I think I have fallen in love again.  I am in love with Yosemite.  I never suspected that Yosemite would woo me as she has.  OH SO BEAUTIFUL AND MAGNIFICENT!  And I haven’t even seen it all yet.  Nor shall I on this trip.  Other than the fear of forest fire and having no water, Oakhurst would be a wonderful choice for retirement.

My second day at the park was absolutely delightful.  I started the morning off going to breakfast with my uncle Jetton.  He meets his “old” cronies once a weekato a place named DUCYS.  It sits beside Bass Lake or perhaps I should better describe it as Bass Pond.  When I drove over a bridge to our destination I could see out across what was formerly a beautiful blue expansive lake.  What I saw were piers and docks sitting on dry desolate land.  The ground was parched and dried in a myriad of colors; browns, beige, off white, dark rocks and a small portion of water in the middle of the lake.  It actually made me  want to cry.  I could just feel the desolation of the drought up close and personal.  This lake is home to a golf course, restaurants, places to stay, creating a choice environment to draw in people.  People who create a livelihood to many.  It was so sad to see.

On the way to Ducys I saw a large portion of land being cleared.  There were home foundations and chimneys and burned out trees being cleared away.   When I asked what happened I was told that the fire had been started by hunters who had killed a deer and had gutted it out.  “The guts got to stink’n so they poured gasoline on the guts and started it on fire and the woods started on fire” as quoted from my Uncle Jetton. He and my aunt were told to be ready to leave so he put his horses in trailers and grabbed what they needed.  What they needed was financial records, pictures off the wall, jewels, guns and that’s about it.  My uncle said that when you have just a few minutes to leave and you have no plan, it is difficult to even think clearly.  Since that time all financial records are kept in a storage filing case on wheels like a suitcase and can be wheeled out.  The plan now (since they live in a very high fire zone) is to put both horses in one trailer and use the single wide horse trailer to pack a few of their other valuables.  Sometimes there is no notice so you just grab and run.  Other times you have some warning as the fire approaches.  One woman whose home burned down was able to grab her purse, get in her car and escape the flames. In the  fire I mentioned above  there were 32 single family homes that were burned totally down.  The loss of the trees scarred the landscape even from across the lake looking out from Ducy’s.  My Aunt and Uncle now have an exit plan and everything is easily accessible for a quick pack up.  That is one threat I would not like to live with.  There were no deaths reported in the fire mentioned.  This fire happened last summer. Well, the area is now another year dryer.  The threat is real to those who live in this area.  The hills are pock marked with towering brown trees that would go up like tender.  The reason Jetton and Georgia’s home did not burn is because the wind changed.  I think I’ll keep looking for that perfect place to retire.  But…I’m still in love with Yosemite!

Well, after breakfast my plan was to go back to the park because I did not have a chance to see the Giant Sequoia’s.  It was worth every minute!  I enjoyed the breakfast with the “old men” and my dear Aunt Vela who also came.  We couldn’t get Aunt Annie to come nor Aunt Jeanette, my mother’s brother John’s widow.  So two ladies with the four old men, one who was 93 and acted like 65.  I saw so much light and life in his sparkling eyes.  Oops, one of the men wasn’t old.  The 93 year old’s 19 year old grandson was also there.  Jetton and his ride had to leave along with Vela.  I had my car and was going to Yosemite.  I was in such a maze of roads that had no way to get out without help. One of the older men said he would take me out, better yet, he would just take me to Yosemite.  I could tell he really enjoyed having company with him and an excuse to do something.  He drove me up the mountain in his truck.  Let’s put it this way…I’m not nervous when I do the driving.  We arrived safe and sound, all 13 miles from where we started.  Then once in the park we had to go about 3 more miles to the Sequoia grove and those roads were even more precarious because of being so narrow.  But I made it without even gasping.  He was just so kind and enjoyed being with someone for the company.  He was delightful and surprised me by his stamina and quick walking.  We were at about 4,000 feet altitude and I was again having a bit of difficulty with heart exertion.  I just stopped and gawked extra long if my heart accelerated too high.

What there was to look at deserved to be gawked at.  Unless I am present with the tall giants I have a tendency to forget their magnitude.  The old ones stand 200 to 300 feet high. I encircled one giant with both arms spread wide and went all the way around it 10 times  That was its girth.  My reach is 5 feet.  The total circumference estimation is 50 feet.  I hope that  helps give you a clearer realization of just how big these trees are.  Yosemite would be a wonderful destination to go to because there are so many interesting excursions to go on.  I plan to come back with Dave as soon as possible.  I may not go to another destination in California but I do Hope to return to Yosemite so I can see what I’ve missed.

One of my favorite parts of my day is meeting all the interesting people I meet.  And today was no exception.  I often offer to take photos of couples or families that are taking pictures so everyone can be included.  This often opens up opportunity to get involved in short conversations.  It is so interesting to hear people’s stories, where they are from, where they are going.  Today was no exception in meeting people but the exception was in meeting a group of four exceptional young people traveling up from Southern California to purposely visit Yosemite.   I would imagine they were in their early to mid twenties. One lady and three young men.  I took photos of them and they did likewise for me.  They were so alive and in love with life and nature.  Their life is before them and I so enjoyed talking with them and hearing their words of wisdom. I didn’t write it down, so much of it is lost.  I have contact info to reach them so maybe I’ll text and see if they will remind me.  I should leave nothing for memory.

It is time for dinner.  I will write more after dinner.  I post this now so it will not be lost accidentally.  Maybe I will proof read it tomorrow…(or never)…

Dinner is over.  And it was delicious. Corn bread and beans, fried potatoes, and coleslaw.  All the others also had ham with theirs.  I had two pieces of corn bread.  It was so good.  If you had been a fly on the wall you would have thought

During dinner we had three deer having dinner on the back yard plants.  We watched them for awhile.  I posted a photo taken through the window.

It is wash night.  One load drying and another washing.  A good feeling having everything clean when I head off for another place.  I leave tomorrow morning and head out to Modesto.  I will be visiting with my long time friend Sue, who was my maid of honor at our wedding.  I’ve known her about 47 years.  She is my dear friend I met after I graduated from High School that has remained my friend all these  years. She was still in High School while I was going to college but our age difference was no big deal.  Now it is a big deal!  She’s younger!

All in all this has been another wonderful day.  God is good.  Time to write a poem.

P.S.  Just looked up Redwoods and Sequoia Trees.  I thought they were the same.  They are not.  Here is an excerpt taken from an online information page: ” Natural habitat.—The giant sequoia is found growing singly or in groups scattered for a distance of 250 miles along the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada in central California at elevations of 4,000 to 8,000 feet. The redwood grows near the Pacific Ocean along the northern California coast in a more or less continuous belt about 450 miles long and 15 miles wide.

Method of reproduction.—Both species reproduce from seed, but the redwood is one of the few conifers that is also able to develop sprouts from cut stumps, roots, and burls.

Foliage.—The foliage of the giant sequoia is scalelike and somewhat resembles that of the junipers; redwood foliage is in the form of two-ranked needles like the hemlock.

Shape and size.—The giant sequoia is the largest tree in the world in volume and has an immense trunk with very slight taper; the redwood is the world’s tallest tree and has a slender trunk.

Cones and seed.—The cones and seed of the giant sequoia are about three times the size of those produced by the redwood.

Woody structure.—The wood of the giant sequoia is much coarser in texture than that of the redwood, and growth rings of the redwood are wider. Both woods are highly resistant to decay.

Color of bark.—The bark of the giant sequoia is bright reddish brown, whereas that of the redwood is a dull chocolate brown.