A BRIGHT SPOT IN EVERY DAY.

An early appointment for a therapeutic massage put me on the road to Angels Camp on the Murphys Grade Rd. And this tree popped into my line of sight. It was so bright it appeared to be on fire. I couldn't believe it, but, the picture doesn't do it justice. Kind of reminded me of Moses and the burning bush. My daughter Virginia climbed Mt. Sinai and spotted a similar burning bush lit by the rays of the sun. She went to college one year in Egypt.

Because I was early for my appointment, and the sun was so perfect, I stopped for a couple of barns. I'm sure everyone but me is tired of barn pictures. I don't know the owner of this one.

This one belongs to Tom Tryon, a friend I haven't seen in a three or four years. How does that happen, I ask myself?

And, this little miners shack, just west of town. I wanted to do some grocery shopping but the stores were packed, so I skipped.

About 4:00 in the afternoon,  I drove to Tuolumne County for my Elks Club dinner meeting. The reservoir is down so low it is scary.

You can see remnants of the old road before Spicer Dam flooded the area. I used to love this windy road down to the bottom of the canyon, over the river and then back up to the Tuolumne side. I still like it, even with the changes and the "new" bridge.

The low sun lit up the hillside across from the Bridge, and I had to stop a minute and admire the scene.

I left early enough to stop in and see Anne and her caretaker, Tynna. They are now out of quarantine. Tynna showed me the lap robes they are knitting for wheelchair bound people, for Christmas. Their charity. Tynna does most of the knitting and Anne tells her how to do it in a round shape so they don't catch on the wheel chair mechanics. Years ago, Anne made give away baby quilts and used up tons of what would have been throw-away material.

Then, on I went to my Elks Club dinner meeting. Because I travel so much, I don't know everyone. But, I usually get to know one person at a time. I ordered a craft beer at the bar and Dennis Costa told me about his son, who is the brew master for Half Moon Bay's brewpub. I love Half Moon Bay, so hopefully I'll get to meet him someday and enjoy a brew.

Another bright spot. I spoke with this woman and said, "How are you?"  Her answer, "I'm superb!"  I loved it. Apparently she had been ill and was reveling in her wellness. Her husband is the Elks Foundation Leader. I like Elks Charity which supports abused children. The foundation raises funds for the National Office.

I sat next to Laurel...

...and Dave Utecht. They are former members of the Escapees, an RVing Club. Jim and I both know members of that club. They were very active for years in the singles Birds of a Feather Buff group within the Escapees, which had about 115 members.  So we had a lot to talk about, mutual friends and wonderful travels. What a surprise.

With the Elks, I always consider my self their traveling ambassador and I announce what Elks Clubs we visited in our travels.  For 2012 and 2013, this two-year circumnavigation of the U.S. we visited, Kingsville, Texas Elks, Camden, Tennessee, Oakland, Jew Jersey,  Norwalk, Ohio, Iron Mt. Michigan, Devils Lake, N. Dakota, and Kallispell Montana.  And, All I had to show for it was this Crappie T Shirt. What a nice bunch of people.

BE CAREFUL TO WHOM YOU GIVE.

Today is play day. Jim and I are taking a day off to take pictures of an "endangered species", old barns and miner's cabins. I mistakenly thought yesterday was Saturday. We both worked in the motor home kitchen. yesterday. Thinned canned goods, tossed stuff we don't use, etc.. I did the wash and worked on mending a rug and some paperwork and pictures, etc. Jim received an email from our friend Al Penta with a list of charities  that you DON'T want to support. This is the biggest "giving" season of the year. Be wary.

How many ways can you spell G R E E D?

THINK BEFORE YOU DONATE! SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOU MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS: As you open your pockets to do a good thing and make yourself feel good, please keep the following facts in mind: The American Red CrossPresident and CEO Marsha J. Evans' salary for the year was $651,957 plus expenses MARCH OF DIMESIt is called the March of Dimes because only a dime for every 1 dollar is given to the needy. The United WayPresident Brian Gallagher receives a $375,000 base salary along with numerous expense benefits. UNICEFCEO Caryl M. Stern receives $1,200,000 per year (100k per month) plus all expenses including a ROLLS ROYCE. Less than 5 cents of your donated dollar goes to the cause. GOODWILLCEO and owner Mark Curran profits $2.3 million a year. Goodwill is a very catchy name for his business. You donate to his business and then he sells the items for PROFIT. He pays nothing for his products and pays his workers minimum wage! Nice Guy. $0.00 goes to help anyone! Stop giving to this man. Instead, give it to ANY OF THE FOLLOWING GO "GREEN" AND PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE IT WILL DO SOME GOOD: The Salvation ArmyCommissioner, Todd Bassett receives a small salary of only $13,000 per year(plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization. 96 percent of donated dollars go to the cause. The American LegionNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! The Veterans of Foreign WarsNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! The Disabled American VeteransNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! The Military Order of PurpleHeartsNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! The Vietnam Veterans AssociationNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! Make a Wish: For children's last wishes. 100% goes to funding trips or special wishes for a dying child. St. Jude Research Hospital 100% goes towards funding and helping Children with Cancer who have no insurance and cannot afford to pay. Ronald McDonald Houses All monies go to running the houses for parents who have critically ill Children in the hospital. 100% goes to housing, and feeding the families. Lions Club International 100% OF DONATIONS GO TO HELP THE BLIND, BUY HEARING AIDES, SUPPORT MEDICAL MISSIONS AROUND THE WORLD. THEIR LATEST UNDERTAKING IS MEASLES VACCINATIONS (ONLY $1.00 PER SHOT). Please share this with everyone you can.

