A LITTLE HUMOR DURING THE VIDEO

I loved their voices.  Nobody did it better when it came to harmonizing..in my opinion anyway.

The strong wind finally died down today - still cold but looking forward to a walk around the lake.

I watched a video going back to the beginning of their career and for me, about 1971 it looks like they were somewhat influenced by the Beatles.  I wasn't that fond of their music until the mid to late 1970's.

YESTERDAY WE SHOPPED IN REDLANDS AND DROVE THROUGH CITRUS GROVE AREAS...front porch

  It was a beautiful day and this is a house I had never seen before.  I thought it was beautiful. 

Today we have strong winds, temps when  figuring in wind chill are in the 20's but sunny and clear.  I think I'll pass up a walk today because over  at the lake it would be even colder.  I need to get inspired to sketch something again so I'm happy to be indoors. 

There isn't much of a front porch and I will imagine anyway that out the back door there is a deck or porch to enjoy the beautiful view of Big Bear that you can faintly see in the first photo toward the right hand middle of the photo

The sky was amazing yesterday and the view of the mountains were clear.  Temps remained in about the 50's and it all came rushing back to me how beautiful Southern California can be in the winter. 

Oh and it smelled so fresh - the cirtrus groves were bulging with fruit, oranges, lemons, grapefruit groves and fruit was dropping all along the ground near the roads.  I am trying to figure out why we didn't stop and scoop them up.  I think another trip is in order in a few days to get some of that produce.  More pics to come of this area tomorrow.

SOMEWHERE NEAR TRINIDAD CALIFORNIA - FRONT PORCH POST

Not sure exactly where this was in our travels last May but I know it was just outside of Trinidad as we made our way to   Eugene and then Bend, Oregon.

I have to say, this front porch and surrounding property and the house itself would be a dream house for me.  Whether it was in Northern California or just as we crossed the border to Oregon - wouldn't matter a bit - California or Oregon or Washington - any of those states would be perfect. 

This was taken as we traveled down the highway and I had zoomed it.  I was surprised that the photo wasn't blurry.

How was your Christmas (if you celebrate that holiday).  Ours was nice and pretty low key.  We went down to one of our sons' house about 40 minutes away and it was a cozy day with good food and playing games. 

It had snowed in the morning here in the mountains and it only lasted 15 to 20 minutes which was great - although the higher mountain towns got a lot of snow. 

VISITED "OLD TOWN" POMONA A FEW DAYS BACK

The Metrolink train station looked so pretty with the beautiful sky that day.

We went there because of "Antique Row" - a collection of antique stores along the main street but since it was a Monday all the stores were closed.  We had a nice walk around town and enjoyed the day.

I think the last time we walked this area was back in 2009 and at the time the mural that you see was much newer and more vibrant. 

LAST WEEK WE WENT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD

To view the Christmas decorations on Thoroughbred, a popular place this time of year.  We use to live a few blocks up from this area and traffic was crazy for about three weeks before and after Christmas.

Whoever came up with these goofy reindeer decorations gets an upvote from me!  I would love to put several of these in my yard.

ANOTHER FRONT PORCH POST IN MONROVIA , CA.

When I worked in Arcadia, Ca in the 90's I would often drive through the neighborhoods in Monrovia, especially the ones with the older houses.  When I actually stop and think how long I've been retired it amazes me.  I did medical transcription for about 30 years, mostly in the field of orthopedics and the last three or four years during that time I did mostly emergency room transcripts. 

I haven't worked in about 12 years and if i were to go back to work i would never do transcription again.  I came to really dislike my line of work and felt chained to a desk.  I do not have the temperament for that anymore.

THIS FRONT PORCH - REMINDS ME THAT

 I love having plants all around.  The only place I put plants is on my deck but I have to bring them in every winter and some have died and I'm reticent to plant anything more.  I keep thinking some day when I move off the mountain I will move to a place where I can have lots of plants.  I've been looking at some of my photos from my old house and it has really inspired me to grow things again other than my body (smirk).

I think I have a tablecloth or rather, I had a tablecloth exactly like the one I see on the table under the window there.  I may still have it but I'm not into the idea of searching through boxes I still have of things I haven't unpacked.

