Book Review: "The Land of Little Rain" by Mary Hunter Austin

Summer's a great time for me to read books, especially ones available for my Kindle e-reader. Up the lake at the float cabin, I have easy access to lots of books without having to carry them back and forth in our boat. 

I use my new Kindle Paperwhite with its backlit screen indoors and at night without the need for an external light source. 

My trusty 2010 Kindle Keyboard is the reader of choice while floating in a tube in our natural swimming pool behind the cabin. This old model is less sensitive to heat in direct sunlight and I worry less about dropping it in the water.

My choice for this month's review was read right here while lounging in a cool location on hot summer days.

Summer heat here in Coastal British Columbia is nothing compared to the high and low deserts on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada range in southwestern United States. That arid and sparsely populated environment was chronicled by Mary Hunter Austin in her book The Land of Little Rain, originally published by Houghton-Mifflin in 1903.

Mary Hunter Austin was unique. She traveled mostly alone on foot through California's desert wilderness in the 1890s. Another unique feature was that Austin's books were published under her own name. As such, she became a well recognized early nature writer of the American Southwest. She was also a champion and example for women desiring to break away from stereotypical expectations of the day. In addition to being an author, she was an artist. Her sketches became illustrations in her books.

The Land of Little Rain is a collection of Austin's observations of the people, places, plants and animals of the canyons, hills and deserts east of the southern Sierra Nevada range. Each chapter focuses on a specific area, environment, geologic feature, or interesting inhabitants including miners, shepherds, and Mexican and Native American inhabitants.

Over her lifetime (1868-1934), Austin wrote over 30 books and many more essays, articles and poems for publication. Her early 20th Century prose writing style was typical of that era with long sentences including detailed descriptions. Each phrase creates a vivid mental picture of the subject matter.

I enjoy reading historically based books that take me back to a time gone by. My grandmother always said I was born a generation too late. I think there's a lot of truth to what she said.

Do you like to read historical accounts and memoirs? What are some of your favourites? -- Margy

Visit the monthly Book Review Club for teen/young adult and adult fiction over at Barrie Summy's blog.

Also shared with Your the Star at Stone Cottage Adventures and Kathryn's Book Date. 

Wayne and Margy's 2019-20 Snowbird RV Adventure

Snowbird RV Adventure Update

Wayne and I want to thank all of our readers for coming along with us so far on our Snowbird RV Adventure. 

For now, however, we are staying home to take care of ourselves and to do our part to help prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus.  Wayne and I send our best wishes to all of you for continued good health, and we mourn the loss of so many people to this terrible disease.

Once the health danger is past, we will be back on the road with more stories to share. In the meantime, you can scroll down to get caught up on our first two trip segments.

Wayne and I planned for months for our first Snowbird road trip in the new RV we purchased last April.

This time of year it gets darker, colder and wetter at our float cabin on Powell Lake. Sun and warmth are calling. Just like the geese, we are migrating south.

An early November departure was perfect. We beat the snow and ice in the mountain pass between Oregon and California, and we were able to skip winterizing our RV. That was a win-win.

We picked a Forest River Sunseeker 2250 specifically for this adventure. We like the small size for maneuverability and easy parking. It's been a perfect rig for us even on long trips.

The overall 24'4" length of the Sunseeker packs in a lot of living space.

We planned a three part trip.

Part 1 - We left Bellingham on November 4. For 43 days we explored and camped our way from Washington State to Southern California. In mid-December, we put the RV into storage in Southern California, went to USC for basketball and then flew back to Bellingham for a break. You can read about this leg of our trip by scrolling down.

Part 2 - Our second leg of the trip started on February. We flew back south to pick up our RV from Pomona Fairplex RV Storage. After a short stay in Pomona to enjoy our old stomping grounds (we lived there for 24 years), we drove to Arizona for more exploring and a stay in Tempe for Arizona State University softball. By late February, we ended up in the Tucson area where we put our RV in storage once again and flew back to Bellingham for a second break.

Camping in public parks gives you more privacy and nature.

Part 3 - Needless to say, the third and final part of our trip that was supposed to start in late March was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Who could have expected a pandemic to catch us mid-way through our Snowbird Adventure.

