TNDC Graduation Party

On the night before graduation we had a big TNDC grad party at TNDC Headquarters.  The Tia's brought an awesome cake with the grads faces on graduate statues!

Baccalaureate Celebration

Patrick, K, Bug, G

On the Thursday before graduation, there is a baccalaureate ceremony at a local church.  It is one last chapel type service before the kids each go their own ways.  It is actually a nice quiet time for reflection before the crazy of graduation celebrations begin!

Lake Eleanor

Right before Memorial Day, we took a quick 2 nite backpacking trip to Lake Eleanor in Yosemite.  Luckily we had very good weather as that time of year you always have the chance snow or rain.   It was a great trip to explore an area that we have only ever visited for day hikes.

Permit from the Groveland Ranger Station

Starting off on the trail

Heading down the trail to the lake

On the damn

There were lots of wild flowers and a lot of butterflies going after the nectar.   We also saw three snakes - no rattlers but we were super careful.

Selfie in my happy place - backpacking

We had a new meal - lentil soup.  I brought fresh spinach to add to it and it was yummy!

We hiked up to Frog Creek which is an area that we have heard about but never seen.  It has really good fishing but the creek wasn't open yet so we just played around making rock statues!

I used my bivy sack for the first time!  I really liked it - it's a great option for a trip where the weather is pretty much guaranteed.  We got rain the second nite and I was still dry inside.

Art Show

Tidying up before the show

Grace is graduating from high school with a "major in integrated arts" and last nite she was presented with the diploma and cord and then there was an art show.

She picked out her favorite 10 photos from the year and framed them for showing.   And her teacher also chose some for placement in other locations, including the night time sky picture below.  The art show was awesome - its crazy to see the talent of these kids.

Sad Sack

Hops somehow hurt her hip over the weekend and was letting out random yelps when she moved.  One time it was so bad she hid in the bushes and refused to come out.  So I took her to the vet and he manipulated her leg, knee, hip, back and neck and determined her right hip was bothering her.  Although you could barely tell because she was being so stoic with the vet. 

So he gave her a shot of anti inflammatory and pain meds and told her to rest.  She actually is resting - she is putting herself in her crate.  I think that is a sign of how bad it hurts her.

The sad thing is her puppy came into town that night and they couldn't play with each other like they normally do.  So it's been 3 days and she is still on self imposed rest.  She hangs out a lot in her crate and is even sleeping downstairs in it.

Poor pup!

Mother's Day/Mini Family Reunion

Play a monopoly dice game with Ev and Brit before everyone came

Cousin Dian was coming into town from Chicago and asked for recommendations where she could have a cousins breakfast at a restaurant.   Since it was Mother's Day and no one in the older generation of the family can hear well,  I offered to have a get together at our house and asked if we can invite all family in the area.  That is exactly what we did and everyone showed up!  35 family members gathered for a mother's day visit

Tre was a hit - he loves parties!

Karen, Gary, Nancy, Dian, Rudy

Grandpa Roy, Richard, Jon

Cousins

Moms

Bookends

These two.... Grace was trying to get a pic of them both looking at the camera and this is what she gets!

Graduation Festivities

Good friends are a blessing!  These girls are so lucky to have shared their lives since they were little and are now graduating together.  We have so much to celebrate!

Sabbaitcal - Day 2 - Fishing Woods Creek

Crazy digger

This has got to be one of my favorite things to do - wander around in the beautiful forest and meadows and fishing tiny creeks with my dogs.   Ahi loves it too.  She likes to hunt in the meadows.  She finds a spot and then digs like crazy searching for a critter.  She has never caught anything but she thinks her work is very important!

Shoulder deep!

Stopping for a snack!

We had done a last minute trip to the cabin and I got picked up at work to head up.  That meant I didn't pack my own bag and didn't come prepared.  I was hiking in jeans I had worn to work, my work glasses and my snow boots!

I caught one little trout but got lots of hits.  The fish were between 3 and 6 inches long - tiny little stream trout.