WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT

After many, many hot afternoons here in Loma Linda, we decided this weekend to seek out cooler weather 7,000+ feet up in the nearby mountains at Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead. If you have spent time in Southern California, you probably have heard of both of these lakes and their namesake towns, but did you know how Arrowhead got its name?

Well, check this out (you might need to double-click on the photo to enlarge it). Just north of San Bernardino, very noticeable in the foothills, is THE ARROWHEAD. We stopped at the viewing turnout and read the historical marker:

"Located in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains directly above the City of San Bernardino, the arrowhead landmark can be seen for miles around. This important landmark has for centuries been a symbol of the San Bernardino Valley to the Native Indians and then to the pioneers and settlers that followed.

It is believed to be a natural landmark. The face of the arrowhead consists of light quartz, supporting a growth of short white sage. This lighter vegetation shows in sharp contrast to the surrounding chaparral and greasewood. Indians who inhabited the San Bernardino Valley believed that the arrowhead pointed the way to the hot mineral springs below, with healing qualities, and thus considered it holy ground. Through the years, numerous forest fires have caused some erosion. But the arrowhead landmark continues to preserve its uniqueness and remains a symbol of the 'pioneer spirit' of the San Bernardino Valley."

Cool, huh? And cool it was in the mountains, too - a pleasant day of sightseeing, walking, and enjoying the arrival of a welcome cold front. We even had a little rain last night!

This morning, after resetting our watches, microwave clock, clock radio, wall clock, and TV satellite time zone, we took off for the Sunday morning farmer's market in Loma Linda. It's small, but has a great selection, and we came home with jalapeno cornbread, carrots, tomatoes, a cucumber, a loaf of bread, two kinds of hummus and a pint of tabouli.

After dropping off the goodies at home and popping a Weight Watchers beef stew into the crockpot, we took off for the gym and our usual workouts. Now, after dinner, I still have a couple good sections of the L.A. Times Sunday paper to read... nice weekend!