I really need to get out and walk today so I will be doing that soon.  It was so cloudy yesterday I couldn't get motivated but today even though it's chilly the sun is out so here I go.............

NOT ONLY DO I LIKE THIS PORCH, I LIKE THE YARD - IN THE BACK

 I like everything about this old house.  It just feels like I could sit on that porch and read or do some sketching and just enjoy the day.

I like the upstairs - and would love to take a tour inside this home.  I wonder if that is the master bedroom up on the second floor.

I can't express how much I would love this yard from what I can see in the back.  Ever since I moved to the mountains the only yard work I do is rake and I miss planting new plants and watching them grow and creating new spaces.  I really miss it!

MORE BEND,, OREGON

Love this neighborhood ..link here.... NORTHWEST CROSSING - bend, oregon.  They even have a few restaurants up from the park that mostly serve just this area.  Walking through the middle of the park and straight up the street to the small little town area.

FRONT PORCH POST BEND OREGON

I had the pleasure several years ago to be in Bend Oregon in the winter.  This was the first time I really knew I loved snow except as a kid in Kansas...and....anywhere but in my yard for more than a few days.

I remember every time I went out walking with my camera while we were staying up in Bend, I would get excited as the scenes came into view on my walks.  I went out several times a day for walks and got tons of snow pics!  I think I'll share them here again.  I did share some before, years ago but it's time to bring them forward again so I can enjoy it once more.  It was so cold - colder than I had experienced in Wrightwood, which was my first real experience living in the mountains in winter.

I didn't even notice the cold that much - I was too busy looking for more beautiful scenes.

Anway - one of my favorite houses in the neighborhoods I walked up there - this one was just a few steps from my son's house and I 've taken pics of this house in every season that we visited.

If it were my front porch I would  enjoy this front porch in spring, summer and fall and would enjoy looking at it in winter - much too cold to sit out there.  It looks out upon Compas park which is a park that is created like a compass with all the neighbohood streets coming into the middle.  A great place for families and friends to meet and greet each other.

BOOKSTORE IN MORRO BAY - CALIFORNIA

I love this place.  In the back of the bookstore is a venue for weddings which I took photos of a few years back.  I will post some of those in the next post.  This is the outside of the bookstore along with the art gallery next door.  Morro Bay is a really cool beach town to walk through and also there is a state beach there as well as the bay where the big Morro Bay Rock is.

WALKING NEAR LAKE ARROWHEAD RESORT -

A peaceful  scene I saw the other day on our walk.  Today it's cloudy and rained some this morning but that's about it.  No matter what the weather, tomorrow I'm walking.

All along the lake/shoreline - people have put their boats away for winter.  I still see a few boats out in the water but not many.

HERE'S A BEAUTY - ... A FRONT PORCH POST - SISTERS, OREGON

Sisters, Oregon is a small town between Eugene and Bend.  We have stopped in there on our way to Bend a few times in the last several years.  This last time was when I was on a road trip with my sister and her daughter and our last destination was Bend, Oregon.  We took the 101 freeway all the way from Central California to Bend, Oregon and it was a gorgeous drive.  I hope to post more front porches from the towns we stopped in along the way.   We took this trip last May.

Each visit to Sisters was just to see the town and we never drove through neighborhoods.  I was really happy we had a chance to see some of the houses and properties in Sisters.  Yet one more time I have said "I could live here."

I realize I could live anywhere because I really can find beauty everywhere.  I prefer though to live within driving distance to family or at least a flight under 3 hours.

An interesting thing I saw was how many older or really old trucks sit on the properties - it was kind of charming actually.  I started to feel that it must be a requirement in Sisters to own an old truck.

LOVE THE PORCH - BUT MAYBE NOT THE DECOR

A little too sweet for my tastes.  Another house in Redlands that I walked by last spring.    Love the yard and entry way.   The wicker is okay - just too much pink on the porch.  What colors would you pick?

LUNGERN SWITZERLAND

Sometimes when I want to see a different area of the world from my chair I do a search of somewhere and then get an address of a street and go take a google map tour.

I really enjoyed visiting this area today and am still on the hwy going through more of Lungern.  Wow what a beautiful place.  The map shows that the area was mapped by google in November of 2014. 

more pics in the next post.