Rausch Family Visit

We enjoyed a quick visit from the Rausch family this past weekend. Rick, Lara, and their two precious boys arrived Friday evening in time for one of my favorite meals, Verne’s Spicy Pork Ragu, which had been simmering in the slow cooker all afternoon. A great meal enjoyed by all. Actually, it took a bit of bribing for Logan to eat Grandpa’s pasta, but Matthew made up for his brother’s reticence by eating an adult-sized portion. That kid can put away the food!

Verne always spends the weeks before a visit from our grandchildren planning an activity that will both interest them and expend some of their excess energy. This trip included a visit to Calaveras Big Trees State Park. The hike through the South Grove of giant sequoias never ceases to amaze (and sadden) me. The first stop on the walking tour is the Big Stump, which was felled in the mid 1800’s. The tree measured 24 feet in diameter at its base. Incredible! With a lifespan of 3,000 years, the tree would be standing today had it not been destroyed. Even larger and sadder is to see the Mother of the Forest, which was stripped of its bark around the same time and died shortly thereafter. All for the purpose of “reconstructing” the tree and taking it on tour.

From the perspective of two little boys, our Ponderosa Pines are an impressive size. For them, the fun was the hike, which included walking around, on top of, and through fallen trees and carryng a walking stick. Matthew was our tour guide. Not only can that boy eat, but he is an excellent reader. At each of the 26 points of interest along the 1.5 mile hike, Matthew (a first grader) read to us from the pamphlet we were given at the onset of our trip through the South Grove. It would seem education has advanced from the first-grade primer about Dick and Jane used in the 50’s when I learned to read!

Here are a few pictures from our visit to Big Trees...