More vacation week activities

It's been a busy couple of days. Let's see........first we had an earthquake! Measured 5.8 at the epicenter. We were over 100 miles from that, but sure felt it. It woke me up. DH was still up watching tv when it happened.

We've been meaning to go to our town museum, which is only open two days a week from 2-5pm, so we did that Thursday afternoon. As we were driving over to the museum we noticed the little antique shop was open, so we stopped in their first. The poor lady - her a/c was broken. She had a fan going, but it was a bit warm in there. She was so nice. I couldn't resist buying this little find:

For some reason I keep finding myself attracted to the old wood duck decoys, like this one:

Boy, are some sure pricey! like $200 or more. I guess I'll just keep admiring them, haha.  The other thing I like are the old antique telephones. Those seem to run $250-$350. At least by looking, I learn what prices are, in case I ever come across a good deal on one.  We are still looking for an old hand water pump to use as a yard decoration.

Yesterday we decided to take another drive up into the mountains (there are so many logging roads up all these hills). To appease my unease at driving up there (and all the different cut off roads to take) we first stopped at the ranger station in town and picked up some Forest Service maps. We didn't use them yesterday, but I felt better having them, just in case ;) 

First stop was an old ghost town, where in the late 1800's over 3000 people lived for awhile, during the gold mining rush. All's that's left is this old jail

Then we drove further on up to an old mining camp. The lady that gave us the museum tour (she was in her 70's) owns this mine. Her dad built it in 1929/30 and they have kept it restored as much as possible. She was up there doing some work, when we got there, so she gave us a wonderful tour, full of history. Several old buildings - the "cook house" "the tool shop" "the drying house (where the guys cleaned up before coming to eat) and a "bunkhouse".  What a hard life those people lived.  Our dogs had fun running around with her dog. No electricity there, of course, but they did having running (cold) water system set up from the creek.

Then we ventured further on upward. Went across a little "pass" at the top. Down again the other side and up another mountain where we came to another pass. Turned around there and drove the 22 miles or so back to our house.

Our poor neighbors across the street - they just bought their first ever brand new car the other day. Went to take it for a drive and first got a rock chip on the windshield from road construction on the freeway and so they pulled off to come back a side road........ran over a BEAR! Messed up the front spoiler and dented the passenger door! She brought the car over to our house Thursday night to show us. Crazy! Her hubby had been trying to bear hunt during late spring but never found one. I said "who knew all's you had to do to get a bear was buy a new car!"

Weather is still unbearably hot at 100 degrees and not letting up any time soon.