Mule Days; Topaz Version

012710: We had some visitors yesterday. They didn't have reservations but we let them stop for awhile because they just wanted to have lunch then be on their way. Turns out they wanted to lunch on our shrubbery. Do I have to make up yet another rule about not eating our shrubbery?

Nice pose, Buddy.

Mama following Baby. Rather than trudge through the snow, they all walked down the tractor trail we had created in the snow.

Do you hear something Buddy?

1st Baby photo

If they had an SUV, it would have decals showing a Papa deer, Mama deer, and three kid deers behind them.

When we start seeing the Mule Deer out in the open like this, we will see them more frequently everyday until the snow melts in the hills. These are just a few of our many winter visitors.

One Sunrise, Hold the Coffee

011910: Snow. Lots and lots of snow. Yeah, snow! 'Cuz that means more water this summer!

So, this morning I get up around 5am - normal time - and I can see that we have a lot of snow, and I'm already thinking that we are going to have a spectacular sunrise due to the cloud formation on the horizon. I start making coffee to prep for hubby needing "fuel" to clear the driveway of the overnight snow. Then the tragedy of all tragedies occurs. Our brand new coffeemaker bites the dust. OMG, people! How AM I supposed to start my day without coffee? How are we supposed to get the driveway clear without coffee? How are we going to survive?????

We are trapped.

So I get online, find the manufacturer, call them, and speak with some darling young lady named Midge in CT. I'm sure she's used to talking to coffeeless people, but she seemed extra bubbly. Probably this means SHE had coffee already. Anyways, Midge is sending me a brand new coffeemaker (for free!) because their warranty says: "1) Don't argue with coffeeless customers. Just send them a new coffeemaker. Or 2) if the coffeemaker breaks within 1 year, send them a new one. Whichever comes first." And while I'm talking to Midge and she is literally saving us from extinction, the sunrise begins to peak. I quickly step outside and snap a few photos while holding the phone to my ear. Geeze, apparently I can still multi-task even without coffee.

I managed to take three crooked photos of the lake. Beautiful colors - crooked lake. Sorry. I blame the coffeemaker tragedy. I will be better tomorrow.

:::EDIT::: People, I just took a look at that photo again. Seriously, I'm not taking credit for that shot. I just pointed the camera and took the photo as the colors this morning were just unbelieveably awe inspiring. Thank you, God. Nice show! *clapping*

Happy 2010 Everyone!

010610: Okay, folks...who stole my December, 'cuz I want it back!

The holiday season went by far too fast and now January, 2010 has arrived. January is month full of promises and hopes for the new year for many. For us, it also means the pending arrival of a new season and preparation for our awaiting customers. (And it also means lovely tasks such as doing our taxes! Fun times!)

We are also looking forward to a big vacation that we have had planned for some time now. We leave in February for 10 days and when we get back we will be ready to go, go, go for you all!

To play a little catch up....here are a few photos over the last 3 weeks:

Seriously, who can resist a sleeping dog with his tongue out?

010110! I so wanted to write a post on January 1st because of that date, but obviously didn't. I talk about "Where'd December go?".... How about: "Where'd the last decade go!!!?"

Just another winter sunrise on Topaz Lake. Can you tell that I never get tired of them?

So there were these three fishermen.....

I took down the Christmas decorations the other day and took a moment to decorate my cat, Max. That is Max's "I'm not amused" face.

Happy 2010 to everyone! May the new year bring you all the joy, happiness and fulfillment that you deserve!

Frrrrrrozen!

121009: Sooooo.....it's been a bit cold out the last few days. The temperature is not as cold here at the lake because of the lake, so that's good. But we have fog every morning lasting well past noon. Right now it is 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Woohoo....double digits! It's 0 (zero!) in Minden just to show you the temperature difference.

Now I know there are many areas across this great land of ours that get much colder than us, but this cold snap here is unseasonably cold. About 25 degrees colder than normal. So what do we do when the weather turns so cold? Stay inside with cocoa sitting by a crackling fireplace? Sounds good, right? Well, we don't a fireplace and I ran out of milk for cocoa so I went to town to do some shopping.

As I drove to town - looking quite like the (red) stay puff marshmallow man in my big down jacket, fleece scarf, hat, gloves and ugg boots - I marveled at the varying temperature difference as I headed North to Carson City. Seriously, I marveled. Topaz Lake 13, Holbrook 9, Leviathan Mine Road (peek elevation) 21!, Ruehenstroff 7, Waterloo Lane 4, Minden 0, Carson Valley -4! and Carson City 3. It was a first for me to be out in such cold weather and thank God the sun was out otherwise it would have been miserable. As it was, it was only slightly miserable. And I apologized repeatedly to my Jeep as I subjected her to the elements. So I come home and promptly put her in the garage were she melted the road ice all over the floor.

