Picnic Time

Linda Burton posting from Carson City, Nevada– A picnic basket or a brown paper bag, either one will do. In fact you won’t even pay attention to what you’ve brought to eat because you’ll be gazing across blue lake waters at snow on a mountain, without a care in the world. A lop-eared jackrabbit might go hopping past, or you might spot an eagle soaring overhead. There are sand dunes in one direction, and wetlands in the other. What is this wonderland that is only a five-minute drive over the hill from Carson City? » read more

Minty Fresh

Linda Burton posting from Carson City, Nevada – It’s green, and sports the number “1.” It looks imposing, tucked there in the corner of the Nevada State Museum; obviously important in the scheme of things, I think. I’m in the Mint section of the Museum, surrounded by stories of assays and mining and the minting of coins in Carson City, coins with the CC mintmark. The Carson City Mint had a relatively short existence, producing coins between 1870 and 1893. Built during the mining boom, the mint was closed when mining production declined. But that was not the end for No. 1, I learned, she wound up producing coins bearing the Philadelphia “P,” the San Francisco “S,” and the Denver “D” – what a story this turns out to be!  » read more

Warm Mashed Potatoes

Linda Burton posting from Carson City, Nevada – I don’t usually recommend restaurants. But everybody I’ve met so far in Carson City has told me Red’s was their favorite place to eat. I had to go see for myself. It’s not really a restaurant anyhow, it’s a museum that just happens to serve really, really, really good barbecue. And a lot of other good stuff.

The windmill signaled me in; what lay ahead under the patch-worked tin-sheeted roof? I walked past stone walls, carved wooden bears, an enclosed patio with a giant barbecue grill and a blazing fireplace. Laney welcomed me at the door; handed me a leaflet describing the fabulous Red “collection.” » read more

Not Just Blowing in the Wind

Linda Burton posting from Carson City, Nevada – The blue and silver flashes caught my eye as I drove down Carson Street. Hundreds of pinwheels on the Legislative lawn were spinning wildly in the afternoon breeze. Of course I had to know — why were they there? Inside, I learned it is an annual thing, this Planting of the Pinwheels; as April is Prevent Child Abuse month in Nevada, part of the national effort, Prevent Child Abuse America.

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Close Enough to Touch

Linda Burton posting from Carson City, Nevada – From the door of my room I see mountains. They are a dry-brush brown, with a white-snow frosting along the tops. I could walk across the street and start climbing towards the snow. If I were a hiker, that is. These mountains look approachable; with gently rounded slopes. I could wrap my arms tight against my body and go rolling down. If I were a kid, that is. Rocks jut up here and there, but overall, these mountains have a friendly look. And they are close enough to touch.

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The Sierra

Linda Burton traveling from Sacramento, California to Carson City, Nevada – Today was the day to tackle “The Sierra.” I’ve been hearing about it for two weeks; it’s all the Sacramento news – the weather of it, the condition of the road to Tahoe, events to entertain. I couldn’t see it, and didn’t really understand (why isn’t it Sierras, plural?).  I’d delayed a day to let the snow clouds dissipate; no chains in my repertoire. Now I had a sunny day and loaded up with ease, one thing at a time from room to car.

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Life, Taxes, and Toyota

Linda Burton posting from Sacramento, California – No matter how adventurous you are, some things have to happen when they have to happen. Like filing your tax return by the time IRS tells you to, and getting prescriptions refilled when they run out, and taking the cats to the vet for their regular check-up time. Like getting the windshield ding repaired before it cracked (from that April 1st California dust storm).

H&R Block took care of the taxes for me, wonderful service, wonderful folks, nice office there on Watt Avenue; Rite-Aid close by for the prescriptions; Banfield for the cats. SafeLite came out and repaired the ding – it’s guaranteed no matter where I go from here. In this day and age, we’re “portable”; our records follow us around. That’s nice, I think, now everything is taken care of; I’m up to date.

But then I heard a noise, a scraping sound from underneath the car. A limb, perhaps? The temp light came on next. Time for Scion experts now; I dare not drive the Sierra with unknowns. I headed for Maita Toyota, near by.  » read more

Facts and Fictions

Linda Burton posting from Sacramento, California – Tucked away in a corner of the California State Railroad Museum in a temperature-controlled case is the golden “Lost Spike.” Hanging on the wall near the spike are a portrait and a photograph – two depictions of the famous “moment in time” when the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met in Promontory, Utah, thus connecting by rail the eastern and western states. The date was May 10, 1869. Why was the golden spike lost? And why do the portrait and the photograph present such a different atmosphere of the occasion? The visitor is invited to study, and ponder.

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40 Acres and the Trees

Linda Burton posting from Sacramento, California — More trees per capita than any city in the world? Even Paris? This is a comparison frequently made in Sacramento, in justifying its name as The City of Trees. I’ve never been to Paris but I can vouch for the fact that Sacramento really has a lot of trees.

The first thing that caught my eye as I drove into the city was the trees. Gorgeous trees. Majestic trees. Tall trees, short trees, fruit trees, fir trees, palm trees, pine trees, cedar trees, oak trees; well, you get the idea. All these trees make up what is called an “urban forest,” and technologically that’s a good thing because it makes the air better. Emotionally, trees just make us happier. Who can resist them?

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The Serendipity of Rice

Linda Burton posting from Sacramento, California — “You can tell by the scars on my knuckles that I grew up on a rice farm,” said Bill. “My father started farming rice in the 50’s and continued more than forty years. I know rice.” Indeed he does, and he likes to talk about rice, too. William Huffman is now Vice-president of Communications for the Farmer’s Rice Cooperative in Sacramento, and can tell you what you want to know. “Arkansas plants more acres that California does,” he continued, “but we have a higher yield, because we have the perfect Mediterranean climate here.”

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