Extra Stops Along The Way,

I took several detours on my way home

from the pumpkin farm (last post).

Our daughter said to take the road

through Mt. Shasta (town) 

instead of the freeway on the way 

down the mountains.

So here it is,

with the colors at their peak.

I've talked to her since then,

and the trees have lost their leaves

already.

Now they're looking forward

to their first snow.

Hopefully we will have a wet

winter, but it's dry as can be now.

~~~

I took another detour

on the way home.

This is Shasta Retreat,

a neighborhood in Dunsmuir, CA

where my mom, her sisters

and my grandparents lived.

Did you see the rocky 

love note someone left?

You can just barely see

Mt. Shasta between the trees.

Heading back to the freeway.

~~~

I also stopped at Sim's Flat

to check on the fall colors there.

That's Mt. Shasta in this northern view

 above the river.

It's also the view of the bridge

you drive on to get to Sim's Flat

campground.  The campground

is free to use this time of the year.

You do have to bring your own water

during the off season.

Looking south and facing into the sun.

The dust on the lens is showing.

Sim's Flat was a trading post long ago,

then a Conservation Corp Camp in the 

1930's which is when they built the bridge.

It's now a pedestrian bridge from which 

I took the previous photos.

On the way out,

I stopped the car in the middle

of the other bridge to  take photos.

~~~

Continuing south 

and down out of the mountains,

I stopped at a campground

in Lakehead on the eastern side

of Interstate 5. 

This is Lake Shasta

at it's northern end of the 

Sacramento River Arm.

Shasta Lake is down

128' from the crest.

Here the trees were just starting to

show bits of color. 

You can barely see the new bridge

construction.  They're replacing

Antler's Bridge on I-5.

Now on the other side of the freeway,

we're looking back at

the green bridge that they're replacing. 

We used to camp here at 

Lakeshore East quite often.

It's much nicer when the lake is full.

Here at home,

the leaves are about mid way

between full color and loosing their 

leaves.  We were supposed to get

rain, but it didn't happen.

Instead, we're watching the leaves

fall to the ground.

~~~

We're 98% done with the front room

and hallway painting. We still have

a few touch up spots to take care of

and we still have to paint doorways

and put everything back into the room.

It's a scattered mess still.

I'm going to take the sewing machine

downstairs soon to tackle the 

upholstery project on our couch,

chair, and ottoman. 

Thanksgiving is our self imposed 

deadline... just a little over two

weeks from now.

Yikes! it's coming on fast.

I am definitely not ready for 

it to be the holiday season.

Are you?