Helium is closing its doors

I started writing for Helium in 2009. It was a fun place and I met a lot of encouraging people. Over the years it changed and became less user friendly. We recently got a notice that the site would be shutting down and it we wanted, we could move our articles to other sites as we will lose them at the end of the year.

Now, there is a mad scramble to copy and save what we've written. Many of my articles are about camping, grand-parenting, and California. I am in the process of moving them to the blogs I currently have. Some won't be copied but some of them are actually good.

The California articles will be updated because there is information to share that has not already been covered. At least I won't have to think of new posts for awhile.

Mono Lake, not what you expect

Mono Lake is not the place to find ski boats or water sports. It is a unique body of water sitting at the base of Yosemite National Park. To the north is the historic ghost town of Bodie and to the south, the high desert town of Bishop, the gateway to Mammoth Lakes.

Mono Lake is unique because it is one of North America's oldest lakes. It has no outlet so as water runs into it; the mineral content raises creating alkaline water. It is too alkaline for fish to survive but supports it own ecosystem for migrating birds. It also has a population of brine shrimp unequaled by no other body of water. It is an active volcanic area with hot springs and steam vents. While all that is impressive, its claim to fame is the tufa. 

Tufa is a Latin word for porous rock. Tufa is formed when fresh water springs containing calcium bubble up through the carbonate rich lake water. As the springs bubble up, it creates deposits that grow upward under water. The lake level has dropped significantly since 1941 when the rivers that feed the lake were diverted for drinking water in Southern California. As the water receded, the tufa was it was exposed leaving towering columns of rock. It has been mandated that the water level of the lake be restored to the level it was in 1951. This will take time as a quick influx of water will change the chemical consistency of the lake, putting the brine shrimp, the alkali fly population and the migratory birds in danger of extinction.

There is a Visitor's Center in the town of Lee Vining. It not only describes the tufa but explains the history of the lake and the species that inhabit it. The museum is free. The lake is managed by the National Park Service and they are very willing to answer any and all questions. There is also a separate site on the south side of the lake known as South Tufa. Here visitors are allowed to walk through the tufa beds. It is a loop trail most people can navigate easily although it is not wheel chair accessible. However, there is a boardwalk reaching  almost to the shore so no one is denied a close-up view of the tufa itself.

Swimming is allowed in the lake at designated beaches. The National Park Service states swimming in the lake “offers a delightfully buoyant swimming experience”. The high salt concentration makes it almost to sink. They do point out that because of the alkaline content, it is important to keep it out of your eyes.

Camping is not permitted at the lake but there are many campgrounds in the general area. There are several picnic areas and restrooms around the lake itself. Each provides a spectacular view of the lake and the volcanic activity. The island in the center of the lake is closed to the public from April 1st through August 1st to protect the seagulls nesting there. Some boating is allowed and permits must be obtained at the Visitor Center.

Visitors come from around the world to visit this unique lake. The lake is flanked by the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Sierra Nevada's to the west. The views are spectacular from any direction. Mono Lake should not be missed. It is an impressive demonstration of nature at its best.

Another, another day at the ball park

It was simply another beautiful day at the ball park. We had to be there at 6:55 am for the kids to warm up. It was the first day of daylight savings time so it was dark when we left home. It took about 30 minutes to make the drive to Riverside where the Arlington Sports Park is located. At that hour, there was no traffic and the sun was coming up when we pulled into the parking lot. The sky was tinged with pink clouds. It was 53 degrees and so we had jackets and blankets but by the time this picture was taken, everyone had shed the jackets and the blankets were neatly folded over the bleacher seats. 

The air was filled with the scent of orange blossoms. The Arlington Sports Park is a block down from the California Citrus State Historic Park and one of the few areas in Riverside to still have orange groves.

The mountains in the background are part of the San Gabriel Range and run all the way to Big Bear. The very tall palm trees are more than 100 years old and were used for road markers in the late 1800's. How do I know that? I was a volunteer at the California Citrus State Park for several years and I know a lot about the history of oranges and Riverside, California.

Gary and Niles after the double header. When we left it was very windy and a balmy 80 degrees. March weather can be iffy. If we have hard frost they are usually in March which makes it hard to start seeds for the garden. It the weather holds, I will get my seedlings planted. In the meantime, we will take what we can and enjoy our mornings at the ballpark.

Another day at the ballpark

I know this is California but it's chilly today. We are all wearing jackets. It's 54 degrees.

The kids don't care. For them its all about baseball.

We know it's much colder everywhere else and our thoughts are with you.

My seed catalogs are here!

There was a time when gardening was my favorite thing to do but in the last several years, it has not been a priority. I used to grow a lot of my own vegetables but I've gotten lazy. The last time I started seeds, Cinnamon ate 100 heirloom seedlings. I was discouraged and just quit.

This is the picture we used on the "Wanted" poster for Cinnamon. 

I miss gardening so I found a new place to start seedlings where she can't get them. My dining room has great lighting. I have a baker's rack that I didn't have when she found the last batch. Now I have a new location that's cat proof with great exposure.

Off to the Internet to get some seed catalogs. I prefer heirloom seeds that are not GMO modified. I don't need or use chemicals on my plants and don't want ones that have been altered.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds has "1500 rare, Non-GMO Seeds" to choose from. I could spend hours just reading the descriptions. I quickly ordered that catalog. I find I am also interested in seed saving and the Seed Savers Exchange has a catalog I ordered too. Both of them arrived this week and I have set aside a day to review and place my orders. I need to set aside some time because I am also homeschooling my 7th grader and it consumes time. He also plays baseball year round so we are gone a lot.

The next thing on my list was to discover what zone we live in. I used to know but the USDA updated their interactive zone map. The USDA requires you enter a Captcha to view the map but it isn't a big deal. The map is nationwide. California shows up as mostly browns but the map zooms in for detailed areas. I am in zone 9a. That means avocados won't grow here, it's too cold. However, just 15 miles from here, the avocado trees cover the hills. It's too cold for hybiscus but downtown Riverside is covered with the colorful blooms. All is not lost, apples love it here.

One of the best things about California is the growing season and the weather to grow almost anything. So armed with my new zone and catalogs, I am off to discover what tasty vegetables will be growing in my garden this spring. And, since it almost March, I need to get the seedlings started.

It's been a long time since I've been here

Last summer wasn't about travel in California. Last summer was about family history and making new family history.

I traveled to Tennessee to find my grandfather's roots. What an amazing journey that was and where the Home Place was and the surrounding area is now ingrained in my memory. Coming from the browns of California, the greens of Tennessee were incredible. From there I went to Missouri to visit my son and brother but I also got some time to see where my grandmother was from.

We also made new family history when we met two more of my husband's siblings. We stopped for a day in Amarillo, Tx to meet Darla and then in Diamond, Mo to meet David. We spend several day visiting his new brother, Rick and sister, Frances in Albuquerque and saw where his grandparents lived. This is all new to him because up until 2 years ago, he had no idea where his biological family was.

But it appears that I am back to California. I took on the role as "California Dreamin' Contributor" for Squidoo. I'm not quite sure what that means yet but I know California.

No new pictures

I guess I was in such a hurry to get out of California, it didn't occur to me to take pictures. Besides, we went a different way and how many pictures can you take of the desert? We took the 10 to the 62 which runs all the way to Parker, Arizona. There is nothing out there but whoop-ti-dos and cactus. Now that I have been to Tennessee, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri, it's time to do something California. School starts in one week so we will need to do something soon. Maybe we'll go to the beach.