All American canal, Indio, CA

I was out in Indio yesterday morning for my horsemanship lesson and on my way home, I crossed the All American canal.  I had my camera with me, the clouds were just right, and I had time to take some photos.  The All American canal comes from the Colorado River and traverses our desert, bringing water to the farmers and cities of the Coachella Valley.  There are plenty of signs around it warning people to stay OUT of the canal, but every year somebody falls into it and drowns.  On my way to my lesson, I saw a father and his son fishing in it.  OYE VEI!!!!  I stopped to take a photo of the algae on the sides of the canal.  This makes it nearly impossible for somebody to climb up the sides and get out!!!!  We used to have the water district lady come to our classrooms and warn the students about the dangers of the canal, but with budget cuts, she doesn't come now.  I remember her telling the class that the calm water is deceiving.  There is an undercurrent which is moving constantly because of the pumps which suck the water down, down, down into them...THAT's where people get into trouble and drown.  Beauty is deceiving, right? There are NO fences along the canal and there are a LOT of homes along it in Indio. 

Sonoma

Yesterday morning we headed up to Healdsburg for breakfast and then to Sonoma before driving over to Napa for our Christmas family dinner.  I always love stopping in Sonoma, but we got there about noon and the parking was really crowded.  We drove around the town square a couple of times before a spot opened up.  Our daughter and son-in-law wanted to find a little cooking shop, but it has gone out of business, so they headed over to the Sonoma Cheese Factory.  Hubby and I walked around the park.  The plaza there in Sonoma is the largest in California, and is just over 8 acres. Sonoma was the seat of the Bear Flag Revolt in 1846 and served as the capital for a while.

Solvang, CA

Solvang is a small Danish-themed town in California, about 30 minutes outside of Santa Barbara.  We frequently stay in Buellton, which is next to Solvang, on our trips to northern California.  My sister-in-law lives in Napa and we are heading up there for an after-Christmas dinner tomorrow night.  We love to stay in Solvang and eat breakfast at the Little Mermaid restaurant.  We always have the abelskevier (round pancakes) and relax before hitting the road.  Don't they look yummy?  I forgot to take a photo before I devoured them, so I'm sorry for the messy plate!  Yum, yum!

Tractor sign~Mellow Yellow Monday 010311

Hubby and I have a favorite road that we take when we travel to Bishop, CA. It's just a few miles outside of town and there are cattle ranches in the area. While hubby was off taking photos of the cows and calves, I spotted this sign and had to take a photo of it! There was snow on the ground, the cows were fed, and the rancher was in his house, with a fire in the stove. Mellow Yellow Monday for January 3, 2011.

Ranch Cafe~Window Views and Doors, Too 102110

This is the Ranch House Cafe, located near Olancha, CA, on Highway 375. Hubby and I stopped there for breakfast on our way to June Lake last weekend. It was decorated for Halloween and it was very relaxing! Unfortunately, it may not be around next year as CALTRANS is considering moving Highway 395 away from the cafe! So, if you drive up Highway 395 and want a great place to eat and friendly service, please stop here and enjoy it while you can! Window Views and Doors, Too for October 21, 2010.