California

Gold Country – Calaveras Jumping Frog Jubilee

/ Bulldog Travels / 46 Comments

I’ve lived my whole life in this area and always heard of Mark Twain’s famous Jumping Frog Jubilee.  I finally put it on the calendar and made a point of going.  I needed to see those silly frogs jump at the famous Calaveras Jumping Frog Jubilee in Angel’s Camp, California!

It turns out it was great fun to watch the kids “jockey” the frogs.  Some were creeped out and others fearlessly kissed their frog and sent it on its way.  Some jumped and bounced making me fear for the frogs life.  (Thankfully none were squashed/harmed while I was watching.)

The adults weren’t as much fun to watch as the kids but the length the frogs were jumping was far more impressive.  (Upwards towards 18 feet was the maximum I witnessed.)  The 30 year old record was made by Rosie the Ribiter at 21 feet 5 3/4 inches!  Other clever frog names include: Froggy Balboa, Joe Frogtana, and Hillary Croakin.

Small town festivals are a lot of fun.  I challenge you to tell me about a small town festival with a more interesting theme that jumping frog challenges!  🙂

 

For other Gold Country Posts please click here.

Cee’s Odd Ball Challenge

A Jubilee must qualify as “Jubilant” for the Daily Post, right?

Springtime in Napa – Chateau Montelena

/ Bulldog Travels / 56 Comments

Visiting Napa this last week made me realize I never posted photos from the last time I took Spring photos in Napa a few years prior.  Now seems as good a time as any to share photos from Chateau Montelena, the winery famous for putting Napa wines on the map in the 70’s when good wine was only known to come from France and Italy.

The grounds here are the most spectacular I have visited in Napa.  The asian-inspired garden is magnificent and truly doesn’t even need the wine to make it enjoyable. The grounds are a perfect place for a blanket and a picnic.  The garden theme doesn’t exactly match the facade of the building though.  However, as separate and distinct items they are both noteworthy and stunning.

Have you ever been to Napa?  Who do you think has the most beautiful winery?  I feel like I could go back every spring foe ten years and not even come close to capturing all of the beautiful wineries.  But, I will sure try.

To check out my other Spring Napa photos please click here. 

Too pretty for color
Mama duck let me get way too close. Maybe she couldn;t help but be zen in this garden?
Pretty cool facade huh?
No Napa post is complete without wine barrels
This bottle put Napa on the wine map

Springtime in Napa – V. Sattui Winery

/ Bulldog Travels / 11 Comments

A recent trip to Napa made me realize Diana and I did the same thing a few years ago and I never shared the photos.  Here are a few we took from our prior Spring Photo fling in the beautiful Napa, California.

These were taken at V. Sattui, a  popular stop for anyone who regularly visits the Napa region.  Folks can stop here for tasting, to enjoy the gardens, and for a great picnic spot.

We randomly ran in to a really friendly Georgian Monk Wine Maker visiting Napa to learn more about wine making.  He was interested in our cameras and wanted a photo.  How could I argue?

Check more Spring Napa photos by clicking here…

DSC_7710-50DSC_7660-3DSC_7681-25DSC_7686-29DSC_7689-32

Springtime in Napa – Hall Winery

/ Bulldog Travels / 33 Comments

Hall Winery Napa – When art and architecture overshadow the wine.

D80_7038-1

On our way to Castello di Amorosa we couldn’t help but notice the giant shining bunny at Hall winery.  We.Could.Not.Pass.Up.The.Bunny.  What we didn’t expect was a dozen other magnificent pieces of art set in a uber comfortable setting meant for guests to savor the wine, the weather, and the scenery.  If only we had more time to stop at the hundreds of wineries in the area…

What’s your favorite part of Napa?  Favorite wine or winery?

Pretty Purple huh?
They call this “Ocean” view.
Slightly creepy yet interesting man
Art made from the metal bits the vines are typically attached to
Art made from bedazzled sweatshirts which cracks me up because I can think of all the women who once wore them
Art from Index cards
Pretty window

For more of my Napa drive please click here…

 

Springtime in Napa – Stirling Vineyards

/ Bulldog Travels / 27 Comments

Flowers and Trees were growing and blooming everywhere we went in Napa last week.  The colors were amazing.  It seems like every direction we looked there was something beautiful to photograph.  We drove by Stirling Vineyards which is the vineyard with a tram/gondola that takes you to its hilltop tasting room with dramatic vistas.  It wasn’t the tram we were interested in this time.  We were taken by its tree lined driveway and overgrown but blooming fields.  It’s times like this I wonder why I don’t live in Napa…

Do you have a favorite Napa winery to visit?

Check out some more Spring Napa Shots here…

D80_7031-4D80_7019-1D80_7022-2D80_7024-3

 Jennifer’s Unmellow Yellow challenge!

