Take a Hike: Sturtevant Falls

I’m a sucker for hikes ending with waterfalls. They are the cherry on top that makes the hike so worth it. When I kept harassing Jeremy on what I should wear on our surprise Valentine’s date he finally told me we were going hiking and then to dinner. It was tough to be the one to spoil a surprise date but I’m glad I did because I like to dress comfortably when hiking, but also prepared with a change of clothes for our dinner date.

We drove up to Arcadia for our Adventure Pass and then up Santa Anita Road to Chantry Flats where we hiked to Sturtevant Falls. I’ll let you in on a secret: this isn’t the hike Jeremy thought he was taking me on. We actually both dislike the Sturtevant trail. Since we were there, we decided to tackle it again. This hike begins and ends with a half mile of paved road. The start isn’t too bad because you are going downhill the entire way, however climbing back up is a pain in the butt (literally). There is very little shade on this part of the hike which makes it feel like it is a million degrees when hiked during summer. It was a nicer climb this weekend since it was overcast but it didn't make the steep climb any easier.

When the asphalt meets the dirt you come to a little bridge and the first of the man made dam waterfalls. There are a few directional signs and a historic sign introducing Robert’s Camp. The camp was open from 1912 to 1931 with sleeping accommodations, kitchen, dining and eventually a store and post office. According to the sign the camp closed with a decline in hiking in the 1920s. Along the trail still remain many cabins, which are inhabited. I remember learning on our prior hike here that mules have to take in materials for repairs to the cabins. My favorite along the way is the Castle on the Creek with its stone decor.

There is little to no reception in the canyon so there are call boxes along the way. Curiosity got the best of me and we opened one up to see what type of phone it would be. I’m so glad we did because we found a wind up phone connected to a small battery.

The actual trail to the falls isn't too tough. There is plenty of shade, beautiful carved rock walls and green galore. The trail crosses the creek three times where you have to walk over rocks to make it across. Since there wasn't a whole lot of water in the creek, we had a pretty easy time with it. Jeremy is taller than I am so he can cross wide stretches pretty easily while I’m left looking for an alternate route across. Only one of my shoes got wet while crossing which is a total plus.

Once we made it to the falls I tried to compare how much water there was this time to the last time we came around. I remember the pool at the bottom having more water, although there was plenty of water for a few swimmers who were braving the cold water. It wasn't as crowded as I remember it being during the summer which is always a plus. We took drank some water, had some trail mix and relaxed a bit by the falls.

When we made it back to Chantry Flats we used the facilities to change into more appropriate dinner wear. I normally hike sans makeup with my hair in a ponytail but since we had dinner plans I styled my hair before we left and then wrapped it up in my bandanna. My curls held up pretty well if I say so myself.

We headed out for a night on the town in Downtown Pasadena just off Colorado. We took a little walk down Green which led us to some cool vintage shops. We stopped at Old Focals after I noticed a pair of cat eye glasses through the window. I whispered to Jeremy, “They sell vintage glasses." The styles, colors and shapes were amazing. The décor also included vintage eye examining tools and signs. When I got home I looked them up on the net only to find out that they supply Mad Men with their eye wear. If I had only known when I was in the shop then I would have shared my Mad Men prop sale for Season 5.

Down the street we walked into Rocket Fizz soda pop and candy shop. They had quite the selection of both. We had to try Martian Poop soda which was actually delicious and tasted quite a bit like marionberry. We picked up a couple of candies from our childhood and shared our Martian Poop soda as we made our way to Green Earth vegan restaurant.

Neither of us are vegan but Jeremy chose this restaurant for their gluten free options. Everything we had was delicious. We started out with the GF Spring Rolls and Quinoa Sushi. Both were served cold and packed with tasty veggies and sauces. I had Quinoa Fiesta and it was so good! It had a buttery taste that gave it a comfort food feel, and was served with peppers, pumpkin, kale and tofu. Jeremy had the fried rice sans tofu. We both had juices too. To close our evening out we took a walk down to Union for some gelato.

Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend celebrating the friends and family they love!

Vino for Valentine's

Vino came home on Valentine’s Day 7 years ago. He was one of the smallest puppies in his litter, but also one of the cutest with lots of spunk. Vino is my grandparent’s dog, the first of three schnauzers that are now a part of our family. If you have never crossed paths with a schnauzer, I hope you do. I am an indiscriminate dog lover, but I must admit schnauzers have a little extra something to love. It might be their amazing beard, bushy eye brows or great personalities; they are truly awesome dogs. Vino is no exception.

