On the Road Again

(Last post, this site doesn't work right anymore.  I started out trying to make this interesting but encountering problems, just dashed off some details for my own record.)

This morning we loaded up the old Prius and headed south. It was such a beautiful morning at home we were almost reluctant to leave.  Clear skies over the Cascades provided a brilliant sunrise.  Mt. Rainier and little Tahoma were clear.  An eagle flew by and then an osprey.  Lots of rain in the forecast so we left, destination Arizona and the great Southwest.




After a quick stop in Poulsbo to check on the boat, we zipped down to Fife to buy a sofa (Merry Christmas me!) and slogged through post holiday traffic down I-5 to Centralia where D uncharacteristically turned in to the discount mall and bought himself a Pendleton shirt and a Coach belt.  Merry Christmas David. Killing time at Chico's, I ended up with a new dressy blouse.

Nothing but solid stop and go traffic all the way to Cottage Grove where we got a room and an amazing dinner at Jackspratts.  Crispy tofu version of coconut shrimp on quinoa and fresh greens, more than I could eat.

Day two saw us landing in Chico Ca in a dubious Best Western which turned out fine and trying to get into the Sierra Nevada brewpub for dinner but it was totally packed, then a Chinese restaurant that was totally empty and a little creepy so we found a great place nearby, The Pourhouse, that made us very happy.

Next day google maps directed us onto a short cut that put us on a narrow dirt road in the rice fields outside Chico.  Awesome birding there and soon the road normalized and we were going over high passes on the way to Reno.  Saw cousins and hit the road again for the Owens Valley.  Stayed at the Vagabond Motel, almost the only vacant room in town.  So overpriced!  Lots of vacationers in the area.

Friday we enjoyed cruising through Death Valley, lunch at the surprising Amargosa Cafe in Death Valley Junction, then a great time in Pahrump, NV, with cousins.

Saturday was a long drive to Tucson with a stop for late lunch in Wickenburg.  We like that little town.  Got to our Airbnb in Tucson after dark.  Stayed 10 days.  Loved it.  Two nights in Bisbee at the Bisbee Grand Hotel.  Witnessed the amazing arrival of the Sandhill Cranes at the Whitewater Draw.

On the way to Silver City, we spent three hours at the Amerind Museum in Dragoon. Wow!  Rediscovered Rodney's in Willcox but the meal didn't match up to our memories.  Landed just fine at the Agave Adobe and here we are, several days later, happy to be back in Silver again.

Leaving Blogger

Something has happened to this app and I can't get any photos to load and the formatting is weird so I won't be posting anything anymore.  If you have any interest in seeing what I've been up to, I would suggest looking at my Instagram, YouTube or Flickr stuff.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/julimil/  Or just key in julimil Flickr

https://m.youtube.com/my_videos

I'm Julzoftheworld on Instagram

April, Central Sicilia

Dear Reader,

If you happen to find yourself here and care to read about one day's travel in Central Sicily, please start from the bottom and work your way up.  I can't seem to find a way to put the photos and text in the right order.  Mi dispiace molto!

 Lucked out tonight, wonderful room, friendly host and this view from our room!

Aetna from the entrance to Randazzo, where we will be stopping for the night after a long but spectacular drive.

Our first peek at Mt. Aetna!  So close and fresh snow.  SS 120 was very rough from Troina to here.  Heavy rains washed out the road in many places and it was rebuilt but never paved.  Just saying.

Troina, way up high on a sheer rock cliff.  St. George (and the dragon) church and the Black and White Pub right next door, so incongruous, with its red satin upholstery.  We sat in the window with a dizzying view down the cliff.  David had the best grilled calamari ever and I had fun talking to the adorable server, so stylish with his trendy hair and cool glasses.  Kids in Sicily have been just great to interact with.  

From the church steps toward town

Approaching Troina, I think.  We saw several mountaintop towns today.

I truly loved this spot.

It was misty this morning.

La Dimora di Samu was our resting place in Enna.  We had a beautiful room and the kindest, most generous host, Giuseppe.  Leaving Enna this morning, we started off on a long and twisty series of country roads that got us to Randazzo around 4 p. m. This is looking back at Enna, way up on the hill. That's where we had a picnic lunch yesterday, at the foot of the ancient castle, Castello Lombardia.

Now Showing!

My nine piece series of various aquatic beings playing around in imaginary watery realms has been accepted into the amazing Bluewater Artworks Gallery in old town Poulsbo.  I am thrilled!

This is Octopus's Garden, a 12 x 9, acrylic on canvas, as are all of these.

Coming Home, 16 x 16

Playtime. 24 x 18, inspired by Hokusai's Great Wave

Night Seiner/Still Around, 28 x 22

Underwater Rainbow, 24 x 36

Wild and Free,  22 x 28

Geoduck revisited

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NNnWeu0yDs4

Fritters, sashimi, garlic butter sauté and chowder---we've had them all the this week, thanks to a minus tide and a sand bar that is home to the Pacific Geoduck.  A few years ago, when we first became aware of this treasure on our beach, I posted a story and photos and promised a video on how to clean a geoduck.  That didn't happen but no worries, here is a professional video on YouTube that does a great job.  We've not yet tried her suggestion of a bit of olive oil over the sashimi. It seems fine with just soy sauce and lemon, flying off the plate as the hungry diggers gather round.