'Dušičky’ versus Halloween

When we arrived to California two years ago already at the airport we were surprised by the strange dressed up people. We didn’t have any idea we arrived exactly on the scariest day of the year.

The Czech ‘Dušičky’ and the American Halloween are both dealing with the death.
The origin of both usages would come from the ancient celebration of the Celtic New Year on November 1. This day signified the end of summer, harvesting the crops and the beginning of the dark and cold winter season. And the Celts associated winter with the death. The night before, October 31st, they celebrated the ‘All Hallows Eve’ also called 'All Saints', or 'All Souls Day’. This day was loaded with myth and mystery. On that day the laws of time and space were temporarily suspended. The ghosts of the death were believed to return to cause tricks and mischief and mix up with the living people, even seeking for a body to inhabit…


In the Czech Republic we observe the ‘Památka zesnulých’ (‘Remembrance of the Dead’) on the November 2nd. I prefer to call it the folk’s way ‘Dušičky’ literally translated ‘Little Souls’ which you may also freely translate as ‘All Souls Day’.
On that day the Czechs go to the graveyards and put fresh flowers on the graves and they light up candles in the memories of their family members and friends.

Even the ‘Dušičky’ and Halloween have the same roots, every country has adjusted the past Celtic tradition as the time went on.
The Czechs don’t get dressed in costumes. There are no parties compare to the American Halloween. Putting on costumes is not an American invention. Already the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins. O.K. the costumes are more cultivated today but they can be really scary. Even the local babies wear skeleton costumes. About the costumes: my observation is that most of the ladies here prefer to go for sexy above scary. Of course! It’s 'accepted' only on that particular day ;-)


Anyway I have to admit I like the atmosphere of Halloween. It belongs to the local fall festivities and fall is my favorite season.
The celebration is not just about the death and monsters but also about the harvest and above all about the pumpkins.


Out of a large pumpkin people here carve ‘The Jack of the Lantern’. This tradition originates from an Irish myth about a ‘Stingy Jack’. According to the story this unsavory figure was not allowed by the God to enter the heaven and the Devil wouldn’t let him into the hell either. Jack has got a burning coal from the Devil which he put into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth ever since as a ghost.
This ‘Jack-O'Lantern’ is the most common Halloween decoration.

But on some front porches you would find just complete graveyards with gravestones, corpses, skeletons and the shrubs are often covered by huge spider webs. This decoration is indeed morbid even sick sometimes and not bright either. Though it is funny and you should admire the human creativity at least.

Even it’s common at many places to come in the Halloween costumes on this mythic day this is not the case at Maarten’s preschool. Although there are pumpkins and spiders around the classroom it is not Montessori practice to celebrate holidays.
Also at home we don’t have any graveyards or skeletons (this year) but a little bit of fall decoration.

PS: Last night shortly after 8 p.m. there was an earthquake with 5.6 magnitude northeast of San Jose, which means in our direction. Even though the BART trains were stopped for a while there was luckily no damage. Even people in Walnut Creek could feel the quake. Well, we haven’t experienced anything this time.

Seymour Marine Discovery Center/Wilder Ranch SP

It’s not that far away to drive to the seashore but it’s always more the worth if you have a special reason. Since Maarten has got a richer social life than both of us he is having another birthday party and mom and dad may join him. We meet the other ‘partygoers’ at the Ms. Blue, 87 feet long whale skeleton.


Maarten becomes excited immediately. Inside he can hold a seastar and pet the sea anemone. The tour with Miss Jennifer is great but I admit the narratives about the elephant seals and the blue whale might be not that interesting to our toddler boy yet. Though without the tour he would miss the two funny dolphins in the outdoor pool.

When the party is done we drive 4 miles North of Santa Cruz to the Wilder Ranch State Park. The parking is so busy. There is a Fall Festival at the ranch. I’m not sure I still want to visit the shore right here. However we take the Old Landing Cove trail past the brussels sprouts fields and shortly leave the crowds behind. We eat our lunch above the trail’s namesake. At this place the sailing vessels loaded lumber in the late 19th century.

The lovely walk further along the coastal bluffs and pocket beaches is very easy but Maarten is already tired and refuses to walk at all. He complains there are no acorns here. How should I explain that?