Earlier this month Vino gave us a bit of a scare. In the matter of one week he lost 5 pounds, was listless, had no appetite and didn’t want to play. All very unlike him. While we waited for his blood test results over a weekend he started drinking a lot of water and was having to relieve himself more frequently than normal. By Monday we were desperate for an answer and hoping that whatever was wrong was treatable.

Vino was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Because his body isn't producing enough insulin, he had to stay in the hospital where he was hooked up to an IV and had his glucose levels monitored every 4 hours until they were stabilized. The veterinarian explained that type 1 diabetes in dogs in most often genetic and diagnosed around age 6. Despite hearing this, we were afraid that we had done something to cause Vino’s diabetes. We consider our dogs not only our pets, but members of our family, so of course we want the best for them. Vino sometimes eats fallen fruit from the trees in my grandparent’s backyard. It was killing me to think that had we prevented him from eating the fruit he wouldn't have been sick.

He's a snuggler, hiker, bath taker (in a MCM pink bathtub), & a beach goer.

After 5 days Vino was able to come home along with special dog food, a feeding schedule and a prescription for insulin. Luckily his organs were unaffected, so he will be making a complete recovery by being fed twice a day followed by an insulin shot. The veterinarian was optimistic that Vino will live a long, normal life following this new regiment. He also told us not to be discouraged by the fact that most dogs only live 6-7 years after being diagnosed with diabetes, because most of them are not diagnosed until they are already 6 or 7 years old.

Since we weren't able to visit him while he was in the hospital, I went straight over to see him the night he arrived home. Vino loves stuffed animals so I picked him up a stuffed bunny as a get well gift. I was surprised at how skinny he was – I could feel his bones as I pet him which is the opposite of the muscular dog he used to be. As I sat on the ground with him in my lap I hugged him and cried. I cried because I was happy he was going to be okay, but I was so sorry that he was sick and had to go through this.

It has been a week since Vino has been recovering at home. He has gained back a few pounds and is busy rough housing and playing as usual. He is loving his new food and handling his insulin shots just fine. For this we are all thankful.

Just when things were looking up we found out that Vino’s brother Sparky (who lives next door) has also been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I feel sad for Sparky having to go through what Vino did, but also relieved. I still kept thinking there could have been something we could have done to prevent him from getting diabetes, but now we know it really is his and Sparky’s genes. Apparently miniature schnauzers are one of the top breeds affected by diabetes.

Schnauzer wall art by Going Places 2

Before Vino got sick I didn’t know about diabetes in dogs, and I bet most dog lovers don’t either. Although our family and friends have been supportive, it has been a tough few weeks. I wanted to share Vino’s story to bring awareness that diabetes doesn’t just affect humans, but also our furry best friends. The same way that people adjust to life with a disease, we as pet owners can help our dogs (and cats) brave through the highs and lows of life with diabetes. Vino’s life with diabetes will get easier, because we are by his side giving him the unconditional love and support he has given us. 

Victory Book Club: The Yonahlossee Riding Club by Anton DiSclafani, 2013

I won’t lie; I picked this novel up at the library because of the cover. I know, don’t judge a book by its cover, right? How could I pass up a book when the first words I see in the flap are “It is 1930” with a photo of a girl in riding boots smoking a cigarette?

Theodora Atwell is 15 and being sent away to the Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Previously, Thea had lived a secluded life in central Florida with her mother, father and twin brother Sam. Their secluded life kept them away from feeling the struggles of the depression unless they were in town shopping or enjoying the occasional visit from her aunt, uncle and Cousin Georgie.

Assigned to Augusta House, for the first time Thea is living in close quarters with 5 roommates from different parts of the country and walks of life. In their all white uniforms, the girls at the riding camp are generally from wealthy families with the exception of the occasional girl on scholarship. Aside from Mr. Holmes, the headmaster, and a few other men working the camp, the girls rarely see boys except for their yearly dance.

Thea’s adjustment to camp life is told alongside the story of her past that led her to be sent away to the equestrian boarding school. Thea’s story is more complex than a simple coming of age story who loves riding horses. She holds a secret that is slowly revealed along with her own character flaws. Whatever her parents may have tried to shelter her from in their secluded home managed to reach their daughter, transforming her from girl to woman.

This book is unexpectedly sexy, which caught me a bit off guard, especially since I did not read the entire dust jacket. Be prepared to dislike many of the characters; this is not a heartfelt coming of age story. I’m not sure if there is even a moral learned at the end. While I did enjoy reading it, I had trouble connecting with any of the characters. I found myself thinking something was wrong with many of them, but this might just be part of the darkness that comes along with the story.

