Moonshine Junkyard

also known as the "jewel of placerville," the cary house hotel was originally built in 1856. it was one of the first places i loved in placerville, when i was twelve years old and fancied myself a little anne of green gables. i knew it was a place she would find romantic. i get to walk past it on my way to work at the bookery. the brick of the cary house is original! it was built to withstand fires, and it has stood for over 150 years. the back of the cary house: can you see anything in the rust stains? while walking down the alley the other day, my lovely coworker sharon pointed out to me the mysterious elephants hiding in these panels. the one above is a momma, the one below a baby. sharon is a mystical woman who sees this as a sign of a matriarchal community we have built at the bookshop. she says she looks for these elephants every day and they make her feel peaceful. supposedly the cary house is one of the most haunted spots in placer...

How fun to be back to my regularly scheduled "Tuesdays in my Town!" This week I'll show you a place that has probably popped up on my blog many times before. But we'll make it official...I give you... APPLE HILL ! Darin and I went up on Friday. We thought that didn't count as a weekend and wouldn't be too crowded. We were wrong. There were schoolbuses, tour buses, crowds galore. We are spoiled since Apple Hill is so nearby, so we avoid the crowds at all costs. But we won't let that stop us from getting our apples: apples.... and more apples! This is High Hill Ranch, the most popular and busiest of all of Apple Hill. I can't resist stopping by because their caramel is buttery and their fritters are just plain delish. But the truth is, all the ranches in Apple Hill are good and if the only time you can make it up is a weekend, I recommend checking out one of the smaller ones. see, the neighboring pumpkin patch was eve...

The Smith Flat House has a long and wonderfully rich history. It was built in 1853 over a canyon where gold was discovered known as the Deep Blue Channel. Back then it was called the "3 Mile House" due to its distance from downtown Placerville. A blogging buddy of mine, Tina from Gold Country Girls , has written an eloquent and extensive history here . She tells all about how it was a general store and a stage stop, over the years also housing a post office, saloon, dancehall and brothel! My own sister used to live up at the end of Smith Flat Road in a tiny apartment next to the Copper Rail Bar. She was only 19 and I was 18 and we would hang out there all the time and invite all our friends over. Then I'd walk home the three miles along the pretty little creek full of falling white blossoms, exploring the old cemetery and ruined buildings along the way. I have always been intrigued by the Smith Flat House. For years (in my lifetime) it was a hote...