Mineral King Friendships

It is an interesting phenomenon of a seasonal community like Mineral King that friendships can be formed on the basis of a few days a year over the course of many years.

A prime example is our relationship with the Sawtooth Six, our neighbors for 4 days a year over the last 30-something years.

It took me quite a few years to learn their names. We used to find out when they were visiting and plan to be gone that weekend. Now everyone has grown up, and we anticipate the Sawtooth Six’s visit with pleasure.

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Kurt and Scott are fascinated by the repartee of their host, AKA Cabin Owner
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Jon gathers hiking wisdom from Trail Guy.
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Scott defends the “or derves” (nope, not spelling that word) from the voracious meat bees, always a threat in August.
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Ted wonders how he got mixed up with such a motley crew.
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The gracious and kind Cabin Owner is a wonderful neighbor and friend.
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Hey Jon, I know you are reading this! Thanks for cooperating for this very cute photo.
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A professor wears his clean socks in the dirt and no one knows why. Eccentric, perhaps? Provocative? Hard to say with this one.

Happy Birthday, Oh Captain, My Captain!

This will be an entirely personal post. Skip it if you came here for Mineral King or art. Return tomorrow for Mineral King.

“The Captain” is how I refer to this fabulous birthday girl. She is my closest friend (one of several that I consider my BFFs, although how can there be more than one “best”?), who knows almost everything about me and loves me anyway, and is a blessing to everyone she encounters.

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Together at a prayer retreat in Cayucos, 2007 (before I cut bangs to hide the eleven between my eyebrows)
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At the cabin with Dancer, a Jack Russell terrier
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Modeling a shawl in Mineral King that she helped me finish because she is fantastic at weaving in ends.
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She may have an even bigger Cat Disorder than I (me? I’m supposed to know these things).
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Retiring Captain
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May you ride again, Captain.
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The Captain and her Cowboy
At a Mannheim Steamroller concert in 2007
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In Chicago in 2013 (we both had dear relatives in the same area, now both gone)