Saturday, August 4, 2018
Day 18

Happy birthday to my Tina. Hope she had a great day. 💜
This morning it was nice outside. Cool and didn't seem to be smoky yet. So I went out and took pictures of Jack and Jackie's garden and fruit trees. They have quite a beautiful and productive yard.

The flower is real. Closed up at dusk. 

Pear tree

Lemon tree

Pear tree

Jack's garden - tomatoes, corn, etc. 

Kubota fig tree - a few ripe ones. 

Grapes

Jackie and I went to town and then drove around the tomato processing plant. There were many trailers of tomatoes waiting to be processed. Sometimes it gets backed up to the point that they have to hold the tomatoes in the field until there is room for them at the plant. Was hard to get good close up pictures, but it's a huge plant that employs a lot of people. Some seasonal, others full time. 

Palm trees near the tomato processing plant

We stopped at the little local post office and I was able to get a close up of an almond tree loaded with nuts.  They have started harvesting some of the trees in the area. Different varieties are harvested at different times. They use shakers to get the nuts to the ground, then sweep them into rows, then pick them up an transfer to trucks. They go to a huller from the field. And then off to processing someplace. 

This evening the winds have changed and the smoke started going a different direction. It made very strange looking skies. The pictures are taken on the county road in front of Jackie's home. To the south, beautiful blue skies. To the north a bank of smoke and ugliness. Tonight the smell of smoke is back in the air. 

Looking north

South

Looking west from Jackie's driveway

Once again we had a wonderful dinner. Halibut that Scott caught in the Bay. Fresh tomatoes right off the vine. Jackie's great salad. And extra large artichokes! We cooked them in the pressure cooker for 11 min all together. They were on sale at Raley's for 1.99. But today when we went to get more they are 3.99. FYI: artichokes that have been frozen do fine. The refrigerator froze the chokes when I put them in the wrong frig!! During dinner each night, we are entertained by the rabbit show on the lawn. Carley (golden retriever ) sits with her chin on the window sill watching them. And if she is lucky she gets to chase one after the show is over. Sometimes the show is adult rated!! ;-) 

Yum!!

Was a good day overall. Watched my nephew's brother-in-law Matthew Henderson (a photo journalist), as he is doing live posts from Facebook covering the Ranch fire in Mendocino County near Clear Lake. More evacuations ordered tonight. Was fascinating to watch him drive on the backroads towards the fire and mention addresses as he went. Home and ranch owners were commenting on his live feed. Tough for all involved. 

Headed for bed. One of these days I will get this posted before everyone has gone to bed. Even Jackie and Jack have gone to bed! 

Take care. 

Hugs,  Carol