Decor – Fall decorations

Posted on November 5, 2013 by barbara

For this post I am going to give everyone a glimpse of the fall decorations that we had used in our house in California several years ago. When I start my seasonal decorations, I always begin with a door wreath to set the mood for the decorations that our guests will find in the interior of the home. Our California house was no exception and for the front door I used a very unusual wreath, instead of a circular one it was an artificial pine teardrop shape wreath with several sunflowers and a festive matching ribbon. Although this door decoration is very traditional sometimes going with the unexpected form or style can spark some creative ideas.

In the living room of our California home there was a large oak entertainment center that is now in the basement of our Midwest home. On the top of the entertainment center I used a long pine garland intertwined with lights that would remain for both the Fall and Christmas seasons. I had planned on keeping the pine garland in place on the entertainment center and switching out the Fall decorations for Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving, so that is the reason the lights were pre-strung onto the pine garland. For the Fall season, I decorated the garland with autumn leaves, berries and golden roses.

Adjacent to our living room in California was the dining room, which was separated by the staircase leading to the upper floor and beneath the staircase was a space with an oak curio cabinet. In keeping with my design concept of changing my seasonal decorations from year to year, the floral decoration on the curio cabinet in our California house changed from year to year. One year, I used a floral decoration which started with a layer of greenery and I added red roses, blue flowers and turkey feathers. The next year, I used two wooden pumpkins and autumn leaves. (If you look at last month’s Décor post, Halloween decorations, you will see the same pumpkins used in the family room bookshelves of our Midwest home … just another example of re-purposing holiday decorations!)

In the dining room is a lovely oak china cabinet with a beautiful still life painting hanging above. On the top of the china cabinet, I used a long pine garland intertwined with lights the same way that I did in the living room. I layered autumn leaves and gold berries onto the garland and added artificial fruits such as red apples, green pears, oranges and lemons. I think the fruit garland compliments the still life painting beautifully!

The final room I had decorated in our California house was the family room which adjoins the kitchen. Above the fireplace are three wildlife prints, the large one is of mallard ducks and the other smaller ones are a pheasant and quail. On the fireplace mantel, I used another long pine garland intertwined with a string of amber pinecone lights. Next, I layered an autumn ribbon throughout the garland and added small artificial pears and apples clusters. For a finishing touch, I added several artificial quails to keep with the wildlife theme used in the framed prints.

Celebration – Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2013 by barbara

One of my favorite holidays growing up as a kid was Halloween; I loved dressing up in the costumes, treat or treating in our neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley and then bringing home a bag filled with candy! Today, kids celebrate the holiday by going to spooky haunted houses, trick or treating at the local mall or going to a Halloween party.

Part of the fun of Halloween was selecting the perfect costume. Back in the 1960s, the children’s costumes were often made by their mothers or sometimes they just purchased Halloween face masks from their local stores. Luckily my mother was very good with her sewing machine and she made most of our costumes. When I was little girl, she made a clown costume and I wore it for Halloween in 1963. She saved that costume and when my son was about 3 years old he wore for his first Halloween. Many years later, my daughter wore it as her Halloween costume, too. What a lovely family tradition! That clown costume is now almost 50 years old and I will carefully pack it away and save it for my future grandchild to wear on their first Halloween!!

The History of Halloween

Halloween, sometimes known as All Hallows’ Eve, is celebrated on October 31st. It is a festive time for trick or treating, carving pumpkins, attending costume parties and maybe bobbing for apples … but what is the origin of Halloween and the meaning behind some of those traditions and customs?

Some historians say that the origins of Halloween are based in the Roman feast of Pomona or in the festival of Parentalia or the Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain was an old Irish celebration held at the end of summer and it was on or about October 31 or November 1. The festival marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of preparing for the coming winter. Centuries ago, the Samhain festival was believed to be a time when the souls of the dead came into our world and would visit the homes of their relatives, some people wore costumes to disguise themselves from the evil spirits. The tradition of carving pumpkins may have come from the Samhain festival and the custom of carving turnip lanterns, these lanterns were used at night when the children would be lead door to door to collect food for the festival. People would gather and light bonfires and play divination games as part of the festivities.

