I’ve played around with this fun photo editing website a few times now since I first discovered it in January this year, and I do like some of the finished products. But I’ve also realized a couple of things. I can’t help wishing there were more options. Although there are nearly 40 different cool effects to choose from, after using […]
It’s fairly common knowledge that Fort Ross in Sonoma County was founded by Russians in the 1800s, when they came to the Pacific Northwest to hunt for furs and to trade with the indigenous people. Fort Ross was actually the southernmost limit of their contact. At Gualala Point Park, just south of the town of Gualala, we came across a […]
I recently finished reading a book called All the Gallant Men, a fascinating memoir by Donald Stratton, who was serving aboard the USS Arizona at the time of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. He survived the ship’s sinking but suffered serious burns; and while he and his fellow survivors were initially treated in Hawaii, they were later transferred first […]
As I began watching this final episode of Huell’s California Mission series I expected something completely different. When I first saw the title “Art of the Missions,” I had imagined a tour of some surviving pieces of religious art — paintings of the Virgin, stained glass windows, tile mosaics. But even though I had it completely wrong, this turned out […]
I can’t count the number of times over the years I passed through the city of Auburn on Interstate 80 and noticed the old courthouse and the statue of the miner. Each time I promised myself, “One of these days I’m going to stop and check this out.” Well, that day finally arrived — and even though I only paused […]
There are so many cool discoveries to find as you wander the grounds of the Empire Mine in Grass Valley. I only wish there was more information available about the outdoor garden details.
The “forgotten” 22nd Mission, San Antonio de Pala, was built in 1816 and serves the people of the Pala Village. Huell learns quite a lot about the history of the mission and the reservation, including a visit to a portion of the mission that is home to the Vivian Banks Charter School; the school is unique in being a public […]
Summer 1973 — These photos are from a trip my parents took to Hearst Castle and Solvang on the Central California coast, leaving us kids home. But don’t worry! A few years later they returned and took me along with them. Sadly, I don’t recall too much about Hearst Castle except that it was beautiful and overwhelming; I’d love to […]
Last Friday I began my series on the California Missions with a few images of Mission Santa Barbara photographed by my mom in 1979. As part of this series, I’ll be featuring Huell Howser’s visits to the 21 missions. Unfortunately, since each episode is only 30 minutes long, there wasn’t enough time to present an in-depth look at each site […]