37th Annual National Cello Institute

We don't always remember how lucky we are to live in this little town. Every summer at the end of June, cellists from around the country and even from out of the US make a pilgrimage to Claremont to attend the National Cello Institute. It's fun to see all those cases on wheels and on backs, from the littlest kids to the adults. Friday night is the showcase concert with different ensembles performing and ending with the cello orchestra. If you go to youtube and enter National Cello Institute, you can see videos from years past from this annual concert.

Leaving cello orchestra rehearsal - on to another practice session

Cello Orchestra waiting for their turn to play 

The youngest beginners

The violins and viola (siblings of the cellists get to play, too) 

Love the stickers! 

Rick Mooney, the GUY, conducting Also Sprach Zarathustra

Random Friday Photos

These stickers are all on the same van of one of my friends. Enjoy her sense of humor today!

Hidden Claremont: Petterson Museum

If you live in Claremont, you have probably at least heard of the Petterson Museum at Pilgrim Place.  I had, but in 26 years, I had never been.  What drew me over there yesterday was an announcement that anyone could come and make origami.  Being inept in origami, I thought it would be helpful to have someone show me the secrets.  

When I got there, though, I was more intrigued with going into the little jewel of a museum. Currently the exhibit consists of Japanese artifacts from kimonos and musical instruments to art. There also appears to be a library of all kinds of books pertaining to arts of the world.  Teachers will be interested to know that the museum loans out Education Boxes with various kinds of artifacts and lesson plans about different parts of the world.

Origami under the tree

The Red House

I really, really liked The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon, so I didn't actually even read the description of his newest book, The Red House before I put it in my queue at the library.  If I had, I probably would not have checked it out.

Mark Haddon is a pretty darn good writer, and this book is told in a readable stream of consciousness style from the various perspectives of about eight of its main characters.  It requires a little bit of work from the reader to keep things straight. I would have not minded the work for that, except that I think (okay, I know) that I am pretty uninterested in the day-to-day squabbles of a dysfunctional family when I read novels.

It's not that I mind flawed characters. I love some flawed (and three-dimensional) characters.  I just get quite tired of people who bicker with each other and who need to go to therapy.  Good thing that the library came through with a Murakami for me that I have not yet read.

Picnic and Carnival

It used to be that we had our sum-mer church picnic at Memorial Park on a June Sunday after church which was a big potluck with some hot dogs and some games for the kids and a pick-up softball game for all ages.

Now it seems as though we have gone big time.  We close off the block of 6th St. between Harvard and Yale, have tents, some bouncy houses, a few booths, a dunking tank, and we still have lots of food.   We even have a bake-off with ribbons and everything. I especially like the fact that the trees shade the block so the weather is just perfect.

Santa Barbara Solstice Party

On our way to Santa Barbara on Saturday, we ran into heavy traffic for much of the way, especially from Oxnard/ Ventura to Goleta. Instead of the usual two hours, it took three, and although we left early, we were still cutting it very close to the start of the wedding.  Fortunately for us, the best man was just one car ahead of us, and they waited for him to arrive in order to start the ceremony.

Why the traffic? It appears that Santa Barbara hosts a Summer Solstice Celebration, and after the wedding when we wandered on State Street we saw some of these fun costumes (and confetti on the sidewalk) presumably from the parade. The theme this year was "Fantasy".

Santa Barbara Wedding

Wedding season is in full swing. Yesterday I was happy to attend the marriage of someone I've known since he was 3 when his family moved to Claremont. Peter has a sentimental attachment to the beach in Goleta since he spent countless hours there when he visited his grandparents, so it was natural that when he met his love in grad school he decided to marry her in that special place.

The weather was perfect, the company delightful, and it was clear to me that this couple is very, very happy.

