Spring in Yosemite

I thought I would bring Tom some dinner tonight, he stays up in the park on his weeknights most of the time. We ate our picnic dinner and then walked up to the falls, Tom gets to hear them at night when he stays in the park, his room is walking distance from the falls, and if the falls are running hard from a wet winter you can really hear them. They are running good right now, but not great. Was not a very wet year.

Lower Yosemite falls, Tom and I. The water coming off the falls creates quite a wind, amazing!

Upper and Lower falls

Tom getting a little mist from the falls.

Frazil ice was Monday I guess, this is where the river freezes as it flows, I have never gotten to see it, will try to catch it next year.

 

Here is a link to learn more about the Frazil Ice.

 

Cousins

In some families there may not be many cousins, but in the Wass family there are many. I have two cousins that are going through some stuff in their lives, but neither one of them complain, they love their families, love their work, love to take care of their homes.

 

When we were younger the three of us spent a lot of time together during the summers staying at each others houses, going to camp (with my Mom and Dad, or Shirley and Rodney), getting ready of important seasons of the year - the Mariposa County fair, and the family reunion(s) we always knew we would find each other and "hang out".  I was the tall blond, Tanya was the cute, friendly Brunette, and Ronda was the pretty redhead. The three of us are close in age, within 1 1/2 years of each other.

As the years passed we had many boyfriends (and a few husbands too!) but we have always remained close. And somewhere behind us was Missy - quite a few years younger, a little sister to us all.

When one of us was going through something we could always count on the others to help, talk to, be there. When cousin Marie moved into Mariposa, she was often with us also. She looks the same as she did in High School, loved by all.

We had a lot of girl cousins, and too many boy cousins too. Kendra and Kelly, our brothers - Brian, Darin and Jason, "Bub", Lonnie, Greg, and Shelly, Tammy and Jimmy were a little younger, Amy and Bodie (the baby), cousins who moved to Mariposa during Jr. High or High School, Patty Jon, Marie, and Barbara, David, Vicki, Sue, Rick, and Angela. Cousins who were a little older Cathy, Debbie and Robert, cousins who lived out of town; Mike and Karen, Carole and Jake, Terry, Steve, Jeff, Cliff Jr, "Spudder", Cathy and MANY more! We even got an additional cousin who we did not know about until we were adults - Ben!

 

We all did not see each other as much was we would have liked, I think that happens in a very large family. We have been able to stay in touch more with the help of the Internet, knowing what each are doing with facebook, email, and blogs.

 

Got to spend a few days with Tanya this week, talked more than we have gotten to in years, but we always pick up right where we left off. Tanya and Ronda are especially dear to me, been through a lot together. Love you both!!

Tammy, Missy, Cathy, Karen, Patty, Julie (me), Tanya, Ronda, Vicki, Marie

Outside the fish and game and one of the many family reunions.



Tanya at a Christmas party she hosts yearly, holding a baby as usual!

Lisa (Tanya's sister in law) and Tanya

 

Ronda holding Shelby (who she babysat) during a Christmas eve

 

Almost yearly a picture of the three of us was taken on a tailgate of a truck - since we were teens

Ronda, Tanya, and I - this is the year we were all redheads (naturally of course!)

 

Missy, Tanya and their Mom (Aunt Pat) at the family reunion

Tammy (cousin by marriage), Brian, Kendra, Me, Jason, Greg, Kelly, Ronda, Bodie, Lonnie, Tanya and Allen at a family reunion

same year - in red Carole, Cathy and Debbie, and Karen

Tanya and her husband Don at Tom and my wedding (look so young!)

Tanya and I (at my wedding)

Marie and kids, and Ronda and kids at my wedding

Tanya, Aunt Pat and Aunt Shirley  <3 p="">

 

Columbia State Park

Enjoyed a day with Cathy, Shelby and Darrell. Just taking some close by trips on my week off work. Really enjoying being home too! If you have not been to the park in a while, you should, had a lot of shops open that I had not seen before, it was fun.

Tom, Shelby and Cathy at our picnic lunch

Shelby and Cathy

Cathy, she did nothing to her hair today and her hair looks cute (brat!!)

Darrell and Cathy eating some sweets from the bakery

Testing the cinnamon rolls - Shelby and Papa

 

Shelby with her new pioneer hat!

