This year, for Spring Break, we desperately needed a mental health trip to Mother Nature. And so, we medicinally sought out Northern, California. Our first northern destination was Grass Valley/Nevada City, CA, then eventually we would venture to Lake Tahoe, CA, and lastly our goal was to venture to King's Canyon before coming back home. We learned from our Death Valley trip last year, so we wisened up this Spring Break, and brought my Mom with us for the roadtrip to help watch Baybeet.
Baybeet, ready for the journey...
Finally the journey has commenced...
Here's a miserable shot: The vehicle was so crammed after I picked up Mom, that we had to stop in a parking lot to put some of our luggage up top. The misery in this shot is post-ratchet strapping Lollie's suitcase to the top of the vehicle because there was (as you can see) literally no room--and yes, I miserably took this photo after working in the hot upper 90+ degree sun in a Bakersfield parking lot of all places--yes Bakersfield.
Lollie and Baybeet in the backseat
Our foresty place in the foothills of Northern, California (Nevada City).
The three Queen Bees..
A view of our backyard before the sun rises
A nice shot of the sun glimmering through the trees
Nevada City, CA
A really cool cafe/coffee shop that we found in the area
The girls part II
"I'm doing my job."
Baybeet works so hard at her job to support her family, it is only fitting that she "veg out on the couch" after a long, hard, and rigorous day at work making money for the family....
Nevada City, CA
(Dates clearly not accurate)
Trippy artwork that made me think of Cory Flohr, and Alex Garcia, and many others...
Trippy artwork in Coffee Shop that made me think of Cory Flohr part 2
South Yuba State Park
South Yuba River
Some “Deers”
More "Deers"
Finally the journey has commenced...
Here's a miserable shot: The vehicle was so crammed after I picked up Mom, that we had to stop in a parking lot to put some of our luggage up top. The misery in this shot is post-ratchet strapping Lollie's suitcase to the top of the vehicle because there was (as you can see) literally no room--and yes, I miserably took this photo after working in the hot upper 90+ degree sun in a Bakersfield parking lot of all places--yes Bakersfield.
Lollie and Baybeet in the backseat
Our foresty place in the foothills of Northern, California (Nevada City).
The three Queen Bees..
A view of our backyard before the sun rises
Nevada City, CA
A really cool cafe/coffee shop that we found in the area
The girls part II
"I'm doing my job."
Trippy artwork that made me think of Cory Flohr, and Alex Garcia, and many others...
Trippy artwork in Coffee Shop that made me think of Cory Flohr part 2
South Yuba State Park
South Yuba River
Some “Deers”
More "Deers"
Exploring Some of the Cool Shops, Cafes/Places in Nevada City, CA
Lollie and Baybeet in a cafe in Grass Valley, CA
Baybeet turning around right as I press the shutter button—and of course, as always, Beautiful Mamma
Baybeet's book cave
Baybeet still in her lair...
The Philosophy Section at Booktown Books: (A very cool book store with many older books) located in Grass Valley, CA
A window shot of the area
Back at the Forest Cottage
So, the context here: Lollie and Myrlie were playing with Jumbo Crayons while sitting on the outdoor furniture out on the deck. And, of course, we left everything out there to go on a hike—not thinking about the potency of California’s mountain sun (despite the cool temperatures), and of course when we got back, the cushion had bright orange Jumbo Crayons melted all over it. So, Lollie, did her miracle work to get out the stain, so I wouldn’t be charged for it. Given, how close the deer were as she was performing miracles, we might call this one: Lollie the deer whisperer.
The deer whisperer still at it...
Independence East Hiking Trail
All the artistic shots like this are without a doubt, Maya shots
Lollie, Dada, and Baybeet exploring the trail
Lollie and Baybeet amidst the beautiful ferns
Another shot of the great explorers
An artistic shot—also we know who took that
Dada and Baybeet walking on the trail together
More artistic shots of the greenery
One smaller mountain or foothill seen from the trail
Baybeet is obsessed with “spider webs”
A cool bridge on the side of the mountain/foothill here on Independence Trail East
Mossy rock and shadow shots by artist-Maya
Baybeet the explorer...
Mamma and Baybeet on the mountain bridge
Another part of the same Yuba River (seen earlier) can be seen down below from the trail
Maya the Beautiful
Some kind of salamander Maya took a photo of…
A Beautiful Mamma Selfie
The family looking out over the Mountains
Protesting Authoritarianism and Corruption in Grass Valley, CA
We adapted our plans for a No King's Protest or Demonstration in Grass Valley, CA (It was an encouraging turnout for such a small town!). To qualify: I don’t think these types of protests/demonstrations are as effective as civil disobedience where unjust laws are broken, made to dramatize and prick the conscience of America—and real unjust suffering takes place as an effect for standing up to such injustice, and a suffering that swiftly moves the people and government officials. Although, I’m not going to engage in that kind of resistance with my daughter, or family present first of all. And secondly, that doesn’t mean these types of demonstrations are null, or meaningless. These sure as hell are encouraging, and especially to see such numbers in such a small town of northern, California.
“Iran From Epstein Files”—I suppose is a sign attempting to point our fascist leader’s unjust diversion of war in Iran, from his own guilt (if he isn’t a sociopath, and can gave guilt!) from his pedophilia, r*pe, and sexual assault in the Epstein Files—but we know from his New York Case, sexual abuse extends far outside the “Epstein Files”.
No lies told about our sociopathic authoritarian.
