KIMBERLY CLARK MANSION IN REDLANDS, CA

Wow, just basically less than 3 weeks ago we were in Redlands and went by the Kimberly Clark Mansion (they make paper products).  I would never have guessed at that time that toilet paper etc.,  would be so much in the news over the last couple weeks. 

Mary Kimberly was the youngest daughter of the Kimberly 's and her life and such is really interesting.  She donated the mansion to the City of Redlands upon her death.  I've never taken the inside tour but i love to go walk around the grounds which you are allowed to do.  The first building is just the carriage house which is now the gift store. 

A TRIP OUT AFTER A MARCH 1ST SNOW

I don't mind snow in March because it usually melts quick as the temps warm up after the snow.   We only got a couple inches in our yard and yesterday i was ready to get in the jeep and head up the hwy towards higher mountain towns.

In Skyforest there is a place called SkyPark which use to be the old Santa 's Village years ago.  The people that bought it took a few years to renovate it and then it opened up in December 2016.    They are still adding more and more attractions and the newest thing they have been doing is working on additional parking on the other side of the hwy.

Besides the shops and attractions in the park they have miles and miles of groomed trails through the forest for mountain bike riding which is really popular up here.   They've done a great job in making this feel like a winter wonderland no matter what season you visit.   My favorite season to drive by is when the roofs are covered with snow.  There is also rock climbing walls, ice skating in winter and roller skating in summer.

We passed the area yesterday and I was able to catch some photos out of the window.  It was hard to keep my lens clean from snow melting off trees as we passed by so that explains the fuzzy parts of the photo. 

i'm beginning to see a few buds/blooms starting on some of our trees - i'm definitely ready for more color up here after months of greens and browns.   We were down in Redlands again the other day and i realize how much I'm craving spring colors.  What about your area - has spring arrived?

...i thought i would add a few photos from our first trip when it opened.   The last two photos are part of this beautiful scene ..quite big really ....of a whole village at Christmas.  i spent quite a bit of time at this display and took way too many photos.  here are just 2 of them.

Winter display on a big table - it was beautiful.

REDLANDS CA ..FELT LIKE HEAVEN AFTER MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Had a nice time in Redlands the other day - weather was perfect and got some shopping done, a trip through a few neighborhoods I like and back home..

Today it is snowing just a little so far but probably more by tonight.   There is an area of Redlands up on the hills where the houses are beautiful and the air is sweet.  Redlands is know for its' citrus groves and during the winter months you can smell the fragrant orange, lemon, and other fruit groves.  It was great seeing some color! 

Getting ready for a snowy week - I've covered what needs to be covered on the deck and we're all set for snow - but please please may the power stay on this time during the storm.

Those are the mountains I live in, in the background.    When we first came down it was somewhat foggy for awhile and that's why the mountains are hardly visible.

BEAUTIFUL SHORE LINE SEATTLE

ferry brings us close

Shoreline home is where it's at

No bipolar temps

 
I could live on this shoreline happily taking photos around Seattle but staying away from the city for the most part.  Washington from what I've seen is one of the most beautiful northwest states.  I've seen a few towns, cities, along the Puget Sounds and it's just so beautiful. 

BUY ONE GET THE OTHER 50% OFF - IDENTICAL TWINS

These photos are from 2 different trips in the last three weeks to Victoria Gardens outside mall with my daughter-in-law and her two totally identical in every way nieces.  I have yet to know which one is who and sometimes they answer wrong and tell me they are the other one...  and then they laugh.

The photo quality is not very good especially the darker the scene.  I wish this top one came out clearer - this was last night at the end of our trip to the mall and going back to my son's house where the Superbowl was just ending (hurray for KC Chiefs- a first for them in 50 years.

In that black and red traincar behind the engine car is my DIL and her two nieces.

Oh can't forget to say their favorite song to sing in the car is from Frozen - where they sing along to Let it Go at the top of their lungs and their voices are identical so it sounds pretty darn cute.  They love to ride both the train and the trolley that goes through the streets in the mall area so this was a treat for them last night.

Besides being totally cute they are really fashionable girls.

I had taken an old small canon easy shot that had been dropped a few times but still works.  I only take it because the girls want to take photos with my camera and if i have this old one with me I can let them take pics of each other.