Unforgettable 2 Month 3

The second leg of our trip along the coast… some of the in between places.. Where we found hidden coves and beautiful Scenery in every direction. This is the courtyard to the Hotel we spent our first night at in Carmel by the Sea. The place was a quaint little place at the top of the hill called the Wayfarer inn. It was suitable and cozy. But try to get coffee there… FORGET IT…

Just around the corner was the Fire Department where I took a walk over to take a few pictures.. Unfortunately no one was there to see inside..

Next we headed into Big Sur

 From the beach to the forest in just a few miles.

 A little place we stopped off to have a smoke and take in the beauty of the Sapphire Ocean..

Arriving at Big Sur, we had Iced teas at this fabulous restaurant that sat on the side of the mountain looking out over the Ocean. http://www.nepenthebigsur.com/ It was quite the hike up the hill (walkways) through beautiful flower and decorative art  Sculptures making the walk amazing.

I found this Phone in the middle of the walk way up to the restaurant unique and almost out of place considering the sculptures were of Indian craft… but hey whatever sells your product works I imagine.

  This was a concrete stadium seating area Surrounded by flowers and smells that were heavenly and this was the view.. After a delicious Iced tea we were back on the road again.

Our next stop was in the park, where we hiked down a hill (a path) following these handsome German/Danish boys through this tunnel and around a few bends to such a breath taking view of the coast line.so worth the walk in the woods a few small annoying bugs buzzing around..Just an idea to show you where our coast trip lead us. Next we went to see

http://www.contemplation.com/ and visited the New Camaldoli Hermitage. Interesting place surrounded in beautiful scenery. They are a full retreat center and offer camping areas along the side of the mountain with views of the ocean that are fantastic.

As we turned one bend almost to the visitor center for the hermitage there on the edge of the mountain facing the sea was the most tranquil bench, Placed perfectly..like it was waiting for me..

After leaving there, This is when I found Esalen… Dawn had been there before on a retreat and the place was amazing. Quiet peacefully beauty placed right in between the mountains and the ocean. But I believe Esalen deserves to be blogged alone… so moving forward, We are moving into the San Simeon area.. And the Hearst Castle Which I believe also gets a blog alone… Here is where we start driving down some beach..

Next we came to Ragged Point. The coast was superb here. water gorgeous, the sun gorgeous and

The company perfect and both gorgeous I might add…Here at Ragged Point people gathered to watch the Sea Elephants coming to the beach to rest.. a few then hoards of them.. I caught some little ones playing in the water and making sounds.. Some Ginormous ones barking at smaller  one to get out of there space… They laid on the beach as the sun was starting to set. Throwing sand over their backs to cool themselves. A busy view point too so we watched a bit then moved on to get to Pismo in time for the sunset and first check in to our room.

This group of Bikers were from Switzerland biking the coast on vacation. we later have a drink at the same place they were. a rather happy giggling group… but quite cordial..

This Indian was driven by one of the women from Switzerland.. and a rather fine scooter as well.

Poor Bastard was broke down on the side of the road..I got the picture and missed the best one of the cowboy who came walking out playing guitar awaiting road service I guess.

 We checked in to our room which is a stones throw from Hearst Castle where tomorrow will lead us. But for tonight we will go to Pismo Drive onto the beach and watch the sun set, Have Dinner in Cambria and Head to the castle in the morning.. The Morgan was a great hotel convenient to everything and clean…

 After a bite to eat quick in Cambria. We made our way down to Avila beach. a beautiful little town that was to me as Italy on the coast would be…

 

Making our way to Morro Bay  In this cove 2 weeks prior there was a woman attacked on a surf board heading out to surf by a pretty nice sized shark. The surf board wasn’t salvageable but the woman was spared..

In a few gift shops we found Taffy to fill your hearts desire… any flavor you could imagine.. Even Maple bacon which was nasty BTW… It seems every where I went everyone was GETTING BUSY.. even the turtles in the gift shops…SHEESH..

In another shop there was some amazing Driftwood carvings and spectacular art.. This particular bowl stuck out to me as amazing…

Clouds feathered the sky and although the sun was shining the air got quite chilly… Nonetheless it was beautiful..

Just a beautiful home leaving Morro bay….

Next we found this cute place called Moonstone Beach. Just the name called us in.. So we needed to find out what this moonstone was all about. Nestled at one corner entering the Beach side community was this beautiful Driftwood art gallery. Of course it was closed… But the art stood boldly in front. Giant pieces that would take three men and a truck to move not to mention a crane..

 This giant driftwood piece was smooth like silk

Art in the making. It had multiple colors throughout it’s smooth texture.

