canyoneering

I spent Memorial Day exploring Razorback Trail and two large waterfalls at Eaton Canyon. My rock-climbing friends and I hiked up the scary trail attached to one another with harnesses and a rope. The rope would have corrected minor slips, but certainly not falls. It was mostly used as a confidence booster and was effective at that. I don't think I would have attempted this hike in the past, as I never felt very sure-footed, but rock-climbing has greatly improved my balance and my confidence. Also, I went with someone who knew the trail and whom I trust with my life.

The hiking, climbing, and rock-hopping was all right, but the best part of the day was sliding down the 30-foot waterfall, a natural waterslide. We started by rappelling down, which wasn't all that enjoyable. There was a lot of water when we went, which is good for pictures and waterslides, but not good for rappelling. Imagine trying to lower yourself down a rope in a controlled manner while water pounds down at you from above. One guy said he didn't like drowning above water. Everyone but I complained about the water being so cold. It helped me a lot when my hand got caught in the belay device. My hand was numb, otherwise I might have screamed from the pain and let go of the rope (someone was safety at the bottom), but I remained calm and was able to climb up a little and get my hand out. The cold might have also helped me while rappelling down the second waterfall when I slipped on moss and got slammed into the rock wall, but I think the helmet and adrenaline are mostly responsible for me not hurting.

So, back to the first waterfall, the natural waterslide. I'm afraid of heights and free-falling, but I figured, I was there, I might as well seize the moment. The water in the pool was deep and I had watched my friend do it earlier. When we were above the fall, this big guy sat at the top, in position to go, but he sat there for 20+ minutes, unable to make the leap. Later, he went up again and froze again. I guess it doesn't get easier with practice. It reminds me of when I was a kid taking swim lessons and the instructor had the students jump off the high diving board. I walked to the edge and stood there for a while as my instructor kept telling me to jump. Once you jump, it's over in a second, but the anticipation can be paralyzing. I'm happy to say that today I had no problems pushing off the edge this time. Maybe rock-climbing has made me more reckless as well :P.







eaton canyon, alta dena












eaton canyon second waterfall

















i might have enjoyed rappelling more if i wasn't looking up at . . .









this!







photos courtesy of jduke

trail running

I went trail running for the first time yesterday. My running group does trail runs once a month and only in the summer months, so I went despite a nagging cramp in my left foot. It was one of those rare occasions that I was able to leave work early. I seized the moment and it was worth it. I don't know how people run without a camera :P. I was thankful for the beautiful views and time to rest during the run.

My foot is still achy today, a little worse for the wear. I'm going to avoid high-impact exercises, but I'm more fearful of the time I'll be spending in heels this weekend :o.


chantry flat, angeles national forest













sturtevant falls

smelling the roses

I got the inside scoop that the roses at the Tournament House Rose Garden are in full bloom, so I went to check it out.


this mansion was donated by the Wrigley family to be the permanent headquarters for the Tournament of Roses









rose garden



























i still prefer calla lilies

kitchen experiments

It's loquat season and our tree is heavy with fruit. I love home-grown fruit and this would normally not be a problem for me except that in recent years I've found that eating large amounts of loquats causes me to itch all over. Sometimes I stop eating before this happens; other times I continue eating and tell myself the itching is all in my head :P.

So, I've been looking for ways to use up the loquats when a friend showed me a recipe from Cafe Liz. I'm going to make that for a party in a couple of weeks, but what to do with the oodles of loquats now? Ooh, brandied loquats!


i think loquats aren't more popular because people find them a hassle to peel and then have a low yield due to the large seeds. eh, i don't mind, but i do peel them with a knife to keep the bottom of my nails from turning brown







2 ingredients ... loquats and sugar


















after only one night. okay, see you in 3 months!