The flocks of seagulls and pelicans made the walk a bit more exciting but the attraction number one is the water as usual. Close to the seal rookery we take the path down to a small beach. Maarten doesn’t care about the seals. Only here on the beach he comes to life again!


His shoes and pants are wet very soon. Luckily the weather is still so warm.


On the inland side of this small beach there is a shallow cave filled with ferns. The water drips down and it’s pretty mysterious. Not for Maarten. He walks down the cave and collects sticks as anywhere else to build ‘a fence’.


On our way back he walks barefoot without complaining and he is always pleased to flirt with any of the ladies we meet.

'Den Blbec'/Southern CA Burns

I have no idea what are the good manners here but just to be sure I get some chocolate on my way to the ‘new members lunch’. I just hope Maarten is going to behave a little since this is ‘women only’ occasion ;-). It’s in a gated community and I have no good experiences with that. And indeed at the gate the porter looks at me surprised. She doesn’t have any note about my visit. Oh no! Not again! She asks my name once more: ‘You supposed to be here yesterday!’
What a shame! I don’t know why I thought about 23rd October to be this Wednesday?
Not the best way to make new friends... I feel pretty bad.
Maarten wants to go to the pumpkin patch every day. To make it up to him we go to a local San Ramon farm. Maarten falls asleep in the car. When I finally arrive at the farm there is only a big market stall with fruit and indeed pumpkins.
I let Maarten snooze and return home. What a day!

We still shouldn't complain, huh? While enjoying all the Halloween fun here the people in the South are going through hell. The news about the wildfires is really horrifying. I’m worried because a part of our family lives very close to the burning areas. It seems the worst is over but the fire is not completely extinguished yet.
Since I get a lot of questions about the wildfires you can read more here:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fire25oct25,0,6254607.story?coll=la-home-center




PS: Today: at the pumkin patch again ;-)

Las Trampas Regional Wilderness

Maarten stays very aware after seeing this signboard at the Las Trampas Wilderness. He is always quite scared of the possible puma attacks and I admit I don’t mind when he keeps walking next to me.
Now and then we hear the Steller’s Jays and crows cawing which makes it also more adventurous to Maarten.




But the first part of the trail seems to be quite boring to him. There is no stream to throw pebbles or sticks in it and there are no acorns to collect either. Soon the only interesting thing to him seems to be the ‘Snuggli’.
I’m a little jealous to see other hikers continuing up the hill. I know it is pretty challenging to go with Maarten in the back carrier. I’m not good enough to carry his 37 pounds entirely to the top of the Vail Peak.
Time to return.

I ask Maarten if he is doing well in the back carrier, his answer is ‘no’.
“What’s wrong?”
“You don’t have any raisins!”


On our way back Maarten forgets about his ‘tiredness’ when we enter the shady Bollinger Creek trail. Unfortunately the creek is still completely dry but the wooded path is definitely more exciting for my little hiker ;-)

Fun in the Country

‘You don’t want to play with the children, you don’t want to party, you want to go to school, you want to walk up the hills with mama…’
…a whole tirade of reasons why Maarten doesn’t want to go to a birthday party.
I’m sorry but you are not the one who decides here, my dear.
But once at the party he forgets completely about me. He does his best to keep up with the big boys. Is this really my shy son?


After eating some pizza he goes to the host and asks where the cake is! Luckily he does it in Czech. When he starts to explore the employee’s rooms I’m happy the party is over and we have to leave.



We pick up Rob at home and head for the pumpkin patch. I would prefer to go to Clayton since I loved it there last year. But Livermore is closer and because I like the area a lot we give it a try. I have to admit I like it even more than Clayton. Like the farm in Clayton also here it is a nice rural setting.




They have no train here but a lot of other activities and a lovely Old West Town décor, including mercantile shops, prison and also pioneer wagons, cowboys, Indians and their Teepees. Maarten loves all the goats, sheep, donkeys and chickens, but he is really fascinated by the cowboys and the ponies even he doesn’t dare to take a ride.

Little Yosemite

Even though we have already been several times to the Sunol Wilderness we haven’t visited one of its popular highlights yet. I mean the Little Yosemite area indeed. I wasn’t expecting much, especially because the closest parking it’s just a mile walk to get there.