Private RV parks offer more amenities and full hookups.

When it's safe again to travel, we'll fly to Tucson to check on our RV For now it's safe in electric storage at the Tucson Lazydays KOA RV Resort. -- Wayne and Margy

Snowbird RV Adventure Part 1: Our Run for the Border

Part 1: Days 3 - 4

Trying to avoid snow in the mountain pass like February 2018.

November 6: We started our Snowbird RV Adventure in early November to make it through the mountain pass between Oregon and California before ice and snow.

Last year on our rental RV trip, heavy snow stranded us for a day as we were trying to get north. We definitely didn't want that to happen again. Wayne grew up in snowy Upstate New York, but even he didn't like the conditions. I grew up in sunny Southern California. For me it was even scarier seeing cars stuck in snowbanks.

Grocery store parking lots often have drive through spaces.

Day three was our longest driving time so far, five and a half hours. We got an early (foggy again) start and broke it up into three more manageable segments.

First we stopped at a Denny's in Medford for breakfast. It was next door to a grocery store with excellent parking.

It's hard to pass up their crispy Pancake Puppies with cream cheese icing for dipping.

We stopped at the Weed Rest Area in the pass to take pictures of Mt. Shasta, and finally got gas at an easy off and on station just before Redding thanks to Google maps satellite view.

Mt. Shasta with very little snow for this time of year.

Our destination for the night was the Durango RV Resort in Red Bluff, California. We stayed here twice last year on our rental RV trip. It has lots of amenities and is located within easy walking distance to a shopping center. As a treat, we walked to Shari's for an early dinner. We shared the restaurant with several tables of Cal Fire firefighters. There are fires burning in many parts of California right now.


November 7: After three days of steady driving, we wanted a break. We asked for three nights, but could only get two. A large group was arriving on Friday for the weekend. This is the Durango Resort's busy season for RV clubs.

Site #25 next to the clubhouse is pull in for motorhomes, back in for trailers.

The view of the Sacramento River from the park.

Last year we had a Sacramento River front site. This time we were along the fountain parkway. They also have pull-through sites.

The fountain site is $60 but they have a 10% senior and Good Sam discount, and 15% for veterans.

The second night we walked over to Luigi's Pizza. They deliver to your rig with a 10% discount, but we opted to eat in. We had the beef dip special and an antipasto salad. Next trip we'll try the pizza. It looked delicious heading to other tables!

The fountain parkway at the Durango RV Resort.

Building in extra rest nights after long driving legs helps you stay alert for the next segment of your RV trip. And after all, it's supposed to be a vacation even while you are traveling.

Trip Mileage Log

Leg - 347 miles

Total - 722 miles

Stay tuned for more of our travelogue blog posts and get some handy tips from two RVing newbies. -- Wayne and Margy

Snowbird RV Adventure Part 1: Red Bluff to Sacramento CalExpo

Part 1: Days 5 - 7

November 8: We left the Durango RV Resort at their noon checkout and began our drive down I-5 to Sacramento, the capitol of California. Along the way we could see the fertile valley between the Coast Range and the Sierra Nevadas of Northern California.

There were walnuts, almonds, olives and lots of rice fields and granaries as we entered the Sacramento Delta region approaching the California's State Capitol, Sacramento.

Smoke from a small fire on the horizon.

Now that we are below the pass with the potential for snow, we are making our driving legs shorter and our overnight stays longer.

Devastating fires are burning throughout California. It was one year ago that a fire virtually wiped out the town of Paradise and killed 87. We passed through strong smoke below Red Bluff. Then farther along, we saw a small fire in its beginning stage. Fortunately, this week the winds aren't as strong, especially at ground level.

Our destination was the CalExpo Fairgrounds in Sacramento, California. I used to come to this city several times a year for Department of Education meetings when I was a school administrator in Southern California.

The RV Park is tucked away on the southeast side of the fairgrounds backed by the greenway along the American River with miles of multi-use trails for bikes, hiker and horseback riders.

It's huge with over 500 sites in several areas and they take reservations. Each site is paved with full hookups. Ours was long and wide, and the campground was mostly empty so it didn't feel crowded.

