TIME OUT.

I didn't do anything yesterday but swim, read, paint and eat. I wanted to go to a polo game in Indio, but Jim wasn't up to driving anywhere so we just stayed home. The above sculpture I thought of naming Back Pain, or  Writers Block, and then decided on Constipated as in our activities were constipated yesterday. (This sculpture is in a Reno arts gallery.)

This unusual bench came from the same gallery. The first word of the bench spells Inhale.

And, again from that gallery, this is a water "dish". Rain collects in a circular trough near the center and holds water for birds or other small critters. Their "rock" collection is unusual.
Since my bike was stolen, I've been think a lot about bikes and this painting is one I liked really well but I've forgotten where this painting hangs.

I'm a fan of Rene Wiley and she recently did a series of paintings on bikes that I liked so I'll post a few of them. Her gallery is in Galveston, Texas on Post Office Street.

Her paintings are for sale on-line, as well.  This is Green Cruiser.

Colorful Cruiser.

Blue Cruiser.

I think I'll try to paint bikes, though yesterday I started with palm trees. The only problem is, I have yet to get another brush. Maybe today.
I'm hoping to do the Walking Off Pounds program again today at 9:00. The snacks I ate yesterday should disappear today, right?

COWBOY JACK JOHNSON

Thousand Trails has so many forms of exercise to participate in, I think there may be a conspiracy to keep us fit. Water aerobics, water volley ball, zumba and yesterday, I tried Walking Off Pounds. The idea is to walk in place, do some leg kicks and change directions in a twist and arm movements and strethes as the tempo gradually increases. Definitely a cardio workout, no rests, no stops, just constant motion. You walk the equivalent of two miles at a fast clip, in place. I liked it. I found it easier on my joints than walking with the speed walkers outside. The instructor, Leslie Sansone, I believe is her name has videos on-line. Worth doing.

Saturday night entertainment, from 7:00 to 9:00 is Cowboy Jack. We just saw him in the Indio Playhouse impersonating Hank Williams, which was a good show. But, Jack, by himself, even without his band, is excellent.

He does Johnny Cash, Waylen Jennings, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Roger Miller, Patsy Cline, Elvis Presley, Credence Clearwater and others. He is entertaining. Each time I hear him, I learn a bit more about the man. He announced that on Valentines Day, he and his wife Peggy celebrated 34 years of marriage. He has made a living as a musician almost all of his life. He's done the Opry, Vegas and all over the US plus, he has played in Australia, Ireland, and Austria. I expect that list is incomplete, he just mentioned those venues during his patter.

He was an army brat and lived all over the place, but he lives in Vista, California, near the beach, his roots by choice. He met his wife on that beach while he was playing Peggy Dee, a Bob Dylan number. He noticed this woman watching and listening to him and when the song was over, she said, "I'm a Peggy, too."  They were married seven months later. He wrote a song about her and played it for us.  I have to thank Thousand Trails for having Cowboy Jack on their entertainment list. If you get a chance...go for it.
I started a new painting; palm trees the obvious choice, but with only one brush, a half-inch wide, details can be very limited. New brushes soon!

VARIATIONS ON A SINGLE DAY.

We started our day as usual with this same group of speed walkers. They tend to walk in clumps, some ahead and some behind, anywhere from 12 to 15 people. We’ve been joining them about midway since my ankle gave me a problem the first day here.
Yesterday, I dropped out after 15 minutes because I wanted to try the Zumba group. It is a 45 minute program on tape. It definitely gives you a cardio workout. I quit after 30 minutes. It basically uses all of my yoga and tai chi moves, only all upright and faster to fun music. It was good.

Bruce and Pat arrived just before 10:00 for water aerobics. But, they had changed their minds and decided to head home early.

We said our goodbyes. Bruce and Pat are such fun people to be with. We had a great time. They will visit me in Murphys sometime in March/April. After lunch, Jim and I decided to go to a movie, “The Dallas Buyers CLub,” which he had heard was a good movie. And it was a good movie. It was the story of AIDS patient Ron Woodruff who pushed the FDA to allow drugs to AIDS victims before they were approved. And, he exposed the testing procedures for AIDS as flawed. It was a depressing movie, so we decided to see “Nebraska.” It too, was depressing despite some comedic relief in places. The acting in both movies was great. Can we pick ‘em?” I guess I like happiness and joy in entertainment. Our government machinations are already depressing enough.

The night was so balmy we decided to take a night walk and see what kind of pictures we could come up with in our cameras. All hand-held, no tripods.

This one reminded me of a little village amidst the palms. I guess it is in a way.
This picture was just a black sky with a light streak in it. Adding light gave me a beautiful abstract.
This entirely black sky also turned into an abstract with light added. Don’t understand what the lens picks up to allow this to happen.

As we circumnavigated the park, I aimed at cars and trucks passing on the highway and got their lights streaking by.

And interesting light shows from lights in the park.

We peeked in at the evening card players in the recreation hall. Very concentrated on their cards, they paid us no attention.

People were enjoying the hot tub.

And a rousing game of water volleyball.

We keep wondering what our pictures would be like with an expensive camera. Technology changes so fast, it is likely to happen.

These little yard ornaments came out pretty clear. We had never taken a series of night pictures before. We learned a bit about our camera’s ability. We both own the same Sony,  HX200Z.

SAN JACINTO STATE PARK.

