Despite the week of more hard things than fun, the time did go by quickly
I can't even imagine.
My childhood home was breathtakingly beautiful in its heyday. Vast orchards of apricots, olives and orange groves filled the picturesque little valley, while looming to the east stood Mt. San Jacinto tall, proud, and occasionally even snow-covered. The Valley was removed just enough from the LA urban sprawl in the late 60-80s that the smog rarely clogged up our air. Everyone knew each other, mobile home parks outnumbered the gangs, and we didn’t have a mall until 1980 or so. We affectionately called it "The Small".
Sounds really wonderful. No kidding.
I grew up riding my bike all over town without the fear of foulplay,
I did too. Well, except for that one time I thought I might be (literally) murdered.
We had TPing-Each-Other’s-Houses Wars every weekend,
I could not have asked or wished for a better place to grow up.
It sounds idyllic.
Sadly, Hemet has turned into a cesspool of filth, gangs, urban sprawl, and crime.
Ugh. That's really a shame. Seriously.
Some parts of Mother Nature are hard to kill off.
Despite our best efforts.
Perhaps it is also that innate call to revisit one’s roots and find solace in the fading, yet familiar, places that still draw you there.
Yeah, I get that. I drive over to my grandparent's place every now and then.
Niiice. Always wanted a Porsche. Not necessarily a Panamera, but... I wouldn't say no to one.
I haven’t gotten to hit triples in a car in quite a while
When was the last time you did?
Worth the risk of missing my flight due to an unfortunate citation? No, probably not.
mmmm... I dunno about that. Tough call.
But I still enjoyed a real-life spin on Test Track.
I bet!
Better yet, if someone were to offer me a Corvette, I’d say yes faster than the IRS can find a auditable mistake on your return.
Yes. We do know this fondness you have for Corvettes.
I lament the fact that a Bloody Mary was going to cost more than my kids’ orthodontia work, so, I reluctantly passed.
Something is just not right with this picture.
Give the woman her alcohol!
Checking to see I had my OWN carry-on
I gathered my once-again-TSA-pilfered, checked bag
Again? What is with that?
Did you used to smuggle moonshine or something?
MY HEAVENS! What was THAT?! That glorious yellow orb in the sky? Shut the front door- it’s the life-giving, joy-inducing, spirit-lifting thing we call the… Sun.
You need to get out of Oregon more often.
A name that starts out nice but then takes a dangerous turn.
I got a salad which is pretty hard to mess up no matter WHO you are.
You've never had Ruby cook for you obviously.
The one memory we both look back fondly on was the time we built a giant snowman and then dumped antifreeze all over it turning it a glorious shade of pink. That was before there was the child abuse cops, environmental police, and other fun crashers.
The anti freeze didn't melt it?
she was planning dinner for me and EVERYONE was coming over- that’d be about 15-20 people!!
Holy party!
I was TIRED!! (Remember that! It may save me from yet more flaming.)
Probably not.
Beautiful.
I am still a bit sad that I missed, for the most part, this year’s SoCal wildflower superbloom.
Oh, that's too bad.
I am thrilled that this particular one has a personal connection to me.
Oh? That's so cool! Never knew it was based on.... anything.
You see, I grew up watching those slurry bombers working the fires we’d have every fire season. Over and over they’d circle to refuel and refill, countless times buzzing our house en route to their destination. More than once, brush fires came close enough to our house to have the pink “MUD” spray our own roof.
Cool too. Unless you're working and they all want to come in to refuel at the same time...
I’ll never forget the time my grandpa flew into the airfield for a weekend visit, I think for a Thanksgiving, and after a couple of days went to get his plane and fly to a business meeting, only to find his plane gone. Who the heck steals a plane?!
Oh! That would be the “Mexican drug cartels”. Funny thing is, when he received news that his plane was found by American authorities, it was in the possession of a local Mexican Police group. LOLOLOL! Made us wonder exactly WHO the Mexican drug cartels really were….ahem.
I'm sure it was just a little mix-up.
Now, Ryan Airfield is the home to hobbyists restoring historical aircraft, pleasure pilots and other small craft.
You consider
that a hobbyist aircraft???
That's just a crying shame.
yes there was a reason Soarin’ flies over my house and pumps in orange scent! Yes, for real!
No way!! That's so cool!
Only a few times did we find dead rattlers in our pool filter
Eep!
Continuing on my journey through once-upon-a-time, I drove up the hill from my childhood home to the site of the “Ramona Bowl”. This is the site of the outdoor play adaption that has shown every single year since 1923.
Huh. This place is bursting with history.
I took a couple of photos of the view from up there and then wandered finding some wildflowers carefully watching my step as it was then full-on snake season.
At least you can see a polar bear coming.
Love that one.
Always been a sucker for macro.
Lastly, just next door, sharing the same parking lot, is where I dabbled in community theater for a little bit. I remember being a bit part in Taming of the Shrew and playing my flute as part of the little Renaissance band for intermission entertainment. Fun little hobby for a kid.
Huh! More of Liesa we get to learn.
(I used my camera- remember that.):
As opposed to a sketch pad. Got it.
I remember the first time we went to Florida. I was amazed when I saw real oranges in trees.
One of the kids even gave me a foot massage, and I got to hold the newest baby in the family. So sweet! (Glad it wasn’t mine!)
You certainly look happy!
My aunt’s sister showed up and we both remember her babysitting me as a very young kid when I’d take trips back to Ohio to visit my grandparents. That, Folks, was a hella long time ago!
Nah. I don't consider 20 years as all that long.
Sooo many honeymoon suites.
Time marches on....
or thumbs down. Whichever is appropriate.
