Sugared Mountains

 Song - Blackbird  by The Beatles

Yesterday Mr. B and I headed over to Yosemite and it was a lovely day and it was a Christmas gift from Mr. B. We could see a little, light dusting of snow on the higher mountains but it was a great temperature in the valley. Above is the view of Half Dome from our room. 

 

 

We took a walk while the weather was nice and we walked over Swinging Bridge to admire the Upper & Lower Falls. There was a tree full of Blackbirds happily singing. 

Can’t you just hear them now?

 

We had dinner in the bar and read for the rest of the evening - no cell service which turned out to be lovely. 

It rained all night and when we woke up on Thursday morning it was raining as well. After a while I didn’t hear the pitter-patter of rain outside so I glance out the window and it was snowing! 

 

What a lovely, peaceful, quiet time.....

Same view out of our window but Half Dome is shrouded in clouds.

The Mountains are Calling

Mr. B and I just returned from a few days in Yosemite.  We were participating in the Chef's week up there and by participating I mean - eating, watching demos, eating, dining, eating and taking in the quiet Winter beauty!

No snow, no rain, the Merced River looks like a trickling creek. But still, the cold beauty takes my breath away!

Yosemite Falls had some water and even some ice formed where the mist rises and freezes.  Can you see the white thingy in the center of the photo?

That's ice!

And on our morning drive around the Park we spotted this fellow.  I guess he thought he was a pedestrian!

He got tired of posing for photo's and decided to lay down for his close-up shot!

Everything was so quiet and serene.

Except for Mr. Raven who was noisy from dawn to dusk!

Came upon another Coyote who was listening at a mouse hole.  He was so patient and would cock his head from side to side while listening to activity inside the hole.

I was waiting for him to do a face plant!

We enjoyed learning about cheeses and how to taste them properly from Peggy & Sue founders of The Cowgirl Creamery!  Mmmmm......yum! They were both so funny!


 I told Mr. B that it was like spending the day in France where you get a plate of cheese any time of day!

Peggy

Sue

 

 

On the final day, Chef David Bazirgan from The Dirty Habit in SF showed us how to make scallops and soup.  I wouldn't mind him cooking my meals anytime!!!

While waiting for the evening's sun to set, I took a photo of Half Dome's reflection in the Merced River.

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike." --John Muir

Hark

Song - Sugar Mountain by Neil Young

This was the view from our room at the Ahwahnee in Yosemite last week.  Mr. B gave me a gift of three days at the Chef's Holidays Sessions they have there annually.

On the way up there we drove through the devastation of the Rim-Fire from last summer.  It went on for as far as your eye could see and was so sad that I couldn't even snap a photo.

But once into the Valley everything was beautiful......

We arrived just in time to get settled into our room and then see our first Chef demo.  It was Parke Ulrich from the Waterbar in San Francisco who also made our Grand Finale dinner on Thursday night.  The other two chefs who did great demo's during our stay were Jimmy Bradley from The Red Cat & The Harrison in NY as well as Harold Dieterle from Perilla in NY.

But the best part of the whole trip was having Mr. B to myself and the beauty of Yosemite!

 

The clouds rolled in on Thursday night and it felt spiritual.  

I kept looking for a Tibetan monastery on the mountaintops somewhere.

 Occasionally a spit of sun would land on a spot on a mountain and highlight it for a moment.  Then just as fast as it came, it would then disappear. Then another place in the clouds would open for a second just letting your eyes feast upon one tiny miracle after another!

It was truly magical.

 

 Thursday morning we woke to snow.  Just a dusting of snow on the mountain tops and collecting on the trees.....my favorite.

 

Before heading home we stopped at the museum in the Village and visited with Julia Parker. She was busy weaving a small basket but she is always happy to pause and tell you something wonderful.

 Several summers ago, I took a basket weaving class from Julia.  From personal experience I'll tell you, it is hard work collecting the red bud or reeds, splitting them and making a nice tightly woven basket.  

 

She is a good soul.

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."  - John Muir 1901 

The Mountains are Calling

Sunset from Sunnyside Lodge

The mountains are calling and I MUST go.....

I am heading to the Sierra's for a few days with 5 girlfriends for our annual retreat.

Well, it's kind of a retreat, in that it is very relaxing. 

But it's not like a spiritual retreat in that there is a lot of good wine, story telling and laughter....well maybe that is my new idea of a spiritual retreat!!

We are heading for Lake Tahoe for a few days.  My old stomping grounds!  I feel it in my bones...you know that pull to be in the mountains. 

Half Dome

I came across this time lapse video on Pinterest yesterday.  It is photographed by Shawn Reeder in Yosemite over a two year period.  It is just mesmerizing to watch the clouds and stars and light pass over the mountains and landscape.  Beautiful soundtrack as well!

I hope you find some time in your day to enjoy the beauty that Shawn shares with us here.


Yosemite Range of Light by Shawn Reeder

It is funny that I never went to Yosemite as a child and yet it is so close.  My parents took me there for the first time on a day trip while I was home from college.

 

My mom went with her family when she was a teen.

Neither look too impressed.  (Love the outfit mom!)

I think Grandpa's car was giving him trouble so he wasn't too happy.

Ever since then I have gone once or twice a year. 

Sometimes I take plein air painting classes there from my mentor Marcy Wheeler.

Sometimes I go there with my girlfriends, or to take basket weaving classes from Julia Parker.

Splitting the reeds

Gathering the reeds

But my favorite time is going with Mr. B to relax and watch him fly fish. 

It is a thing of beauty.

The Awahnee Dining Room

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."  --John Muir