Talmage (Ukiah), California - City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

This is a buddhist monastery. It's a gentle place where all living things are considered family and visitors are asked not to harm so much as a fly or mosquito out of respect for life. Diet is vegetarian or vegan. Quiet and serenity prevail here and street signs bear such names as Compassion Way, Generosity Way, Proper Thought, and Proper Speech. Just a lovely place! More than one hundred monks and nuns live here and there are ceremonies, meditation, and chanting throughout the day. There is a Buddhist university, seniors' home, and vegetarian restaurant here. Alas, we came too late in the day to enjoy the restaurant, which we've heard is a culinary delight not to be missed.



A white peacock greeted us at the door to the temple. We never even knew they exist! I've since learned that this is a rare but naturally occurring color variation of the blue variety. They have blue eyes and are not albinos. They shed their beautiful long trains in late summer, so we've missed his display for this year. To see one in full display, click here or here.



Front and back of the temple. The number 10000 is normally used figuratively to denote infinity. In the case of this temple, however, it is also meant literally. There are 10000 buddhas in this temple. The gold figurines you see lining the walls on all four sides are all buddhas.







Mixed peafowl



"Teaching and protecting all nations"

Leggett, California - Avenue of the Giants - drive-thru tree

This is when Nickie began to worry that I would continue taking her south over another border.

California - Avenue of the Giants - Myers Flat

o/~ ...If the log rolls over we will all be dead... o/~




Shrine Drive-Thru Tree

Placards read:

Age 5000 years - - Height 275 feet
Diameter 21 feet - - Circumference 64 feet

Notice that this tree is hollow and 3/4 of the wood is dead. However, 1/4 of the tree refuses to die. The limbs on the tree are evidence of the living material still within. Higher up, a double top reaches toward the sky. The tree itself continues to grow and produce cones. It is a prime example of the hardy redwood species.

Two views looking up into the Shrine Drive-Thru Tree





2-story treehouse



3200-year-old tree! Click to see detail.

California - Avenue of the Giants - the redwoods

Eternal Treehouse
20-foot room inside living tree

California - Avenue of the Giants - the redwoods

"Immortal tree"

California - Avenue of the Giants - herd of elk

Klamath, California - Trees of Mystery - End of the Trail Museum

Famous quote commonly attributed to Chief Sealth (Seattle). I found out that there's some debate over how accurate this is, but the message is a powerful one. For the full text, click here.



Hopi miniature horsehair baskets.

Klamath, California - Trees of Mystery - End of the Trail Museum

More for you, Sis!

Klamath, California - Trees of Mystery - the redwoods

The Brotherhood Tree
Height 297 feet Diameter 19 feet
Dedicated to the Brotherhood Of Man
All races, creeds & colors



There was a Trail of Tall Tales, where a number of chainsaw carvings depicted the tales of Paul Bunyan.





A spiderweb glistens in the sunlight.



Ferns growing along tree branches and give a "frosted" effect.



A cross-section of a redwood that started growing in 1148 and reached a height of 361 feet. Markers trace its life span through 1099 when the Crusades began, 1215 when the Magna Carta was signed, 1492 when Columbus landed in America, 1620 when the Pilgrims landed in the US, 1776 when the US Declaration of Independence was signed, and 1850 when California was admitted to the Union.

Click to see the full-size picture.

Klamath, California - the redwoods - Sky Trail

Nickie was skeptical of this place because it looks like such a tourist trap, complete with a 49-foot statue of Paul Bunyan and blue ox out front. A little encouragement and the promise of a ride in the sky car through the heights of the forest convinced her to stick it out.

We were not sorry!

The Sky Trail takes you up to 136 feet high. At first we were coasting silently through the branches, then the land dropped off below and we found ourselves coming through the forest canopy and looking down at the tops of these lovely trees. We were awestruck!





One of the little skycars being lowered into the forest.



Our shadow on the forest floor below.





Chipmunks come and forage by the platform on the far side of the Sky Trail.



A view of the Pacific from an observation deck high up in the trees.



More views from the observation deck.





Nickie had always wanted to see what it looked like when you look down on the tops of the trees. She said she will never forget the ride we took through the redwoods.

Klamath, California - Trees of Mystery - the redwoods

These are gorgeous!! Some of the trees are almost 2000 years old and nearly 300 feet tall. Plaques throughout this park provide interesting facts:

At one time redwoods of many species covered most of the earth. The ice age destroyed most of them except those of the coast and the Sierra Nevada.

Redwood Bark is a protector against fire, as it has neither pitch nor resin. The wood contains great amounts of water. Redwood is used in building, as it is impervious to disease and insects.

Plaque reads, "Several weddings take place each year before this beautiful cathedral tree."







Nickie adored seeing this tiny little mushroom embedding itself in a huge redwood tree.