Snow Still Falling

Looks like maybe 6+ inches and still falling. No snowplow. No school traffic. No Newspapers. It's very quiet. Sam cat breaks a trail up to his belly on the back porch. Wm has shaken off some plants but they are still bent heavy. We are burning wood in the proposed to be eliminated fireplace. We have lots of small wood from all the trees that we had cut down. At least we no longer have snow-laden trees that overhang the house. Wm wonders if the mail will come today. I am running on battery as I have noticed a few power flickers as heavy branches overhang power lines. Of course if the power goes off I won't have the wireless will I.

A snowed-in car in the driveway. Not going anywhere today.
I just noticed that a huge branch from the weed tree (mimosa) in the front yard that Robert liked to climb is now lying in the road. Wm says that is the road's problem and he is glad it was not over a few feet where it would have taken out our power line.

Snow Began Today

It will continue to snow overnight, so there may be more than a few inches by morning.

Tough Man's Course

This could be good for Jon as KC turns cold and windy with the roughest highest hill ever in a cyclocross race. More opinion in VeloNews. Follow the action live on CyclingNews.
Update: per Cyndi via Uncle Bob, Jon is a DNF. No details at this time.
Update 2: from Cyndi:

latest news... Jon crashed twice, once hitting his head (he's ok) and dropped out. said the temperature went from 60 degrees to 20 degrees during the race.

Update 3: Per CyclingNews Jon was a DNP (did not place). I don't know what the difference is, but he was listed before the DNF's and it sounds better.

A Small Tree

Sunday Vist to Fernley

Once Brian and Caley move to Grass Valley, Great Aunt Mimi will be at the top of the list for babysitting.

Caley says she is sure baby Mina has blue eyes and probably dirty blonde hair.
The proud papa is working hard at baby care also.

A Tecopa Sunset

We spent 2 nights at Tecopa Hot Springs before heading on into Nevada.

Returning home

Caprock State Park was open for the one night we stayed there, then shut down for hunting season?
Nice picnic table at Caprock.
So we drove on to Oasis State Park in New Mexico arriving near susnset. Only in the southwest would they dig a hole, line it with betonite, fill it with water and throw in some fish, plant a few trees and call it an Oasis. The Oasis was drained for cleaning.
The sunrises and sunsets can be spectacular in the southwest. This is sunrise at the Oasis.
This is sunset at the American RV Park in Albuquerque.

Pictures of New Baby

Aramina Marie Evans born 11/27.

Aramina bathed and dressed up.

I think I can see both Brian and Caley in that sweet little face.

Tired of Blogging About Melamine

The FDA found melamine and cyanuric acid, a related chemical, in samples of baby formula made by major U.S. manufacturers. Melamine can cause kidney and bladder stones and, in worst cases, kidney failure and death. If melamine and cyanuric acid combine, they can form round yellow crystals that can also damage kidneys and destroy renal function.

Melamine was found in Good Start Supreme Infant Formula With Iron made by Nestle, and cyanuric acid was detected in Enfamil Lipil With Iron infant formula powder made by Mead Johnson.

Findings by Nestle related to their dairy herds in South Africa, shows that melamine crosses the feed/food barrier, as melamine laced corn gluten fed to dairy cows showed up in infant formula made with the milk.

read more here and here

Ben Ate the Car

Ben said, "I ate my car, now my tummy is full." Ben also said he wanted Axel back and spelled AXEL (with some help) with his Wordworld blocks.

Ben Quiet

Ben is quiet and a bit pale today as he was sick to his stomach last night. A few people have gotten sick from the Cyndi illness, but not like the bike race and the norovirus.

Thanksgiving Bird Leaves

Thanksgiving Pictures

No picture of Ben? Looks like he was too fast to catch on camera.

Big Thanksgiving News

Late last night my sister Sharon called. Val answered my phone and got the news. Aramina Marie Evans was born last night, November 27th, a real Thanksgiving baby, to Brian and Caley Evans. I am now a Great Aunt and the children have a new baby girl cousin in Nevada. They plan to call her Mina. Update: she was born at 7:58 7/27. She was 6 lbs and 20 inches long.

Val creates a new hairdo

Yard Adventures

Ben lines everyone up for a picture.
Grandpa gives nature lessons.
Looks like dead leaves to me.
Ben gets a horse ride on the neighbor's horse, Cookie.

Axel goes next.

At Turpen's

Arrived at Texas Turpen's just this afternoon. Boulder Baker's arrived yesterday. Val says Ben woke up this morning and said, "Axel, I want my Axel."

Spent the Weekend at Bottomless Pit

Actually it was Bottomless Lake State Park.

Big Billboards

This morning in Arizona we saw some big billboards that proclaimed Baldwin for President in 08. I just looked this up. He is a Florida Pastor who was running for president on the Constitution Party ticket--had the endorsement of Ron Paul. So now I know.

We Slowly Wend Our Way to Texas

We travel slowly, stopping for lunch at the Walker River.
We spent the night in the Alabama Hills
just under Mt. Whitney.
We went through Death Valley and up to Zabriskie Point.
Then on to Tacopa Hot Springs. Hot Hot water, but supposed to be good for you.
We spent last night at Homolovi State Park and are tonight at American RV Park of Albuquerque.