The newest kids on the Mountain were born Wednesday night, May 20, 2009.  I picked up a VM from Cecilia announcing the birth and Don kidnapped me to run over the Borlands to see the newest kids on the block!  Oh how fun!  I got to hold Catherine Ann while little Taco was up having a great time testing out his legs.  Cecila milked the other moms and all was wonderful.

After a year and a half remodeling their home on Palomar, Glenn and Cecilia finally moved all their critters up.  When I stopped by last week, Cecilia was making cheese with that milk!  Gouda, colby and feta--yum!

They also raise chickens which gives new meaning to fresh eggs!  If you would like eggs in all different colors from chickens scratching around on the east side of Birch Hill, just give Glenn and Cecilia a call 760 742-8741. 
How fun having them and their growing family on the mountain top!

Craig and Cindi, Buddy and Brandy Herriott are now the happy owners of the "Herriott Hideaway". Craig retired from the Navy after 24 years of service. Now days, instead of being haze grey and underway, he flies a desk. Although less exciting, it's still the hustle and bustle of the workaday world that he and his family are here to escape. You'll hear the sounds of music coming from their cabin too since Craig is a wonderful pianist.  Party plans are in the works as he is brushing up on sing-alongs!  Cindi spent 10 years directing 40 instructors in an aerobics company, and another 10 years as a professional photographer. She too is happy spending time now just enjoying "the kids" and bringing them up to the quiet mountains of Palomar to breathe in the fresh air, and listen to the wind rustle through the trees. ...and maybe chase a squirrel or two!

Newlyweds, Lane and Hilda Yule are some of the newest neighbors on Crestline.  How did they meet?  About 7 years ago, Hilda's son Mike started working at the Christian Conference Center.  Every once in a while she would visit and she caught Lane's eye.  Hilda loves Palomar and two years ago started working in the kitchen.  You know what they say, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach!"  Lane had a chance to get to know her and her cooking!  Lane said, "She has a lot of kids (one girl and 4 boys) and I didn't know if she would had time for me but decided to ask her to dinner.  We dated for about a year, I asked her to marry me, she said YES and the rest is history!"  With Lane's two sons, their seven grown kids range in age from 18 to 32.  Lane and Hilda just moved into a home on Crestline with the perfect set up for Lane's sister Lynda to live with them too.  "Hilda is the nicest person and she loves the Lord. That lady can cook anything and I'm very blessed to have met her."

The 2009 Amgen Tour of California was finishing up in the flatlands about the time I captured this photo. Cor, Toby, Kyle, Danielle, and Seth, had a fun day cheering the bike racers at the top of the mountain. Why did they have to have a place on Palomar? That is pretty easy - fun days like this!  And, "It's a Kid's Paradise!  It Snows!  There is peace and quiet!" The family has really worked together creating happy memories with the kids learning some great skills helping clean and fix up their cabin, turning it into a nice place to relax. During the week, Cor is with the Santa Fe Irrigation District and Toby works for the San Diego County Water Authority and everyone looks forward to the next visit to Palomar!

John Conkle (finally) married his high school sweetheart (you'll havta ask them for the full story). The first time they drove in Pedley Road they saw the sign that Palomar Cedars has up that says "P.C".  Of course, they thought "Patty Conkle" and just had to have their hidden cabin on 40 acres! (Well, the cabin is not actually on the 40 acres but that is something that cooperating neighbors and a surveyor are fixing). John and Patty are lovin' life, the snow, and all the adventures of a vintage cabin that will soon have real power and a phone installed for the first time ever!  With modern utilities, John can even work a mile nearer heaven!  Meanwhile, he is dreaming up another new invention from their home in Encinitas and Patty keeps busy belly dancing, planning their next get-away, and looking forward to doing her first watercolor at the cabin.

Borrego Springs was just too hot in the summer for Joe and Sharon Sewell and their dog Bodie!.  This Lincoln log cabin was the perfect retreat.  They also have a family cabin at Mammoth.  But alas! That area is closed in the winter, so to be on Palomar within an hour, enjoying the winter wonderland is very fun.  They have enlisted a neighbor to do some remodeling, and keep all the gift shops between here and Mammoth very happy finding treasures for their western theme.  That ties in beautifully since they also love to ride horses and plan on bringing them up eventually.  Sharon's roots with Palomar go way back since her mother's brother-in-law was George Ellery Hale's personal chauffer!  Oh, you know, it was Hale's vision that culminated in finding the home for the 200 inch telescope on Palomar Mountain.  Joe and Sharon have some fun stories and photos to share--stay tuned for a web link!   

The man behind a voice you'd recognize has plans in the works for a vacation home with a 100 mile view!.  Check out Erik's website at etvoices.com!  You can also hear him most any night when your TV is on!  Erik's family is excited about their cabin plans too.  Their soon to be son-in-law, Matt Jones, was in their Christmas photo with his fiancée, and their daughter, Kelli (soon to be Mrs. Jones), Erik's wife Christine, Erik,  their daughter Joann, and son Gregory.  All are looking forward to having another photo taken from the foundation floor of their new cabin.  Their contractor is including a voice booth so Erik can work from the mountain house too--how fun is that!  Just think, Erik's voice will be heard around the world, via a cabin on Palomar!

