A RECENT TRIP TO BIG BEAR LAKE AND ON TO BALDWIN LAKE

 We've gone up to Big Bear quite a few times this summer.  I was so happy last week when we were driving up there and it started to rain.  Big Bear really needs rain as the lake has shrunk quite a big and then Baldwin Lake, which  is more of a seasonal lake now, hasn't had hardly any water in it for several years.  

The first photos are driving through Big Bear where I only took a few photos out the front window as the rain started.  Can't believe how good it felt to feel rain drops and the temp cool down.

The rest of the photos are from Baldwin Lake which other than not having water in the lake - I find it beautiful out there.  Obviously if you live out there (about 20 minutes from Big  Bear Lake) you love wide open spaces for horse and dark skies with amazing views of the stars.  I grow more fond of Baldwin Lake area with each visit. 

A lot of places in California have been getting a lot of rain while others are getting no rain.  We haven't had rain, only monsoonal weather but higher up the mountain some roads have gotten washed out from the huge downpours.  It's been a long humid summer where we are.  

Wondering how your summer is going?

Baldwin Lake area

A MEMORY FROM A LONG TIME AGO - 2007

 

Found this memory on an old blog.  This is my grandson Cayden and youngest son John.  Because I always had my camera with me I could catch these sweet scenes that now are fun to see again.

Hey dad...

The bug was this big! Really daddy...it was gruesome really...it had fangs..

Did you see it Gramma. It really scared me a lot.

There now...that's what I wanted....

It was just an  ant but a little exaggeration gets me lots of love.

FROM ONE OF MY GRANDKIDS BLOGS I POST ON - I FOUND THIS POST FROM ABOUT 2009 .

 We babysat the grandkids a lot.  I always had my camera ready and always kept blogs for each one from baby age up to teens.  In the course of a day I would take photos and sometimes putting some of them together told a story.  Here's one of them.  

Mackenzie is very serious about her job.

"Cayden please come over and help. We need to get these weeds out of Gramma's garden."

Come on, help me now or I'll pick you up and toss you to the north pole.

"Wow, Kenzie you're stronger than I thought. I don't want to help, I'm playing with my dad right now."

"Daddy, help! Mac is brutal!"

Just another average day with the grandkids visiting.

FIRST LET ME SAY - .... WHAT'S WITH THE SPAM FOLDER AND MY BLOGGER FRIENDS MESSAGES GETTING PUT IN THERE

 I already mentioned on my art blog that I had just discovered a few days back that there is a spam folder and that it should be checked out every few days.  For some reason many of your comments on past posts, I just noticed,  went into spam.  Blogger is really challenging me lately - what with inability to comment at certain places and then putting actual real message in spam.  So just to say ...I went to the folder and read your comments from past posts - thanks so much and sorry I haven't responded to them.  

So, yesterday, I decided to head up to Green Valley Lake to spend some time in isolation with nature and wonderful breezes.  Imagine if you will, it's a Friday - a time in any area of summer that draws tourists, that for some reason I guess Green Valley Lake remains a hidden gem.  There were very few people there and from my experience going up on a weekend - that proves to be true pretty much all the time. 

My area where I live is so crowded with people all around the lake in summer that you can't even find parking to get out and enjoy a walk.  Some people even park half way up a curb on to the trail area.  

This is the calm and beauty (and perfect breezy temps) I experienced yesterday.  I was amazed to realize it had been almost 20 years (2003) since we had bought a cabin and only kept it for a few years before we sold it as I thought it was too boring up there.  Geez, what an idiot I was in my 50's.  Now I could totally live up there year around.  I don't care about shopping anymore, unless it's for necessities and this town only has about seven businesses.  

And it wasn't even a challenge to find parking.  I've posted many photos in the past from here but it's always a new experience when i go.

 

NOTHING MUCH GOING ON

 I don't have much to blog about right now but noticed recently that in July we still have such green trees up here and on the way up the mountain.  Down below, every time we go, the sky is filled with haze and towards the bottom of the mountains it starts looking really dry.  We have amazing fire response up here and luckily there have only been a few fires that have quickly been put out.  

I thought I would just share some photos of our drives going down and coming home. The bottom photo is how dry the mountains are closer to the bottom.  We definitely need rain and snow to fill up the lakes but the forest is really so healthy looking, which is good.

The Spanish Broom has had its' season and is now losing its' blooms.