We cross the wooden bridge over Alameda Creek and continue on the Canyon View Trail. Climbing up we have to be careful not to slip on the big acorns. They are everywhere and very tempting to Maarten who keeps collecting them all the time.



Over the Alameda Creek valley the views of the highlands are again beautiful.



A little bit out of the wind we enjoy our lunch but Maarten can’t sit still. He rolls his bottle down the hill till he thinks of doing it himself. He has so much fun but I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get all the dry grass and thorns out of his clothes. We have to look for his shoe. It’s stuck somewhere under a mossy rock but I guess he even haven't noticed that.



Approaching the Little Yosemite area we meet still more people. Would it be crowded like the ‘real’ Yosemite Valley? Is this the reason why they call it so? ;-)
It’s nothing spectacular but still a lovely place that features something of the Sierra's namesake.



Little Yosemite is a scenic rocky gorge on Alameda Creek shaded by big oaks. The creek tumbles through the rocky canyon with forested hillsides.
Of course you can’t expect to enjoy some solitude here during the weekend.



Now we have reached the creek and we should continue on the fire road. We’ve already walked some 2 miles and Maarten noticed that too. It becomes difficult to keep the ‘boring’ fire road enough exciting to him.
We are happy to collect and carry so many acorns in our pockets! Tossing them in front of us Maarten finds it very amusing to run after it. Great! We even move forward in (for us) an uncommon fast pace!


PS: a ghost tree found along the equestrian trail...

The Happiest Girl!

I wish I could keep my resolution to survive here without a car. I’m sorry but I’m not!
After testing several old wrecks, several things became more clear. I’m not such a car specialist but I knew I’d like to have a car with a good gas mileage (considering the rising gas prices ;-)) and it has to be a ‘green’ PZEV vehicle for sure…
We have to drive all the way to Napa but I finally have got what I wanted!

Now Maarten goes to school twice a week I can finally improve my own social life (next to all the mother’s stuff of course).
I was already a member of the Ch. Women Organization but only after two years I can really participate in their activities. And I meet so many nice people from around the world! And they even have got a hiking group! I’m definitely in!

Yesterday I've enjoyed another girl’s night out. In my native language this time! We had so much fun I hope we will do it more often.


Also Maarten is doing great at school. The third day he was still a little bit doubtful but after giving me a kiss he joined his teacher at the playground.
And when I came to pick him up this Thursday he didn’t want to leave the classroom! And at home he even comes out with some words and even short sentences in English!!!

I would join Donna Fargo to sing “I’m the haaappiiiest giirl in the…”

It's raining!

Not only the pumpkins and patches all over the region remind us of the fall season. Also the rains have finally arrived to the East Bay. After the dry summer season the dry golden brown hills are turning green again.
I hope we will get enough rainfall this winter since also here in the Bay Area the consequences of the global climate warming have already been noticed.

The Very First School Day

‘They all do cry in the beginning...’ said the friendly Miss L. from a potential preschool about a half year ago.
Yesterday was the Big Day for us. Maarten has started his prep class. He was pretty enthusiast and frolicking while walking to the school. Even he stayed clinged to me at first I could easily pass him to one of the Misses and leave. And within the three hours I even didn’t get any phone call from the school!
When I picked him up he was quite rosy from all the new impressions but he was smiling and cheerful as usual. What a relief!

But we are not there yet! This morning he almost ripped my shirt open when I tried to leave him at the school playground ...

Shasta and Lassen County (09/30 - 10/4)

September 30th

Our (probably) last camping trip of this year is going to be to our favorite Northern California. I hope the weather will stay nice. Of course not that warm like in San Ramon but please no snow yet!
But the loud cricket sound gives still a summer atmosphere when we arrive at the campground.
Unfortunatelly it's raining during the first night but our tent stays dry!


The Sacramento Valley landscape from the I-5.






October 1th


By the morning is the sky clear again but the temperature in the morning is really freeeeezing! 32°F/0°C!
Sure it’s already October and we are at the elevation of 3000 feet something.


Our campsite backs into the canyon rim where a trail heads down to Burney Falls which Theodore Roosevelt pronounced one of the worlds wonders. The falls are indeed impressive but I'm a bit disappointed. The falls are actually so easy accessible which makes it quite busy even off-season. I understand why we were advised against visiting here during the summer month.


