Where are we?

It rained last night. Poured. And we're in Arizona? Just another chapter in an odd winter on the western side of the continent and it is supposed to improve starting tomorrow.
We drove from Palm Desert on Saturday and Pat & Ed flew from PEI, arriving at midnight-ish. Lots of chatter and a few beverages later, we went to bed at 3:45 so Sunday was a late start but we had a very fine afternoon at an outdoor art show.
Yesterday, knowing the forecast was iffy, we headed to the new aquarium, because of course you go to an aquarium when you visit the desert and especially on a rain day. Still shaking my head over this...
Ed by choice, and Pat by necessity, are into fish and it is a decent aquarium with mostly families attending, which is encouraging. A refreshing element was the section on rivers of the world, rather than just oceans.

Lion fish

Then, despite none of being musical, we went to MIM: Musical Instrument Museum. It should be WOW instead of MIM. Holey smoke! We barely scratched the surface but if you are ever in Scottsdale ya gotta go. Thank you Peggy Hillcove for pushing us in that direction.

A deconstructed Steinway.

These drums are about 8 feet tall.

A "violin" made from garbage by the Recycled Orchestra children in Paraguay. Check it out on YouTube.

Add caption

The 25 foot Apallonia in the mechanical instruments gallery

Today - the obligatory visit to Arizona Mills for a little light shopping and the sun is back with us by this afternoon!

Lucky as Usual

All of the west coast has been having quite a winter and California's drought is so over. We were in Medford, Oregon on Monday night and prepared to stay an extra night depending on the weather. The desk clerk at our hotel suggested we take a route through mountains to the coast and follow 101 south to avoid the almost-certain snow on I-5. Not happening in my world. The last time we drove 101 was in a winter like this and there were numerous road washouts and detours. Looking at NOAA's forecast at 7:00 am on Tuesday, I announced, "this is the day" (for going through Siskiyou Pass) because there was more likelihood of snow later than during that day. Sure enough. We sailed along, two days after road closures from serious rain, and a few hours ahead of snow and more rain. Yay us!

Weed is named for a person rather than the locals' favourite smoke 

We saw many flooded fields and evidence of hastily created dikes. Some roads just off I-5 were still closed for emergency repairs.

We hadn't made any plans past Medford because of the weather and suddenly had time on our hands and were only 6 hours from Napa. So we had a plan! Nowhere booked to stay of course and lucky, on our second try, to get the 2nd last room at a Best Western. And this was at 4 in the afternoon; do not try this method. I already said we were lucky. We strolled downtown Napa for a bit, had some wine at Capp Heritage,

and picked up some snacks/dinner at Oxbow Market to eat in our room with some wine from Saint Michelle. Lucky again that lightening didn't strike while we drank Washington wine in Napa!

Wednesday morning we started the day with a champagne tasting at Domain Carneros, love it,

and then survived the tedious 5 hour drive to Bakersfield on 99.
Had I been paying enough attention I would never have allowed the GPS to take us down that road - WAY too many trucks and traffic in general. Plus sections of the road are really beaten up. I-5 south in that area is fairly bucolic and infinitely more enjoyable; which is an amazing thing to say about I-5.
We are always astonished at big agri-business in this part of CA. There are literally miles and miles and miles of almond trees, thousands of dairy cattle, acres of raisin grapes, rice, bio fuel grains, etc. etc. It is an education just to drive through and also the see the politics of water such as a billboard asking "is it wasting water to grow food?"

Tomorrow we come far too close to Los Angeles, through Grapevine Pass, brushing Pasadena, and on to the desert. This not my favourite route at all at all, but good friends await in Palm Desert so needs must...

2017, Day 1 Trip 1

Last October, 2016, on the ferry between Comox and Powell River, in the teensy gift shop, I was looking at beautiful double walled, Native themed water bottles. I didn't buy one then but have looked several times in several places and been a bit stymied by the choices.  Today, on the ferry heading south, I committed to a style after watching a young woman fill hers in the cafeteria. There was still the colour and design dilemma but I opted for turquoise because everyone would know it is mine and it had an orca design which I love.

I was tempted by a purple heron though! So I'm back in my seat doing the crossword puzzle and glance up to see the brand new, barely out of the box, Salish Orca ferry doing sea trials. The art work on the ferry is orcas on a turquoise background and, wait for it: the ferry is taking over the route from Comox to Powell River!

The coincidence is not quite over. I went looking for a crew member to confirm what I was looking at, and the only one visible was the cashier in the cafeteria. Yes, it was the Salish Orca and this morning when they were doing "man overboard drills", this guy was in the lifeboat about a spit from the Orca and got some fabulous photos which he was very happy to show me. How fun was that for both of us!
Later, back on the road and now off it again, we stopped at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville WA for a tasting and just because it is such a nice place. It was busy busy but the people who work there go out of their way to make it seem as if you are the only person in their world. A great reminder of positive attitudes.

We are planning a very laid-back pace for this trip in part because the weather forecast is iffy and we have built in time to stop if it gets too miserable.