Wildfires are happening in the counties surrounding us, two of the biggest ones roaring since mid-August. All the fires are slowly, but surely being contained, thanks to the many firefighters and others involved.  We live in San Benito County, part of Central Coast California, and we're very fortunate that our only problem with the fires has been poor air quality. Since mid-August, the weather has alternated between HOT and smoky and cold and smoky. At the moment, the sun is doing its best to break through the layers of fog, ashes, dust, and smoke.  Last Sunday afternoon was the hottest day of our last mini heatwave. Our power went off for several hours. No big deal for me. I slept and slept. But, before I fell asleep, I heard fireworks go off in the near distance. Some people.

The White Rabbit said he was late. What was he late for? The tea party? Curious minds, such as mine, want to know. Oh my. The Husband is doubl y smart. Initially I wrote "Curious minds, such as me, want to know." That seemed off. Should it be "such as I"?  Still didn't sound right, thus I asked the Husband. Neither appealed to him either. Ever the good grammar student back in the schooldays, the Husband asked, "Is it an object or a subject? My eyes crossed. "Read it again," he said. "Curious minds, such as me, want to know." "Mine." "Mind," I repeated. "Mine." "Mine?" "It's curious minds that want to know." My eyes uncrossed. I'm giving an example of a curious mind. Awwww. The Husband is a genius. Alas, he didn't know either what the important date was the White Rabbit needed to make.   HOPPING BACK TO INITIAL THOUGHT I brought up the White Rabbit

"It's snowing!" "Did you see the snow on the mountains?" Everyone we talked to yesterday, both friends and strangers, bubbled ebulliently about the snow on the mountain ridges around us. "I don't have to go to the Sierras now," said a guy in the Target parking lot. Not that it was a lot of snow. Simply a decent dusting on the forward peaks that lasted all day and a thick enough coating on the back peaks to be saying "Hello! Snow here!" today. The temperatures have been in the 30s and 40s, which probably sound like the tropics to some of you. I don't recall the last time our tap water is as cold as water in a mountain lake. It tastes refreshing. It has probably been 10 years, more or less, since we've seen snow in our area. Last time, the Husband and I drove up to the end of a long country road to wander in the snow and throw a snowball at each other. Not this time. We were afraid of flooding Eliza if we went thr

My theme for #23 Round of ABC Wednesday: Signs & Such of San Benito County, California In January 2013, the Pinnacles National Monument was redesignated a national park becoming California's ninth national park. And, lucky us, the Pinnacles National Park is in our county. The park has two entrances. To get to the eastern entry, you drive right by Hollister. So, of course, both city and county jumped to take advantage of the potential increased tourism coming into our area. One thing the local politicians tried was to rename California Highway 25, which is pretty much contained in our county, to reflect as being the true gateway to the park. Cool idea, right? Residents and ranchers in the southern part of the county didn't agree. Someone told me many didn't like having to notify everyone about their new address as well as dig into their pockets to buy new stationery. Story short: Only the Highway 25 Bypass (about six miles), which skirts to the east of Holli

My theme for #23 Round of ABC Wednesday: Signs & Such of San Benito County, California Tuesday, November 6, 2018 is General Election Day, but the early voting period is already in progress. In our county, if we don't want to wait to vote at our polling place on Election Day, we can mail in our filled-in ballots. We can also stop by the County Registrar of Voters office to vote, which may be open on the weekends. Or, if we prefer, we can place our completed ballots in the official ballot drop box over in Winn Alley, between the library and the old courthouse in Hollister. So, there we go. With all these options, there's no reason for us not to vote in San Benito County. Well, we do need to be registered. The last day to register in California is Monday October 22, 2018. It can be done online . How convenient is that? O is the featured letter today on ABC Wednesday . Click here to read about this weekly meme, and click here for this week's list of parti

My theme for #23 Round of ABC Wednesday: Signs & Such of San Benito County, California For its Chicken Festival in September, San Juan Bautista posted temporary NO PARKING signs on part of its main thoroughfare. Vendor booths and entertainment spots lined the closed-off streets for all to enjoy. Bwak, bwak. N is the featured letter today on ABC Wednesday . Click here to read about this weekly meme, and click here for this week's list of participants.  Thank you, ABCW Team!

On Wednesday afternoon, the Husband and I loaded the back seat with flowers for the dry and fresh floral arrangements I've entered into the county fair. There was also stuff in the trunk. I tend to be over ambitious. LOL We're about to head off to the San Benito County Fair . I hope someone is selling corn dogs. I'll show off my entries on Sunday. See ya.

My theme for #23 Round of ABC Wednesday: Signs & Such of San Benito County, California Luck Museum. Doesn't that sound wondrous? Imagine the paintings, sculptures, displays, and exhibits interpreting luck. That's something. This is a real sign in San Juan Bautista, the town next door. The Luck Museum, run by the San Juan Bautista Historical Society , was once a gas station owned by Mr. Carl Martin Luck, who immigrated from Germany in 1890. More than 80 years later, Mr. Luck's daughter donated the building and grounds to the city, which today, in addition to the museum, includes a city park and the city library.  That was good fortune. M is the featured letter today on ABC Wednesday . Click here to read about this weekly meme, and click here for this week's list of participants.  Thank you, ABCW Team!

My theme for #23 Round of ABC Wednesday: Signs & Such of San Benito County, California If we were all mindful of what's common sense and common decency, we wouldn't need signs like this one. For that matter, also many of the regulations and laws that ensure people, animals, and the environment are not being used by greedy bullies and then spitted out when done. But we do need those laws, regulations, and signs. We certainly do. How else do we keep thugs, ruffians,  money-grubbers, self-servers, oppressors, tyrants, and the like in check? After all, they've lost their goodness of being kind. So I think. Okay, off the soap box I jump. Thanks for listening. Maybe tomorrow I'll be in a lighter, kinder mood. K is the featured letter today on ABC Wednesday . Click here to read about this weekly meme, and click here for this week's list of participants.  Thank you, ABCW Team!

My theme for #23 Round of ABC Wednesday: Signs & Such of San Benito County, California We all like to go back to a restaurant that makes us drool when we think about the food we had there. Don't you agree? In my county, J.J.'s Burgers in San Juan Bautista is that kind of place for me when it comes to a burger. Garlic fries, too. Drooooooool. J is the featured letter today on ABC Wednesday . Click here to read about this weekly meme, and click here for this week's list of participants.  Thank you, ABCW Team!