I have a big redwood in my backyard and want to start another one. How should I do it? Plant a seed in a cup and keep in my greenhouse window? Cut a branch off and plant it in the ground? There are some green "spouts" coming from the root base at the bottom of the trunk, will those work?

Thanks for your help

A few close girlfriends and I are trying to go on a vacation to california probably around March or April. I’ve never been yet, but I’m so excited to finally get to go! They’ve flown into Long Beach Airport before– which is where we’ll probably fly into again. Does anyone have suggestions on what we should do during our vacation? Best beach? Hotel? Nightclub? Restaurant? (Oh, and what’s the weather like around then?) When I leave I want to feel like I’ve had the full out California experience. 🙂

Thanks so much!!

Really Relax With A Spa Vacation

If you really want to relax and pamper yourself when you plan your next vacation, do we have the list for you! There is no better way to let your body know you appreciate it than to take in a few luxurious spa treatments. Here is a list of some of the resorts that have the inside track on how to really relax.

Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – Walt Disney World, Florida

While some may tell you otherwise, you can have it all. Thanks to Walt Disney World you can have a great family vacation that keeps the kids entertained and also have never before reached levels of pampering. While the rest of the family plays with Mickey Mouse in the theme parks, you can spend a day at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. This spa has premier offerings including mineral soaks, hydrotherapy, reflexology, and a complete line of massages, including Swedish and sports massages.

Aveda Spa at Alexis Hotel – Seattle, Washington

Rejuvenation is the theme at the Aveda Spa at the Alexis Hotel. Once you arrive at the hotel there will be chocolate and champagne waiting to help you begin your path to relaxation. The spa has a series of treatments for all your ills. From focused to total body massages, to herbal treatments and aromatherapy, it’s all available at the Aveda Spa. Before you leave, they offer you an opportunity to take a little bit of that pampering home with you, through the purchase of their skin care products.

Wentworth by the Sea at Marriott – New Castle, New Hampshire

As soon as you arrive at the Wentworth by the Sea Spa, you will immediately be put in a relaxation mindset. You will be guided to a relaxation room, where you can enjoy a beverage at the seaside retreat. Once you select a spa package to take advantage of, you’ll be immersed in focused treatments with paraffin wax treatments for your hands, body scrubs and wraps, soothing facials, or you could go for the complete body massage with essential oils, Reiki, or warm stone treatments. They even have a specialized maternity massage for expectant mothers.

Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa – Maui, Hawaii

It’s a double treat at the Grand Wailea Spa. First, you’re in Hawaii. That already starts you on a path to relaxation. Then you check into this facility. The 50,000 square foot spa has a number of exclusive offerings – aromatic baths, Swiss jet showers, redwood saunas, Japanese Furo baths, massages, Roman jacuzzi tubs, personal trainers, and their renowned Termé Wailea Hydrotherapy.

Sandy Lane Resort – St. James, Barbados

Enjoy a get away to the sandy beaches of the West Indies where you can revitalize your skin by taking advantage of a signature Dr. Hauschka Classic Treatment. They have spa treatments for all levels including a full-day six-hour spa experience which starts with a water massage, progresses to a hydrotherapy bath, a full body massage, then an aromatherapy facial, exercises to promote deep relaxation and a manicure and pedicure to have your body revitalized from head to toe.

I would like to go the best beach while at the same time being able to shop around a really nice, and pretty community or town.

RV Destinations In Northern California

Having your own RV is a great way for you or your family to get away from it all and enjoy some vacation time away from our hectic and stressful daily lives. Finding the right RV destination is important but with some many to choose from it can really be difficult to find the right one that has everything you need. While there are many great RV destinations around the country, some of the best ones are found only in California. California is an ideal RV destination thanks to its size and excellent facilities that camps and recreation areas provide just for RV goers. The majority of RV tourists who visit California head to Southern California, but some of the best RV spots are actually found in Northern California. If you feel like being a little adventurous, try Northern California instead as you’ll be pleasantly surprised. There are plenty of California RV parks available which makes getting to these scenic spots even easier.

Lassen National Forest is just one of the many great places you can stop at to take in the beautiful sights and scenery that Northern California has to offer. This national park is famous for its volcanic activity and you’ll be able to get firsthand experience at the might and power volcanoes can have in shaping the planet we live on. This is the home of the world famous Lassen Peak, which is the largest plug dome volcano in the world and has to be seen to be believed. If volcanoes aren’t your thing, don’t worry as there is plenty to do and see for everyone. A wide range of outdoor activities can be enjoyed and include fishing, hunting, hiking, bicycling, boating, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and much, much more. No matter who you are or what you enjoy, Lassen National Forest is a place that anyone can enjoy.

Another great spot that shouldn’t be missed is Lake Davis. Lake Davis was designed with recreation in mind, literally. Why is this? The lake was actually built specifically for recreation purposes, so the motto is recreation and having fun. There are plenty of summer activities to be enjoyed by everyone that include camping, picnicking, fishing, hunting, boating and mountain biking just to name a few. RV goers will find that the camping grounds were designed with RVs in mind and space is provided for up to a whopping 40 self contained RVs. If hiking is your thing then you might find that Plumas National Forest is the place for you. This national forest is a heaven for hikers and there are a wide variety of streams, lakes, deep canyons, lofty peaks and much, much more. The park is well known for its pleasant climate and not being crowded.