A Place I Live: OC Harvest Club

 I don’t want to spend too much time rehashing the past, but one of the ways I spent my time while on my blogging hiatus was volunteering. Awhile ago I had signed up for The Harvest Club of Orange County’s email list and every time they had a volunteer opportunity in my area it was either full or on a day that I had something going on. I finally had the chance to attend my first harvest just under the wire for the last harvests of 2013 and it was pretty awesome.

So what’s this Harvest Club you ask? It’s pretty simple. A group of harvesters show up at a location (usually residential) and pick fruit or veggies to their hearts content. The boxes of harvested food are delivered to a food bank and used to feed the needy. How great is that?

Along with 5 other volunteers and our harvest captain we gleaned beautiful yellow lemons from one of the biggest lemon trees I have ever seen. There were large lemons, weirdly shaped lemons and tons that were still green and would be ready for picking in a month or so. Neighbors stopped by to see what was going on and to see if they might not walk away with a handful of lemons for themselves. We filled up 5 boxes, or approximately 200 pounds of lemons, that were delivered to a local church to help feed over 500 people.

If you are wondering why the lemons didn’t end up at a food bank, I’ll tell you. A majority of Orange County citrus is under quarantine because of citrus diseases. Because of this, citrus should be contained to the area it is grown in to not contaminate other trees. I’ll be honest and say that I like that the quarantine forces the food to be used where it was grown and harvested. The fruits of my labor are going to help feed people that live near me – that contribution feels extra good.

Not convinced yet that you should volunteer as a harvester? After 120 harvests in 2013 over 50,000 pounds of fruit was donated to help feed the community. If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, the Harvest Club recruits scouts and ambassadors that reach out to neighbors with fruiting trees to donate their harvest. If you have a tree bursting with fruit or tons of veggies be sure to sign up as a grower. Come on, are you really going to eat all those oranges on your tree? Share a little.

Please Excuse the Dust

Now that the dust has settled my brain is a lot less fuzzy. I haven’t been writing much because I have been at odds with how I want to continue The Sunshine Grove blog. I have all of these ideas and didn’t think they fit in with what The Sunshine Grove had become. Then I remembered, The Sunshine Grove is my creation and can be whatever I want it to be. And so it will be.

I don’t want to write following SEO guideline to get more hits, join a bunch of linky parties to network with other bloggers or feel pressed to comment all over the blog-o-sphere for more followers. Readers are important. Without them what would be the grand point of blogging? I want people to come read The Sunshine Grove because they want to read what I have to share. I felt like I was writing posts for the type of readers I thought I wanted. With this revamp I may very well lose some readers, but I might gain some new ones too and that’s fine with me.

While I was at it I cleaned house. I stopped following blogs that made me feel bad about my blog. You know the ones that had better photos than me, that posted a similar DIY project before I got around to do it or blogs that make doing it all look so easy. I was wasting so much time online looking at what I wanted to be like instead of being what I wanted to be. Blogging just wasn’t fun anymore!

Truth be told I haven’t read a blog post from blogs I follow since way back in September of last year. Is admitting that deadly for blogs I follow that follow me back? I hope not, because I follow some really awesome blogs. I just needed a break, ok?

From blogging that is. I did plenty with the end of 2013. I started a new job, was part of the Anaheim Halloween Parade committee, worked on a stop motion animation commercial, read a ton of books, canned for the holidays, supported my small local businesses and survived the holidays. Clearly I was busy.

But not too busy to start thinking of how The Sunshine Grove was going to grow with me. I’ve been changing the way I live my life. Do you remember last March when I visited the Natural Products Expo West and talked about the parallels between vintage and natural living? That’s a bit of what’s been going on here at the Grove. Maybe this makes me a vintage granola? Hopefully I’m still crunchy.

So what’s going to be new?

There will more about vintage living but in a different light. I’m not talking about vintage outfits or how to comb victory rolls. It’s about the nitty-gritty of vintage life, a simpler life. Victory gardens, preserving food, using natural products and trying to really reconnect with that old fashion school of thought that less is more.

What’s staying?

A Place I Live is just going to grow out of control. Anaheim is going through such an amazing revitalization and I’m very excited to share all of these changes. The best part is that the city is embracing its history and incorporating it into its transformation.

I had wonderful responses to my history posts about places and vintage things I’ve found that I will continue to share what I find. For those who have a similar love of Ranch homes I have some great treasures to share including 1950s and 1960s paint swatches and décor ideas for The Ranch onOrange.

Since my nose is always in a book expect more book reviews from Victory Book Club. Suggestions are always welcome as long as I can find it at the library.

Thanks for hanging in there during the transition. I love your comments and feedback so keep them coming with the new posts! And Happy New Year!