The Morning After

Yesterday's rainstorm was the best one in the longest time. It started raining around mid noon and was still steadily going at midnight when I nodded off to sleep. We could have more rain today. Hooray!

As I'm writing, clouds are sweeping across the Diablo range to the east of town. Lovely!

Today's link is Skywatch Friday. Click here to check out other parts of the world.

The Holiday Sparkle in Downtown Hollister

One of the lovely holiday traditions of Downtown Hollister is the sparkle, sparkle that brightens up San Benito Street at night.

Happy Holidays, One and All!

The View through the Vault's Windows

It's Wordless Wednesday.

Signs of San Juan Bautista

About seven miles west of Hollister is the second biggest city in San Benito County -- San Juan Bautista. In 2013, the U.S. Census estimated its population to be 1,922.  It's a quaint town to wander around, especially if you're into exploring California history. The city was named after Mission San Juan Bautista, the fifteenth in the chain of 21 missions that the Spanish Franciscan friars built between San Diego and Sonoma.

The grounds of Carl Martin Luck Memorial Library and the adjoining Carl Martin Luck Museum and Carl Martin Luck Memorial Park were donated to the city by Francisca Luck, the daughter of Mr. Carl Martin Luck, when she passed away in 1974. She stipulated in her will that the property be used for a library, museum, and park complex in honor of the memory of her father, who operated a gas station there. Today, the renovated gas station is the museum. 

Every holiday season for the past 30-some years, the city puts up its beautifully hand painted wooden icons along Third Street, the city's main street. Restored in 2010 by local artists, the icons honor the saints for which the California missions were named.

Along with its history, San Juan Bautista offers visitors a richness in art and theater -- El Teatro Campesiño is based here, as well as a variety of shops and restaurants to enjoy. To start your exploration, check out this online guide of San Juan Bautista.

Today, I'm linking up at Our World Tuesday. To see what's going on in other parts of the world, please click here.

Late Afternoon Light

I like how the late afternoon light looks in downtown Hollister as the sun makes its way home for the night.  It pays to look up and see buildings bathed in yellow light. This is the southern face of the once-upon-a-time Pendergrass Hotel on Fifth and San Benito Streets.

Today is Monday Mellow Yellows. Click here to check out how bloggers around the world feature the color yellow.

The Historic Path Below Old Mission San Juan Bautista

Below Old Mission San Juan Bautista is a short and easy walking path that overlooks the San Andreas Fault. We've been having some good rocking and rolling lately, by the way. Small healthy earthquakes in the threes and fours on the Richter magnitude scale to ease the tension of the fault. So, I hope.

Okay, back to the path which is actually a segment of the original El Camino Real that ran between the 21 California missions, from San Diego to Sonoma. You can access the path either by the stairs next to the mission or from the south at the end of Franklin Street. The path swings behind the mission and up to First Street by Casa Maria. Unfortunately, you are only allowed to walk part way on the path.

It's worth the venture, considering that you'd be briefly walking on the historic El Camino Real alongside the amazing San Andreas Fault as well as seeing some gorgeous views of San Juan Valley.

Changes

That's Sunnyslope School in the background. I attended Fourth and Fifth grades there several decades ago. I remember looking across the street and seeing a small house surrounded by fields. Parked on its driveway was one, maybe two, rusted 1930s vehicles. Those fields are now covered by a medical complex and a neighborhood.

Today, I'm checking out black and white photos from bloggers around the world at The Weekend in Black and White. Come join me by clicking here.

Waxing Gibbous Moon

This past week, the moon has been in a waxing gibbous phase. That means it gets lit more each day by the sun as it approaches Full Moon. And, that is tomorrow!

I took this photo on Monday by the Methodist Church on Fifth Street in Hollister. The word gibbous comes from the Latin word gibbosus, which means humpbacked.  What do you think? Does the moon look like it's a humpback?

Today is Skywatch Friday. Click here to check out how the sky looks in other parts of the world.

Appreciating Local Military Men and Women

Lined around the Veterans Memorial Building and nearby streets in downtown Hollister are signs honoring local U.S. military men and women currently deployed overseas. The signs went up this past Veterans Day.

I'm linking up at the weekly meme Signs, Signs. To check out posts by other bloggers around the world, please click here.

A Late Afternoon Flight Around Downtown Hollister

Today is Wordless Wednesday.

