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Judging from the sounds traveling through the air and reports from family members who celebrated Father’s Day in Sugar Pine, Twain Harte was a happening place this weekend. Friday and Saturday evening brought a night air heavy with live music, laughing and chatter, which echoed off the surrounding mountains.

The grandparents reported bumper to bumper traffic traveling in both directions on Highway 108 from the valley. It was a beautiful day here in Twain Harte, we had lots of sunshine and a nice cool breeze rustling through the trees.

The birds are everywhere and the most adorable baby birds are emerging from their nests and exploring their surroundings. I was outside earlier today around 9 a.m. and the tree just outside the kitchen window was full of tiny little birds flitting here and there, singing their little hearts out.

I’m not having a great deal of success getting pictures though. I guess I’m just not patient enough and the birds are Nervous Nellies, which doesn’t help either. I still have only identified about half of our avian visitors.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the turkey had returned this morning around 11 a.m.; but startled to find that he had made himself right at home and was resting on our deck — not the deck rail — but actually laying down on the deck, and he didn’t even flinch when I came bustling out the back door. He didn’t move a muscle until the cat came within a foot of him and he decided “cat” was on the menu.

I was a little concerned but the cat just meandered around on the deck, jumped up on the rail and stayed just out of react of the turkey, as if to taunt him further.

The racoons are out too. The ones behind our house were huge. They are pesky little varmints that get into everything and make terrible messes. When we lived downtown, we would see them walking right down the middle of the street. Meanwhile, the deer would congregate just past the island in front of 7-11 as if they were pooling their money for a 6-pack of beer. Occasionally, you’d see some nice bucks in the crowd.

Hope ya’ll had a Happy Father’s Day. My son is so lucky, he has an incredible dad. They had a wonderful day.

I know it’s Memorial Day weekend and am proud of the men in my own family who have served in the military but  I’ve had my eye on Father’s Day. I want to teach my son the importance of giving honor to his father.

Quiet Time Coupon

I had such a lovely Mother’s Day with my family. I am so- hoping for an encore. This Father’s Day, we’ve invited the grandparents to our newly found treasure, the Willow Steakhouse & Saloon in Jamestown, CA. I really believe this restaurant is one of Tuolumne Counties best kept secrets.

We ordered the Steak and Lobster for our Entrée; a moderate portion of – grilled to perfection – Australian Rock Lobster tail, accompanied by — I believe it was Filet Mignon (I have a menu here somewhere, I’ll check on that).

In my wildest dreams, I would never have thought such an excellet cuisine could be found, in such rustic surroundings. If you are looking for a romantic rendezvous, this is not it. The room was rather loud at times but I rather enjoyed our cozy little booth, which gave us an illusion of privacy. I didn’t seem to mind or notice, until it was time to leave.

I ordered a Strawberry Daquiri, the men had raspberry tea, the drinks were acceptable. The highlight of my trip followed with warm sour dough bread served with cheese fondue that enjoyed way too much of and I would do it again in a New York minute. I tried to recreate it here at home — it was a total disaster. I called to see if I can order the cheese fondue to go. I am happy to report, I can and I will — very soon.

By the time the clam chowder arrived at the table, we were all wondering how we were ever going to make it to the entree. We were determined so, we  pressed on. The clam chowder had a delightful flavor, possibly from the onion, it had a lot of onion. The flavor was perfect but the texture wasn’t to my liking. The men devoured theirs and half of mine. It was great with the sour dough bread, which I had seconds on – of course.

I’ve been putting together some colorful Father’s Day coupons for the kids to give to dad. It’s a neat little novelty that we pull out at our house from time to time. It’s easy to get caught up in the wear and tear of daily life. These coupons are a gift not only to the father but for the son as well. We can never give our children enough of our time. I’ll post a link, when I have the page up. You will find a sample here.

Be sure you are creating some lasting memories this Father’s Day with the kids. Nothing can tear apart a strong family. We’ve weathered some rocky waters in our 13-years together and to be sure we’ll weather a few more along the way. We all need the good times to carry us through the bad ones.

I’ve also been adding to my growing list of Father’s Day links. Be sure to check them out.

Twain Harte is experiencing perfect weather currently and the good news is temperatures will remain in the mid-80s to low 90s in the coming week through Father’s Day.

The 1st Annual Twain Harte Blues Festival scheduled for June 14th has been cancelled. However, the 42nd Annual Father’s Day Fly In held in Columbia on Saturday, June 14, 2008 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Columbia Airport should be a wonderful event, if the weather is any indication. Participants will enjoy airplane & helicopter rides, and view the classic airplanes on display. Enjoy a pancake breakfast, live music, a spaghetti dinner and many other events will be conducted through-out the day.

Note: The Columbia Airport is approximately a half-mile walk from the park, so be sure to wear your walking shoes.