in four things;

old wood best to burn,

old wine to drink,

old friends to trust,

and old authors to read."

Francis Bacon

Francis had it goin' onnn!!!

Linking to

A Splendid, Silent Sun...

"Give me the splendid, silent sun,

at sunset."

Walt Whitman

Linking to...

A Gothic Sunset...

"I had a gothic phase, and now I'm more edgy chic."

Ashley Benson

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Too Pooped to Pop!!!

"Life is one long process of getting tired."

Samuel Butler

Hunting down petroglyphs is hard work...

Linking to...

Early Drawings of the Apollo Program...

Petroglyphs outside of Bishop, CA

I'm thinkin'...

those Ancient folks, just might have been the first Aerospace engineers...

Or maybe they really did come from outer space...

where their Animals had six legs and two wings...

or funny sputniks...

What do you think???

Linking up again with Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday...

and