This was a much needed weekend overnight getaway to Napa Valley to camp in the little vintage trailer with Betty and my neighbor.

Arrived and getting out Betty's stroller for a quick hike.


We found an old cemetary in the woods. Maybe I'm morbid, or melancholy because the last time I took the trailer camping was to Napa in November with Raven, who is gone now. But I enjoyed relaxing in this place, with graves from the mid-1800's of pioneers. The thought of all the people that loved those people visiting the same place, somehow I didn't feel so alone.





Raenel with Betty.


We went on a second hike while Betty napped. It was 4 miles round trip over a mountainside to a grist mill from the 1840's (prior to the gold rush) and took a tour.



They had a millstone there that was cut in France 900 years ago and shipped here. Amazing. This stones weigh something like a ton and can be set to grind grains for pastry flour at only 3/100th's of an inch apart. The stones can never touch. They are powered by the water wheel outside and a flume from a mill pond.


Raenel bought some spelt flour with a recipe for spelt bread (great for toast) that was ground there, the $ goes to keeping the site open.

We made lasagne and baked cookies. Watched Julie and Julia on the DVD. Slept in. Napped. Read. Hiked again after eggs, potatoes, and sausage for breakfast.

The wildflowers in the valley were beautiful.


Then, just as my last trip with Raven in November, my truck broke down. sigh This time it was a broken belt, which I didn't notice, then it overheated and blew out the radiator. So, here's the end of our trip, exactly the same as the last one.


But, we took it in stride, thanks to the truck conveniently quitting within the 5-mile $50 insurance tow range of my mechanic (an hour from my house), even though we drove 120 miles each way. And a great friend near home that dropped what he was doing to come with his pick up and get the RV and all of us and take us home. Always an adventure. Betty slept through the whole thing.

Thanks for looking,
Dawn



"Little Miss Betty Cuteface"
Toofie on the left, eyeball on the right.


Raven (prior to tripawd surgery) and Betty