I would like to add some information to the above. During our recent rim fire, the Red Cross performed poorly according to volunteers who worked the fire. They brought inadequate and moldy supplies, treated volunteers as though they were stupid and gave conflicting orders to volunteers who were on the scene working two days before the Red Cross even arrived. Most of the supplies came from local businesses. The Red Cross did very little. (Not every member was callous and arrogant.) I'm also reminded when we burned out, the Red Cross refused my dad a loan, not a handout, a loan.

Locally, our food bank is in desperate need of food this year in both Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties. They don't have enough to give turkeys to needy families this year.

For international and local charities, Oxfam is one of the best. International Heifer, is another. (I hope I have that name right.) It is about supplying money to buy goats, chickens, a calf, etc. to enable people to help themselves, rather than handing them money or rice or wheat.

Finca makes small loans to people to allow them to start small businesses to become self-sufficient.

Covenant House provides food, clothing and housing for people in need. Not as big a  problem where the weather isn't brutal.

Solar Cooking International supplies solar devices for cooking and pasteurizing water in countries with plenty of sun and not much money for fuel.

Our local Elks Club supports abused children.

Hope you'll dig deep this year since childhood hunger in the United States is getting more serious with cuts to food stamps. Don't wait for the holidays to open your wallet. Americans, by the way,  are the most giving, charitable people on earth.

(AFTER PUBLISHING, I REALIZED THE GRID I COPIED IS TOO WIDE FOR MY PAGE. THE LAST AND WORST OF THE CHARITIES IS GOOD WILL. NOTHING GOES TO HELP OTHERS.

KENTUCKY'S CORVETTE MUSEUM

There are three major stories about the Corvette.  In 1953 Chevrolet designed a sports car modeled after European sports cars. Veterans returning from Europe talked about racy European sports cars and those young vets were the intended market. The Corvette design was nifty but it had no speed or power. It was about to flop.


A bold engineer by the name of Zora Arkus Duntov had the temerity to write to Chevrolet and tell them what was wrong with their car and made several suggestions of how they could improve it. They listened and invited him to meet with them. He was hired and became their head designer from then on. It was Duntov who made the Corvette the successful First American Sports Car that it became.


The second major component of this museum is the Corvette Owners, the clubs, their support and loyalty to their dream car. The Museum is a non-profit, by the way. Corvette Clubs from all over the U.S. come here, they donate their cars, their patches, parts, etc. They are active in their clubs. Ralleys, parades, mystery cruises, all the fun stuff, but they also participate in charities, making money for great causes. NCM Master Ambassador Club fly Vietnam Veterans, who cannot make it on their own, to Washington D.C. to visit the Vietnam Memorial.  The Museum,  gives a discount to vets and does other things for vets. They have programs for children and great displays associated with the Corvette.


They have a huge number of commemorative benches and sidewalk plaques and bricks around this huge building. Quite a place.


The third major story is Corvette’s entrance into the racing field. Above is the front end of the 1969 Orange Blossom Express, one of the most successful racers they produced.


The Orange Blossom raced from 1972 until 2001. It garnered a tremendous record of wins along the way.


This is my favorite Corvette, the rounded back, the convertible top, the sleek, longer front. When I was young, this is what a Corvette was supposed to look like.


And this little beauty, a close second.


There are many different Corvettes here and car buffs will absolutely love this place.


This sexy model with its lift up door simply looks like a smiling gargoyle to me. But, it was a great design as I remember for women to enter with short skirts without having to cram themselves in through a tiny door.


Sleek and speedy. Resembles a bomb. The word zoom just crawls out of your head.

This one resembles a mass of bubbles.


Eventually, they got wire wheels.


A square back. Naaah, not for me. But, it might be your favorite.


The only Corvette we saw in the place with a bra and a rack. It was considered a camping sports car.  I see a face and smile, besides.


A sleek bomb.


This was Duntov’s autographed car with his license, Zora 1.

And, the original 1953 model was pretty and snazzy for all of its faults. Look at those whitewalls and that cherry red upholstery. Yazoo!

Corvette decided to lend its sleek design to a guitar, but they didn’t stick with it.


The license plate collection.


The patches.


A wonderful mural made of tiny pictures of Corvettes.


And this amazing story. This 1965 Corvette was stolen in 1970. It was in show condition and its pedigree showed it had been in many car shows. The last buyer checked, found out it had been stolen and by some miracle the original report existed and the original owner got his Corvette back in 2009 worth a lot more than he paid for it. It is now in the museum. Isn’t that a terrific story? Well, folks, do come to visit, this is a terrific museum.