A few trees breaks up the parking lot atmosphere.

We hooked up to power and water utilities. Sewer was available, but we didn't need to use it here. We can travel for about eight days before it's needed.

Full hookups at Site #235. No cable but lots of local air antenna channels.

Then there was time to get some sun outdoors with an early afternoon check-in. We fixed dinner in our rig and watched the news with channels received from our built-in antenna.


November 9: On our second day, we walked down to the American River using the popular network of paved multi-use trails.

The American River before it merges with the Sacramento near downtown.

We saw lots of people walking dogs, riding bikes and sitting at picnic tables strategically placed at the river's edge.

The paved trails along the river are shaded by oaks frequented by squirrels.

November 10: On our last night, we met up with a childhood friend of mine, Carol and her partner Bob. Carol and I were in Blue Birds and Campfire Girls together when were kids in Compton, California. They live in Davis and drove over to have dinner with us at the nearby Red Lobster. It was fun to catch up after all these years.

A nice place to say for overnight or an extended stay.

Fairgrounds are a good place to stay if you are going to a town or city. They are usually large with lots of availability. The sites are basic, but the fairgrounds we've used have been clean and welcoming. - Wayne and Margy

Trip Mileage Log

Leg - 135 miles

Total - 857 miles

Snowbird RV Adventure Part 1: Sacramento to Travis Air Force Base

Part 1: Days 8 - 10

A C-54 on display between the Travis Commissary and Exchange.

November 11: We left the CalExpo RV Park after sleeping in and having breakfast in our rig. A noon departure got us on the road an hour before the 1:00 check-out time and set up to arrive at the Travis Air Force Base FamCamp for its 1:00 check-in time.

Our first stop was the Commissary to restock our fresh food items. We were surprised to see a C-54 Skymaster former transport plane on display out front.

It was Sunday. The office was closed, so we stopped at the bulletin board to pick up our registration packet and park information.

Site #25 was a back-in end spot.

We made reservations a week ago. We had to adjust our travel schedule to get a spot at this popular military RV park. In addition to sites with full hookups for $22 a night, they have dry RV and tent sites. We stayed at the Travis Air Force Base FamCamp for three nights.


November 12: On the second day we relaxed and I did a load of laundry. You know you are staying on a military base when you are awakened in the morning with Reveille, everyone stands in respect for the National Anthem at quitting time, and you are lulled to sleep at night with Taps.

Wayne kicking back at Site #25 listening to C-17s and C-5s in the traffic pattern.

November 13: On the third day, we walked to the Exchange to pick up a few items. One purchase was a smoke alarm for our bedroom. The built-in one on the kitchen ceiling goes off every time we use the oven, or cook something that creates steam. It really needed to be replaced. While we were there, we stopped at the Food Court to treat ourselves to an early dinner at Arby's. We like our camp cooking, but an occasional restaurant meal is a nice change of pace.

The laundry room at the Travis FamCamp.

We've been on the road for nine days so I decided to use the well appointed laundry room at Travis.

I bought new towels and cloths and washed them at home, but they were still bleeding red. Along with my darks, I had enough for a load.

I was surprised the machines used only credit cards. I carry quarters, but using a card is easier. I've also seen machines that use a smart phone app. Laundry has entered the digital age. -- Wayne and Margy

Trip Mileage Log

Leg - 46 miles

Total - 903 miles

Snowbird RV Adventure Part 1: Travis AFB to Woodward Reservoir Regional Park

Part 1: Days 11 - 13

November 14: Before we left Travis AFB, we stopped at the Commissary one more time. We will be away from grocery stores for the next six days so we wanted to restock our fridge.

We took Highway 12 through the Sacramento Delta. Rich soil and water make it fertile. We passed through more rice fields, vineyards and two new crops, solar and wind farms.

After a gas stop (we are getting about 12 mpg) in Rio Vista, we joined Interstate 5 near Stockton then jogged over to Highway 99. Mariposa and Dodds roads took us through almond, walnut and peach orchards, and our destination, Woodward Reservoir Regional Park.

Woodward Reservoir Regional Park T-Island Site #107.

We had a reservation for three night at T-Island Campground. It's almost surrounded by the man made lake and reached via a causeway.

