This past weekend we took a little trip to our house in Big Bear, CA. It has been years since my family has gone up there together.
The guys were going to do some landscaping so the girls decided to tag along. We made sure that we showed up after all the work was done... convenient and not coincidental.
Big Bear is about 2 1/2 hours from our house, not too bad. We left immediately after work and got up there in time to meet everyone for dinner at the Evergreen. It's a cute little restaurant across from the lake in the village. The inside looks like a log cabin and decorated how an eccentric Grandma would decorate. The food was very very good and so pretty.
After dinner we went back to our house, which we call our "cabin", and found out that we all had to sleep on the floor, with the exception of my parents, since the beds were covered with stuff from the new carpet going in. I am just too old to be sleeping on the hard floor... I didn't get much sleep, not fully due to the floor though... I woke up with my sister-in-laws sixteen year-old nephew needing to cuddle. We all laughed all night and had some funny stories in the morning.
We had boat reservations for the day on the lake. After dinner the night before we grabbed some buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken and put them in the fridge for lunch on the boat. As kids, my parents did this with us, cold chicken on Big Bear Lake. I was looking forward to this part of out trip! Unfortunately we had to cancel the reservations. The winds were so bad and a fire was coming over the mountains.
We had boat reservations for the day on the lake. After dinner the night before we grabbed some buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken and put them in the fridge for lunch on the boat. As kids, my parents did this with us, cold chicken on Big Bear Lake. I was looking forward to this part of out trip! Unfortunately we had to cancel the reservations. The winds were so bad and a fire was coming over the mountains.
This fire started on Friday and by midday Saturday it was coming over the mountains and a mandatory evacuation was called for the north side of the lake. After doing some shopping we decided to head down the mountain... We made it just in time. All the evacuees were coming onto the south side of the lake and heading for the High School to hold up.
We headed down the mountain and stopped and a little area where we used to vacation with our church when I was a little girl, The Millers Cabin. It is along side the Santa Ana River, so beautiful and peaceful. We pulled out our cold chicken and ate as we sat by the river.
Miller's Cabin
River and My Older Siblings
My Sister and I, The clan
It was a great, short weekend. Fire and cuddlers included. LOL!
11 comments:
I love Big Bear! We were at the Moonridge Zoo Mother's Day weekend. I could see that same fire from my living room...down in the Valley on the other side of the mountain! It was something else! 14,000 acres in Big Bear, ruined. :-( I'm glad you all got out of there safely and still managed to have a good time in spite of the fire.
You have a beautiful family!!
I love coming to your blog and visiting the places I know and love. I went to church camp at Big Bear for years. Todd and I also used to get up early in the morning to drive up to Big Bear to ski for the day.
Lots of fond memories of the mountains.
Jen
Becky - It was a pretty bad fire... I don't hear about it much here, they show clips once in a while on the news.
Jenster - Thank you! I used to go to church camp as a kid in these mountains too... There's nothing like the snow falling in Big Bear...
Know what's strange? Three days ago, it was HOT where we live and we could see the fire, and it just felt hot, but this morning I looked up towards Wrightwood driving home from my son's school, and Wrightwood had SNOW dusting the top of it from a storm that blew in overnight. Maybe the same storm will get a little snow up to Big Bear, too. I can't see it due to clouds. Anyway, Yay...it means FALL is here! I love the cooler weather!
I didn't see all those pictures when I was on earlier...did you add some? ;-) You do have a very beautiful family...you and your sisters are gorgeous.
Ohhh! Snow! I am sure the firefighters are loving the thought! There is a change in the weather here too.. It was so hot on Monday and today is freezing, well, not quite freezing, but it does feel like it.
Do you get snow where your at?
I've never been to this place, obviously, being from Canada and all. But, I've heard of Big Bear. The pics are beautiful. And Deb, you're just sooooo pretty! If my older brother wasn't dating someone..... ;-)
Thank you Shauna! Does your older brother look like Michael Buble'? He's Canadian... =)
What? Shauna's older brother is Michael Buble'? ;-) Just Kidding! Or IS he, Shauna?? **wags eyebrows up and down**
I'm afraid I was wrong about that being snow yesterday...my husband informed me that it was a rock-face that looks white and was rather deceptive peeking through the clouds. :( (Here I was getting all excited about an early winter and everything and e-mailed him, but he could see a better view from his work and informed me otherwise. Phooey!)
Yes, we do get snow in the high desert, usually around Christmas and in the early New year...but it's usually just an inch or two. Nothing like we used to get in Minnesota. We, too, go up to the mountains to enjoy the snow.
Aw! He could have let you believe there was snow...j/k LOL! Would make for a happier wife... which in the end works for him. =)
I feel so vindicated...I think it WAS snow there a couple days ago...because today, my husband came home and said "There is a BLANKET of snow on the mountains in the pass!" *Big Grin*
I heard that it was going to snow and I thought of you, LOL!
Last official day of Summer... and we have some snow!
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