Moonshine Junkyard

three years ago we got married under the full strawberry moon, the moon-of-making-fat, the last night of june. we two who had loved each other for years had decided to create our own version of what it means to us to be wed, and we started out encircled by loved ones in our backyard. and it was pure bliss.   and then we left on our road trip honeymoon down into baja. our honeymoonshinejunkyard. and the next year we were on a road trip through tiny historic gold mining towns like downieville, california where a great massive bear shook the dumpster outside our tiny inn at midnight: and then last year we were in big sur in a tent cabin on the creek that runs to the ocean: this year we have new destinations in mind. i can't wait to show you all where we go. he is soooo fun to travel with and hang out with that i can't sleep tonight, like a kid on christmas eve, i'm all aglow with excitement and anticipation! wishing you all sweet, sw...

Okay, not to turn this into "my favorite river spots" or anything...but it just hit 100 degrees here and i had the pleasure on saturday of going with some of my favorite people to one of our...yes indeed i can't resist.... favorite river spots .  since i talk about the river a lot, all summer long, i figured i'd go ahead and show you all this particular spot for this week's "Tuesdays in my Town." so, my town placerville (aka p-ville, peevs, and infamously "old hangtown") is actually located between two beautiful rivers coming out of the sierra nevada mountains: the american river to our north and the cosumnes river to our south. my friends and i have spots we prefer on both rivers, depending on the day, the kind of hike you want to do, and the month of the year. on saturday we drove out toward somerset down buck's bar road to the bridge and hiked out to the perfect june swimming hole in the cosumnes river, which, by the way, i r...

it's crazy how fast everything happens and changes....i feel bad that i took off after that last post and embarked on a million fun adventures and haven't been back to tell the stories yet! i'm in LA right now for my little brother Mikie's play Elevator. after work saturday was the most beautiful trip to a favorite swimming hole at the cosumnes river, then brewfest madness, then the dance party at cozmic...life got real crazy....then i left in the morning for this trip with my parents. so here i am, at a hotel computer and i'll be back tonight with pictures and details. oh and i'm soooo not grumpy with darin anymore! i actually miss him like crazy cause he couldn't come on this trip with me. thanks to all you sweet ladies for making me feel normal about it; i love lady communities and reassurance. love to you all!

this week has been sort of weird. i've been working more than normal (waitressing, bleh) to save up money for upcoming trips. also, i am annoyed with my hub right now...i'm sure this happens to the best of us, and i forget all about it during the times when i am feeling great toward him which is most of the time. then for a little while i get irritable about him and things that he does and feel oddly disconnected. and call him selfish and decide at the last minute not to accompany him places. so...that's where i'm at today, just a little public announcement of my brattiness. anyway, nice things have also happened this week. like.... these kids are here! my sister-in-law amy is in town with my nephews and niece for almost three weeks. sorry for the messy house (pile of thrifted clothes!) when the kids are here, i don't think about anything else. bella the artist. she is also prepared to be my newest etsy model. also addie and i went to the wed...

Last night for Summer Solstice, my friends and I went to play at a park by the river and then dance at a roadhouse. I was telling them about my "Tuesdays in my Town" feature and they suggested I do this week's on the very place we were hanging out: Lotus! So Lotus is a little town (hamlet?) neighboring Coloma where gold was first discovered in 1848. These are river towns; the South Fork of the American River runs right through on its wild and sprawling course. And a river place is a very special place. All summerlong, crazy stuff goes on in a river town...it's like a big wild rumpus in the water and the sun. With lots of beer. Lotus Park (its real name is Heningsen Park) is a big green recreational area along the river just south of the big bridge. It's an easy place to jump in the water, although it is waaaaayyyyy icy cold right now: pure snow run off. Our picnic last night was held on the rolling grass of Lotus Park, and Lesley and the boys played soccer....

the FAIR is back in town! welp, like i said last year ...nothing ever changes much at the good old El Dorado County Fair. the flimsy cups of beer, the face painting booths, the dude from Foreigner performing on the main stage, the smell of pigs and puke and cotton candy all squeamishly permeating the dense summer eve...check, check, and check again. and i will admit to you guys, i actually love it. this year was better cause i went earlier in the day to hang out with these cuties: kim and i were best friends all through the teenage years, and the FAIR was our big summer adventure. don't tell, but we'd fake the stamp on our hands to get in free. oh and chug wine coolers in the carl's jr. bathroom before heading through the gates. that's danger right there folks. now look at her! the sweetest little mama to the sweetest little baby. addie came to meet us too. we had fun walking around checking everything out like in the old days...