Is it really Mid May?

What's happening? It's May 19 and there's no bare ground in sight. If you squint hard you can see the top of our gate and a good 5 feet of snow all along the road to our cabin. Looking down towards the Dinkey Road and the car there's only the vast expanse of snow and ice. The kayakers will be enjoying the white water on Dinkey Creek for a long time before the swimmers arrive.

Wedding Planning Session #1

Just a bit difficult to make specific plans regarding layout, what with all the snow on the ground, but able to think in general terms of how to situate the wedding dinner and dance. As for the ceremony, hmm, where is the level ground under all of that snow? Success in Fresno meeting florist, bakery, trailer rental and party rental supplies.

Note: late posting due to secret planning for surprise wedding.

Easter Safety Briefing

Don't drink and microwave. Also, keep the eggs away from the microwave.

To whoever comes up here next: make sure you plan on cleaning the microwave. Drinking and cleaning is encouraged. 

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

....wait! its almost May!

Felices Pascuas!

Its like we were all here watching the sunset! From left to right: Ronald--sorry Ron, you got the cracked egg, Jennifer, Grandma, Grandpa, Jane, Paul, Andrew, Becky, Auntie Ann, Uncle Lou (we made eggs for the absentees-Ron, Auntie Ann and Uncle Lou-so they dont feel left out). It was a wonderful pre-Easter celebration!

Nice looking eggs!

The artists

Only the beginning of the deluge

The snowpack is deep and wet, Friant Dam already has water coming over the spillway, the San Joaquin River is running high, and at Hwy 152 the Eastside Bypass looks like a fast running lake. Considerable interest in the snow and water levels, and weather forecast. These researchers measured the snowpack at their study site nearby the cabin, and at 6,000 ft. elevation their study site is about 500 ft. lower than the cabin. The snow measurement: 2.89 meters = 9.577 feet.

A sold sheet of ice, almost

Between Mother Nature and the snowplow there's a mighty bank of snow next to the road. Thanks to the UC scientists, the USFS and a multitude of other agencies, the area is being well studied, from critters to water. What that means for us, however, is a break in the snow wall so we don't need ice climbing gear to get up on the snow. And after we're up on the snow, those snowmobile tracks used by the bureaucrats & scientists make for lots easier snow shoe walking the first few hundred yards. At the turnoff to our cabin is the obligatory house number sign and the close up picture shows the snow level in the tree well, and with imagination it's possible to see the tippy top of the same sign from a distance.