Pomona Library Closing

I am saddened to hear that the city of Pomona is closing their library.  When my daughters were young, we would make the trek to the library (often after piano lessons which were off of Garey, just north of Holt) because the children's room is so fabulous.  Part of the reason it is fabulous is that it has a huge selection of great books, but I really love the children's librarians.  My younger daughter was devouring books at age 5, and I wanted to find great chapter books for her (after she read all the available American Girl books), but I wanted some that were age appropriate for a kindergartener.  Librarian Lois to the rescue!  She could recommend some chestnuts that were new to me and enjoyable for my 5-year-old. The librarians followed our reading habits through jr. high or so when we stopped going to piano and didn't often make the journey to the Pomona Library.

What a jewel this library has been, and I know that many, many people will miss it terribly.   Thanks to Lois for this photo I stole from her Facebook page. There is still a blog that she keeps about the children's room at the library which you can read here.

Whoa Nelli Deli

I find it difficult to believe that I have not given the Whoa Nelli Deli at the Tioga Gas Mart a whole blog post to itself. Maybe it's because I have spoken at great length about this place to so many of my friends when we talk about food or Yosemite that I felt that I must have written about it. Alas, as I have gone through my old blog posts I see only a passing reference to this little gem.

As you travel north on US 395, you approach Lee Vining, and just before you arrive in the small town, you have the chance to turn left onto US 120 otherwise known as Tioga Pass. Up the hill just a bit you have a chance to fuel up at the Mobil Station. Not just gas for your car, but happiness for your stomach.

You have probably never eaten gourmet food in a gas station before, but don't be fooled by the pumps out front. This food is real good. One of the best parts is that after you get your food (pickup at the counter) you can take it out to the picnic tables and look over Mono Lake as you enjoy your food.

During this last trip we had breakfast and dinner here each day (lunch consisted of snacks in the backpacks). The first day we each ordered a breakfast burrito, but only ate half of it and had the rest for lunch (it's better when it's warm). So the next two days we shared a burrito.

I think my favorite dinner is still the fish tacos, one with mango salsa (which finds its way onto many other plates, too).

On Thursday nights the Gas Mart features live music, and we heard The Trespassers, a bluegrass band, on the night we were there. The outdoors was jam-packed with all kinds of people (and lots and lots of beer), including quite a few small children who danced and danced their little hearts out.

Fear Allayed!

Ever since, well for a long, long time, I have had a fear of heights. This expresses itself in a fear of being too near a ledge, fear of flying, and a fear of driving on scary mountain roads. For a number of years now, whenever we drive down the Tioga Pass Road from Yosemite to Lee Vining, I will sit in the back seat behind the driver and either close my eyes or look out the window that doesn't look down over the edge.  This is one steep slope on a narrow road.

This year, I took this photo as we ascended the pass and started thinking to myself.  "I don't really have to be afraid of this road anymore."  So, upon driving down from Tuoloumne this time, I sat in the passenger seat and kept my eyes open the whole time.  AND I WAS NOT AFRAID!

I cannot say why this time was any different.  I know that I while I am still quite unsettled by air turbulence, I have convinced myself that it is okay to fly, especially when it gets me places I really want to go.  I do not have any advice for anyone else trying to overcome fears such as these, but I have to say that it is greatly freeing to have fewer worries!

A Little Road Reading

The bulk of our driving time to Yosemite was spent along US 395. And although north of Ridgecrest the scenery starts to improve, it IS still 5 1/2 hours of car time. One way. H came home with the great idea that we download Tina Fey's newest book, Bossypants, to listen to. Unable to find it quickly 1) for download 2) for less than some large sum of money 3) at the library, I scanned what actually WAS available at the library and came home with The Lost City of Z by David Grann on a mere 8 CDs.  Deadly Obsession in the Amazon?  I'm in!  

After about 3 CDs, I asked H if he thought we'd EVER get to the Amazon, and although we were tempted to skip ahead, we listened to the whole thing (being a captive audience and all).  The author has thoroughly researched the (many) expeditions of Col. Percy Fawcett (lots of maggots and anacondas) through the jungles, and I felt as though he didn't need to include every single detail he discovered.

The part of the book that put me off the most was the parallel story of the author's own journey to trace Fawcett's disappearance (I don't think that's a spoiler - we know going in that Fawcett never returned from his final trip.) Grann's recounting of his own research is a yawner, and the most interesting part of the whole book is tacked on in the last chapter - what exactly we now know about the ancient civilizations in the Amazon (El Dorado/The City of Z).

