[RioRico]

The nice local Indian Casino advertises "The Greatest Jackpot Is Friendship." Such payouts don't have to be reported to the IRS, but don't cover the rent too well either.

The Chief with the Twelve Feathers stands before the rising sun in the east, but only those who stand high and watch carefully recognize the New Light , for it does not come in the way most people expect.
—says an Indian Prophesy
(something to keep you on your toes)

Can't tell if it's thawed any more since Wednesday. Those voices in my head tell me not to look. I always do what my voices say. It's safer like that. And the way the ice falls under the full moon...

I asked Evie at Ridge Roost minimart how come she charged almost twice as much for a quart of Bud Malt as it costs down at the WalMart, just 50 miles away, and she sez, "Freight." I noted that the freight was only a buck for 2 or 3 cases, and she replied: "Y'know, I've thought on that a bunch. But the only way I can explain it is freight. If y'can do any better, y'go right on ahead, now, honey."

Crossing the Sierra spine has always been hazardous, due not merely to vagaries of weather, topography, confusion, starvation and hostility. But also, damn perversity and curiosity, greed and gluttony. Many have been lost chasing mineral wealth, delicate victuals, and other will-o-the-wisps. Others have gone, seeking the Fremont Cannon. Yet more have vanished, trying to find themselves. No loss.
—says A Seeker
(who will now settle for a good approximation)

DeWayne DeWitt, camping raw out by Kirkwood, after a lay-over up in the Alaska Range, sez "It's real easy to tell the difference between a black bear and a grizzly. Kick one in the rump, and it's the black bear that will climb the tree after you."

[larryinlc]

We had this morning what most likely would be considered a southern type snow here is Wisconsin. 2 inches this morning.... melted by this evening. It's April!

Larry

[Chex]

Wow.. at least we're not the only ones! It tried snowing up here in BC again earlier this week.. about 3 inches over two nights but never accumulated to anything that lasted past Tuesday afternoon. Still have about 3 feet in the shaded area of the yard though...

[Ratmagiclady]

Everyone have a good Earth Day?

[jolepp]

Everyone have a good Earth Day?

This dude's idea?



(Gaylord Nelson)

[RioRico]

Had a stopover last week, by Hairy Terry, semi-retired geologist and Death Valley expert. He was enroute from his new ranch east of Mono Lake (where he breeds rocks), to a Men's Retreat down in Sonora. There, he & a bunch of guys dance naked around campfires, chanting and howling and doing other manly stuff. It's always fun in Sonora.

"I went to minin' in the Amador, an' first they wasn't a woman in a hundred miles. And when one did come in one day on a wagon, the men all run to look at her as if she was a show. Better she'da stayed away, an' twenty more like her that come in when the diggins begun to pan out rich. I believe every woman was the cause o' fifty fights an'one or two deaths. It made me mad to see men fight about 'em, when they knowed jest what they was — men that had mothers an' sisters back in the States, an' some of 'em sweethearts an' wives."
—says J.H. Beadle
(who prob'ly didn't need to schedule men's retreats)

In old Amador City in 1853, a mob hanged a man for supposed horse-stealing, but afterward discovered that he was innocent. The mob's messenger broke the news to the victim's widow in this manner: "We hanged Jim for stealing a horse, but come to find out he didn't do it, so I guess the joke's on us."
—after W.A. Chalfant

(And after gutting Iraq, and no Weapons-Of-Mass-Destruction were found, who's the joke on? In fact, what's the joke?)

Jak at Placerville Poultry Plantation is so worried about the prophesized upcoming terror attacks that he's replaced all his roosters with puppets, and booby-trapped the freezer doors. Do ya think he might feel safer somewhere else? "I'll never go back to Kansas!" swears Jak. I think he watches too much TV news.

[annemari]

How is the weather there? I'm starting to feel summer already, although the land is still wet But it's so warm!

[dadipentak]

How is the weather there?

Because of the lousy weather (windy rain), last week's community clean-up was rescheduled to today. Guess what?

[jolepp]

Hmm ... in the past week or two it has been mostly sunny if somewhat windy at times; it seems that the quite substantial amount of snow we had in the beginning of this sunny spell vanished in just a couple of days leaving the ground soaked here (southern Finland) too. Currently clear skies with few fluffy clouds and remarkably warm +20 C for this time of the year .

[annemari]

Hmm ... in the past week or two it has been mostly sunny if somewhat windy at times; it seems that the quite substantial amount of snow we had in the beginning of this sunny spell vanished in just a couple of days leaving the ground soaked here (southern Finland) too. Currently clear skies with few fluffy clouds and remarkably warm +20 C for this time of the year .

Yeah! I know how You feel! Here is too like 18 degrees, which is warm! I mean even in the summer and now it's just spring! Love it!

[RichardS]

While you people in the northen hemisphere are heading towards summer, spare a thought for us as we're heading towards winter. It's already getting very cold at night, around 10 to 12C, and the days are cool with a max around 20C. Hmm - sunny and 23 tommorrow. That's a bit better.

Richard.

[annemari]

While you people in the northen hemisphere are heading towards summer, spare a thought for us as we're heading towards winter. It's already getting very cold at night, around 10 to 12C, and the days are cool with a max around 20C. Hmm - sunny and 23 tommorrow. That's a bit better.

Richard.

You're telling me that 10 to 12 degrees is very cold? Ahh, I can't imagine how You could live in Estonia, even in our sunniest summers we have these degrees at night and 23 degrees! Dammit! I need it, it has been freaking cold and snowy this year

[Arpe]

How is the weather there? I'm starting to feel summer already, although the land is still wet But it's so warm!

Getting worse as winter approaches

[annemari]

Getting worse as winter approaches

Too sad to hear it.. I just love the warm weather

[RioRico]

From the ridgetops to the crest, nights 're still damn cold here. Some warm noons a bear awakes, dances like a Mormon, goes back to sleep. It's been a long winter.

Evie at Ridge Roost minimart wonders why all the fuss over Iraq, and MidEast oil. "Put up some solar cells, brew some gasahol; those camel jocks can invade or nuke each other all they want, no skin off OUR necks," she sez, throwing another log on the fire.
—says A Loyal Customer

Some bits of the old Mormon Emigrant Trail should be visible, come the Spring thaw. Get those Skidoos out of the way!

The secessionist movement at Truckee-Tahoe is picking up steam. Last time secession was tried up north (Nataqua) there was shooting but no killing.

Numerous mines and ghost towns are now lost beneath the surface of reservoirs. A good long drought will reveal some. But when those lakes silt up, they'll be gone forever. Unless robots come. Or UFOs. Can we blame nitrous oxide?

Have you noticed that since everyone has a camcorder these days, folks don't talk about seeing UFOs like they used to? No Yeti-Sasquatch tapes lately, either. Look for mysteries elsewhere...

FROZE — We took a spin in the SUV over Carson Pass to Hope Valley and down to the Blue Lakes. Stretching my legs along a pond in deep shade, I saw that the first storm of the winter had been frosty'n'furious. Sticking up from the ice were frogs' heads by the dozen — they'd popped up startled, and been flash-frozen in place when the wind hit.
—says A Keen Observer