Mono Lake

Sad, sad, sad; overwhelmed with sadness as we drove along Highway 50 East of Placerville where the Caldor fire, the 15th largest in the state of California, raged this summer past. Seeing all of the old, old, old trees burned was just heart wrenchingly devastating.  The travel through the area is slow as crews are cleaning up and logging trees, so ample opportunity to BE with the ravaging of the landscape. 

In spite of the delays on Highway 50 we arrived in Bridgeport, the home of the stately county courthouse where we were married.

Much of the town is now shuttered. The effects of the sequestering during the pandemic? Or houses and businesses have just been forever vacated? Or just shut down for the Winter? Luckily the library is open and we were free to check out books which we did. It is so much easier to find the best reads here than within the Sonoma County library system where, of course, the demand is far greater.

The view of Mono Lake 
hiking the trail from South Lee Vining
to the Visitors' Center.

Another view of Mono Lake
hiking along Lee Vining Creek
towards the Visitors' Center.

Lee Vining Creek
which has so much less water
than usual because of the
severe drought.
We noticed many of the older
and larger sagebrush, 
are dying from the severe drought.

Mono Lake Committee mission statement: "The Mono Lake Committee is a non-profit citizens' group dedicated to protecting and restoring the Mono Basin ecosystem, educating the public about Mono Lake and the impacts on the environment of excessive water use, and promoting cooperative solutions that protect Mono Lake and meet real water needs without transferring environmental problems to other areas."  

We delight in donating to this endeavor, which is close to our hearts, that does such stellar work safe guarding this treasure, Mono Lake .                                                                                                        

Hiking from Doc & Al's Resort

to amidst the aspen trees

and up into the Ponderosa pines
looking Southward towards the
Sawtooth Mountains.
On Shasta's way back to Stella, our Prius,
she found a deer bone which was
pretty fresh and cracked, probably
gifted to her by a Mountain Lion.
As she pick up the bone, she thought "a very tasty treat."

 

Returning to Stella with Shasta carrying her treasure.

The rock pile in Lundy Canyon where we have 
culled gorgeous rocks for our gardens.

Shasta checking out all of the good smells
while we search for just the "perfect" rocks to place in our Cotati garden.

The view towards the Sierras
from the rock pile.

The beaver dam and beaver on the Walker River,
which meanders along side of the 
Walker River Lodge
where we stayed in Bridgeport for the last time.

A beaver swimming 
in the river just below their dam.

The sign on the West side of 
LeeVining Creek.
We love hiking along the road
parallel to Mono Lake.

Shasta enjoying running along the road away from Lee Vining Creek.
She had such a great time with her freedom from a leash.
She is usually a good dog to come when called. 
If she does not respond, a treat will bring her running.

The North view of Mono Lake
taken from the end of the 
boardwalk from the County Park

Shasta, with visible tufa in the background, 
on the boardwalk in the
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve 

               

County Park
where over the many years we have
spent time in Cathie's most favorite place (Mono Lake)
on Mother Earth.

Our week long respite from our arduous year past of relocating from Santa Fe and back to Sonoma County, California, was topped off with a familiar event. On our way home we ventured out into the National Forest to the North of Bridgeport. 

Here in this stunning beauty depicted above, we cut a Pinyon pine for our annual holiday tree; markedly smaller than any previous. We also, as is our tradition, cut a small one for Shasta's Auntie T which she already picked up and transported to her home in Point Reyes Station.

As we settle back into our Cotati home preparing for the holiday season please join us in a hardy