The Yuletide Trees in Hollister

Decorate a Tree was one of the wonderfully generous projects of the 2014 Lights on Celebration that took place last Saturday, November 29, 2014. More than two dozen trees were donated by Bourdet Christmas Trees and decorated by various non profit organizations, such as the Girls Scouts and the Friends of the San Benito County Library.

The Christmas trees were on display in front of the Briggs Memorial Building at the corner of Fourth and San Benito Streets. They were recently distributed to families in need within the community.

The 2014 Lights on Celebration is an annual event, sponsored by the Hollister Downtown Association.

Today, I'm linking up at Our World Tuesday. To check out blogs from other parts of the world, please click here.

Autumnal Mellow Yellows

Yellow leaves in the Fall. Of course, lots of them on the ground with red and orange leaves. But, yellow flowers in Autumn? Of course not. They pop up in Spring and Summer.

Wrong! Yellow daisies and yellow daylilies greeted me as I walked around the perimeter of the Sunnyslope Medical Center yesterday.

Today is Monday Mellow Yellows. That's where I'll be, checking out other posts featuring the color yellow. Click here to join me.

More Rain!

This morning I woke up to the sound of rain. That's two days in a row.  Yaaaaaaaay!

How good of a rain is it? Water is pushing the colorful dried leaves down to the storm drains!

If the weather forecasters are to be believed, it'll be raining over the next five days. Whooo-hooo! Maybe our drought won't be completely over, but this will certainly help!

Afternoon Shadows

Taking photos allows me to get my exercise in the fresh air. How else would I have ever seen the shadows on the corrugated metal building near the railroad tracks on Hillcrest Road?

Check out black and white photos from other bloggers around the world at The Weekend in Black and White.

Seeing and Hearing Autumn

One of the best ways to experience autumn in Hollister is to take a walk through the neighborhood just a block west of Downtown Hollister. You can see the colors on the trees and hear the crunch of the leaves beneath your feet.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Take 25 to Hollister Readers,

It's a day of appreciation of our world—our family and friends, our communities, and our environment. I wish each of you peace, joy, love, and happiness.

Yours truly,

Su-sieee! Mac

Weekday Morning in Downtown Hollister

I'm hooking up today at Wordless Wednesday.

Coming Very Soon: The Lights On Celebration

It's starting to look rather festive in downtown Hollister. The Hollister Downtown Association has already strung the Yuletide boughs across San Benito Street. With the help of many volunteers, Hollister Downtown Association will have downtown ready for the annual Lights On Celebration this coming Saturday, November 29.

To learn more about the day and evening festivities, including the Lights On Parade, click on the poster below. Or, click here.

I've joined other bloggers at Our World Tuesday. Click here to check out what's going in other parts of the world.

Skyscrapers in Hollister?

When I took this photo through one of the windows in the Country Rose Cafe, I did not see what looks like two skyscrapers in the distance. I just thought, "That's a cool photo of the trees and tiled roof."

I wonder what made the illusion of skyscrapers. Some kind of decal on the window, perhaps? Or, maybe, my camera caught a glance into the future high-rise campus of San Benito High School. Shades of The Twilight Zone, oh my.

After a rain . . . Mushrooms!

The past couple weeks, I've noticed mushrooms growing in the most interesting of places around town. I've seen them in the lawn at the medical complex on Sunnyslope Road. I've even seen mushrooms in the gravel in front of the new courthouse. Amazing, isn't it?

A Mooooooo-ving View

"Moooove along," said this cow on the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. "There's nothing to see here."

I took the photo anyway. Ha!

Come check out other black and white photos from bloggers around the world. Click here to go to The Weekend in Black and White.

Looking at the Sky on Hillcrest Road

We've been having some rainy days the past two weeks Yaaay! The days following the rainy ones are often gorgeous, as you can see in the reflection of this puddle on Hillcrest Road.

Skywatch Friday is the meme for today. Come check out how the sky looks in other parts of the world by clicking here.

Sweaty Shirts?

This sign in the Hollister Cleaners window cracks me up. I haven't had any need for dry cleaning service in a long while, but if the Husband's shirts ever get drenched in stinky sweat, I'll be sure to try this business.

Today, I'm linking up at the meme Signs, Signs. Come check out other interesting signs in the world by clicking here.