Next time you go RVing, why not be a little different and head to North California and take the road less traveled. California is well known for its scenic beauty and wide variety of outdoor activities that RV goers enjoy, but most people don’t know that some of the best scenic spots to visit are actually in North California. Why not take advantage of the California RV parks in the area and take sometime out to enjoy the beautiful scenery and activities that are on offer.

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Shaver Lake is Popular California Vacation Lake

If you’re looking for a “cabin-in-the-woods” experience, just drive east from Fresno, California, to Shaver Lake.

One of our most recent discoveries is Shaver Lake, a little more than an hour’s drive northeast from Fresno and an ideal spot to include in a Northern California vacation. The change in scenery during that short trip is dramatic, taking you from the flat farmlands near Fresno through wooded, rolling foothills and then up nearly 6,000 feet into the pine forests that surround this idyllic lake. Central Valley residents have long known that Shaver Lake is a great spot to experience the Sierras; now – judging from the area’s real estate boom – people from all over California have started to catch on.

Shaver Lake is tucked between Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks and hints at the same natural beauty found in the parks. The difference is that Shaver remains largely undiscovered and therefore not quite as prone to seasonal traffic congestion. Shaver is still “off the beaten path” for vacationers who want the experience of visiting a small mountain village with just a couple of general stores and a handful of restaurants serving home-style grub. Only about 3,000 people live in the entire area.

All of this is exactly what we wanted as we set out on our own “cabin-in-the-woods” getaway. We contacted Vacation Rental Specialties to reserve a cabin meeting our specifications. With pictures to study on the internet, we were able to see exactly what kind of place we were renting, both inside and out. We wanted a true log cabin experience, but with modern conveniences – and that’s exactly what we got.

We use the word “cabin” here a little loosely – our rental was really a complete vacation home built like a cabin. Almost everything was constructed of logs, all right, but the home’s amenities are more modern than most people have in their primary residence. We learned that this particular “cabin” is owned by a Monterey family who uses it part of the time themselves and puts it into the Vacation Rental Specialties rental pool for much of the year.

Our rental, the “Whalen Log Cabin,” was a million-dollar home with two bedrooms, a loft, 1.75 baths, dishwasher, cable TV, DVD and a washer and dryer. A 1,750-square-foot deck is the perfect place to barbecue or watch the sun set over the mountains. Out back cabin near Shaver Lakethere are plenty of pine trees reminding guests that, yes, this is the mountains and, in fact, the edge of the wilderness. These aren’t exactly cheap vacations but when you consider the cost of premium hotel rooms nowadays, the rental fee of 5 a night plus a cleaning and booking fee is one of the best travel deals around.

Our family of three was swimming in extra space and, according to Bill Wingo, owner of Vacation Rental Specialties, many guests are bring another couple or family and stay for a week at a time. It’s a new trend called “togethering” – sharing vacations with other family members or friends and thereby reducing rental costs while at the same time getting the chance to visit and experience new places and activities together.

According to Wingo, there also is a trend in vacation rentals now toward high-end properties such as the Whalen Log Cabin. In the business for nine years, Wingo says it was not long ago that people were just looking for a rustic getaway in the mountains – a simple cabin with few amenities but located in the wilderness. Today, guests are looking for all the extras and willing to pay extra to make their home away from home both relaxing and luxurious.

Also, guests are starting to expect the property rental firm to be more service-oriented, Wingo explained. Instead of just handing over a set of keys, property managers today also have to put on a concierge hat and do such things as make reservations for boat rentals, dinner or whatever else the guests may have planned for their stay. It used to be that guests were responsible for taking out garbage and providing bedding – nowadays, those often are among the services provided by the rental firm, although sometimes at an extra cost.

Equally important is the location of the vacation rental, and the Shaver Lake area is proving popular with active vacationers. With 23 miles of shoreline, Shaver Lake has plenty of activities to choose from including fishing, boating, water skiing, windsurfing, hiking and, in winter, all the winter sports including downhill skiing at a nearby ski area. The lake actually is part of a hydroelectric project owned and operated by California Edison. Shaver Lake was first constructed and filled in 1927 as part of the Big Creek Hydroelectric project. It was named for pioneer lumberman C.B. Shaver, who logged in the area during the late 1890s.

For many visitors, Shaver Lake actually is a jumping off point for treks further into the Sierra National trading post near Shaver LakeForest and two other lakes, Huntington and Edison, are nearby. Eighteen small lakes are located in the Kaiser Wilderness, just north of Huntington Lake.

We were looking to do a little hiking and to just soak up the local culture down in Shaver Lake’s tiny business district. We enjoyed our steak dinner down at the Trading Post – the floor is tilted downhill in a few areas, but the big rock fireplace sets the mood perfectly.

The fireplace back at our vacation home also helped set the mood for this “cabin-in-the-woods” experience – instead of watching television like we might normally do at home, we put some games on the spacious floor in front of the crackling fire and thoroughly enjoyed a family respite from everyday life in the city.

If you’re planning a Northern California vacation, you can get more information on cabin rentals at Shaver Lake by contacting Vacation Rental Specialties at (800) 730-8688 or visiting www.goshaverlake.com. Nightly rental fees are about 15 percent lower when properties are rented a week at a time. Ask about Vacation Rental Specialties’ special vacation packagesthere are many excursions they can set up for you ahead of time such as boats, restaurant reservations and horseback riding. Even if you have last minute travel plans, call for availabilitysurprisingly, there sometimes is a last-minute opening.

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