Halloween is also influenced by the Christian holy days of All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day when the custom is to pray for the saints and the recently departed who have not yet reached Heaven. Originally the days were celebrated in May but in the year 835 Pope Gregory IV changed the dates to November 1 and 2. The custom known as “souling” is the tradition of baking soul cakes to honor those in purgatory, then the soul cakes are collected by the children as they go door to door. It is believed that the souls of the departed wander our world until All Hallows’ Eve, a date which is their one last chance to seek vengeance on their enemies and this is the reason the people wore costumes to disguise themselves. In Britain, these customs were deemed unacceptable by the Protestants during the Reformation. So when Guy Fawkes Night, celebrated on November 5, gained popularity those traditions were incorporated into that holiday.

It wasn’t until the late 18th and early 19th century that the Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their traditions and customs to the United States. In the early 20th century, the holiday known as Halloween gained popularity and was celebrated nationwide regardless of people’s social, religious and racial backgrounds.

Halloween traditions and customs

The turnip lanterns were traditionally used in Ireland and Scotland for the Celtic festival of Samhain and the immigrants brought those traditions to the United States but substituted the turnip for the North American native pumpkin. Eventually the American tradition of carving pumpkins became popular nationwide and pumpkins were grown commercially and specifically marketed for Halloween.
Turnip lanterns were hallowed out, carved with faces and light inside by a candle. During the Celtic celebration of Samhain, people would set the lanterns out on their windowsills to confuse the evil spirits from entering their homes and haunting them. For Catholic children, it was a tradition to carry jack-o-lanterns to honor the souls of the dead as they went door to door collecting the soul cakes during All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day.
Trick or treating is usually the highlight of a children’s Halloween. Dressed in costumes, the “treat” when the children go from house to house is asking for candy and the “trick” refers to the mischief that would happen if there was no treat! Trick or treating became popular nationwide in the United States during the 1930s.
In the late 1800s in Ireland and Scotland children went “guising”, the children would dress in costumes and carrying carved turnip lanterns as they would visit homes and receive cakes, fruit or money.
In Medieval times there was a practice known as “mumming”. People would wear costumes and go to door to door offering prayers for the dead in exchange for treats such as “soul cakes”.
Halloween costumes were traditionally ghosts, skeletons, witches and devils. In the United States, costumes became popular in the early 20th century and the first mass-produced costumes started selling in stores in the 1930s. Today, Halloween costumes include popular characters from storybook and comic book heroes and villians, while other more adult costumes are based on movie and television characters or sometimes current celebrities and politicians.
In Scotland there was a custom known as “dooking” or apple bobbing. Apples were floated in a large basin of water and people would traditionally use their teeth to remove the apples from the basin without using their arms or hands.
Since Halloween is celebrated during the fall harvest season there is an abundance of apples available and during October the grocery stores will sell candy apples or caramel apples. (Caramel apples are one of my favorite fall treats, I like them with or without peanuts!)
Haunted houses are a favorite Halloween entertainment activity and there are a larger number of local and national venues that offer mild to extremely scary haunted houses. Sometimes at the venues, they will offer corn mazes and hayrides out to the pumpkin patch and at the night there can be the possibility of encountering the Headless Horseman!
Telling ghost stories at Halloween parties and watching horror films on DVD in the weeks leading up to Halloween can be alot of fun. Television series will have special Halloween themed episodes or the networks will show Halloween specials, like “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown”. (Watching the Peanuts special is one of our family’s holiday traditions. We also like to watch the “Nightmare Before Christmas” every Halloween … for more information about the Tim Burton film, please check this month’s post, Nightmare Before Christmas the Movie)

War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast 1938

Posted on October 30, 2013 by jeff0006

The date was October 10, 1938, Halloween Eve and the United States was beginning to celebrate the holiday. Things were not going so great in the world as the country was in the fifth year of one of the worst depressions it had ever seen and unemployment in the US was estimated at 15%. The world was very unsettled politically, Japan was at war with China and Korea, Germany was building a large military force, had just annexed Austria and planning to take over Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union was looking for allies to assist them against Hitler, but the US and Great Britain refused. Closer to home in the United States a hurricane killed 600 people on the east coast and a huge meteor exploded over Pennsylvania.

It was against this backdrop of anxiety and tension that people turned to radio programs to escape the reality their lives and Orson Welles was getting ready to air his adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel the “War of the Worlds” (Original Audio Broadcast). The radio drama that night started as a series of news stories interspersed with music. While there was an announcement at the beginning and the end of the program informing listeners that the events were not real, many people did not hear that part of the program. Newspapers reported widespread panic and hundreds if not thousands of people called their local radio stations, fire and police departments.

