Only in Lassen County

Only in Lassen County is a saying shared by a lot of people when it comes to our weather. Last few days the thunder and lightning storms had us all prepared for forest fires due to lightning strikes. Last night and today the temperature dropped 15-20 degrees here in Lassen County. Along with a ton of rain, (although it did bring more lightning) we had a freak hail storm. It was even reported that there would be snow in the higher elevations.
Watching this hail and listening to it hit the windows, with the wind I was sure we might just end up with a cracked window!
When it was all done doing it's storming, I thought I would take the dogs out for a walk and enjoy that wonderful mountain air after a summer rain. Since it was so cold some of us even lit our woodstoves. We were no exception.
Below is a picture of a chair I have on my front porch. This was a good 45 minutes to an hour after the hail quit. I could not believe my eyes!

 

This is how cold it was outside that much time later

 

The hail had not even melted.

Only in Lassen County

Swallows

For a week or two the swallows take over my end of the town and it's telephone/electric lines. It is absolutely magnificant to watch but HELL to clean up after!

 

This is the house next door. Lucky for us, the lines do not go over our house directly!

 

Amazing eh?

 

And this is all I can take in one picture, but it goes on above 3 to 4 more houses!

Weather in Lassen County

Weather in Lassen County has always been CRAZY. I have seen it change so quick in these mountains that changing of a complete set of clothes in one day can happen. I mean from sandals to snow boots, I am not kidding
After the last couple of days of Thundershowers ,when I woke up to a bright and shing day I figuresd we were back into sunshine.
These pictures in order show my day, in just a few hours the weather in Lassen County!

 

  

  

  

 

"My geese are posing"

This is beginning to look like a Duck, Duck, Goose blog, I have been posting so many of them lately. I just can't help myself, I find them so beautiful, graceful and awesome. I also know this will be short lived, they will not be here much longer, at least not this close. So please allow me a few more.

 

This is at the end of my street going towards Westwood!

 

There is a fence there, although it is torn and I could have actually walked up on the field they were acting as if they knew I could not get any closer,

 

Or perhaps they know me by now and they know I am no threat and they were simply "posing" for me. It really does almost look that way!

I think I probably should name these guys, I am beginning to know them so well. LOL!!!

Any suggestions!

My Heron followed me home!

I have no idea if this is the same heron from a couple of days ago at Robbers Creek, but I like to think that it is. Perhaps he followed me home that day, because when I went outside to bring some wood in he was in my backyard on the utility pole. I literally was able to take these shots from below him. He did not even move until someone pulled up in their driveway across the street and slammed the door. Then I lost my "buddy" for today I suspect anyway!

And as usual my best (in my opinion ) for last!

Lassen County Free Library

Even Westwood has a library. Do you notice that it says it's a free library? Goodness sakes I guess I have been in Westwood/Pinetown too long, because I thought all libraries were free. I can't even fathom a library not being free!

Pines in the snow

Chatting with someone a few minutes ago, I noticed that the snow had quit flying and that if I were going to get a picture of the outside today I had better do it then. The clouds were looming overhead, getting increasingly darker and I knew the snow was ready to blow fiercely again at any moment. I excused myself from the chat but did make the comment that I was not expecting a very good picture, mainly because quite honestly I was not into tramping to far away in the windy cold miserable weather.

Well I got a little lucky in that a snowmobile had just gone through the forest behind my house and I had a nice packed down pathway made for me.

I still did not venture too far. (The snowmobile riders ) were not able to take away the cold and bitter wind, LOL!!!
But I am somewhat happy with this picture of the pine tree laden with just a bit of snow, just 3 days before Christmas.

And the little baby pine that perhaps will look the same as above in a decade or two.

2 dogs and a snowstorm!

Flying snow, and tons of it out my window

And at the time around 14 inches, the dogs did not even care to go out and play,

And I can not say that I blame them, But the dogs HAVE to go out, ya know? And this is what they did when they came in!

"Buick" is in my old dog "Nick's" bed. Nick was all of 12 lbs. soaking wet and he loved his little dog bed. When we lost Nick and months later got Buick , "Buick" just took it over like it was the thing to do and apparently it was by these pictures.

I had a little blow up bed I was messing with last night and today and I put a blanket over it, (It is right next to the wood stove) well as you can see "Nala" made this her bed for awhile. All that snow just plumb tucker's them out!!!

Little girl thrills!

