We arrived at the Double R Ranch (for "Richard and Rosa" I assume, although I forgot to check with them) in the evening of August 23rd. On the way to MacDoel, we took in impressive views of majestic Mount Shasta. We received a warm welcome from everyone including Richard and Rosa's three dogs: Rippy, Rena and Roxy 
(hmm... shouldn't this be the 5R Ranch then?). We spent two full days at the ranch, during which Rosa cooked for us a succession of delicious vietnamese specialties, among which: summer rolls with seafood (squid, shrimp, salmon, lettuce leaves, mint, tomatoes, cucumber, and rice noodles, wrapped in rice paper), lemongrass chicken, fried rice, cuttlefish...
On the morning of the first full day at the Ranch, Richard took us for a swim at Juanita Lake. He told us how he and Rosa fell in love with this part of Northern California while stopping for a fishing break at this lake during a trip to Washington State years ago. During our stay, we rode quads(or ATV's) for both fun (riding in the dirt roads around the ranch, visiting a Native American sweatlodge - a natural volcanic rock formation shaped like an igloo) and some,work (cutting and dragging juniper branches for the sheep and goats to eat). We helped feed the animals. Vlada learned to use a chainsaw to cut juniper, though Richard said he still has a way to go. 
We chopped up wood and neatly filled the wood shed at left (kidding!). One afternoon I laid out a brick path in front of the house. On the third day, before heading out to Lassen Volcanic National Park, we walked around the property. We truly had a fantastic time in MacDoel.
Our summer trip did not start auspiciously. The day after we arrived in Monrovia, we got up early to go hiking with Marina to Orchard Camp in Angeles National Forest. We started the hike when the 
sun had barely risen. Despite the fact that it was early and because it was a Sunday, we ran into several people on the trail, including a nice elderly man walking up the steep trail with a cane. I asked him about some of the wild aromatic plants which grow all over these hills and which I did not know by name. Then Marina got ahead of Vlada and I at her customary fast pace. After a while we heard screams which we took at first to be those of a bird. It turned out that it was Marina running back down the trail calling for help. Shortly before arriving to Orchard Camp, she had been attacked by a swarm of extremely aggressive bees which likely were Africanized honey bees also called "killer bees". When Marina got near us, bees had bitten her on her scalp, torso and arms.
As Vlada and I helped her get rid of both the bees embedded in her hair 
and their stingers, Vlada got bitten on his ankle. We turned back, warning people along the way of the danger ahead. One couple headed to Mount Wilson also turned back but most people chose to go ahead. During the walk back, Vlada's forearms started to turn red, as well as his neck. More concerning to him was the fact that his chin started to feel numb. We suspected that during the chaotic episode when we were removing the bees from Marina, he might have stepped in a bush of poison oak. In any case he was developing an allergic reaction to either poison oak or the bee sting. We sped up down the trail, all the while debating between bee stings and poison oak, called Katarina for medical advice, got to Marina's car and drove to Grandma's house.
The following afternoon, after returning home from a visit to the LA County Arboretum (see picture of pomegranate tree at left taken there), Vlada's ankle was swollen. It was still very swollen the next day. This did not bid well for a trip where we were planning to do a lot of hiking in the National Parks. Fortunately, after taking a medication, the swelling subsided. After three days in Monrovia, we were good to go.
We went on Monday afternoon to Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge. During our trip to Monrovia last year at about the same time, we had gone to the LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden and to the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino. At Descanso we saw California wildflowers including one of my favorites: the bright orange California poppy (right), lilacs and cherry trees in bloom, lavender and olive trees and quite a few lizards. Later that day, before going to our friend Marina's place for dinner, we stopped at Arlington Garden, an amazing community garden in Pasadena which Marina had recommended the day before.
[French version] Lundi après-midi nous sommes allés visiter “Descanso Gardens” situé dans la communauté de La Canada Flintridge. Durant notre visite a Monrovia l’an dernier, à la même période de l’année, nous étions allé visiter le “LA County Arboretum” et le 
“Huntington Gardens” de la ville de San Marino. Au Descanso nous avons vu des fleurs sauvages de Californie, y compris une de mes préférées: le coquelicot de Californie (photo à droite), des lilas et des cerisiers en fleur, des lavandes et des oliviers, et quelques lézards. Plus tard dans la journée, avant d’aller diner chez notre amie Marina, nous nous sommes arrêtés à Arlington Garden, un jardin communautaire à Pasadena assez incroyable dont Marina nous avait parlé la veille.
The first series of posts did not show Mount Shasta; an unfair omission. We stayed for a night at the lovely small town of Mount Shasta, at a Bed and Breakfast called the Dream Inn (pictured). Mount Shasta (the mountain) was visible from the Main Street and behind the B&B. This is a 
mountain for serious climbers who may need guides to take one of the trails up the mountain. The following morning, after a brief stop at the visitor center in town, we drove to the foot of Mount Shasta and went on a trail called "Grey Butte." This hike offered beautiful views of Mount Shasta and went through Panther Meadows which has several springs sacred to Native Americans. (Last picture: Mount Shasta at sunset seen on the way to McDoel. Picture at right: Vlada taking a dip in extremely cold McCloud river, at the foot of McCloud falls).