The plot of the story is told mostly from the viewpoint of a dedicated radio reporter (played by Orson Welles) who follows a space alien invasion from start to finish. The radio program starts with various radio reports about the initial appearance of the Martians in a field in New Jersey, to a scene where a brash army colonel gets melted by the Martian heat wave, to a scene where bomber pilots are incinerated. During the attack the Martians use poisonous black smoke to subdue the defenders. At the beginning the music is interspersed between the reports, but as the situation becomes more dire the reporter records his tale for posterity, if they survive. The story ends with the Martians being killed, not by the best of human military might, but by germs they picked up from the humans.

The adaptation is very good. Welles transferred the location from outside of London to New Jersey and updated the weapons used to damage the alien ships. He kept the same tone and narrative style and captured all the plot points extremely well. The production quality was top notch for the time as well.

In addition to the excellent staging of the show, Orson Welles was very clever about it’s production. Wells had worked for the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) in its early days and it had only about 1/6th the number of listeners of its main competitor, the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). The Mercury Theater on the Air, Orson’s program, was in a time slot up against NBC’s much more popular “The Chase and Sanborn Hour”. He had one key advantage in that his program was a “sustaining program”, which means they didn’t have a sponsor and had no advertising. Orson knew the listening habits of listeners at the time and the timing of his competitor’s show. He timed his “news” broadcasts to coincide with the commercial breaks when many radio listeners would change to other channels, these people had missed the introduction and were fooled into thinking the reports were real.

The reports of panic that were published in the newspapers the next day were most likely exaggerated. This was the time that radio was starting to pull ad revenues away from the print publications. In addition to the fact that big headlines sell papers better, it didn’t hurt the publisher’s feelings any to make radio look bad.

391px-War_of_the_worlds_illustration_pearson

Before closing I think it is appropriate to talk a bit about the original work by H.G. Wells. “The War of the Worlds” . It was one of the first stories about wars with aliens. The first person style where you never even know the names of the key characters makes it feel extremely personal. His first book, which was a non-fiction biology textbook, provided a surprising twist to musings he and his brother had one day about what it would be like if aliens descended on the earth and declared war.

The “War of the Worlds” has been in continuous print since it was published in 1898. It has been made into numerous movies, radio dramas, various comic book adaptations, a television series and spin off stories by other authors.

In closing I want to thank Barbara again for letting me write another post. Not only did I learn a lot researching this stuff, but I got to listen to the original broadcast again. Quite fun and I would recommend it to all!

Sincerely,

Jeff Jones

Travel – The St. Louis Gateway Arch

Posted on October 28, 2013 by barbara

Traveling back and forth from the Midwest to the West Coast on our annual summer road trips, we have passed through St. Louis, MO and we have stopped several times to visit the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. The last time we visited, my husband, son and daughter took the tram ride to the top of the Gateway Arch. (I passed on that experience, too claustrophobic!) Inside the visitor center is the Museum of Westward Expansion, which showcases the Lewis and Clark Expedition in exhibits and displays.

History of the Gateway Arch

The Gateway Arch is located on the west side of the Mississippi River near downtown St. Louis, MO. The 630 feet high cantilever arch is the tallest man-made monument in the United States and has become an iconic symbol of the city of St. Louis.

In 1933, a local St. Louis civic leader named Luther Ely Smith had a vision of a great memorial for the city and he sent a proposal to the mayor, Bernard Dickmann. The idea was to create a permanent memorial to commemorate the great western expansion of the United States, which was inspired by President Thomas Jefferson and later achieved by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Eventually, with Smith as the chairman, the Jefferson Expansion Memorial Association was created to raise funds and build the memorial.

Improvement to the riverfront area of St. Louis had been discussed many times over the previous years but with the Great Depression this particular riverfront project would provide 5,000 jobs for the local economy. Eventually in June of 1934, both the Senate and the House passed bills in support of the project and later President Franklin Roosevelt signed the bills into law and additional funds were acquired to purchase 82-acres on the St. Louis riverfront located on the Missouri side of the Mississippi River.

The lands were acquired over the next several years and demolition of the dilapidated buildings and vacate warehouses along the riverfront began in 1939. By 1944, the Jefferson Expansion Memorial Committee and the National Park service Director determined that a memorial design competition should be organized. Finally in 1947, funds were raised and over a hundred applications were received for the competition and the committee narrowed down those entries and selected the five best designs for their review and then from those finalists the committee determined the winning design. The winner of the memorial design competition was Eero Saarinen & associates which had submitted a very simple and modern design of a large arch to symbolize the gateway to the west with a surrounding landscape of trees and an expansive park area to act as a buffer from the nearby downtown area.