While not in the car, I had time to finish up another yawner of a book - Kindred by Octavia Butler.  Butler was a black woman science fiction writer with numerous awards, and I had been wanting to read something of hers for a few years now.  Let's just say that in this book, time travel is merely a device to move characters around, and it is unclear as to the reason for the time travel.  That is, I wouldn't call this science fiction, but more of a historical fiction with bland prose and mostly undeveloped characters.

Hiking in the Mountains - Parker Lake

It's always great when the people you choose to travel with like to do things the same way that you do. H and I have our modus operandi all figured out for trips like these. Get up a little early (but not TOO early) and have a good breakfast.  Start hiking before 10:00 and snack along the trail. Get back from hike in the middle of the afternoon and sit by some great body of water (lake, river) or meadow.  Take it easy the rest of the day and eat a delicious dinner.

Two of our three hikes were not new to us.  We chose them because we knew we wouldn't have much time to adjust to the altitude, so we wandered up and down the Tuolumne River where it was relatively flat.  One day we went towards Glen Aulin, stopping just when the path takes a steep descent.  The next took us up the Lyell Fork of the river towards Donohue Pass.  

On the way home, however, we tried out a new hike, this one just outside of the park.  I read about it and thought it sounded great, and it WAS.  Off of the June Lake loop road is a dirt road leading to the Parker Lake Trailhead.  The first 20 minutes of the hike are pretty steadily uphill in the full sun, and I took advantage of frequent stops to take photos.

 Here is one photo from our ascent as we look back over Mono Lake.

After a little way the scrubby growth gives way to a forest of huge pine trees and aspens and the trail is much more level, as well as shady.  It wanders by a stream, so the sound of water was soothing.

After 1.9 miles and 300 feet in elevation gain, we emerged at Parker Lake, and if you look up, you can see a beautiful waterfall.

We enjoyed this hike so much that I am sure we will do it again, and next time we'll take some friends!

Eastern Sierras by the Numbers

Clouds over the Sierras on 395

Last night we arrived home after a long weekend getaway to the Eastern Sierras.  Until I go through all my photos and start thinking about all the fun we had, here is a quick summary of the trip by the numbers:

3 hikes (1 new to us)
18 total miles hiked (6 and 8 and 4)
6 meals at the Whoa Nellie Deli
770 miles on the car
3 nights at the El Mono Motel in Lee Vining
2 books (one on CD, one in paperback)
1 jacket forgotten (1 bought at Kmart in Bishop)
Over 300 photos taken
4 marmots, countless deer, butterflies, ground squirrels, 0 bears seen
1 fear overcome, or at least tamed quite a bit

Yes, folks, you are in for a few blog posts this week about some of these very items.

Lemi Shine

Before on the left, after on the right.

For a year or so I have been unhappy with the way my dishwasher has been performing.  The glasses would come out with a whitish film, the silverware never looked clean enough, and I was just unhappy with the quality of the job.

Then I started doing a little internet research and discovered that the dishwashing detergent no longer contained phosphates, and this was the reason for the white film.

Little more research led me to a product called Lemi Shine.  What a difference a little bit of this powder does!  I put it in the little compartment next to the one for the detergent (a few teaspoonfuls), and now our dishes come out as they used to!  I also tried putting vinegar in the dishwasher, but find this works a little better.

And no, I am not paid to write this post.

A Story about Quarters

On 10th Street, if you look down at the right spot, you you see this state quarter glued to the sidewalk.  The chalk circle helps you find it.  This quarter reminds me of a story.

Once upon a time a friend of ours started collecting Bicentennial Quarters.  He thought he could possibly collect every one and hold a corner on the market.  (As you can see from this chart I pulled off of Wikipedia, the number of coins minted is remarkably high.  This collection began before the advent of Wikipedia.)  He was known to work fundraisers and sort through the quarters and exchange regular old quarters for bicentennial ones.

