Sunset to Sunset

Last evening (Sunday) the gloaming was lovely. And inside Rob was turning Lucy into Jim Henson for a school biography presentation that will take place tomorrow (Tuesday). This morning (Monday), prior to taking Clara to the Atlantis (see previous post), Anna took me on a beautiful walk along Thomas Creek. The creek runs though a gully in the middle of sagebrush-covered foothills just a couple of blocks from their home on Thomas Creek Road. The gully is lush with trees and grasses. I have seen chokecherries in the canyons and on the foothills of Utah, but I have never seen as many as I saw this morning. The walk was beautiful and blessed with a breeze that apparently is omnipresent in Reno.

This evening we went to the binkers' piano recital. They did a fantastic job. We capped off the evening with yogurt and doughnuts. Returning home, the sky was spectacular again. Anna says that along with wind, Reno is blessed with beautiful skies. I concur.

 I am my father's son: I, too, love a view: Sunday night

 Lucy channels Jim Henson

 Anna leads the way up the Thomas Creek Trail

 Thomas Creek

 Where the sagebrush meets the water

 Chokecherry blossoms

 Thomas Creek with Reno below

 Anders masters the Steinway

 Lucy was brilliant

 Tucker's piece was a triumph

 The yogurt reward

Reno captured my heart once again tonight

Tomorrow we head back to Utah after a terrific, if short, visit. Thanks to the Hastings for the invitation and the hospitality. It was a great trip.

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

It Was Magical

When we arrived in Reno for our first visit many months ago, Clara pointed out the Atlantis Resort Hotel and Casino. She was convinced that it was a magical place with dolphins and all kinds of wonderful things. (You may have read Anna's post a few months back.) I am pretty sure the fascination is because it is wrapped in a blanket of pink and appears to have been built for use by fairies, unicorns, and other blessed creatures. I mentioned at some point that I would take Clara for a visit when next we came and her mind, like a steel trap, was set. Well today was payday. I picked her up after preschool and we drove to the Atlantis for lunch. I checked in with the guy at the information desk and asked him what all we could see; he took us personally to the elevators and headed us toward our lunch spot. When we returned after lunch, he presented Clara with her own Atlantis sun visor.

 A magical place!

 Pretty exciting!

 Going up

Nachos and chicken nuggets: yum! (?)

The Atlantis sun visor

She admitted to me on the way in that there were probably lots of people smoking and gambling (which there were), but that didn't manage to spoil our visit. She still thought it was pretty great. I know I had fun.

There will be more from earlier and later today, but that's all for now.

OXO

D.

Super Sunday Sojourn

After church we fried some chicken and prepared a picnic in preparation for a trip up over Mount Rose to Lake Tahoe. It was a perfect afternoon and the binkers had a great time playing in the sand and water. The highlight of the day, however, was the annualar eclipse that reached perfection at about 6:30 Pacific time. There was a very kind woman who had a bag full of eclipse glasses that she passed out all along the beach so we were able to monitor the entire process.

 Lake Tahoe

 Sand Harbor

 Kris and Dickie in the shade

 More shade lovers

 The Hastings on the beach

 Tucker helping Anders bury himself

 Clara creating a flotsam-and-jetsam sculpture

 A short walk while waiting for the full eclipse

 A beautiful view

 A spectacular afternoon with impressive thunderheads

 Ready for the eclipse

 This is what we saw

 Rob and Kris with appropriated eye wear

This was a great day! There will probably be a bit more to report, but that's all for now.

OXO

D.

Spur of the Moment

A week or so ago, in a phone conversation, Anna suggested that we should come to Reno for a piano recital. Well why not? So Friday, after Kris finished work, we drove to Elko for the night. We had a good meal at the Star Hotel, a northern-Nevada Basque hostel established many years ago for sheep herders and miners who had emigrated from the north of Spain in search of work. The food was served family style and was beyond abundant!

We arrived in Reno on Saturday and found all well here. That afternoon we drove up I-80 into California to Donner Lake where we had a beautiful walk through the forest along the shore. It was a clear, cool day and the afternoon sun made the lake sparkle. Anna and Rob had a business dinner in the evening so Kris and I took the binkers to Fatburger for supper. It was fine, but doesn't compare to our favorite Smashburger.

 The Star Hotel in Elko

 The tail end of the dinner

 Yes, all is well in Reno

 A walk in the woods

 The troops

 The same group headed west

 Donner Lake with Donner Pass in the distance

 The water is fine

 Pop Pop, take a picture

 A bit of wading on the way out

 Dinner at Fatburger

Today we are headed to church and then on an adventure. So check back for more. This, however, is all for now.

OXO

D.

A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That

Since returning from the cousins' reunion, there have been no major events, just a bit of this and that. Linda Gibbs came to Utah on business and spent a couple of days with us. It is always nice to be able to visit and catch up, and we got to see Chelsea. We love having the Gibbs stay. May 1st was Ollie's ninth birthday. Phillip made a yellow cake (not the best yellow cake I've ever had). In truth, it was excellent.

Wedding plans are progressing. Two evenings ago, Millie took pictures of Katy and Daniel so they could include a photo with their invitations which are being printed as I type. So there are things going on, even if nothing major is in the offing at present.

 The final morning of the reunion at HB's house

 Chris is tickling Stephen's funny bone

 Chelsea, Linda, Emily, and Kris

 A beautiful spring May-Day morning

 Oliver David

 Nine years old

 Phillip's very good cake

 In the gardens of the MOA

 Looking fine

Millie at work

That's all for now.

OXO

D.