A Day of Loveliness and Fun

My friend "C" came for the weekend.

So nice to have her visit. Hadn't seen her since the New Year. She brought her little dog, Max, with her and arrived on Friday.
We went to Dandelion Days downtown and ate lunch at Mel and Faye's. We also drove to Electra Rd. along the Mokelumne River.

The water was very low and the rocks were many.

Some creating beautiful patterns in the water.

And small still life's in the curves and indentations of the rock.

The bedrock is everywhere.  Some holes are deep and filled with gravel, sand, pyrite and maybe a few nuggets of gold. I marvel at the amazing assortment of tiny debris shinning up at us in the sunlight.
These old rocks and their amazing beauty are there for to all who come to walk on the river's ancient floor.

The hard, smooth petrified wood lays like fallen reminders of some old growth forest that lost its battle with a fire or storm, long ago, turning to stone as a result of the its tragic failure.

And... OH! A dog...What animal is this who follows us along the river?

His named is Max ("C"s dog) and he was having the time of his life. Jumping from rock to rock, looking as majestic as he possibly could. He was at one with the river. He was a dog briefly in heaven.

We drove up to the Electra Powerhouse, driving past thousands of Poppies and other wildflowers. This is a most beautiful time in the Foothills. A time of verdant madness.

I saw this sign at the weir and snapped a photo of it, in tribute to my "beans" (my grandchildren).

Someone had written "Cool Beans" on the sign and drew a picture of a happy bean. I know it's graffiti, but... I just had to take a picture of it.
We drove back down river, stopping once in a while to take pictures. The hills were alive with color.

Then we drove on over the river and into Mokelumne Hill, a small town with a rich mining history and a charming presence.

Interesting buildings made of stone and metal doors.
This one was noteworthy...

A secret entrance to the Horny Buffalo Society... This was the WORLD headquarters? In a little town in Calaveras county, California? I think someone might be pulling someone's leg.
There was the old car that sat on the side of an old building... sticking its nose through the fence.

I love seeing this car every time I come over here. It's been there for a long, long time.

We drove up to the Catholic Cemetery and drove through it, looking at all the tombstones and names. Lots of Italians lived here in the last hundred years or so.

Huge old Italian Cypresses, some of the biggest I have ever seen, towered over the graves of so many.

Then we finally drove home. It was a day of showing my friend what a beautiful place I live in... especially in the Spring of the year. It was a day of loveliness and fun. I didn't hear Max on the way home. I think he was taking a nap.