History Day at J D Grant County Park

                                     

Yesterday we celebrated History Day here at the Park,  The Ranch House was open from 1:00 until 4:00, so that people could just wander about.  We had several Volunteers available for Q&A’s and to monitor the comings and goings and of course to watch over the house and contents.

As far as Park Staff, it took time to prepare.  Earlier in the week I spent 5 hours just de-webbing, dusting and dry mopping in the house.  Then on Friday I swept all the brick patios and walkways and de-webbing the outside of the buildings (as far as I could reach, I just wasn’t tall enough to reach the second story windows, lol )  The bucket is filled with lavender.  Lisa asked me to make up some bags with the petals.  Easy task, except I was a little sore from leaning over the bucket while stripping the stalks and it was the task that took the longest. 

   

On Saturday after doing my morning rounds, I had breakfast and did nothing more until I headed to the Ranch House.  On my way there, I went through the CGs to remind everyone of the event.  My duties were quite simple.  I was the Grisly Bear Guard, and just sat or visited with people when they wandered about the first floor.  i also took pictures of all the open rooms.

So here’s a tour of the J D Grant Ranch House.

                      

                    On the left is JD Grant  and on the right is the family tree.

When you first walk in to the right is Grant’s office.  It is very small.  I was backed up against the window when I took this.  Before Grant added to the house, this was the Parlor.

                              

Stepping out of the office is the entry hall and the stairway to the second floor.

                              

To the left is the living room and sitting room.  Double Doors separate them.  Both were added by Grant.

                               

In front of the desk is the Grisly Bear that I guarded.  People want to touch or lay on it (so I was told, but no one tried or asked).  When the original owner was still in the house, there were Grisly Bears all over and he had several run ins with them.  This particular bear came from somewhere other than this ranch.  It was quite dangerous to have a ranch at that time.

 

Going back out into the entryway and to the left is Bedroom where President Herbert Hoover stayed, before and during his presidency.  He and Grant were personal friends and hunted and fished together.  (side story:  on the hearth is a hand print that just appeared one day while a tour was being given.  They tell me that it comes and goes, Scary! )

                                 

Just out the door and to the left is a porch that was converted into a small kitchen.  You will notice that there is no dining room, as all of their meals were taken in the Cookhouse.  I forgot to take pictures in there, but there were displays set up as well as a Power Point Slide Show.  There were also someone from Lick’s Observatory with a presentation.

                                 

Going back out into the entryway and to the left again is Josephine Grant’s bedroom.  In the near right corner of the picture, that box is an Antique Victrola Phonograph Talking Machine.  When asked I would show how you would wind it and the play the records.  If you wanted it louder, you would just open the doors below.  The kids think it’s cool, because there’s nothing to plug in.  Then through that back door is her dressing room.

 

There were all modern conveniences, through that back door in the dressing room is the toilet, bathtub and shower.

Going back out and up the stairs is the landing, through the open doorway are three bedrooms.

                             

The first on the left is the maid’s room.

                             

Next is the Master Bedroom.

                              

The next is another Bedroom.  (I don’t know who it was for) with it’s own bath.  Those double doors lead out onto the roof.  (I guess that we would call it an upper deck.)

                                

As you can see,, there are a lot of windows. It was light and airy, however there was a fireplace in most of the rooms, so it was really cold in the winter.

Below is a short history of the Ranch House and Floor Plan.

Between the Ranch House and the Cook House is this Water Tower.  They pumped water from the spring.  That’s what supplied their water for the ranch. 

                               

In an earlier post there are pictures of the Carriage House which was also open.

In the courtyard someone from the observatory had a solar scope.  Below is a (not too great) picture of the sun taken with my I Phone camera through the scope.  If you enlarge it, (just click on it), you can see a small solar flare,(bottom right of the sun).

                             

When it was all over, for the rest of the day I relaxed except for one more run to replenish TP in the restrooms.

I hope that you enjoyed the “tour”.  There is more to see, if you have the chance, visit the Park.

Thanks for visiting

I’m just sulking, ‘cause Mom didn’t take me with her.

Susan and Angel

“Best Laid Plans………” Have Changed

                              

                     This morning’s sky during my early round of the park.

Last Sunday Ted came to bring me my new I Phone 6 + and get it all set up.  Then on Monday we drove to Toro Park to get more information about my assignment there.  We spoke with the current volunteers to see what their duties were.  I wanted to make sure that I would be able to do the job with my arm in a sling after surgery.  I didn’t see any problems,  I still left a note for the ranger to call me.          