Something about trains is enticing to me. For as long as I can remember whenever I have seen one, if possible I would try to get as close as I could. Perhaps starting with my older brothers who had a Lionel Train set, set up in their bedroom that was STRICTLY off limits by them from their only other sibling, a little sister that was 8 and 10 years younger than they were. There were times however in my young life I remember sneaking into their bedroom while they were at school just admiring and staring at this wonderful toy with bells and whistles and noise and such.

 

And those feelings have never left me. Today on the way to the post office we find ourselves the first in line of the lowering arms at our railroad crossing of the impending passing by of a train. I stated to my hubby how I wish I could get my camera out and focused for pictures of this train, for my picture(s) of the day. I figured I did not have the time but still got out of the car with the intent of a good try. Then I saw the 3 engines in the front and it was on!!! I knew I was going to get a shot or two.

 

The vehicles waiting for the train to pass were piling up behind us, when I heard the sound of it applying it's brakes. Could it be that this monster of a train that all others behind us were surely swareing at by now, going to stop before me and my camera for a perfect photo opportunity for the train lover in me?

 

So I was able to run up the tracks and take these pics of what most people call graffitti, but I call art and am so very thankful for it.

 

I almost felt like "The Face Melter" as stated above. I was grinning from ear to ear .

 

And I think it would be so cool to be ABBIE and read this painted term of endearment birthday wish rushing past me along the rails!

This picture is at the tracks that cross over Mooney Road between Pinetown and Westwood, Ca. 96137

Feather River Apartments

Breeding Pens, Delwood Heights, Delwood Apartments, Low life Housing, are just a few of the "nick-names" that the Feather River Apartments in Westwood of Lassen County have been called since they were built somewhere around the early nineties.

There were plenty a people in this small town that DID NOT want low income housing in their town. Oh my just think of the "people" it would bring!

And all those unwed mothers that may need a little help? They should go find it elsewhere!

Well the apartment complex was built and it has stayed nice all these years.

This is the driveway going into the complex. 34 apartments1, 2, & 3 bedrooms. It sits at the very end of one Delwood Street.

Looking the opposite direction . It hardly looks like a "low life" or "low income" complex now does it? They keep this place clean, well maintained, and it is a drug free zone, meaning you DO NOT want to be arrested in this complex with any kind of drugs!

This image is from the middle of the complex over looking the houses on First Ave.

Note; I used to be the manager of this complex for just shy of a year. They are a great company to work for and other than a couple of tenants that stick out in my mind, most for the better part were wonderful tenants. I personally have not a single bad thing to say about this complex!

Utility Pole in the middle of the street

As is quite apparent by me, I love my "mountain" and I love my little camera, I love taking pictures which makes it real coincidental that I am enjoying making this blog. Even if not a soul from cyberspace ever laid eyes on it, I am learning and seeing and enjoying more and more through the camera's eye. With that said I am constantly bitching about how I see wonderful "begging to be" pictures on a daily basis that I can not take.Why? For the reason that this monstrosity is on my hubby's property. Yep! This utility pole, phone pole, electricity pole all wrapped into one and all it's "glorious lines" are strewn about this whole little side town of Pinetown , Ca. 96137. On the upper left of this picture is where it just so happens to be connected to our house! This section of town was known as old town years ago at the height of the logging industry known as Red River Logging Company.

Because this was the Red River Logging Company owned all of this property. This house came from my hubbys grandfather so the beginning of this history is a little bit unsure.

But what I can say that is sure is that these lines are in the way of wonderful sunrises, and sunsets. Beautiful full moons and half moons.

It's amazing to look at all the not wanted visual arms of lifelines that are coming from this one pole. The one pole that just so happens to be on the edge (literally) of my hubby's property line.

Coming towards where I am standing in this picture taking it, a car approaching is suppose to be in front of this pole to turn towards the left or stay to the right to continue down this street, which really is a loop that brings you back onto this street. Anything on the left of this pole (from this picture) you are actually driving on my hubby's property. This IS a common occurrence especially during the summer months or the hunting times from non locals.

There is, truly is, a wonderful aspect of having this pole where it is.

When someone wants directions to my house? I just tell them to keep on coming down the street until they are about to run into a telephone pole! And I live right there!

Signs, Signs in Lassen County

Image via WikipediaSigns, Signs, everywhere theres a sign, but in Pinetown Ca, 96137 in Lassen County they just happen to be on the same pole!

 

or should I say fence post!

As can be seen, that storm from yesterdays post just blew right on over the mountain! It is a beautiful, sunny day today, but crispy chilly!