playa me

I grew up on the edge of this desert, learned to drive on it's crackled surface and felt the salty dust in my eyes more times than I can count. I have gotten stuck, up to the truck's axles, in the sticky mud that sneaks up on you. I have watched the heat and light play tricks on the mountains from a school bus window between Empire and Gerlach after school each day.

This playa is in me deep. Even if it has been almost 20 years since I called this place home, it is part of who I am and who I was.

I have a lot of thoughts stirring around after the weekend visit to this place I called home for many years of my childhood. How did such a rural space, such a dramatic landscape, shape the me of today. I need time to process them a bit more. But I wanted to get something down in writing, for fear that it will slip away, like the dust trail from a distant car did in the sky that afternoon did.

 

I'll be sharing more photos and more about why we were out there later this week.
It was a wonderful weekend, lots of giggles and play time.

Belmont: The Court House Tour

What a great trip I had last week. Spending time with my mom was great, I had a blast painting this year and although I totally missed my boys, it was so very good for me to get away before this new baby shows up and also for the boys to get some good quality time in without me around. The next few posts will be centered around my trip. I hope you enjoy!

I will start you off at the court house. Belmont, in its hay-day, was the Nye County seat-that honor now goes to Tonapah which is about 45 minutes away.

Terry (seen here with my mom on the court house stairs) always gives us a great tour of the place, and has an amazing library of oral history stored in his brain that he loves to share with visitors. If you are headed out to Belmont try to find Terry (his wife runs the sweet little jewelry shop called "Sticks and Stones" and anyone in town can let you know if he is around or not. The building is part of the parks system and is open to the public, but it has to be unlocked for visitors to enter.

Ready? Here we go....

The front of the building. Doesn't it remind you a little bit of the Disney, Haunted House?

the walls in every room are covered with signatures, drawings, messages and poems.

These shots were all taken in rooms on the first floor of the building.

We headed upstairs and checked out the court room and a couple of the other offices.

You can also go up into the cupola, but since my balance is a bit wonky these days and the stairs were installed backwards (the run is the rise, the rise is the run) I opted out of heading up to the very top this year- the views are pretty cool up there though and worth braving the climb if you are up for it.

I will share general views of the area in my next post.

Corner View: The Great Outdoors, Reno

Santa Cruz, CA just a 6 hr drive west from Reno

Reno has so much to offer when it comes to the outdoors. Where do I even begin?
How about my backyard, actually more like my front yard. Just north of our house is a really great regional park. There is the best dog park in town with acres of off leash running for the doggers.

Zucco living it up this summer
There is the arboretum for the tree lovers, the adventure park and playground for the kiddos, the duck pond where you can supposedly fish and the walking path that loops the whole shebang.
In my Mother's Day post you saw all the hub-ub around the Truckee River. Another fantastic natural resource that is in the heart of the city. A little bit further from home we the world famous Lake Tahoe.

One of the prettiest places I know.

"Chimney Beach" Lake Tahoe
There is skiing (downhill or Nordic) or snowboarding at any one of the resorts near Tahoe.

Snowshoeing near Markleeville, CA.
As well as camping, hiking, rock climbing, and biking to boot.

Sand Mountian, just outside of Fallon, NV. Photo courtesy of Daddy-O
We are really blessed to be in a hub of sorts here in Reno- 40 minutes will get you to the snow, the lake, the desert, the middle of nowhere.

Daddy-O, Cloe Girl and Gramps, Black Rock Desert, NV
I love this place.

For more Corner Views, head on over to Jan'es "Spain Daily" for a complete list of links!

happy earth day