Sagebrush and Snow - in Los Angeles?

March 26-31, 2017
Santa Clarita, California

Sunday family and friends join us for BBQ and visiting. Everyone's schedules are so full, we can't get the whole group together at the same time, but this afternoon we get close. They don't even see each other very often - jobs and school and family and life keep them all hopping.

We have a great visit, and of course these days is all about the little ones. 

Richie (the youngest), Bill, and Corey (#2) with Maximus.

Corey, Scott (Nick's best friend and like another son), Bill, Allie (Scott's wife), Nick, Jillian, Richie and Tessa.

Maximus and Ella (Scott's youngest)

Nick, Jillian and Maximus

Ella and Daddy Scott

Maximus and Autumn (Scott's oldest)

Corey's girlfriend, Carlie, and Travis (#3) and girlfriend Emily join us later in the evening and by then the camera is forgotten. Some day I will have photos of everyone :-(

Monday I never get out of my pjs while the high winds bluster and throw branches at our roof. Tuesday we get together with Brian for lunch and run some errands.

Wednesday the wind is not as bad and we're ready for some nature. There are forests "up the road" from us. Let's go see that!

Just north of the little town of Gorman, near the summit of the "famous" Grapevine hill in northern Los Angeles County, we leave Interstate 5 heading west.

The next six hours we traverse the very diverse region that is the Los Padres National Forest. While the hillsides along the interstate are very green, we spend most our day in grays and browns. It looks completely different here. Not because it's dead, or because it didn't get a lot of water, but because the indigenous flora here is mostly manzanita, chemise, scrub oak, toyon sumac and true sages. The growth is thick and healthy, just not as much green.

From chaparral, to juniper-pinyon woodland, to oak woodland, to conifer forest, to the sub-alpine fellfields at 8,000 feet, we enjoy an every changing environment under beautiful blue skies.

Throw in wildflowers, water, rock formations and snow - and we have a really great drive.

  

More signs of the heavy February rains.

Woohoo!!!!

Highway 33 connects us back to Highway 126 and home.

Out of the mountains we stop for lunch at the cute little town of Ojai. From 55 degrees at the summit, we are now sitting in the shade at 85 degrees. It just adds to the feeling that we've covered a lot of territory :-)

Spring blooms

Agave Maria's - my favorite Ojai eatery

Happy for bright colored shade.

Back home we get ready and head out again. This time we're off to the big city of Valley Village in the San Fernando Valley. The traffic isn't bad (going in this direction) and we arrive on time for dinner at Megan and Chris' place. How sweet to enjoy a home-cooked meal and wonderful company. We are so blessed with family.

Thursday we spend a little more time with Brian and then meet Travis and Emily for dinner. Where I finally remember to get a photo of these two cuties. More blessings.

Emily and Travis - getting married next June :-))

Our Friday starts out with a visit from Richie and his girlfriend Gabby. They come bearing bagels and a Cribbage board - sweet! Bill played the game with his dad and taught all his boys. Nick made Richie his own board, and today Dad and the youngest play a game. Life is good.

Gabby, Richie and Bill....too much sunshine :-(

The rest of the day we get a few things done before our travels over the weekend. More celebrating with more family!