In the following years, problems concerning the railroad soon developed and it took some time to resolve, the railroad tracks needed to be removed and redirected and a tunnel built near the riverfront. In addition, re-grading of the proposed memorial site was changed from the original layout to improve the view of the memorial from the river. New zoning regulations were also required near the area of the arch and it was determined initially that 275 feet was the maximum height for the buildings directly opposite the arch.

St Louis Gateway Arch - windows at the top

Finally, in 1959 there was a ground breaking ceremony for the memorial and in 1961 the foundation was laid. Construction on the actual structure of the arch began on February 12, 1963 when the first triangular steel section of the exterior of structure was set in place, 142 equilateral sections measuring from 54 feet at the base and narrowing to 17 feet at the top of the arch. From the base level to 300 feet, each stainless skin section covers two carbon steel sections with reinforced concrete poured between them. The arch is hollow in the upper portion to accommodate the tram system that takes visitors to an observation deck which has small windows that provide amazing views of the city of St. Louis on one side and the Mississippi River on the other side.

St Louis Gateway Arch - west view from top

St Louis Gateway Arch - east view from top

During the building process, in order to keep the opposite sides stable, a temporary truss was placed between them and later removed. Construction continued and over the next several years there were numerous delays due to safety concerns and lawsuits regarding union issues. The memorial arch was finally completed and a dedication ceremony was scheduled for October 28, 1965. Prior to the keystone being set into position there was concern that the legs would not align and meet properly, after several tense minutes and some minor adjustments the two sides were successfully joined together.

The underground visitor center located directly below the arch was opened in June 10, 1967. Inside the visitor center is the Museum of Westward Expansion, which opened on August 1977, has several hundred exhibits about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and displays about the 19^th century United States expansion into the western territories. Located to the left of the museum entrance are two theaters, one of the screens is four feet tall, that play movies pertaining to the building of the Gateway Arch. On either side of the large waiting area within the visitor center are two separate entrances that access the north or south tram ride to the top of the arch, the tram ride opened July 22, 1967 shortly after the building of the memorial arch was completed.

Things to know before visiting the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial

Tickets for the tram or movie can be purchased at the Visitor Center Ticket Counter; various combined ticket packages are also available and the cost of each ticket includes the National Park entrance fee to the memorial. The spring and summer months are very busy and the weekends can be crowded. Tickets can sell out and we would advise purchasing in advance online at www.ticketsforthearch.com or calling 877-982-1410.
Currently all visitors to the Gateway Arch are required to pass through security. If you have purchased tickets in advance, please arrive at least 30 minutes before your reservation time.
There are many other sites to see or things to do near the Jefferson Expansion Memorial, such as: a riverboat cruise, a horse drawn carriage ride or a visit to the Old Courthouse which was the location for the famous Dred Scott case.

For more information regarding hours, fees, etc for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and the Gateway Arch; please see the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/jeff

Travel – Sequoia National Park, CA

Posted on October 24, 2013 by barbara

Our family has visited Sequoia National Park several times over the past years and we have enjoyed it every time. The majestic giant sequoia trees that grow within the park boundaries are truly a wondrous sight to see! My husband and son have also taken the Crystal Cave wild tour three times with a group of different friends each year and they truly enjoyed the experience of spelunking and being able to explore areas of the cave that the general public are never shown. (please see the end of the post for more information about the wild cave tour)

Located in central California, Sequoia National Park was established as a national park in 1890. The park covers over 400,000 acres in the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range including the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney which has an elevation of 14,505 feet. The Sierra Nevada mountain range was formed over 10 million years ago in a series of earth shifts and later over long periods of extreme cold weather glaciers developed and would move slowly over the granite rock to create deep valleys and ragged peaks. These glacial forces also formed nearby Yosemite National Park.

This area in the Sierra Nevada mountains was originally home to the Monochee Native Americans who lived in the foothills but during the summer months they would travel into the high country and go through the mountain passes to trade with the other Native American tribes in the East. Throughout the park, the ancient Native Americans have left behind pictographs and at the Hospital Rock area there are bowl-shaped indentations carved into the rocks that they would use as mortars to grind acorns which were a main food supply for the Monochee.

