A family adventure once again.... Of course here in the Owens valley we are only minutes away from adventures in God's wilderness and each adventure holds some new key to the beauty and majesty of who God is. Look for Him in all that you see and you will find Him. Even the simplest of things He has created, He is evidenced in! WHOA, PRAISE GOD AND THANK YOU JESUS..... ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS...... 

"Let the river flow, let the river flow... Holy Spirit come and move in power... Let the river flow, let the river flow" 

The Great Adventure of Pine Nutting and Quail Hunting.... It Begins here............... 

Well Jamie is well on the road to successful pine nutting. 

The intense look of a pine nut gatherer. Here is a little history lesson. Many years ago, the Native American Paiute lived with pine nuts as part of their regular diet. They would gather them much the same way as we are doing on this day. They would use long polls to hit the branches of the tree which knock the pine nuts loose from the pine cones. The pine nuts would fall to the ground and the women and children would gather them. The pine nuts were then washed in a stream to remove the sap. Some would be shucked and then boiled to make mush, others would be placed in a container (such as a wooden or clay pot) and then placed in a pit of hot embers and covered over with dirt to bake in the earth. They were also eatin raw, any way you prepare them, they are excellent and a high source of nutrients.  

Yep thats how it is done, with a tarp, a pole and a bucket. You must always wear a hat, well I guess you don't have to but then your hair becomes covered in sap and it is the worst thing to try and get out without cutting your hair. 

It is hard to phathom just how much life is in these mountains. You can't see it but somewhere in all those trees, there are many critters living out their day and what a miracle God has created within nature. 

Yep thats me with the red head on, trying to figure out which way to wack the tree to make the pine nuts fall into the tarp... Pine nuts are really clever...... 

Yep it is hunting season again.... 

What do we have here? Once pine nutting is done, it is on to bigger and better game.... yep, Mountain Quail.... 

Well now that Pine Nutting is over, it is time to hit the trail for Mountain Quail.... These are not ordinary quail, this critters are bigger and smarter... Some hunters refer to them as "laughing quail" because they do not fly and they stay well hid within the sage brush as they too wear camo's..... 

Somewhere in this ridge is one of the Mountain Quail hunters from our party... it would appear his camo's are very good. 

At times the beauty is so awesome, it doesn't seem real... 

A time of reflection... 

How awesome is this? Praise God! 

The perfect couple! Joe and Jamie are off to a good start in their marriage as they do everything together. It is good to be best friends and share common interests in a marriage right from the "get go"... And having his and her dogs doesn't hurt either. The big one is Cocoa, the white one is a puppy named Sugar, both are clutzes but they may be good hunters someday. They do provide great protection against mountain lions and bears by warning the couple that they are present.... Wow, I sound like a tour guide "Welcome to the Sierra Mountains... Please enjoy your stay where there is always something to do in the great outdoors." 

It is always best to wear an orange hat during deer hunting season. We have many hunters who wait in the brush for hours at a time trying to bag that illusive deer. Now one thing to understand is the deer are very smart, they mainly come out when deer season is over and then they play chicken with your automobile as you travel between Bishop, California and Reno, Nevada. What is also interesting to note is the male deer's are very wise, they send the women and the young out to the road first and they hang back and wait and see what will happen.... 

At this point we are about 8000 feet above sea level and the air is thin, but crisp and the view spectacular. What beauty the Lord has created, who can deny His handiwork? WHOA, PRAISE GOD AND THANK YOU JESUS! 

This is what was waiting at the end of the day in the back of Sterling's sub.... It is the dreaded "brown recluse" or "violin" spider. We have many different species of spiders both in the mountains and the valleys here and it is good to know your "spiderology".... Though the mountains are beautiful and glorious, there is always something lurking within the brush and it is best to be prepared and on the look out. 

Yep this is most assuredly something you don't want to see up close and personal....