Four intrepid adventurers arrived at the base of the 2nd steepest tram ride in the world. We watched as this gondola full of passengers returned. You can't see the destination at the top from here.


As we rise above the valley and pass the 2nd tower you can see by the cables how straight up you go, with 80 people sharing a gondola. The gondola has a revolving floor, one of three such trams in the world. These are the largest cars of the three systems and since the floor is moving you have a view of what is behind you, in front of you and to the sides.
The sun hit a pinnacle called the lily on the right. Straight up and down.


Because you revolve, your view is a constant play of shadow and sunlight. Burnished tips of this evergreen growing out of solid rock as they do, attract the eye. Try and plant one in rock and you fail.


The mountain plants and minerals continually change. The gondola looks in shadow as though a man is standing on top of it and riding it down.

Minerals in the rock produce surprising patches of color. As the floor rotates you get a few chances to take pictures through two open windows. But most of the pictures have to be taken through glass, and always while moving.


Plants get quite stunted as you near the summit of 8,516 feet above the valley floor.


There was a small patch of ice in the shade at the summit. The park shows a film of the recreational opportunities of this unusual place, a cool place for folks to retreat during hot summers, 54,000 acres of mountain forest, walking trails, tobogganing and winter play in the snow in some year. What's not to like?


Spectacular views. A restaurant, gift shop and small museum.

Bruce is handicapped and this is a comfortable place for people in wheel chairs or unable to walk stairs. Elevators and ramps bring you everywhere. We were warned that the temperature is 30 degrees cooler than the valley. Pat and I wore extra clothing, but Bruce and Jim decided they were tough and didn't need anything but their shorts and T-shirts.


Mineral coloration, the yellow and two bright orange streaks fascinate me.


On the return trip I heard someone behind me say to her partner: "I thought you were afraid of heights?." He answered: "No, I 'm afraid of falling. I feel safe in the gondola." If you visit Palm Springs, this is a lovely way to stay cool and spend an afternoon.


We had dinner at Elmers, a restaurant I remembered from somewhere in our travels. We weren't disappointed. Excellent food, average prices. That was also borne out by the surprising pictures on the wall.


 I guess you could say good enough for presidents...

...and kings.


Scientists...


...and the rich and famous. There were many pictures of the glitterati here.


We played a dice game in the dark wearing headlamps. Remember the old Coleman lanterns? The headlamps are very comfortable and cast plenty of light, though I took this shot with a flash. The game they brought is called Farkle, or Zilch. I've heard it by other names as well.

THE JOYS OF TRAVEL.

Another painting lesson with my friend Pam left me energized and excited. Now, let us see if I can do this at home on my own? Maybe I can find another friend to paint with. Would we have done this if we weren’t in one place on the road where I could visit her two days in a row? No. Pam lived in Mountain Ranch, and I live in Murphys.


Around 2:00 in the afternoon, our friends, Pat and Bruce Borad drove up from Jamul to spend a couple of days. They were having their driveway re-surfaced and brought Diego with them, a sweet dog. He had never ridden past the Vets and was very well behaved in the car.


Bruce is an attorney, but quit practicing for his first love, teaching. He teaches a computer class, but is retired as of yesterday. Hey, just in time to fix my computer glitches and give me legal advice. Everyone should have a friend like Bruce. We had a nice dinner at Coco’s, close by.  We talked so much catching up I nearly forgot to take any pictures at all.  I guess that is a good sign that I’m enjoying the company of very dear friends. The years since I’ve seen them slip away like we had just seen each other yesterday. I love it.

FIFTY YEARS MARRIED.

Larry and Jan Seaberg invited us to a pot luck being held at the family lodge at the park. Mostly regulars with permanent sites, the folks that walk together in the mornings.


What Larry and Jan didn't know when they invited us is the party was a surprise celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary two days hence. I don't know everyone's names, but Bob, spelled with one-o, (the way he introduces himself) organized the celebration and presented them with a gift of gold inscribed 50th anniversary glasses.

Larry made a speech about what an event like this means. That long term marriages have ups and downs, and rewards. But he addressed this crowd, like he and Jan, who come from everywhere to beat the cold climate and enjoy their golden years in Palm Desert.  He said, loosely quoted, "Sure we come to this place like all of you. But, we also come because of the people here.  We wouldn't have continued for eighteen years if it weren't for friends, our second family. We know they always have our back and are there for us when we need them."


Jan, chased a tear and quipped, "Larry, do you think we'll remember the next 50?"


I tried to get pictures of everyone.


People like any opportunity to get together and chat.

.


Before the sit-down, Jan made the rounds of people as they gathered in clumps to visit.

.


There was a card for everyone to sign.


And a lovely cake.


And, that wiley Bob, with one-o, singled out another couple who have been married 60 years. And they, too, were presented with engraved glasses. Whatta nice guy. And what a nice couple.


Most likely other long-term marriages exist among the group given we are all seniors.


I expect everyone here is a candidate.


I was sitting next to Bob with one-o and his wife Ethyl, in the lilac blouse. They have been married 62 years. It must take a sense of humor. That is what I notice most about people who stay together. We had a lovely time. I ate too much of good food.


After desert, someone brought out a big  bottle of Kahlua. This lovely lady told me someone gave her a bottle as a gift. She never opened it. "Now, that I know how good it is," she said, "I'm going to open it."  I laughed.