Trip out to Jacumba

We had been planning, all vacation-long, on spending a day up in Jacumba to enjoy soaking in the hot springs. It's a wonderful way to spend a winter's day. But with all the Christmas dinner hosting and general business, we had had a hard time fitting it into our schedule--until today. 

And away we went!

But first, we had to stop in for a quick bite at The Barbecue Pit. This is one of those no-nonsense restaurants. Look up at the board. Voice your pick. Grab your tray. Pay. Eat. Leave. Except today, there were other folks also taking pictures of it as I was. It is a San Diego landmark, but we were still surprised to see tourists acting touristy out in our neighborhood. 

We had fueled ourselves, not our car, and we drove east into the high desert. 

Yay! We arrived at our destination, our aching backs yearning for that hot soak. Oh, I worked extra hard in the yard the day before, knowing, believing I would get my reward today. Oh, yeah!

Oh, no! We discovered that our favorite hot spring destination is under serious reconstruction. The jacuzzi was empty. The pools were empty. 

The restaurant was reduced to new paint on the wall, and empty space!

A team of men were working on the roof and exterior. They seemed intrigued by our visit, happy to have company, a diversion. One man gave us a tour of the interior to show us all the work they have been up to since March. But where would we soak, we asked? The men indicated there was a bathtub somewhere yonder, but would we find it?

We tromped around awhile to check out some of the derelict properties of the town. Jacumba looks something like a ghost town these days, but I know one day, it's going to be a hopping haven. It must, because of its precious healing hot springs. 

If I ever win the lottery, I will buy significant property up here and transform it into a local paradise. 

Even the derelict ramshackle structures up in Jacumba will all be fixed up one day. That is my vision. 

Oh, Lord, don't buy me a Mercedes-Benz, but help me win the lottery, and I will transform this town!

Today, the air was crisp, about 52 degrees. 

One other reason I love going to Jacumba is because it gives me a chance to watch for birds. I was double-equipped today. I had my camera and my newly acquired binoculars. Jacumba is super quiet. All I could hear was the light breeze and the birds tweeting in the trees. 

And there were so many birds up in the pine trees. 

I waited, pointed, clicked, until. . . 

This old dog started barking at me. I don't think it was mad or alarmed. I think it was barking because it finally had something to say to somebody. It was lonely and I was there to hear it. 

The most spectacular thing I saw today was a barn owl. I'm not sure what the bird in the above photo is. I caught this picture later. 

The barn owl was in this tree. It seemed ghostly white and swooped out toward me as I stepped under the tree to take pictures of other birds I had spotted. The owl flapped toward me so quickly I had no chance to take its picture. It really surprised me. It flapped in a distinctive way, almost folding its wings as it flew. 

I stayed awhile longer hoping the owl would return, but I didn't see it again. 

Well, we didn't find the bathtub the workmen had told us about, so we continued to drive east, in search of another hot spring they had told us about. 

But we were starting to run low on gas, and the only place that seemed open for miles was the Lazy Lizard Saloon. 

It started to feel like we were characters in a movie where it starts out bright and cheery, until we run out of gas and are killed by some crazed man holding an axe. Each gas station we found had been abandoned. No gas for miles. No vultures were circling overhead, but I was expecting them. We eyed our gas gauge and decided we had better head back. But we still wanted to soak. Could we find that bathtub back in Jacumba?

One of the workmen we had spoken to earlier led the way in his bright red truck. And there it was. . . a bathtub set up under a pipe gushing hot spring water. 

105 degrees, they said. 

Not a bad day after all! 

Herding Sheep

We took the terrier sheepherding this week, just for fun.

There is a place in Escondido, not too far from San Diego, where one tough, leather-skinned lady runs the show/dog training facility. I didn't dare take a picture of her. She didn't seem like the type to tolerate such frivolity. . . 

I imagine this service is vital to anyone who has a ranch or substantial livestock that need to be managed. The facility had several working dogs. We watched one help the owner load all those sheep onto a trailer for transport. Whenever one or more sheep tried to go a different way, the dog jumped in its way and directed it back onto the truck. 

It was a nice day, not too hot, but very dry. Maggie was thirsty and had to drink several times from a huge plastic watering tub that lay on the ground. 

This instructor explained how the stick is used to guide the dog. Stick directed at hind legs means keep going. Stick in front of face means change directions. He warned us that he would "pop" the dog on the nose if it tried to bite the sheep. Maggie was very amenable to training and worked easily. Another dog, a German shepherd wanted a bite out of a sheep when it was his turn. He got a pop on the nose. 

