Archive for the ‘Lynn Richardson Coldwell Banker Real Estate’ Tag
Guest Writer: Michelle Portesi
We often forget, living in such an outdoor recreation intensive environment, that there are ‘Cultural’ events in the area, we just have to dig a little to find them.
Despite being a relatively small museum, in a city that is less than a mega metropolis like L.A., The Nevada Museum of Art in Reno still is host to some very impressive exhibits.
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Maxfield Parrish ‘Daybreak’
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Some years ago I had the pleasure of seeing the works of Maxfield Parrish on display there. (See photo above.) Now I have to admit, the print posters were very popular when I was growing up, and they were all over creation. So needless to say, I was familiar with his work, I just wasn’t ‘wowed’ by it…that is, until I saw them up close and personal. What a difference! It quickly became apparent, standing in front of an original work, that the print versions did not come anywhere near close enough to doing them justice. The colors were so vivid, the scale, massive. What I had originally seen in print form on a greyed out 24 x 36 inch poster was in reality, often painted on an 8 x 12 foot wall or canvas – sometimes larger, sometimes smaller. I stood mesmerized at the sheer beauty of his work, and I’ve been a fan ever since. A large exhibit, we were treated to dozens of exquisite paintings done by the artist I had never seen before. The man was definitely prolific!
So needless to say, when I saw the advertisement for the museums new exhibit, I was very exited. I’ve always loved Toulouse Lautrec, Steinlen, and all the poster artists from that era, so this should prove to be a most memorable exhibit.
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Tournée du Chat Noir, c.1896 – Théophile Alexandre Steinlen
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If you have never stood before the original famous artworks that have seeped into the collective conscience from their constant use in books, posters, magazines and advertisements, now is the time.
The exhibit runs from Nov. 2, 2013 through January 19, 2014.
For more information on the exhibit, venue, restaurant and hours for the Nevada Museum of Art, click on the link below:
http://www.nevadaart.org/exhibitions/detail?eid=250
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Bears coming up the stairs from a home on Lake Tahoe during the fall. ~Photo by Michelle Portesi
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Residing here in the rural mountains of the Sierra Nevada, wildlife sightings are fairly common, and it is one of the cheap thrills of living here. Learning to live with the nature that surrounds you does also come with some responsibility on our part, so that we can both coexist, with neither one of us becoming a nuisance or a detriment to the other.
Anyone who has lived here for any length of time finds out quickly that unsecured trash, unattended open windows or leaving food around will invite one form of opportunistic scavenger or another – usually insinuating themselves where they are not particularly wanted. Animals are like any other force of nature…path of least resistance. Unlike ourselves, survival is not based on waltzing down to the local grocery store for a meal. For the animals, it requires a great deal of expenditure of precious energy hunting and gathering to make it in this life. Anytime someone offers a much appreciated (by them) short cut, they’re going to take it.
As we head into winter, bears especially become extremely active this time of year, their need to fatten up before hibernation intense. Metal bear boxes have become the only real solution of choice, as even a metal can secured in a locked garage can prove to be none too effective in keeping out a truly hungry bear, resulting in property damage in the process. God forbid they should get into the house itself. And if it’s not the bears hitting the trash cans waiting for disposal pick up, it’s the raccoons, the coyotes or the neighborhood dogs…(and to be entirely honest, the dogs make a much bigger mess. Bears tend to plop down and eat trash where they found it. Dogs strew it all over the neighborhood!)
Our early snowfall covered up many food sources that animals would normally be attracted to this time of year, berries, grasses and seeds that would make up much of their diet in the fall. In this case, the early snowfall and some poorly secured trash resulted in a rare serendipitous sighting that almost made the mess worthwhile. Below are photos of a Sierra Nevada red fox! That’s right, a species that is considered near extinct in the Sierra Nevada.
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Photo by Michelle Portesi
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Now, I’ve never even seen a fox of any sort in the Sierra’s in all the years I’ve lived here, let alone a rare red fox. But my friend Michelle, who helps me with the blog, caught site of one right on Donner Pass Road at Donner Lake the evening of Halloween, foraging through an ill gotten trash bag. Fortunately she had a cell phone and snapped these few pictures before he scuttled off looking for more edible booty.
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Photo by Michelle Portesi
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For more information on this rare but beautiful creature (as one joke goes: They’re just dogs with bad P.R.), you can go to the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Nevada_red_fox
http://www.sierraforestlegacy.org/FC_SierraNevadaWildlifeRisk/SierraNevadaRedFox.php
These animals are so rare, that the California Fish and Wildlife department does research to get an idea of their numbers and range, and asks you to report it if you’re lucky enough to see one yourself. (Michelle had no luck with the form on either Firefox or Explorer, so she e-mailed the department directly)
California Red Fox Survey
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
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Oops! I don’t know about you, but this recent ‘more than a light dusting’ snow storm caught me a bit by surprise. I was still really enjoying the fall colors and wasn’t quite ready for that much white stuff yet. Seeing Jack-O-Lanterns sporting a 6″ snow hat is just plain weird.
It is what it is…but I’m still not ready to change my blog header to a winter scene! Please hold off just a little bit longer Old Man Winter!
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Photo by Michelle Portesi
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However, it did serve to remind me that winter really isn’t that far off, and that means it’s ski swap season. If you have kids who outgrow their equipment faster than you could ever afford to buy it new, or you just need some winter items to knock around with, there are some great bargains to be had.
Below are a list of upcoming ski swaps in the area and links to their websites for more information.
Truckee Ski and Snowboard Swap
Saturday, November 2
Truckee Community Recreation Center
Please call 530-582-7720 for more info.
Swap Hours: 11:00 am-4:00 pm
Admission $2 for Ages 13+, Kids 12 and under free!!!
Truckee Ski and Snowboard Swap
UNR Ski Swap at the Grand Sierra Resort
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 15-17
http://unrskiswap.com/
Tahoe XC Ski Swap
Tahoe City, at Tahoe XC
Saturday, November 16th 10am-3pm.
http://www.tahoexc.org/winter_events_calendar
For more information on other ski swaps that may be closer to you, visit ‘Tahoe Truckee Outdoor’
Tahoe Truckee Outdoor – Ski Swaps
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Happy Halloween!
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