Sunset from the T-Island beach.

I'm familiar with Woodward Reservoir because my Great-Aunt Mar and Uncle Chet lived in nearby Oakdale. When I was little, Uncle Chet would bring me here fishing near the dam. In those days camping was unregulated. Today there are several campgrounds around the lake, and three have full hookups.

November 15-16: California has been going through a drought, so the lake is very low. Rather than being surrounded by water, the shoreline is a dry lake bed.

In the distance you could see lots of birds on sandbars including white Egrets, Canada Geese, a few white Snow Geese, seagulls and ducks.

From our campsite we can see four elaborate duck blinds anchored offshore. Hunters can apply to build and place a blind for the hunting season. Each morning we were awakened to several shots being taken. Hope our Canadian compatriots weren't on the menu.


Our campsite was right on the edge of what would have been the lake in wetter days.

We had a great view and with no one next to us, it was very private.

The driveway into the spot was sloping gravel, but a cement pad just our size gave us a level spot to park. We had a picnic table (which we did use) and fire ring.


From our spot we could barely see the foothills and the high Sierras not at all. They were shrouded in a smokey haze. Our next destination was in that direction,

Getting ready to leave on our final morning.

Wayne and I discussed our options and decided to stay out of the dry foothills due to the ongoing fire danger. I called Don Pedro Recreation and they graciously gave us a credit on account for future use. That's great customer service.

We invite you to come back soon to find out where we headed next. -- Wayne and Margy

Trip Mileage Log

Leg - 81 miles

Total - 985 miles

Snowbird RV Adventure Part 1: Woodward Reservoir to Merced River RV Resort

Part 1: Days 14 - 16

Many RV sites come with a sewer hookup.

November 17: We've become morning slugs. With such short travel days we can sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast and still get on our way by the typical 11:00 checkout time.

Before we left Woodward Reservoir, we had housekeeping to do. Our RV has sinks and a toilet. Sinks empty into a gray water holding tank, toilet contents go into a black water tank. Living in our float cabin has taught us to be frugal with our water use. In the RV, we need to empty our tanks every eight to ten days. It's a small price to pay for the convenience in our rig.

One of the many almond orchards we passed,.

Driving southwest to Merced River RV Resort we passed almond orchards. They brought to mind all the years I visited Aunt Mar and Uncle Chet at their almond orchard in nearby Oakdale. I loved to eat the almonds right off the tree, especially the soft immature ones called "in the milk."

Taking advantage of the nuts, Hersey opened a plant in Oakdale in 1965. Now Sconza Candy has taken over. A Blue Diamond Almonds plant is also nearby.

Just before we reached Highway 99 we passed the 1000 mile mark for this trip. It is hard to believe we've already driven this far, but California is a very long state.

Merced River Resort is between Livingston and Delhi. It's an older RV park with shade trees, grassy open spaces and tidy sites.

It was Sunday so we picked up our "after hours" packet at the office and drove straight to Site #A25. As we were pulling in, Jerry stopped by to make sure we had everything we needed. Customer service from making last minute reservations to departure was excellent.


November 18-19: We settled in for a three night stay. Each day we strolled around the park and down to the river.

The Merced River flows slowly in the flat Central Valley.

The Merced River runs through Yosemite Valley. The water passing us raced a long ways to become this lazy river on its way to join the San Joaquin River to the west.

Site #A25 was shaded by oaks and mulberry trees.

The perfect spot for Wayne to read and a picnic table for me to journal write.

I took advantage of the shower facility. It's one way we minimize water consumption in the RV. Plus, a long hot shower in a big stall is way better than a short one in our small one.  -- Wayne and Margy

Trip Mileage Log

Leg - 51 miles

Total - 1036 miles

I was never good about keeping a diary in my youth, but I've kept various journals as an adult. Journaling is a great way to hone your writing skills and it's a great way to capture memories.

When we started taking RV trips, I began journaling about our travels. In addition to my narrative, I include illustrated maps and scrapbook items from the places we've visited. We keep our old journal with us as we travel. It's full of information we can use on future trips.

Do you keep a journal? What do you write about and do you include illustrations? -