Rain+clouds+high desert= wonderful !!

Today is has been a cool, relaxing, refreshing high desert day! What a wonderful change from the heat. The kids have completed three subjects in homeschool today, but I am so feeling the need to go on a rocky hike...maybe have a few glasses of wine outside this evening. It's days like this that I love traveling and love being in California. I researched the abandoned "Hilltop House" most yesterday evening. I feel like I'm obssessing over it, but I do find it so interesting. After discovering an oral interview that had be dictated and put online between an historian and the man who was actually paid by Newton T. Bass, I learned that due to the scarcity of piping due to WWII made it difficult for water to make it up to the house. Evidentally, getting water into the pool and just for basic use was a challenge for him. The entire house is build on top of rock and the reason the two house fires haven't destroyed the house is due to the fact that it is made of mostly concrete and solid steel beams. I also learned that Apple Valley is called that because the river side along with Mojave River used to be lined with apple trees. They could be grown there due to the fact that the river water actually runs "underground" mainly and not much of the water flows above ground. Many people in the past who lived here actually dug shallow wells and supposedly the water flowed into them very well. So interesting !!!  I have walked down to the Mojave River but never actually stepped into it. I have been told by others that the river is like sinking sand due to the water running below the sand. I really need to check that out by myself soon. Nowdays, homeless live all along the riversides, probably due to many trees being there and there being water available. They have makeshift housing down there with plastic and cloth walls and such. I try not to go too close, because you never know if they are friendly or not. Anyway, if you are reading this post...please sign up as a follow to my blog. =)