Pooks Canyon

El Serpentario is a must-visit for animal lovers. Iconic. Colorful birds. Attractive lizards. Bunnys hob-nobbing with birds. Supplicant bunnies. Bird selfies. Dinner (mouse a la egg yolk). Putting the serpent in serpentario. This guy only had one leg. We found the only rainy day in La Paz the day we visited el Serpentario.

In mid-February my dad came to visit us in La Paz.  It was wonderful having him here. One day we went stand-up paddleboarding with boards rented from Harker Board on the Malecon.  Dad picked it up very quickly.  Sergio, the kind owner, gave us stickers but we accidentally covered the H so it looks like Arker Board. Grandpa taught Axel how to play poker. Grandpa taught Axel how to beat him at poker. We took Dad to swim with 20ft purple whale sharks. Was a good day. Dad and I made a thorough survey of the margaritas de La Paz. While these two places had great margs, they serve a lot of Americanos.  Here in Baja Sur locals are more likely to shoot tequila with limes and chase it with beer. Thanks for coming to see us Dad!

Original artwork by Jonathan Baker When we moved back to California in June 2011 the plan was always to stay until Leah finished high school.  Last year, as a first step toward leaving Chico, we sold our house and got rid of about 75% of our stuff.  Now that Leah has graduated we are ready to finish the purge of possessions and hit the road.  Where to?  Eventually we would like to land back in Europe. For now, vagabonding through North America is the plan. On October 15 we are giving up our lease and hitting the road.  We will have a travel trailer with enough room for sleeping, working, and schooling. We are even taking the cats.  When we get tired of trailer living we may sublet furnished places for short terms.  Portland, Boulder, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz come to mind. When I told my dad (a fan of the film The Graduate) he said, “Cyndi, this whole idea sounds pretty half-baked.”  Having heard him repeat this quote many tim...

This year Axel and I went to Country Pumpkins in Orland to get Halloween decor for the front doorstep.  I wanted the reddest pumpkin I could find so it would match my front door.  Yes, I admit to that. I ended up purchasing a red Cinderella pumpkin.  At the checkout, the kind sales lady asked what I was going to do with it.  I told her that I was planning to put it by my door to look pretty.  She chuckled and said that Cinderella pumpkins make the most delicious pumpkin meat for cooking. I am so glad she said that because I might not have thought to cook this intimidating-looking squash. This was as red as it got at Country Pumpkins Fast forward to last Thursday when Mom came over for a visit.  She admired the pumpkin and I told her I was going to roast it soon.  "Oh, yes," she says, "Good idea. There is going to be a pumpkin shortage this year." "Really?" I said, a bit dubious on the notion.  Sounds like something the pumpkin lobby co...

This weekend we experienced a mixed bag, including a birthday celebration, a disc golf tournament, and a viral Internet post. It all started with Leah turning 18 on Friday.  She requested, as a birthday present, that we let her have the house to herself Friday night to host a party.  Since we live in a small house with one living space, we said yes. It would be hard to have a nice party with one’s parents taking up the whole couch.  The only rule: do nothing that gets anyone sued, evicted, or jailed.  This rule seems to cover most of the bases. Jon, Axel and I were left needing a place to stay Friday night.  We were planning to play a disc golf tournament in Paradise on Saturday morning (a whole 20 minutes from Chico), so we booked a room at the Comfort Inn right near the golf course.  When the front desk asked for my zip code at check-in I felt a little sheepish answering 95926. The tournament, Shasta Series 2015 (#2) at Lava Creek Disc Golf Course, ...

Tonight, for the first time ever, one of my made-up recipes was good enough for both Axel and Jon to recommend I write it down.  What better way to record it than in a blog post that may remain at the top of my blog for the next two years (see previous blog post). With no further ado, I give you Creamy Chicken and Kale Soup.  Unless you have been naughty in which case, "No soup for you!" Creamy Chicken Kale Soup • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 chicken breasts • 3 – 4 cups shredded kale (they sell this conveniently pre-shredded nowadays) • 32 ounces chicken stock • 2 cups half and half or milk • 1 stick of butter • ½ cup flour • ¼ cup vermouth (you could use white wine, too) • 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning • 1  teaspoon onion powder • 1 tablespoon white truffle oil (optional) Salt and pepper chicken breasts on both sides.  In a large heavy bottomed soup pot, sauté the chicken in the olive oil over medium high heat.  Brown on both si...

Moving back to California held many promises for me, time with my family being the foremost of these. So with pleasure, this weekend, the Chico Bakers embarked on the annual Christmas Tree Hunt in Lassen National Forest. We were guided by Dad (aka Forester Frank) and Mom (bringer of cocoa and Santa hats). Three generations of Christmas Tree Hunters. Our native guides. Mom, looking cute. Leah played video games in the car. This one says "No Cut" so we'd better keep looking. Watch the antlers! Our little tiger helped drink the cocoa and find pine cones. A large piece of Lassen National Forest installed in our family room. Needles to say (pun intended) I have not yet begun to decorate!

It all started with iPhone alarms going off at 6am. Yes, we're on vacation in Mexico... Jon Baker style! We sleepily pulled on our cycling finest and wandered, spandex-clad, toward the main drag in search of a taxi. In the dark. The full crew was Jon, my brother-in-law Richard, my nephew Robert, my dad and myself; we were on the first leg of a bike ride that was to include taxis, buses and even a boat. We arrived at BikeMex on Guerrero where Oscar, the proprietor, set us up with the necessities. Guide, check. Sandwiches, check. Helmet and Gloves, check. Several bikes in varying states of repair, check. In the dawn light we rode through the cobbled streets of Puerto Vallarta to a bus stop where Oscar attempted to deposit us on the next bus to El Tuito. After much exchange with the driver it was determined we would wait for the next bus. The wait was nearly an hour. Standing at a Mexican bus stop wearing spandex - when the working people are all getting on the bus to go t...