Dinkey Creek.

Yes, you read that right.  Dinkey Creek.  That's its real name.  No joke.

Dinkey Creek is located just on the other side of Yosemite, in the Fresno Mountains.  My mom has been going up there since she was about 5 years old.  Her parents, my grandparents, had a cabin up there until my Aunt and Uncle took it over.  They spend every summer up there as their home near Palm Springs get way to hot to endure in those months.  Anyway, this cabin has a lot of family history in it and it's remained in the same state for so long it now a protected historical building up there.

I don't remember when I first went up to Dinkey Creek but I always had such a blast.  The creek can get full enough to create great rockslides that we would enjoy for hours on end.  There's also cliff jumping and just plain lounging on rocks in the sun.  It's gorgeous up there!  I used to have fun with my cousin Mimi and my sisters.  I even brought a couple of boyfriends up there with the family to experience the beauty of it all.

(One of the traditional Dinkey pictures.)

After not having been up there for, I don't know how many years, I had an opportunity a couple of weekends ago.  My mom was housesitting/petsitting for about 3 weeks and so I jumped at the opportunity to go up there, accompanied by my dad and Traci.  We only stayed the weekend but it was worth it as the memories came flooding back.  I had forgotten how much I love being surrounded by mature.  The smell of the pine trees.  The sounds of the rushing creek.  And the relaxation of it all.

We didn't do too much since the water level was super high, it caused a lot of rushing, unsafe areas, but it was a blast to say the least.  When I did get in the water, I took my Aunt's labrador, Paddle, in with me.  He was pretty much the only one who wanted to step foot in the water anyway!  He was my buddy throughout the weekend.

(Pop, Mom, Traci and Paddle enjoying the night fire.)

At night, we'd all hang out by the campfire, enjoying each others' company.  I absolutely love Dinkey at night.  The stars are so much brighter and the sound of the crackling firewood is just so peaceful.  I was sad that I didn't bring anything up for s'mores, but at least we had each other for a good time.

(Mom and the deer heads that always freaked me out.)

I only wish to go up more often but I don't know how long the cabin will be in the family.  It makes me sad to think that some other family will be enjoying our cabin.  So many memories there!  The one that stands out the most is going to have to be (Sorry Tiff and Ash but it's too funny) Tiffer was blocking Ashley from going up the narrow stairs, teasing her.  Ashley couldn't take it anymore so she just took a BIG bit of Tiffer's butt in her mouth and chomped down hard!  Tiffer must have had a bruise on her butt for months, hahahaha!!  Ah, the memories!