It never rains in California

It never rains in California – isn’t that what the song said? Well if you’ve been watching the weather reports the last several days you know it has rained a lot in California. And so on Thursday we left Bend along with Robert and Diane to go to Palm Desert for the yearly meeting of our LLC.

The view out the front window of the car in SUNNY California:


Fortunately yesterday when we go up the weather had changed from rain to simply cloudy and drizzly. Then by afternoon mixed sun and clouds – so off we went to the Joshua Tree National Park. Here is a slide show of some of the park – totally awesome place. Click on the photo below and it will take you to the photo album. Once you get there there is a SMALL button at the top left of the first picture to let yo view larger images in a slide show format.

Joshua Tree National Forest

Do Ya Wanna Dance?

We have seen many interesting things looking at the wildlife out our kitchen window, but... well see for yourself. These little guys where newborns in the spring, how things change.

Note that this video IS SUITABLE FOR GENERAL AUDIENCES!

The Fountains

A couple of months ago we were invited to go on a trip to Newport Oregon with Robert and Diane. Newport sits almost in the center of the scenic Oregon coast. One of the most interesting attractions there is the Oregon Coast Aquarium - but more on that in a later post.

While we were there we were in a store and saw metal tanks that had been converted into fountains. Basically they were inside tanks from water heaters that had been cleaned and very intricate patterns cut into them so that a light mounted inside would display the patterns at night. The artist used the pipe that goes up the center of the tank and exits the top at the tanks center to route water out of the top of the tank to spill down the sides. The tanks where then powder-coated to finish them off. They were VERY cool.

Well Robert had the idea to make our own fountains as Christmas surprises for Diane and Helen. Robert rounded up two old water heaters from a local plumbing company and we stripped the outside and all of the misc hardware from the tanks.

We then struggled with designs for the tanks. Realizing that we probably did not have the necessary skills or the equipment to do the level of detail that we had seen in the “professional” product we settle on relative simple designs.

Robert cut the patterns into the tank one cold, rainy day; while I stood by watching to make sure that nothing caught fire (including Robert!).

We decided to let the women make the final decision on finishing the tanks off, so unveiled the interim product to them on Christmas day. Here are a couple of pictures of the final product.

Thanks again to Robert for the idea and all of the help!