Springtime in Napa – Castello di Amorosa

/ Bulldog Travels / 26 Comments

My friend Diana and I took a nice little drive last week through Napa.  She had always wanted to stop in at Castello di Amorosa and springtime seemed like the time to go!  Napa is stunning this time of year and it wasn’t too hard to convince me to take the day off for a visit.

The main 13th century inspired castle/winery was built in 1993 on 30 acres of rolling hills with 8,000 tons of stone creating 107 rooms and 136,000 square feet.  (Must larger than I was expecting.)  The castle comes equip with a “moat”, a drawbridge, dungeon, torture chamber, and consecrated chapel.  Visitor’s can pay way too much money for a tour or just visit the grounds/gardens and buy/taste the wine for free.  This winery is a lovely spot to stop for a picnic along the wine trail to enjoy a stunning view and soak in some sunshine.

Don’t forget to check out the teeth on that sheep.

For more on my visits to Napa please click here.

Nice little vista
Seriously look at those teeth!
Small building that can be seen from the main road
The “Moat”
Lancelot the Cat taking a nap in the window

Yankee Jims Road

/ Bulldog Travels / 33 Comments

We went for a little drive last weekend to check out a nearby area we hadn’t explored before.  Between Foresthill, California and Colfax, California is a small un-maintained Placer County Road called Yankee Jims Road.  (Turns out Yankee Jim was a hellraiser, bandit, gold minor, horse thief, and all around bandit.  Why not name a town and road after him?)

Expecting to just see a road I had never driven on before I was pleasantly surprised with multiple flowing waterfalls, a pretty fun 4×4 trail, and a ton of lovely wildflowers.

I continue to be surprised by things in my own Northern California backyard.

When was the last time you explored a road you had never driven on just because?

 

Foresthill Vista

 

 

NEWSFLASH: Water is still flowing in California!

 

This little beauty is literally just off of the side of the road

 

Shady suspension bridge we made haste to get over

This is a shot from my backyard.  Just kidding.  I wish it was my back yard.

 

California Poppies and Lupines showing off

    

Cee has challenged us to post photos from a dirt road!  Check out more here!

Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Open House

/ Bulldog Travels / 34 Comments

My grandmother used to tell me stories of an animal sanctuary nearby that took care of retired show animals.  Well, it turns out that the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has two locations, one in Galt and another in San Andreas, California.  I know she always wanted to visit the place but it was never open to the public during her lifetime.

A lovely soul named Pat Derby started this organization in the ’80s after she saw animals in show business being neglected, abused, or abandoned after filming.  She and her husband ultimately created a sanctuary where they have taken in Elephants, Big cats, Bears, and more.  Pat has since passed away but her mission is being carried on by a large group of wonderful people.

I finally had the opportunity to visit one of the locations for a charitable open house.  We were able to see Brown Bears, Bengal Tigers, and Elephants.  We were able to explore the grounds and meet the trainers and learn more about the non-profit.  It was a very wet day but it was worth being out in the rain to get a taste of what this wonderful organization does.

For more information on PAWS I encourage you to visit their website by clicking here.

The Elephant trainer displaying his method of positive reinforcement training helpful in caring for the animals without use of bull hooks or other pain methods


Gold Country Drive – Barbed Wire

/ Bulldog Travels / 32 Comments

When I was a kid my Grandfather had a decoration he hung on the wall with various kinds and shapes of Barbed Wire affixed to it.  I was always interested and had a veiled respect for this display because it could hurt me if I touched it and it also seemed strange that a man would display what seemed like garbage on the wall.  Well, now that I am a little older and realize that the barbed wire isn’t going to jump off the display and cut me I find it a fascinating thing to photograph.  I ran across some while I took my little Gold Country drive the other day.  I hope you enjoy the different perspective and the good excuse to use my macro lens. 

 

Jenner Coast, California Hwy 1

/ Bulldog Travels / 17 Comments

I have been camping for years now near Bodega Bay, California in the Sonoma Coast State Park area.  Just north of that up the famed California Highway 1 is a little seaside town called Jenner.  Some friends bought a small piece of property and are building a “tiny home” on it.  They recently invited us up for a visit and we took them up on it.  The drive from Sacramento took us through Santa Rosa and along the Russian River along Hwy 166 until the road dead ends in to the coast.  From there you head north on a dizzyingly windy road past Jenner towards Stillwater Cove on Hwy 1.  Mother Nature was kind to us providing us with a glorious view of the ocean and the rocky coastline saving her fog and haze for another day.  Once we made it to the property we set out for a brisk fern lined walk through the oaks and redwoods mushroom spotting along the way.

Friends, its days like this that remind me why I live in California.