August 8, Danville, California and Mount Diablo

Today, Maureen and I left our hotel at around 8:30, showing up at Danville's historic eailroad depot at about 9:30, and quicly buying bottled waters for our next excursion.  A shuttle took us up to Eugene O'Neill and his wife Carlotta's house, called Tao House, lived from 1936-1944.  By the time he came to California in 1936, 35 of his plays had been produced and he had won the Pulitzer Prize three timesIn 1936, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, and with the stipend he and his wife were able to build the house he came to call his "final home and harbor"--Tao House.  He began to work on a cycle of 11 plays about the history of an American family.  He often worked on several plays simultaneously, and he craved isolation so his focus on this ambitious project could be undisturbed.  But he was plagued with health problems, and the overwhelming task he set for himself drained him of energy and spirit.  He never xompleted another play after 1943, as a worsening tremor in his hands slowly robbed him of his ability to write.  He eventually died in New York in 1953.  However, his oeuvre produced at the house is still of amazing scope and power: "A Touch of the Past," fifth of the Cycle plays and the only one completed; "More Stately Mansions," sixth of the Cycle plays (five times as long as a regular play and not completed); "The Iceman Cometh"; "Hughie," first of six one-act plays titles "By Way of Obit"--the only one completed; "Long Day's Journey Into Night," ans "A Moon for the Misbegotten."  We had a marvelous Park Ranger guide us through the entire house, and she knew very much about Eugene and Carlotta, their life separately and together, and the vital part Carlotta played in readying his plays for production and creating an environment in which he could be productive.  Few of the furnishings are still in situ in the house; his study was, however, mostly intact.  Views of Mount Diablo and the farms, ranches, and a playhouse in back of the Tao House, as well as the grave of their favorite dog Bremie on the grounds of the estate were of interest, and while there I bought a book about Oona Chaplin, his daughter by his second wife (Carlotta was his third wife). It was a privilege to be there.  Afterwards we returned to the town of Danville, where Maureen and I had lunch at Cafe Francais.  I had half a turkey / cranberry sandwich as well as a fruit salad, and Maureen had a full turkey sandwich and pasta salad.  We then decided to set out to see Mount Diablo, which had intrigued us ever since we had seen it from the living room of O'Neill's house.  The mountain, about 3,500 ft. in altitude, is surrounded by broad, flat valleys.  We drove the 8-mile drive to the top.  The view from its summit is remarkable.  Although it was rather hazy today, under the best conditions you can see almost 200 miles away.  It is a 40,000 sq. mile  region that includes the Sacramento Valley, parts of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, and up to 35 California counties.   The 8-mile drive is rewarding.  As we ascended the mountain, we stopped often for panoramic views of rolling hills,some cloaked in a blanket of tawny grasses and others dotted with oak trees.  Resident animals include deer, rabbits, and coyotes.  At the top, we visited the Summit Museum, in an historic 1930s stone building that is also the park's visitor center.  Exhibits depict the park's natural and cultural history, and an accompanying video recounts geological forces that formed the mountain.  A diorama with audio features presents an overview of park ecosystems.  A circular stairway then leads to an observation tower, from which we were able to take wonderful pictures, in spite of the haze.  Afterwards, we traveled down the mountain and then drove towards the San Mateo bridge, stopping for some produce and a few incidentals in Millbrae.  Arriving home, I assisted Maureen in preparing her favorite "summer supper" for the two of us: sauteed squash, ears of fresh corn, and a salad of tomatoes and avocado.  For dessert, in a few minutes, we will have watermelon.  We are also washing clothes and getting things back in order after our time away.  What a great day it has been!