"Laws change; people die; the land remains."

Happy Valentine's Day!  

Ed and I are preparing to depart for California soon, roving along at our customary slow pace.  This will be a short trip, six or seven weeks, and then we return home to prepare our garden for the Whidbey Island Garden Tour on June 17.   We have switched plans several times this year with the final switch to accommodate the garden tour, keeping us on the island April, May and June.

Not being on the road these past many weeks I have given blog writing a rest.  Politics has been too heavily on my mind and on my calendar to leave it out of my writings.  Not wanting to turn our Thistle Adventure capers into a political rag, as tempting as it may be, I simply left it alone.  I'm reminded of what we say to Benton when he's about to roll around in something disgusting, "Leave it, Benton".    

A Thistling we will go!

Since my younger years I have not been to Sequoia & Kings Canyon or Yosemite.  Ed has never been to any of these beauties.  Way past time!  In turning to  Sequoia & Kings Canyon's website, I read this:

"At the elevation of the sequoia groves, rain falling on top of several feet of snow has created icy and slippery paths.  Very few trails are suitable for hiking on foot at this elevation.  Snowshoes or skis are strongly recommended.  Tire chains are required in some areas, and roads may close if conditions become unsafe."

Guess we're lucky we didn't depart a couple of weeks ago, as first planned.  By the time we get there I'm guessing we'll still see some snow, but we are able to adjust our arrival to accommodate the weather a bit.  We will be visiting friends and family, either heading south, or on our return route, or even a bit of both, giving our travels some built in flexibility.  As John Steinbeck said in Travels with Charley:  A journey is like marriage.  The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it."  

Yosemite National Park is looking more promising weather wise with sun and warmth forecast.

Our third destination is Red Rock Canyon State Park.

The power, beauty and love of our land draws us.  With each new destination our passion is fueled…

~~~

"The land, the earth God gave to man for his home…should never be the possession of any man, corporation, (or) society…any more than the air or water."

"Laws change; people die; the land remains."

~ Abraham Lincoln

 President of the United States