This protestor's clever double-sided message:
This protestor's clever use of fiction blended with reality renders a potent message--which I unintentionally cut off with our $77 dollar digital camera because I have zero phone storage--"Trump is in a league with Saüron." Yes, he is, and also (as already mentioned) with forces that prey upon minors with quid pro quo capitalist lies of advancement--insofar as you do something that depletes and damages you, probably for life, or ends your life in the case of Virginia Giuffre who had to endure this while being gaslit about it.
Cascade Canal Access Trail
A beautiful shot on Cascade Canal Access Trail
A bench nearby for the scenery
The sun rays highlighting the trees…
…and behind the eerie and beautiful forest floor
Back at the Forest Cottage
Hair time
Our Last Day before Leaving Grass Valley/Nevada City area, was set for Lake Tahoe (about 59 minutes away)
Since we only had one day, my thinking was, let’s go to (in my opinion—maybe objectively) the most beautiful part of the Lake, the Southern part, Emerald Bay.
Baybeet on a Lake Tahoe hike
Views from the pinnacle of our hike at Emerald Bay, looking outward, and onward at the huge lake
Looking out at the South Eastern part of Lake Tahoe past Emerald Bay, with beautiful mountains in the background
Mamma and Baybeet in Emerald Bay
Nietzsc—I mean Mamma
Another majestic shot of Nietzche—oph! I mean …. Mamma
Mamma—ohp!—I’m sorry Nietzsche…
More artsy work by Mother Nature, and the Maya the artist capturing the Beauty
More of Maya's artsy stuff
A basking lizard
I hope you enjoyed Maya’s art exhibit collaborated with Mother Nature—free of charge this time ;)
Our Last Day: King's Canyon National Park
The foothills on the way in. It’s really weird to be in Fresno one minute, and then here a little bit later.
Next, a huge surprise: To our unexpected misfortune, our booking that I paid for at John Muir Lodge in King’s Canyon, to our surprise, my name was nowhere in the system, despite money being withdrawn out of my account. And, it turns out, they were booked full. (Of course, I tried to call them before to tell them we were coming, but no one answered the phones—of course that’s how it happens.) So, in a short period, I had to come up with a game plan. We were loosing daylight, had no place to stay, so we made the decision to just go see what we could before nighttime set in.
So, here are the otherworldy giant Sequoia Trees that look like they belong on another planet..
A fallen and hollowed out Sequoia tree from around 100 years ago that Baybeet is making her way
General Grant: Maya took this photo of the second or third largest tree in the World, and literally had to take two photos of it because it would not fit on the screen of our digital camera
Since we only had one day, my thinking was, let’s go to (in my opinion—maybe objectively) the most beautiful part of the Lake, the Southern part, Emerald Bay.
Baybeet on a Lake Tahoe hike
Views from the pinnacle of our hike at Emerald Bay, looking outward, and onward at the huge lake
Looking out at the South Eastern part of Lake Tahoe past Emerald Bay, with beautiful mountains in the background
Mamma and Baybeet in Emerald Bay
Nietzsc—I mean Mamma
Another majestic shot of Nietzche—oph! I mean …. Mamma
More artsy work by Mother Nature, and the Maya the artist capturing the Beauty
More of Maya's artsy stuff
A basking lizard
I hope you enjoyed Maya’s art exhibit collaborated with Mother Nature—free of charge this time ;)
Our Last Day: King's Canyon National Park
The foothills on the way in. It’s really weird to be in Fresno one minute, and then here a little bit later.
Next, a huge surprise: To our unexpected misfortune, our booking that I paid for at John Muir Lodge in King’s Canyon, to our surprise, my name was nowhere in the system, despite money being withdrawn out of my account. And, it turns out, they were booked full. (Of course, I tried to call them before to tell them we were coming, but no one answered the phones—of course that’s how it happens.) So, in a short period, I had to come up with a game plan. We were loosing daylight, had no place to stay, so we made the decision to just go see what we could before nighttime set in.
So, here are the otherworldy giant Sequoia Trees that look like they belong on another planet..
General Grant: Maya took this photo of the second or third largest tree in the World, and literally had to take two photos of it because it would not fit on the screen of our digital camera
Some side angles of Grant—with some burn scars
The back of general grant
Tree Friends
Zen Mamma
A majestic shot of the gigantic and otherworldly Sequoia trees towering into the sky with their girth(y) trunks.
Myrlie “doing her job” again
A majestic shot of the gigantic and otherworldly Sequoia trees towering into the sky with their girth(y) trunks.
Myrlie “doing her job” again
A fallen Sequoia from a ~100 years ago, as Mamma and Baybeet enter its hollow trunk
This picture really puts the size of these trees to scale when compared to a commonly seen item, and arguably, a large object, like a vehicle. Keep in mind that the vehicle is closer to the camera view, and therefore, closer objects ought to look bigger when compared/contrasted to something of equal size further back. However, the “big” vehicle is still swallowed by the Sequoia giant, and the Sequoia, is a bit further back.
This picture really puts the size of these trees to scale when compared to a commonly seen item, and arguably, a large object, like a vehicle. Keep in mind that the vehicle is closer to the camera view, and therefore, closer objects ought to look bigger when compared/contrasted to something of equal size further back. However, the “big” vehicle is still swallowed by the Sequoia giant, and the Sequoia, is a bit further back.
Some little chipmunks I filmed playing, but I filmed from the digital camera, so it may be difficult to see
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