A Setting for Sitting

My favorite setting for sitting in downtown Hollister is the new county courthouse on Fourth Street. The beautifully landscaped grounds is like a little park. And, the benches, as well as the red chairs at the red tables, are comfortable seats.

The other morning, the Husband and I hung out there while we waited for our car to be fixed at a shop a few blocks away. It was quite pleasant, sitting on what's becoming "our" bench, reading and watching the cars and foot traffic go by. I'm looking forward to when the trees get bigger.

Today the letter is S at Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday. That's where I'll be checking out posts of other bloggers from around the world. Click here to join me.

Cows and Horses

On Sunday, the Husband and I hiked up to the one-mile post on the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. Eventually, we'll get strong enough again to reach the bench at the crest of the mountain, which is about another two miles. It was a great hike. The cows and horses were out that day. The cows looked to be enjoying the view as much as us.

Today is Our World Tuesday. That's where I'm hanging out, checking out posts by bloggers from around the world. Come join me by clicking here.

Good Morning, Tigers!

Nearly every school day, around 8 a.m., I hear the starting bell ring at Sunnyslope School and, a few seconds later, the noise of the PA system. A cheerful voice (I presume the principal) comes on and says, "Good Morning, Tigers!" When the weather is just right, I can also hear the announcements and  the daily joke, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by one of the Tigers. I love it!

Sunnyslope School is where I went to fourth and fifth grades in the ancient days. We had no school mascot. But, we did have more running and play space. Today, a lot of the open school yard and field that we played in are covered with buildings full of classrooms.

Yesterday, when the Husband and I walked by the school, we noticed the colorful murals hanging on the outside walls. Many of them look like the work of the Tigers. And, yes, I wish we could've painted outdoor murals back then.

 

Today, I'm linking up with Monday Mural hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. To see other murals from other parts of the world, please click here.

One of a Kind

Rather unique tomato, don't you think?  I wonder if it was the butt of all jokes among its peers.

These organic tomatoes waited patiently to be bought at the Pinnacle Organic Saturday Farmstand.

Stopping at Casa de Fruta

Casa de Fruta is a pit stop haven for drivers, including the men and women who operate those big rig trucks and trailers. Originally opened in 1908 as a fruit stand, Casa de Fruta is located on California Highway 152, several miles northeast of Hollister.

The fruit stand is still there, which sells fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts, dried fruits, jars of olives, bottles of hot sauce, pickled vegetables, and much, much more.  But, if you're hungry for a hot meal or a piece of pie,  head over to Casa de Restaurant. Just want to snack on candy and such, then try Casa de Sweets. Or, if you're not the designated driver, you might consider sampling Casa de Fruta's own wines at  Casa de Wine. The kids can have fun riding the Casa de Carousel and the Casa de Choo Choo, or pan for gold at the Casa de Sluice. If you need a place to rest your head, you can get a room at Casa de Fruta's Peacock Inn or a space at the RV Park.

The Casa de Fruta grounds is a good size, so you can get in a decent stretch if you walk from the fruit stand to the RV Park and back. And, if you walk by the trees on the east side of the choo-choo tracks, you can check out vintage tractors and other farm equipment. 

Oh, yeah, there is a gas station at Casa de Fruta, in which you'll find Casa de Burrito inside.

Today, I'm hooking up with The Weekend in Black and White. To see other B&W photos by bloggers around the world, please click here.

A Beautiful Day for Something

In this case, the something for someone was jumping out of an airplane last Sunday morning.

Nearly every weekend, you can see professional and novice skydivers float down under colorful parachutes above Tres Pinos.  It's cool to see. It's also awesome to be one of them. If you're interested, check out Skydive Hollister, which operates out of the Hollister Airport.

Today's link-up is with Skywatch Friday. Come along and view the skies in other parts of the world by clicking here.

The Wiry Dragon of Hollister

Well, there are actually two wiry red dragons in downtown Hollister. Both fearsome, but friendly, metal creatures sit atop Cheung Sheng, the restaurant at the corner of Sixth and East Streets. 

Rural. Rustic. And, Red.

This gorgeous scene is from the intersection of Bolado and Southside Roads, just below Tres Pinos.

I'm hooking up with Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday. Today's letter (I bet you guessed correctly) is R. To check out other R posts, please click here.