   

Going back down the mountain with a view of Santa Clara Valley and San Jose.               That’s Angel hanging on with her claws while we went around those hairpin turns. 

                             

   Destination:  Toro Park, Monterey County between Salinas and Monterey.

After leaving the park we headed north towards Santa Cruz.  I wanted to check out an RV park that has extended stay sites for next Spring.  It was just outside of Santa Cruz and is a small park that is very rustic.

We stopped for coffee at Verve and then headed back to San Jose.  We needed to get more dog food for Angel at Pet Smart and a case for my new phone at Best Buy before going home.  Ted had to leave fairly early in order to beat the rush hour traffic to San Francisco. 

Since I didn’t work at all on Monday, I worked Tuesday instead.  Later in the day I got a message from the ranger at Toro Park telling me that they would not be needing my services.  I think that it probably had to do with me having surgery and that they didn’t feel that I would be able to do the job.  Anyway whatever the reason, those plans have changed and I may be finding an extended stay RV Park instead of a workamping position.  At least that’s what I’m working on now.  Surgery is still scheduled for 10/23.

So for now it’s back to work..  I’m still looking on leaving here in 2 or 3 weeks, depending on when I find out where I will be going.

     

Lately I have been helping Lisa, the senior park ranger, with the visitor center that she wants to create in the near (?) future.  Sacking curtain rods we hung the curtains with rope.  We liked the effect.  We to clean and de-web the whole building to get it ready for a tour with the people that control the $$$$.

             The pictures below are of the Star Party last Saturday.

 

This is one of Ron, the Historian and the nest is of campers looking through one of the big telescopes.  I took the picture of the moon with my phone through the telescope.

                                           

I finally got a picture of a bird at my make-shift bird bath.  The squirrels use it too.

                                 

Thanks for visiting

Susan and Angel

Unsung Heroes of Santa Clara County Parks

                           

                                      Jeremy saying HI to everyone.

Yes these guys are my heroes.  Even though we work as a team, they do a lot of extra things for me that aren’t in their job description.

One of the main things that they do is to keep the trash under control.  Emptying the animal safe trash receptacles is a daily occurrence,  sometimes several times a day on busy weekends and holidays.  It’s one of the things that I can’t do because those covers are really heavy.

                              

                    Danny is our seasonal worker and retires this weekend.

Here Ruben and Jeremy are hanging bee catchers.  That’s a pheromone that they put into the bottom to attract the bees.  The bees can be very aggressive when bits of meat are left in or on the fire rings.

   

That’s Ruben restocking the breezeway (the area between the two restrooms) and Jeremy working in the pump house. They keep the spring fed water in the park safe to drink.

                       Our maintenance guys are also are snake wranglers. 

                             

They do all kinds of ground work too.  Above is a tree branch that fell and took out a smaller tree,  There were two campsites that were affected and couldn’t be used for several days until they were able to remove all the branches.  In the meantime the deer took advantage of the succulent leaves.

   More ground work.  They seem to be mowing for  grass a lot, especially in the morning when it is cooler.  They have two types of mowers, one that works like smaller circular yard power mowers and the one pictured above (the reel is like a hand push mower) that when used, has to have someone in the truck to watch for fire producing sparks.

 

Then there’s the tasks that are required because of the stupidity of some segments of the general public.  (subjects for rants that I won’t subject you to)

 

Lately, we have had several water line breaks.  Above Ruben and Jeremy are working on one in the Equestrian CG.  It was really hot that day.  Check out the big hats.  That’s Bruce’s hand showing me how to apply decals that would go on the trash receptacles.

It’ not always work, we have fun too.  On the left is the impromptu Birthday Party for my 70th.  Yesterday we had a Pot Luck before the monthly Staff Meeting that included the people from Ed Levin County Park and a couple of people from Corporate.  In the center is Danny grilling a Tri-Tip and on the right is Bruce frying breaded Abalone.

 

There are a lot of other things that they do throughout the 10,000 acre park, not only here in the CG, but out on the trails and around the lakes.  I certainly appreciate all that they do.  THANK YOU to Bruce, Ruben, Jeremy and Danny.

Next time you see a maintenance person in a  park or resort, tell them thanks.  They all work hard.

Thanks for visiting

When Mom is working and the guys come by, they always come over and say hello.  I like them too.

Susan and Angel