Holiday Photos

This year we went unconventional and decorated a piece of manzanita as our Christmas tree. Going this route has a number of practical benefits: it was free, it doesn't need watered and it helped clear the brush from someone's property. Aside from those reasons, it is very beautiful. The white lights paired with silver and crystal ornaments seem to give it a special glow.


During the past few weeks we have been attending many holiday parties and events. Earlier this month, I was an elf at a Christmas dinner for senior citizens. The following day we walked llamas in Twain Harte's charming Winter Wonderland Christmas Parade. Ediza preferred to be carried rather than ride on Mac.


Just the other day we participated in the 30th annual Pop Hudson Memorial Christmas Sing in downtown Sonora. The newspaper organizes the event, where community groups stand on the courthouse steps and lead Christmas carols. Everyone standing in the park below joins in. The newspaper's staff always starts the festivities by singing "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful." I got to sing a second time (with Ediza's preschool). Can you guess what song we sang?

One parade down, another to go

This photo was taken the other night at the 26th annual Historic Downtown Sonora Christmas Parade. We've walked Mac and Golden in this parade for the past three years (since Ediza was just a little baby). This year, we're also participating in Twain Harte's Winter Wonderland Christmas Parade later this week.

As you can see, Ediza continues to grow. She is really enjoying her preschool, which is a cooperative run by parents. At the school, parents work directly with the children. Parents also help cook, attend meetings, perform maintenance and complete fundraising. For our fundraiser, Amber and I helped put on a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament. The event was a huge success and raised more than $1,000 for the school.

A few days later I celebrated my 28th birthday with a bowling party. That celebration led to Thanksgiving parties, which have quickly turned to Christmas cheer. Indeed, there's much to celebrate!

Pumpkin fairies

This Halloween Amber and Ediza are pumpkin fairies. Amber made the wings out of wire, panty hose, paint and lots of glitter. She tried to get me to be a pumpkin fairy as well, offering to make me a pair of "manly" wings. Once she showed me the tights she wanted me to wear, I knew that I was going as a pirate again. Arghhh.

This morning we went to a nearby shopping center where Ediza and tons of other kids paraded around to all the stores collecting candy. Ediza won third place (and a $10 gift certificate) for her costume!

Within the past week, we've been to two Halloween parties, and I got to hang out with a gravedigger for an article I wrote. Tonight we're going to the Sierra Waldorf School for their elaborate celebration. Happy Halloween to everyone!

The third year's a charm

The big news around here is that Ediza turned 3 on Friday. After cupcakes and a pumpkin hunt at preschool, she had a birthday celebration with Amber's parents and sister. We then went to see "Where the Wild Things Are" -- Ediza's first indoor movie. The movie was artistically done and had good music, however, the plot needed some work. Ediza has the book so well memorized that she can read it to us now.

The next day Ediza and six of her girlfriends painted pottery at her birthday party. Amber made festive party hats and the girls painted everything from tiny teacups to ceramic snakes. Here she is blowing out the last candle of her ice cream cake.


We ended the day with a family walk where bats flew around us at dusk. Today, after I finished working around the farm in the morning, we went up to the high country to visit the family ranch of our friend. It was a beautiful autumn day and everyone got into the Halloween spirit by carving pumpkins (check out the final creations).




Ediza ended her birthday weekend with a stroll around the mountains on a horsie named Luna.

Strawberry Hideaway

On Labor Day we returned from another Strawberry Music Festival and after a busy week of work, preschool, etc., I'm just now getting a chance to blog about it.

This time around our friends from Monterey, Maggy and Karen, came to stay with us a few days before and after. We camped with them in our usual spot hidden in the trees. Amber decorated the camp with butterfly ornaments to give it a whimsical feel.

What made this festival extra special was a beaming full moon that lit up the night. Musical highlights of the festival included Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women, the Avett Brothers and the Del McCoury Band.


Here's Maggy and I at the Sunday morning revival, and below is Ediza taking a bath -- Strawberry style.

Our return to Lake Ediza

We recently returned from our third annual family hike to Lake Ediza, a hidden gem in California's eastern Sierra Nevada.


Ediza, who turns three in October, has also been to her namesake when she was 8 months old and 21 months old. Just as we've done the past two summers, we headed over Sonora Pass with three llamas. The beasts of burden make it possible for us to backpack with a toddler. I carry Ediza on my back while the llamas carry everything else.

Our first night was spent at Shepherds Hot Spring in the high-elevation desert. There, a late-night reveler climbed on a rock and preached a drunken sermon to us as if we were his congregation. Thankfully, once Ediza finally passes out she can sleep through just about anything. Amber and I were not so fortunate.

In the morning, a hot-air balloon took to the air right in front of us. Here's a pic of two of the llamas below the rising balloon.


Shortly after this we hit the trail to Lake Ediza, tucked away in the rugged mountains near Mammoth Lakes. After days of planning, enduring a sleepless night and hiking in the hot afternoon sun we finally arrive at our destination -- Lake Ediza.


The picturesque lake can be found deep in the Ansel Adams Wilderness of the Inyo National Forest. We were lucky enough to spend three days/two nights at this magical place.




When Amber was pregnant and we were coming up with potential baby names, we were both drawn to Ediza as it sounds exotic and, like the lake, is very beautiful. About a year after our daughter was born, I began to research who the lake was named after.

I asked people, read guidebooks, researched Basque immigrants, even enlisted the help of a retired forest historian. She used her vast contacts ranging from Inyo National Forest employees to a U.S. Geological Survey cartographer in Colorado. Still nothing.

Just like the lake's deep blue waters, I guess some things are better left a mystery.

Summertime

The other day I hiked Half Dome with my friends Dominique (a former coworker who now helps put on professional tennis tournaments all over the world) and Chris (a longtime reporter/columnist at our local newspaper). Despite the crowds, Half Dome continues to be the ultimate day hike -- climbing up two waterfalls, winding through the forest, the climax of the cables. It's always such a thrill.

Well, it seems as if I'm always writing about or posting photos of Yosemite so here's some of what else we've been up to.


Amber has had quite a successful llama shearing business this spring and summer. She just sheared two more yesterday. And she's reaping the benefits of all her hard work in her garden. It's amazing how much better home-grown produce tastes than what you'd buy at the grocery store.


Ediza continues to keep us busy with her nonstop energy. The only time we can really get her to nap is in her car seat. Ediza is now completely potty trained and she's excited about starting preschool in a few weeks.

As for me, I just started a three-month gig at the newspaper I used to work for here. I only work three days this coming week because the other half will be spent on our annual llama-packing trip to Lake Ediza. Photos from that trek will be posted soon.