Wiped Out

 Song - Pipeline by Stevie Ray Vaughan & Dick Dale

Valentine's Day is Mr. B's birthday, so with the long Presidents weekend, we decided to head on down to Santa Cruz for a few days to celebrate and relax.

The weather was just exceptional - in the mid 70's and clear as can be.

We took long walks on the beach every morning.

Stopped in at Gayle's bakery a few times.

Just to "smell" the wonderful pastries and goodies that she and her staff make! (wink....)

We watched the surfers enjoying the waves.

 We called this guy "Spidy" as he was dressed in Spiderman colors and he was quite the trickster!







And the Sandpipers were enjoying the waves as well......

 

In they go, run, run, run, run, and.....

...out they come, run, run, run, run!

 

 

 



We also found a little "honey bee" enjoying the waves too....well as long as they didn't catch her!


We enjoyed several new restaurants that were incredible.  Soif is a Wine Bar & Restaurant that had an excellent menu and Laili which is Silk Road/Mediterian food.  Both were wonderful &  Mmmmm.....can not wait to go back!



Andy and Ashley joined us for a few days and we went wine tasting.....

 

 

 

Both Nickelson and Alfaro Wineries were fun and beautiful late in the day.  They are both just little family run wineries but friendly and served some very good wines.



Saturday morning we headed to Natural Bridges to watch the Monarch butterflies fly North....

I guess with the weather being so warm they had taken off several days ago but there were still a few dancing in the air with eachother and basking in the warm sunlight.

.....good talks,

breakfast on the Wharf,

crab & spaghetti at the cabin for Saturday's dinner

and lot's of laughter!

 

I have never seen seals piled up like this, have you?  Usually they are under the Wharf barking or basking in the sunshine.

Do you know why they are doing this???

 

Raise your flipper if you know the answer.....

 

 

 

Luckily Ashley (who is now a Kindergarten teacher) was an Fourth grade teacher last year and provided us with the answer, which we promptly checked her on because a lot, I mean A LOT, of tall tales get started by Mr. B. but because it was his birthday weekend we tried not to bust him too much.  So we went after sweet Ashley instead.

 

She was right!!!  The seals form a "raft" and hang on to each other so they don't get lost while sleeping or in rough seas.  They hold up their flipper to regulate their body temperature. I guess it's kinda like we do at night, one leg under the covers and the other on top!

 

 

 

  

 

Remember after all.....you are still in Santa Cruz and you know the saying ......

 

 

 

"Surfing soothes me, it's always been a kind of Zen experience for me.  The ocean is so magnifiecent, peaceful and awesome.  The rest of the world disappears for me when I'm on a wave." -- Paul Walker