This area is a part of the Cascade Range with an all over evidence of old lava flow. The Falls Loop Trail takes us through the canyon along a steep talus slope of tons of round rocks covered with moss and ferns. This is the evidence of erosion where the lava layers have collapsed. A beautiful view even I hope it will not move when we are passing.


We take the Burney Creek Trail to Lake Britton and have picnic at the banks of this at the moment very quite lake.


Another quick walk is the Headwaters Trail where we hope to see the pits duged by the Ilmawi Native Americans to trap big game. We haven’t found any but the fall views of the creek and the pool were worth the walk.


October 2nd


The dry shrubby habitat of this area provides refuge to the mule deer that is the favorite prey of the mountain lions. Luckily we’d only encounter the deer in a pasture several times.


This area is known because of the famous Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen. The third in size is Burney Mountain (elevation 7,863 feet). It’s another beautiful day and we are hoping to get great views of the panorama.
We take the dirt road which supposed to take us up to the summit.


The massive lava flows we see all around us reveal a volcanic past.



We are climbing slowly. The road is pretty rough and very steep on the switchbacks and it takes at least an hour all the way to the top.


Maarten falls asleep and we can enjoy the breathtaking 360 degree views of the surrounding area and indeed of Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen. You feel like you’re on top of the world!




October 3rd


When I ask about the Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park nobody would tell me anything about that. It should be accessible only by boat. Despite we don’t have one we are heading to Mc Arthur and hoping there will be someone who can help us over the water. The scenery is beautiful also in this direction. I’m really curious about the Ahjumawi. I ask a local fellow about the Ahjumawi but he wouldn’t know it?! Than I ask about the Big Lake and he show me the way.

Driving through a vast swamp we finally arrive to the Big Lake. There is indeed no way to get to the park without a boat. We are quite disappointed of course. But there is so much to do in the area.




The Thousand Lakes Wilderness north of Lassen Volcanic NP is another attractive hiking area. We take the same fire road like yesterday to the Cypress Trailhead. We are the only ones here again. The whole area is pretty desolated especially now.
Our primary destination is Lake Eiler.



After we get over a dry creek bed the trail becomes a moderate climb, rising 1,000 feet in elevation for the first mile. Maarten is climbing in a slug pace but at last he has to be carried in his favorite ‘Snuggli’. Fortunately then it levels out to a comfortable hike.

It is very cold up here...we can even throuw snowballs!


We are passing other lake(s) but maybe because of the time of the year there is also no water in here.

Finally we spot the Lake Eiler through the trees, the largest lake in the wilderness. This lake is also quite dry so we can partly walk on the lake bottom.


After a short picnic we have to return to the trailhead before it will get dark. I hope to come back again. What a beautiful and pristine area!


On our way back we almost step on a snake (Ca Striped Racer) that quickly disappears in the dry grass.

Is Maarten still in the jetlag or are our trips really that exhausting?






October 4th

A friendly ranger has already warned us about the weather change which supposed to come this Thursday. She is quite surprised when in stead of packing our tent we are leaving for another trip today.

The morning is cold and sunny as every day and there is so much more to do. We are looking for the historical Fowlers Camp where a trail is routed upstream through forest to the Mc Cloud Middle Falls. It’s still quite sunny but Mt. Shasta is completely covered by clouds. Now and then there is some rainfall but the sun still wins its way through.
Even it’s short and easy hike Maarten is not in the mood of hiking today.

When we finally reach the Middle Falls it’s really cloudy and starts to rain. Rob and Maarten are heading back and I climb up to the falls overlook. It’s getting dark and being in a bear country I make noise with two little stones. Just to be sure not to encounter the big hairy fellows.


Rob makes some signs for me on the path and to amuse Maarten and keep him walking of course.










Next to one of Rob’s signs on the path I see a harmless California Legless Lizard.





Back at the Fowlers Camp we get some sunshine again. We consider take the well-meant advise of the ranger and return home after all.


I take a quick walk to the Lower Falls. It’s also nice but the Middle ones are indeed the best.


On my way back the snowy slopes of the majestic Mt. Shasta come through the clouds for a moment. I understand why so many people consider this impressive mountain sacred.


It starts to snow when we drive back to the campground. No doubts we are going to pack our tent as quickly as possible.
And we are even so lucky that the snow- or rainfall hasn’t reached the campground yet!