We live on the "ranch", if you can call 30 acres in this part of the country a ranch. Across the river is a 10,000 acre ranch with real cattle, cowboys, cattle dogs - the whole deal. We're at about 450' elevation, on the Eel River and our climate is seriously moderated by the ocean, even if it is 20-30 miles away. For one thing we don't really have a winter. It may freeze 5-6 times a year, but usually its a soft freeze, we see snow on the ground here briefly every year or two. In the summer it can reach 110, but the evenings are very rarely higher than 70. This all makes an interesting climate.

I have a trail around the ranch which I walk for excercise and pleasure in the mornings, when I can. I think I see wildlflowers 12 months a year. Right now there are lots of them. Dandilions in the fields, with clover, and some purple mints. We have some Queen Anne's lace or something similar, and some small high stalked pink flowers. Its nice. I bought a book some 15 years or more ago which cost a fortune and has color photos of all the wildflowers, to help identify them, but I'm not using it. I just like to see them. I encourage the salisfy in the lawn, by not mowing it (I leave flower protection areas when I mow) but we are near the end of the salisify season, most of the flowers have given way to dandilion looking balls of seeds you can puff on and scatter.

Tonight was my 25th anniversary, and I arranged with my sweetie to meet her in the bar at Cecils, in Garberville, at 6:30pm. I was scheduled to be in Yreka until mid afternoon, but luck intervened and I left there at 12:30. Made it to G'ville in time to take a seat at Cecils door at 5:55. At 6:30 when Mary Alice arrived, I was still there. Cecils is not open on Tuesday and Wednesday. I wasn't the only one who found that out. At least 3 other hungry folks came up, knocked on the door, and eventually left.

Frank C had suggested giving the new House of B a shot, it was right down the street, so we looked in. Ambience this restaurant does not have. It has retained the decor of the House of Burgess cowboy room. The sign advertises "Americana At It's Best" and the decor suggests burgers and flapjacks. Luckily the specials outside were salmon salad and prime rib, so we went in.

The waitstaff (I think that's what we call waiters and waitresses now?) were young, friendly, helpful, and still ironing out a few wrinkles in the service. No one met us at the entry desk, but we found menus. The menu sheet appears basic, in keeping with the ambience, and does not mention any alcoholic drinks. We almost left, but, there we were, so we looked over the menu. Someone came and seated us. We got a table right by the huge window looking out on the sidewalk. On display, and able to see all who walked by. It was fun to wave at them. I asked our waitstaffer(?) about cocktails and wine. She said we could order anything we wanted and they would get it from the bar. Much better.

The menu offering is not basic. It had everything from vegetarian dishes to buffalo. I was torn between pork loin, steak, and prawns, so I made a last minute decision:

Speaking of Americana, I had the Muscovy duck, and it was really good. It came with some fragments of zuccini, and a generous bunch of mashed potatoes which hit the spot. The bar didn't serve Sarah or Shiraz by the glass, but had a Merlot in small bottles which worked for me. Mary Alice ordered the salmon, which comes with Soup or salad. She selected salad. The waitstaffer wrote down "Salmon salad" and that's what they brought. Fortunately the cook caught it and before Mary Alice had gotten up to double check the menu, he came to the table, got the order right and brought her salmon in chipote sauce, which she liked alot. I had had a light lunch you might say. A roast beef sandwich from the Yreka supermarket with a coke, so I had a dessert course. I got decaf French Press coffee and strawberry shortcake (I am a son of the south, after all.) The coffee for two came in the press, but I think the waitress pressed it for us, and was good, the whipped cream on the shortcake seemed to be actually whipped, and flavored, and the shortcakes were great. I'm so used to getting Rediwhip which is essentially puffy cardboard, that I decided that real whipped cream was the final hallmark of a good restaurant. It's on my list.

It will not be on the tourists' list, I suspect. Everyone eating there was local, and as we were sitting at a window table, I saw several somewhat bewildered looking family groups of tourists walk by. The place looks so unlike what it is that it will be a rare tourist who wanders in, sees the menu, and stays. Fine, more room for us locals.

Dinner for two including 2 drinks each, plus coffee and desert. $60. I have no idea if that's cheap or normal anymore. When I grew up that would be a fortune, now, I don't know. Evidently I am not one of those who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Quite the opposite.

Made the drive today from Willits to Yreka. About 5 hours according to mapquest, and that was pretty close. There is some sort of construction going on at the worse part of Rt 20 and they might be straightening it out a little bit. More construction on I-5 in the mountains which reduces the road to 1 lane and backs traffic up quite a bit.

Views to remember. 1 - Rt 20 Eastward just before you drop out of the mountains onto the plains of the valley, there is a view through a canyon of rolling hillsides which was pretty spectacular. 2-Coming up I-5 northward the mountain views are quite nice. There are stony craigs on the left some miles in, Mt Shasta is visible for miles (and most of the snow is melted off of it, which makes it less impressive - still nice), and today the canyon itself was beautiful with the green firs set off by a darkening sky as a storm front moved through.

The name of the Thai restaurant in Yreka is Natalee's. Take the 1st exit if you're going North, and then watch on the left. Its kind of blended into a motel. At the moment its my #1 restaurant pick for Yreka.

I've been staying at the Townhouse (4th and K) in Eureka as long as I've been a lawyer (since the 20th century at least). Its really close to the court and I can walk out of my room 10 minutes before court time and still have time to hang out in the hall waiting for the bailiff to open the courtroom doors.

Its inexpensive, the owner is extremely helpful, but its basic. The rooms have fridges and microwaves, TV, and in many cases a tub. They accept faxes for me, but the machine is old. I usually get my faxes that I need to present to someone sent to the Central Office, which is only two blocks away (4th and I). That's where I do my copying.

In the past year or more the Townhouse has been renovating. Now they have electronic room locks, pseudo lights in the windows (if you know the old term for panes = lights), a handicapped parking space, and this time I found new paint upstairs and down, and the plants are back in the upstairs atrium (or whatever you call that space, you'll have to see it to name it).

Highly recommended for those with court business in Eureka. Tell 'em ED sent you.

Just for kicks I found the AT&T coverage map for the Northcoast. They "partner" with someone who provides coverage that seems identical to US Cellular, and they cover directly an area which looks like Santa Rosa and south. So if I got an iPhone would I be able to have broadband speed downloads of my emails etc? Anyone know? I mean I could ask US Cellular, but, hey, I'm a guy and we don't ask direct questions of the people who might know the answer.