Photos of my cat(s) staring out of the kitchen window. They snuck out the other day and stayed out for about 2 seconds and ran right back in the house. Spoiled cats.

He *thinks* he wants to go outside again.

Bookends.

Change of focus.

Motivational Juice

120809: I've been walking around for awhile in a daze and saying things like, "I've lost my mojo." The good part about this is that I actually was aware that I lost my mojo and not floundering around wondering what the hexk was happening to me AND I also know why I lost my mojo. Those are some big hurdles to overcome if you want to ever want to find your mojo again.

Slowly but steadily my "bucket" is refilling and I'm getting the energy to tackle some winter projects. My mojo is returning. Yay for me! We have been closed for two months at this point in our off season and it's taken this long for my mojo to find it's way home.

Why all this talk? Well, frankly our personal life is put on hold during the peak season, which means things like appointments, trips, BLOGS, etc., are shelved until off season. Our main priority is running the Park. Afterall, this is our employment, source of income, and future. And during the off season, we take a break from the Park and catch up on our personal life. BUT, sometimes the two overlap when we have personal things to attend to during peak season. This equation will suck the mojo out of us everytime! That's what happened the later part of the season, but in recent weeks life has been returning to normal. (Of course, "normal" is a subjective term and worthy of it's own blog post on another day....)

Photos of recent winter weather. It is now 4 degrees out, foggy and very white outside. Hubby usually walks around lamenting about the snow and this morning was no exception. He asked me, "Don't you hate the snow?" Actually, I don't, so I said to him, "No, I don't hate the snow. Because the snow is the time of year that I get to enjoy only you, our home, our lakeside view and we're sitting here on a Wednesday morning in our sweats, not on our way to a job but enjoying our coffee together." His response, "I think you need to lay off the coffee, honey."

Before the snow.

The snow started over night and I awoke to these never-before-seen view... Those aren't white birds, but birds covered in white. The sleeping Canada Geese were covered in snow!

After the snow stopped. I like showing photos of the Park with snow as many customers are amazed to see the their summer vacation place with no leaves and covered in white.

The constant morning fog we've been experiencing for awhile now. And why? Well, meterologically speaking it involves terms such as condensation, radiation, saturation and dew point. My explanation?: Cold Air + Warm Water = Fog

Winter Day with a Cherry on Top!

120809: It was foggy this morning. Again. I called my dad and he had blue skies, but we were socked in. Again. I waited patiently all morning for the fog to break so that I could take some pictures of the Park with snow. It's so pretty with snow on a sparkling blue morning. Every once in a while I would step outside to check the lighting. Nope, not yet. BUT, I could hear something on the lake. I knew it was birds, but didn't know what kind. "Kloo, kloo, kloo," they were calling. But until I could see them I couldn't identify the kind of bird calling out through the fog.

Then I took a nap. God help me - I love the winter because I get to take naps!

When I awoke, I walked into the kitchen passing by the open blinds of our diningroom. I was looking at the now clear lake and could not conceive what I was seeing. I called hubby to come see. We pulled our woren Sibley Bird Guide out and confirmed that the birds I had been hearing were Tundra Swans. And let me tell you folks, there weren't just a few swans. I don't know the correct term for a grouping of swans, so I'll just say there were Sssssssswwwwwwaaaaaannnns. We estimate that there were probably 500 plus swans resting out on the water in the middle of the lake, maybe more. We thoroughly enjoyed being bird geeks for the next hour. We photographed them, recorded them and hubby broke out a high powered spotting scope to see them up close.

It was such a treat. And lucky us, it happened right in our backyard.

Three incoming.

So many (look closely) my wide angle could not capture them in one frame.

Close up of the Tundra Swans. There are also some American Coot (Mud Hens) behind.

At one point there were so many flying overhead I couldn't take them all in.

Late afternoon exodus.

Maybe we will see them tomorrow?



For audio purposes only - turn up your volume.

Stevens Nation

120509: In 1926, a man named William Stevens married Olive Jeffrey. They had three children and from those children our family exploded into a nation. Sadly, Grandpa Stevens, died young and never knew any of his children's spouses, his grand children, nor great grand children. I think he would be very proud of his expansive family and legacy his name created.