Another person who shall go nameless decided it would be pretty funny to glue a Bicentennial Quarter to the collector's front sidewalk.  Now, I wasn't around when the collector discovered 1) the quarter and 2) that he could not easily add it to his collection, but I can imagine what kind of language might have been used. 

I think I may get a comment or two on this particular blog post.... just saying'.

Instagram

Several weeks ago I saw that this house had been "flocked." At least I think it was not done by the owners of the house.  Perhaps it was a fundraiser for the CHS band?  Anyway, I liked the looks of the plastic flamingoes (notice the two hanging by their necks? They gots no legs....)

I took this photo with my iPad, and I was inspired to join Instagram (now that I actually have an iPad) so that I could run it through the filters to see what would come up.  I am sorry that I don't remember which filter I used, but I liked the effect, and this was one of my first entries on Instagram.   

Some of my photos I will send to my Facebook page, some just on Instagram. 

Installation

Thanks, Jill Carol for this photo

After several years without a permanent associate pastor at church, we now have installed Eileen Gebbie. Eileen has been with us since March, but a lovely service on Sunday has officially welcomed her as one of our pastors.  We look forward to working with and getting to know each other more in the coming years.

Welcome, Eileen!

Birthday Cupcakes

Happy Birthday to my 24-year-old daughter!  How well I remember that night 24 years ago when we drove to Pomona Valley Hospital at 8 in the evening, and by 10 we had our newest bundle of joy.

Because C lives in the neighborhood, we get to celebrate with her, although we started the party a few days early on Sunday. Lunch at Eureka! Burger followed by cupcakes from Some Crust before coming home for presents.

Thanks for giving us an excuse to celebrate, darling daughter!

Monday Night at the Epicenter

Every time we go to see a Quakes game, we come home with some new memory.  Last night we went out with the HMC Summer Chemistry Research group, and if you ever want to go when parking and crowds are no issue, go on a Monday night.  I was concerned that the game would not be very fun since there were so few people in attendance, but we really had a great time.  

Last night we saw a number of scouts with their radar guns and stopwatches sitting right in front of us (and right behind home plate).  I guess that's one way to fill a section.  

I was not fortunate enough to get a photo of the HMC students who got to go on the field during the 7th inning stretch and hold some sign during the singing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame.  They were on and off the field so quickly that I didn't get over behind the dugout quickly enough.  

 We had a huge chicken burrito.

The woman in front of us was having a great time (and ate three huge hot dogs).  She would turn around occasionally to comment on something we said that she found particularly amusing.  The game was actually pretty close, and when the Quakes started to tie it up, she would jump up and down and turn around to high-five us.  Of course, she went ballistic when the Quakes hit a the ball for a walk-off run, and everyone got high-fives.  So much for worrying about a boring game!

Bugs in the Garden

One of the fun things about the RSABG right now are the giant bugs!  This traveling exhibit by artist David Rogers has been in the garden since May and will only be here until July 15.  I had seen photos of these in various places, but it was more fun to visit them in person.  This makes me think that some local artists ought to make some more permanent sculptures to grace the gardens to enjoy for many years.

Ants marching two by two...

Ladybug

Dragonfly

Wedding in the Garden

It's been a whirlwind weekend with many events!  Undoubtedly the most elegant event was the wedding we attended Saturday at Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden.  I've been to one other wedding there (blog post about that one here), and I'll have to say it makes a fabulous venue.  The catering by Gourmet Gourmet was delicious, the staff of the garden friendly and helpful, and the beauty of the gardens agreed so well with the perfect weather.

I got to reconnect with friends, some of whom I have not seen in a long time and came home quite content.

Appetizers

Table setting for dinner

Hidden Claremont: Secret Passage

Sometimes when we bike through Old Claremont, we take the alley tour, seeing how many alleys we can find in one ride.  Sometimes we bike through the colleges on a fountain tour, counting as many fountains as possible.  

Approximate location of the secret passageway

When we walk Old Claremont, sometimes we like to go through the secret passageway between University Circle and 8th Street.  It's one of the charms of our small town.

Looking towards 8th St.

Looking towards University Circle