High School sweethearts, Matthew and Amanda Rau were married August 9th and just got their new PO box on the Mountain.  Matthew grew up in a military family living in many different places but loves the trees and forest he remembers from Washington State.  The newlyweds are renting a home for a year or so on the mountain to be away from the base with a dark sky only lit by stars.  They were looking for a place where you don't hear your neighbors and found it on the north side of Crestline.  Matthew serves with the United State Marines as a motor transport maintenance officer and Amanda is looking for work in her major in paleontology--study of fossils and really old stuff!   Thank you Matt for serving our country and we welcome you both to the Mountain! 

Earl Johnson is living his dream.  When he saw this 23 acres, it was perfect.  He wanted a place in the woods for  a project that he had in mind.  His two sons, a daughter, and their families include 5 grandkids that he wanted to  let them experience a setting very different then they have in the city.  Tall trees, the beauty of nature, even learning about staying away from poison oak and of course, helping Grandpa with his projects!  Earl saw an ad in the Pennysaver one day for this cabin kit.  What a bargain and such a fun place to have for his family.  When they have their  mountain adventure days, my bet is they'll remember forever these special times as some of the best days of their lives!

Fred and Patty Bearden's family situation developed in a direction that meant they couldn't move away from Southern California. So, as they neared retirement, they decided they would make the best of the area- that meant Palomar Mountain for it's clear skies (Fred's astronomy hobby), clean air  and the "low key, laid back" little community. They plan to build a cabin with very low upkeep and almost completely self sufficient, so it can be off the grid if necessary.  According to Fred, he is a "Resident Curmudgeon". Actually, he appraises aircraft, but that takes a half hour of explanation.  What does Patty do? She teaches Kindergarten.  In a few years they hope to sell their house in Laguna Niguel and buy a small condo down the coast a bit, closer to Palomar. Then they'll divide their time between the beach and the mountain.

Greg and Kelly have always wanted a 'little, rustic, cabin away from the stress of the city".   When they saw the Little O'Chalet, it was love at first sight!  Living in Spring Valley, they both work for Kaiser Permanente.  Kelly heads up the Optical Optometry Departments county wide.  Greg works the construction side of the hospitals.  It has been very handy for him to have those skills since the employees at Home Depot now know them by their first names.   Each time they come up their truck is packed full of building supplies.  Since they've had the cabin it seems as though all they do is work on projects!  However, on their way up next time, they are picking up a new sofa so they might have an opportunity to relax a bit and enjoy the peaceful lifestyle and nice neighbors they said they've already met on the Mountain.   They look forward to spending more time here and giving back to the community.

John Thess the new owner of Welcome Home!  You just may run into him at the Summit since he has had some long-time friends here. More info real soon!!! Stay tuned!

Brain Wagner and Yvonne Vaucher are on the New Neighbor's page a second time!  They purchased 18 acres of beautiful view land a few years ago.  When a cabin that borders their land came on the market, they just had to have it!  Brian is a computer software engineer and Yvonne is a favorite physician in the Neonatal ward at UCSD.  What a fun surprise to see Yvonne's smiling face as attending physician in our brand new grandson's preemie nursery. He was born a month early but very big compared to the majority of the patients she sees.  Husband Brian tells us that "Yvonne is very good with people under two pounds!"  It was so nice being included with their city friends at a barbecue at their cabin where they are both very good at putting our a great spread for hearty mountain appetites!

Big brother Braxton and big sister Brianna recently welcomed our newest and youngest neighbor to the Mountain!  Bryson James was born to their mom and dad, Greg and Alicia Schultz on December 27, 2007.  When Braxton first saw his brother he called him 'Mini Me' because he thought he looked just like himself--which he does!  Bryson likes to move around, kick his feet, and eats all the time.  Braxton is looking forward to showing him how to use a BB gun and fish. When Brianna saw her baby brother for the first time she thought he was a cutie pie and loves to give him kisses.  He is a good little guy and it will be fun to watch him growing up 'round the mountain.   

Tom Devitt is a graduate student in the Department of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley working towards his Ph.D. He is on Palomar Mountain studying two species of salamanders (a type of amphibian), the Large-blotched Ensatina salamander and the Monterey Ensatina salamander. These secretive animals live under logs and rocks in forested areas and are active mainly at night, especially during the wetter months of the year. Tom has heard from many people they've lived on Palomar for years, but have never seen these creatures due to their secretive nature. Very interesting work! He looks forward to meeting other mountain neighbors as he will be out and about on the mountain through the month of May. Click to see some of his photos.

Palomar is really going to miss the Ackerman family--they gave so much of themselves to our little community.  Julian is very lucky to have them as New Neighbors!  They loved Palomar dearly but with two sons and a daughter at Julian High School, now living 5 minutes away is absolutely wonderful, says Jay and Shana.  Their sons are really enjoying sports, their daughter is active with the Explorer program and Shana has opened a fun gift shop:  "Nick Knacks" 760 765-0057  (named after son, Nick, of course!).  Look for the shop in the OK Corral center with gifts galore, from local crafters.  You'll just may even find some of the hand carved bears made from Palomar Mountain cedar.