 

Drive on 49 going home, a full rainbow

The sunset from 49 looking off toward the valley, in the pink area it is raining, really beautiful.
Tom and I tried to get some dinner in Coulterville, the Café was closed for the night at 6:50 - really?

Spring on the Mountain

I was reminded by one of my cousins that I have not posted on my Blog in a while. She is correct, life has been very busy this year, work has been crazy. But this week I have vacation (at home) and plan on Blogging and quilting and visiting some Aunt's and a special cousin. Seeing all the Aunts and Uncles makes me want to go visit them all, they are not getting any younger, (me too) and I want to get some family history written down and recorded. I asked many of the Wass's this year, "How did the first Wass come to Mariposa County and what year was that?". I got a few different answers, but many were very similar, all seem to agree the Wass family has been here since about 1870 something. My Great Grandpa married an Ashworth, there were a few families from West Virginia and they can to California about the same time (or together?)....more to follow.

My family always has a family reunion the Saturday before Easter, this year not all were able to make it, but we had a wonderful day anyway. Cathy and Darrell and Shelby were able to all be there and spend the night with us. The weather was perfect all day. We are very blessed.

Tom, Cathy, Shelby and I, ready to go the party, (Darrel is taking the picture)

 

Cathy, Shelby and Darrell

 

Shelby and Cathy

 

Aunt Clara, Shelby and the EB

 

Ronda, Tanya, me and Marie

two of these ladies are really struggling with some health issues, but you would never know it by this picture. I did not share the picture of the ice vests or the walker. (I am in denial that they have any medical issues)

 

Ready for the Easter egg hunt, Shelby, Madison and Rusty (too cute), yes the sun was in Shelby's eyes, and she also got some grass or something in her eye

Christmas in the Cabin 2012 - The Butterfly Tree

Hilary used some of her own decorations, hard to see- but there are some really pretty butterflies and peacock feather ornaments in the center and top of the tree.

 

Last week I asked Hilary to help me and get the tree decorated before Thanksgiving, I don't think I have ever put it up before Thanksgiving, but Shelby will be in MN for Christmas and I wanted her to see it. She was so excited to see it when she walked in the house Thanksgiving day. Hilary is very talented and this is the third year she has helped me. It is not a job that I am good at.

Love how it looks when the lights are off. Put it in the dining area this year. We do not have a lot of square footage to put it up, so we thought we would try something different. (hope there is no fires!)

 

Hoping for a white Christmas this year, Tom had to work Thanksgiving day, but has 3 days off at the same time as me for Christmas! This is the 1-2 inches we had a few weeks ago.

 

Shelby and I did some sewing - the girl has grown so much she did not have any PJs that fit her. Here she is in my sewing loft with her friends and her new PJ pants.  <3 p="p">

 

OK - this has nothing to do with the Christmas tree, just a really good picture of rolls I made for a recent Sunday dinner. Pretty hugh?

Blessings, visits, love, babies....

It was been a busy last month. I did not even realize I did not "blog" after we got back from visiting Brad and family and Dianna and Lee in Colorado. We were gone 9 days, and had a beautiful drive. Visited Uncle Chet and Aunt Janet in Nevada, then took the northern route through Wyoming (won't do that again!) and then dropped down into Denver.
Spent a night in Denver area, then moved down to Colorado Springs (or "the springs") to see Bennett and Geneva (oh yea, also Jayme and Brad).

Steve Wass's memorial in Minden Nevada area. Almost been 10 years, hard to believe.

Best picture of Wyoming, lots of wind mills and wind breaks near the road.

Lee and Dianna, happy couple!

Golden Colorado, nice to have your own personal photographer!Thanks Dee!

Aunt Dee Dee and Geneva, yes I really got to braid her hair!  :)

Dino musium with Brad and family (Geneva ran out of the picture)

Tom bike riding in Golden CO

New baby blessing this past weekend for this cutie new grandbaby - Ashlyn Tyra! I am in LOVE!

Ribbons 2012

Best of show in Whole wheat bread (second time I have gotten this), first on white, 2nd on Sourdough, 2nd on rolls

Tom got Best of show on his White chocolate peppermint fudge (we still have a pan in the house- think i gotta break into it tomorrow)

First on my table runner

First on Cinnamon rolls, new recipe for me, so I was really happy with them.

WHAT,   no  ribbon  on a biscuit???
for the rest check out the fair, will not post Shelby's so see can be surprised.