When the European settlers arrived in this area, a homesteader named Hale Tharp built a home in a fallen giant sequoia that he hollowed out and it can still be seen today on the Crescent Meadow trail. Tharp became friends with John Muir, the naturalist and first president of the newly formed Sierra Club and together they saw the beauty in the giant sequoia trees and tried to preserve this region of California. By the 1880s, the logging companies started cutting down the large sequoia trees but this proved to be an unsuccessful business venture when the lumber was determined to be unsuitable for building material.

Then in 1890, Sequoia National Park was established and the giant sequoias fell under protection and all logging ceased within the boundaries of the newly formed park. Over the years additional areas were added to the park as it increased in size. The most recent expansion was back in 1978, when the Sierra Club succeeded in preventing the Walt Disney Company from purchasing property to create a ski resort. This area in the southern portion of the park known as Mineral King and it is a popular place and starting point for back-country hikers.

Most visitors enter Sequoia National Park by the southern entrance near the town of Three Rivers. (Travel Note: Before proceeding into the park, stop and fill your vehicle with gas as there is very limited availability within the park) Here in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range the scenery is mostly oak trees and yucca plants and as the road climbs through steep river valleys the scenery transitions into conifer forests of pine and fir trees. Once visitors reach the higher elevation between 5,500 and 9,000 feet the giant sequoia trees start to appear and they are some of the largest living trees in the world, such as the General Sherman tree.

After entering the park boundaries, the road becomes the General’s Highway. (Of course as written in previous posts, our family always stops to take a photo of the National Park sign and these photos are framed and placed on our travel wall in our home) The General’s Highway continues to climb higher and the curving mountain road can be a very challenging driving experience so take caution and observe the speed limits. The first group of sequoias trees visitors will see once they are inside the park are the “Four Guardians”. (Travel Note: We advise visitors to stop safely and pull completely off the road to see these massive trees up close; it is a humbling experience to stand among some of the largest trees on our planet!) For more information about Sequoia National Park, please see their website at www.nps.gov/seki.htm

Interesting sites to see in Sequoia National Park

Moro Rock / Crescent Meadow Road

Located in the southern portion of the park just off the General’s Highway is one of the most popular areas of the park and during the summer months it can be very congested so to avoid the crowds we advise going in the early morning hours. The road is very narrow with limited clearance and it is not recommended for RVs or trailers.

Moro Rock – This large granite dome is located at an altitude above 7,000 feet and the 400 steep climb to the top can be very strenuous. Once at the top, the views of the Great Western Divide on one side and the Central Valley of California in the distance on the other side are truly breathtaking! (Travel Note: The climb to the top is very difficult and is not recommended for visitors with health issues or fear of heights due to the steep drop-offs )

Tunnel Log and Auto Log – The Tunnel Log is a fallen sequoia tree that crosses the road with a section cut out for cars to drive through that measures 17 feet wide and 8 feet high, for vehicles that do not meet these restrictions there is a bypass road. (Travel Note: The Tunnel Log is a fun photo opportunity but please use caution when you exit the vehicle to take pictures and be courteous to other park visitors that are sharing the road with you) Located nearby is the Auto Log which is another fallen sequoia that once allowed visitors the unique opportunity to drive their vehicles onto the tree. The tree is still there but it is now closed because the increased decay of the tree has caused unstable conditions to hold the weight of vehicles safely.

Crescent Meadow – This High Sierra meadow is a beautiful sight to see at any time of the year, but in the summer it is especially lovely and filled with wildflowers. The Crescent Meadow trail is an easy 1.6 mile family-friendly hike, which takes visitors past Tharp’s Log and the Chimney Tree. The Tharp’s Log was the home of Hale Tharp who lived inside this hollowed out fallen sequoia tree, be sure to take a look inside. Located nearby is the Chimney Tree which is a burnt out sequoia tree, visitors can step into the tree for an unusual look inside a giant sequoia and it also makes a great photo opportunity. (Travel Note: When we visited several years ago we encountered a bear in this area of the park, so please be aware of the danger and use extreme caution)

The Giant Forest

Located near the center of the park is the Giant Forest area just off the General’s Highway. The Giant Forest area and the Congress Trail is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to walk among several groves of giant sequoia trees. It is truly an amazing experience to stand at the base and look up to realize just the massive size of these sequoia trees. (Travel Note: The parking lot for the General Sherman tree and the Congress Trail can get very congested, especially during the summer months, so visit early in the day. Also, please be aware that bears and other wild animals can be in this area of the park so use extreme caution)

The General Sherman Tree – Within a short distance from the parking lot stands the General Sherman Tree which was officially named in 1879 for the Civil War General William Sherman. This giant sequoia is approximately 2,500 years old and it is the world’s largest living tree when measured by volume and mass. From the base, the tree rises to almost 275 feet and over 36 feet in diameter.

