Look Up, Look Down

 Song - In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins cover by Sierra Eagleson

Several weeks ago it was Mr. B & my 41st Anniversary.  We decided to celebrate so he took me to a Tsunami Zone.......well no but yes.  We actually headed to Nick's Cove near Tomales for our first dining out experience in five months!

It was a cool day on the coast but so refreshing to sit outside at the waters edge and enjoy a delightful lunch together. Then we headed over to Bodega Bay to take a long walk on the beach.

And when I looked up......

I spotted lot's of Forster's Terns......

 

 

And Pelican's flying low over the water.

And several colorful kites drifting in the breeze.

When I looked down I saw.....

.....Wimbrel's looking for crabs with their long curved beaks.....

....an elaborate sand castle with a moat dug all around it and feather & pebble decorations.....

...and a blooming red bulb seaweed........

....bits of shells......

...interesting feathers.....

and this sweet little flowering plant that I have never seen before.

And when I looked up again....

...I spotted this sea monster looking at me!

Happy Anniversary Mr. B - And here is to many more.....

"Because of our routines 

we forget that life is 

an ongoing adventure."    

--Maya Angelou

Carmel Face

Song - I've Just Seen A Face by The Beatles

Happy pup with a big stick (possibly a log) on the beach at Carmel.

Thanks for the song idea Gwen ;-)

"The world would be a nicer place

if everyone had the ability

to love as unconditionally as a dog."

--M.K. Clinton

What Not to Do....

Song - Come Monday by Jimmy Buffett

Sea Lions in Santa Cruz

Totally oblivious to Social Distancing



"The only nation I’m visiting this spring is imagination!"

-- Anonymous

Beach Days

Song - Surf City by Jan & Dean

Talk about two right feet?

Right???

I can not wait to take a nice long walk on the beach again!

"Every time I have some moment on a seashore, 

or in the mountains,

 or sometimes in a quiet forest, 

I think this is why the environment 

has to be preserved."

 – Bill Bradley

The Mountains Are Calling

In the mountains of Tahoe, I am at my second home.  My grandparents, father & uncles built a little cabin here in the late 1950’s on Forest Service land at the base of Mt. Tallac.  For me it’s my heart & souls place to reconnect with nature and myself. 

Over the weekend all three of our sons and their wives or girlfriends came up to join us. My heart was full seeing them share their boyhood memories with their significant others. 

On Saturday we spent the day at the beach and then had dinner at the cabin. Sunday we drove to Angora Lake were they rented a boat and rowed around the little Alpine lake.   We had planned to go out to dinner but the traffic around the lake was so bad that I made a big bowl of Pasta Salad & we enjoyed another evening at the cabin visiting & playing Canasta!  Everyone took off early on Monday so Mr. B & I have been relaxing. 

Here We Go Again!

Song - Sloop John B by Fisherman's Friends


Remember my two amazing girlfriends who are sisters?

And do you remember how we decided  to go to Paris at the last minute this Spring?

Well we are doing it again but this time we are heading for Nantucket!

Yikes!  This Friday we will fly into Boston, drive to Hyannis and then we have reservations on a ferry that will take us to Nantucket!

Jackie's husbands family has owned a summer cottage on the island for many generations.  There is even a painting studio on the property where his grandmother used to paint.

You know where you will find me!  I have been dusting off my plein air supplies and my swim suit!

I have never been to Nantucket before so I am excited to explore.  We hope to go on a house & garden tour on Wednesday in Sconset and several people have recommended restaurants all over the island.

Hopefully my iPad and blog will get along this trip so I will get to share some of the island with you!

"Sometimes you just have to go with the waves."  

--Unknown

Summer Pelican's & Anemone's

Song -The Sound of Sunshine by Michael Franti & Spearhead

 On Wednesday, my friend Jill, took me to Muir Beach for a belated birthday gift.

 

We stopped at the Pelican Inn for lunch before heading to the beach.

 

We used to go here quite often in our 20's and if you have never been.....well it's a place that is an inn, a restaurant and a bar but it's done up like an old English pub - the decor as well as the food.

They usually have a big roaring fire going but I think because it's summer they have the 

fireplace filled with candles.

 

Jill and I sat outside in the back courtyard because it was such a beautiful day.

After a leisurely lunch and a glass of wine we headed down the lane to the beach.

It was beautiful....filled with people enjoying sunshine, waves and each other.

See these muddy "donuts" above?

They are actually sea anemone's and if you gently stick your finger in the center 

they will slowly close up thinking they have caught a fish. 

 But if you are Jill and jab them, they will squirt water out at you!!!  

Wish I had caught that on my camera!

But when they open to the tide, they look like this.....

.....and this.....

.....and this!!!  Fun huh?

We saw other bits of animal life at the ocean.

 

The rocks were all loaded with muscles and other sea creatures.

 

 And the giant rock in the water had some yellow and orange plants.

 

I was thinking Iceberg but the petals look like starfish and the flowers are too tall.

Not sure what it is.

Hallowed out old crab shells looked like they were watching us. 

Heading back in the afternoon, Jill noticed this.....

The Farallon Islands were view able from the little road we were on 

and are 27 miles out from the coast.

 

And on the other side of the road was the above view of Marin and the Oakland Hills.

Driving in rush hour traffic we enjoyed a view of the above Sir Francis Drake 30 foot statue sculpted by Dennis Patton and located near the Larkspur Ferry Terminal.

“It’s better to be sorry for what you did, 

than for what you didn’t do.” 

-- Anonymous

(sounds a lot like something my bud Jill would say)