There are several vast open field where dogs who are more advanced in their training work with greater numbers of less orderly sheep. We watched while other owners learned to train their dogs. 

This was Maggie's debut, but she passed her aptitude test with flying colors!

Of course, she had the easy group. These three sheep were compliant and used to training with dogs. Leathered lady said they were "broke," meaning they were broken in and easy to work with. 

A budding shepherdess.. . The sheep know that the human is there to protect them, so they always rush up to the human and lean in against the legs. 

Sheep enjoying a break after being herded by dogs. 

A+ on the test. Good job! 

Big Bear Adventure

We spent a week up in  the mountains, in a beautiful cabin located in a forested neighborhood, only minutes from Big Bear Lake. This is some of the view from the deck of the cabin. It was especially appealing because our dogs could join us. Big Bear is about a three-hour drive from San Diego, so a relatively easy drive for a great getaway. 

This is the picture of the cabin, as posted online by the owners. 

Just in case you thought a foray into the wilderness didn't matter to the canines in the household. . . 

This is another shot from the deck. Through the pines, the shimmering water of Big Bear Lake shines. The neighborhood was very quiet and beautiful, replete with chipmunks and a variety of birds, including blue jays. 

The location of the cabin was great because we could easily drive up the mountain in search of hiking trails. We rose early, hit the trails around 7:00 a.m., while the air was fresh and cool. At 7:00, the temperature was around 44 degrees fahrenheit. By 8:30, the temperature would have risen about 20 degrees. So early up and early out was the best option. 

We spotted a deer on two separate hikes. The first time, it darted across the dirt/gravel road ahead of us. 

There are a couple streams along the trail and beautiful wildflowers grow alongside them. 

                     A mother duck with her brood. . . This pond or lake is in a special area, protected by a conservancy group. No fishing, swimming, hunting, no dogs off leash, and so on. . . 

Back at the cabin, I took this shot of a robin. I was resting in a chair, camera ready, and the bird flew onto the branch, posed for a moment, and went on its way. 

On the Champion Lodgepole Trail. . . in the San Bernardino National Forest. 

And to a large, breathtaking meadow. . .

There were plenty of perfect picnic spots, and we ate our roast beef and ham sandwiches

in perfect harmony with nature. 

Wildflowers

One day, we took a paddleboat out on Big Bear lake, and peddled until we found a wonderful spot. We stopped, tied up our two-person vessel to a bush that leaned out from shore, and picnicked. I jumped into the cold water just to give it a try. Cold, but oh, so fun. These birds seemed to have a serious  conversation while I watched. 

Sailboats are probably privately-owned. Our first and last days at Big Bear, we rented a pontoon boat and explored the entirety of the lake. The pontoon boats are covered with a sunshade, and are perfect for a midday adventure. On the last day, the air was so cool above the water, that we shivered onboard!

At the pond. . .

Cairo visited with friends. She is getting up there in years, but impressed us all with her enthusiasm and ability. She hopped and ran up and down trails and through the meadow for over an hour. 

Another robin, this time along the trail in the coolness of early morning. 

The dogs went wild running along the trail and through the meadow. 

What is that blur? A rabbit? 

No, it is none other than Maggie, absolutely exhilarated. It was her first experience in an open meadow, and she went CRAZY, zipping. . .

this way and that. She seemed to fly over the meadow. 

Boulders and yellow wildflowers. 

Ducks on Big Bear Lake. These two seemed to have a fight over a female, then decided they would go off together. They left the female behind by the shore. 

At the pond along the trail, the water seemed murky, but full of life. 

The trail is named for an enormous pine tree, much bigger than the rest. It is a champion. 

Here's the champ. 

Much of the lakefront property at Big Bear Lake is privately owned. Many houses, from humble little shacks, to full-scale mansions circle the lake. 

This interesting water plant grows on the lake near the shore. 

The ducks swam right up to us, obviously accustomed to human presence on the water. 

Along the trail up in the forest, I noticed these green plants. I don't know what they are called and I had never seen them before. 

I wanted to climb onto some rocks but was warned that that is where snakes like to go, as well! 

One of the most gratifying things about being in the wilderness is the abundance of chirping, flitting birds. 

This deer stood for a long time and let me approach it while I took pictures. 

One long tree. 

Ducks on the pond. 

Ducks on the lake. 

Another bird as seen from the deck of our cabin.