The Congress Trail – The Congress Trail starts near the General Sherman Tree; look for signs that lead to the trailhead. After the congestion in the parking lot and at the General Sherman Tree in just a few minutes this popular paved trail takes park visitors away from the crowds to enjoy a leisurely hike through a forest that contains some very large sequoia trees. Notable sequoias along the trail are: The President Tree which was named in 1923 for President Warren Harding, The Senate Group which contains several sequoia trees that are over 1,000 years old and nearby several more sequoia trees called the House Group. Also along the trail visitors will notice signs of fire damage with several sequoia trees scarred by fires that occurred in this area over the years, a sequoia tree bark is very thick and contains tannic acids that is a natural fire retardant. Sequoia trees also have a very shallow root system and along the trail is the Fallen Sequoia tree which shows visitors the exposed root system of a giant sequoia tree.

Crystal Cave

Crystal Cave Tour Information –

Located in the southern portion of the park just off the General’s highway in a remote area is Crystal Cave. It is approximately a 1½ hour drive from either the Foothill or Lodgepole Victor Centers.
Guided cave tours are available from mid-May to November and visitors must purchase tickets at the Foothills or Lodgepole Visitor Centers. (Travel Note: No tickets are available for purchase at the cave)
Tours do sell out quickly, especially in the summer months of July and August. It is advised to purchase tickets in advance, but there are certain times of the year when tickets are available only on a same day of tour basis. Call ahead for information or additional questions. (Travel note: Tour schedules are subject to change at any time of the year due to weather and road conditions or park closures)
From the Crystal Cave parking lot to the cave entrance it is a strenuous ½ mile hike. Please be advised that cave is not accessible by wheelchair or strollers and cave tours are not recommended for visitors with health concerns.
Tours are recommended for school age children or older. Smaller children or infants may be frightened by certain aspects of the tour. Please be advised that during the cave tour, the guide will turn out all the lights and there will be a moment of complete darkness.
Temperatures in the cave are a constant 48 degrees, bring a jacket. Also, close toes shoes are recommended, no sandals or flip-flops.
Due to the remote area of the cave location, bring water or snacks because visitors will be hungry or thirsty after their cave tour and strenuous hike. Please be advised to keep food items in a bear-safe container when not in use.

If you are looking for something a little bit more adventurous then the 45-minute cave tour, try the Wild Cave Tour. As mentioned previously, my husband and son enjoyed this tour so much that they went three times over the course of a few years, always with a group of different friends and family. I must advise, the Wild Cave Tour is very strenuous and should be limited to those participants that are in great physical condition and not fearful of tight spaces. I am claustrophobic, so I have never gone on the wild cave tour, I know my limitations! (OK, please don’t call me a chicken!)

Wild Cave Tour information –

The Wild Cave Tour is a 4 to 6 hour tour limited to people 16 years or older and is only available on Saturdays from June through August. Lead by experienced guides, the tour group is usually very small in size and it is an extremely popular tour that sells out very quickly. For additional information and to register for the Wild Cave Tour experience, please call 559-565-425.

Participants in the Wild Cave Tour will explore remote areas of Crystal Cave not open to the general public. Experienced tour guides will explain the cave formations in detail and also teach correct caving techniques and they will also discuss current cave conservation issues. Over the evening, participants will go into some of the most remote and rarely seen areas of Crystal Cave and at certain times during the tour they will experience total darkness and complete silence only broke by the sound of water dripping through the cave. We would advised participants to wear old clothes and shoes because they will get very dirty exploring the cave, climbing and crawling through extremely tight and narrow passageways. An extra change of clothes to wear after the cave tour is also advisable because nobody wants to ride back to their hotel in dirty, dusty or muddy clothes. Water and a snack for after the cave tour would be a good idea, too.

The Enchanted Manor

a lifestyle blog by Barbara Jones

Decor – Fall decorations

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Celebration – Halloween

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War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast 1938

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Travel – The St. Louis Gateway Arch

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Travel – Sequoia National Park, CA

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