Several years back, someone in the family described our large family by coining the moniker "Stevens Nation." And what "Stevens Nation" truly describes is the strong ties, love and respect we all have for each other. Every year the family comes to our Park, as they have for many years before. 2009 was a probably a record breaker as I believe I counted 56 family members at one point. The majority of the family lives within blocks of each other in Southern California, but they all travel 400+ miles every year to come to Topaz Lake. It is a week filled with fun, laughs, family dinners and great memories.

Photos courtesy of my niece, Kimmie.

Relaxing in the morning sun.

One of many family dinners.

The floating Stevens Nation: Relaxing in the afternoon sun.

Our family is composed of 99.9% men.

Bunco night. Alot of laughs!

Yes, some water sports did take place. It's not all eating & drinking.

Part of the next generation. My nieces and nephew.

Walker Burger: A chance for the women's night off from cooking!

I'm Going to Buy a Foghorn Soon if THIS Keeps Up!

120409: Woke up this morning and it was the first day I could see the lake in the morning in quite a few days. The cold nights and warmer lake water has been socking us in with freezing fog until noon somedays. Just a few miles up the highway and above the lake the sun is shining on a bright day. The freezing fog, also known as pogonip fog, clings to everything with growing ice crystals. Very pretty, but very cold!

Sitting at my desk in the house looking out my kitchen window. Nothing but fog!

Pogonip fog clings to everything. Very pretty, if fog can be pretty.

Topaz Lake covered in fog. The temperature difference is about 10 degrees higher just a few miles up the road. 30 degrees at the Park, 40 degrees from this vantage point.

This morning's sunrise. Very little fog over the lake initially, but as I sit here the fog is creeping up into the Park. I can't see the lake right now.

Celebrate Life

120209: There is rarely a bad day here at Topaz Lake RV Park. Even during the fire in July, 2002, I don't think many thought that was a bad day. Memorable, yes. Bad, no. And truly, Topaz is all about building great memories with your friends, family and children. And in the summer time it is all about the kids!

With that said, this past July, we planned a specific day of celebration for the children here at the Park. During the later part of July we found out that a daughter of a L.A. County Firefighter died after recently being diagnosed with cancer. Her name was Taylor and she was a young teenager and her life was undoubtedly far too short. The news of her death ripped through the Park, affecting our firefighter families deeply, many who knew Taylor's family and worked with her father.

I approached a family staying at the Park who knew Taylor and her family well. Together, Marie and I hatched a plan to celebrate the life of Taylor symbolically by celebrating the lives of the children at the Park. We decided to give as many children as possible the opportunity to ride in a hot air balloon. After very little effort our plan evolved into a Park event and it played out like this:

July 27th, the morning started early. Crack of dawn! Adults and children gathered to help launch the hot air balloon. You can see the flowers on the beach bought for Taylor.

The morning was surprisingly cool and the first riders dropped the flowers and petals on the lake in memory of Taylor. (Photo courtesy of Mike Linch.)

As Mike Linch said, "Rest in peace, sweet Taylor. You will be missed...." During the entire morning you couldn't help but notice the petals and flowers floating on the water.

Up, up and away. Each ride lasted about 10 minutes and rose over 500 feet above the lake.

The basket would slowly rise from the lake while raining water.

The rise above the waiting flotilla of boats.

Each boat carried waiting passengers. The volunteer dads/drivers, etc. were so very organized!

There were many happy faces on the children and adults that morning.

The next set of passengers moves in to meet the descending balloon.

We planned for six rides that morning, knowing we were limiting the number of children who could go. But we were blessed with a very cool summer morning allowing nine rides total. Every child, and then some, got to go on their first hot air balloon ride.

Back on the beach breaking down the balloon.

Every rider gets to help pack up the balloon.

Marie's son made bracelets and the children wore them in honor of Taylor that morning.

It's a tradition to initiate and toast first time hot air balloon riders.

After the ride, after the initiation ceremony and after a moving speech by Tom Stukey (L.A. Co. F.D.) to remember to celebrate the lives of your children everyday, some of the children gathered for one last photo. The large card, presented to Taylor's family later, was signed by all participants and reads, "In Memory of Taylor."

I must thank our longtime family friend, Gary Peterson, who is a hot air balloon pilot and owner of Rise to the Occasion. He was kind enough to come out on a moment's notice to help us in our day of celebration. Thank you, Gary! You were extraordinary!

All days are good at Topaz, rarely are they bad, and there are many great days to remember. This day was an exceptional day. Thank you to everyone who made it one of the best days for the children at Topaz.