This next piece resembled an Elephant with his trunk pointing towards the sky       Chairs were assembled from other pieces.

This piece was like a little aborigine  warrior  .         

Followed by a Trojan horse of sorts. Or possibly a trojan bull maybe???

 

This beautiful bench was cozy..

This next one resembled a Giant Whale with his tail fin in the air.

I particularly liked this bench made of driftwood Manzanita branches and I especially loved the view..

 

This next piece actually had a name on it.. it was called WILD HORSES. and it did look like horses again holding their heads high into the sky.

The next is a huge elephant with trunk held high

 

This is on the one side of the giant piece at the beginning. I thought it was cool that it had marking suck as wormwood. almost like hieroglyphs. But all natural marking from being in the water.

A few Mushrooms and finally “MOONSTONES!! They were laying on a cute little table.. I have no idea what they do or whether the represent something special…

moon·stone

ˈmo͞onˌstōn/

noun

plural noun: moonstones

1. a pearly white semiprecious stone consisting of alkali feldspar.

            

But nonetheless again a worthy stop in our travels..

Finally our trip is near the end of another day and we have made it to Pismo beach to watch the sunset..

After some sand art we took a walk up the beach.  When we arrived their were some guys windsurfing and pretty much at the end of their day. I did manage to catch a few shots of one coming out of the water..                         

Breaking down their Kites..

There’s something about a man in Uniform but something more when he is wearing a wetsuit!!!

     

Just some things I collected on the beach and some small beach creatures as well From Kelp to Sand Dollars to this one little clam shell that was gorgeous inside

  

This Sea Gull was following me.. I wonder if maybe it had something to do with my smoke??

  

Back at the car after a nice relaxing beach walk..

   By Golly I had my fricken toes in the sand                                              

When finally reviewing my picture once back at the house. I discovered this picture.. so much energy I picked up red lines in the water. Can someone explain??? Look closely at the one wave directly under the sun where the sun beam meets the wave..

The waves started hitting hard against the beach as the sun finally fizzled out on the horizon.. Tomorrow we go to Hearst Castle..

Unforgettable….Month 3

How amazing life can be if you open your eyes to it.

My Time here in Mariposa is winding down. I can’t believe I have been here since the end of July. Time flew by quickly it seemed, But not without some of the most unforgettable moments and places.  I am truly a Blessed person for having my friend Dawn in my life…Once upon a time she was a girl from China who I wondered about.. HAHAHA.. I am so thankful for the opportunity to walk in her path.. Thank you for your strong beliefs in life and opening my eyes to endless possibilities beyond my own personal realm!!!! Happy Birthday Girlfriend.. So Happy I could spend this day with you!!!!

This Leg of my journey took me to the Pacific Coast Highway… With all of the beautiful twisting and turning roadways. each corner a new adventure…

Heading to highway 1…  And here we are Entering into Monterey Peninsula. Even has an Exit 412…(It’s a Burgh Thing)

The Gorgeous City of Monterey California.

Crystal Clear Blue water and a beautiful sky to compliment it. Truly a perfect sight for the eyes, that is different each time. No Matter how many times you see it!

Into Monterey we head up through the harbor to Cannery Row and the Monterey Aquarium which was fantastic minus a cranky old woman who forbid cameras in her area.. LOL <yes i snapped quite a few> Passing Monterey’s Finest… Spotted this place on the corner.. Loved the name and what is that??? Do I see a Martini on the window???? Not no time for that right now we need to go to the Aquarium and that we did.

My favorite parts were probably watching the sea otters eat, The Penguins and the Puffin’s! and One could never leave without getting a final picture.. I call this last one My Mystery Science theater shot!!!!

After the Museum we took on Lunch.. Yummy Street taco’s which were delicious and might I add stayed with me the entire rest of the day and into the night (Heartburn) But was so worth it!!!!

After a few more pictures around the harborI found a perfect place possibly…. Y Yes I could do this!!!! Home sweet home away from home maybe??? LOLBack on the road next stop Pebble Beach and Carmel By the Sea

Here On the beach I found this beautiful Tree of driftwood Here is where we sat and watched the sunset on our first night..

Pebble Beach Golf Course right next to me and I didn’t Golf a single hole! But instead I watched the sun set in all its Glory.  I give the sun one final squeeze and put it to rest until tomorrow.. Because tomorrow is Another day! More to come……….

COUNTY FAIR TIME!

Sunday was Fair day. The weather was beautiful. It did get a bit warm but tolerable..

There was a large crowd of people and food galore.. A fat ladies dream!I had a lemonade and some chili curly fries to start the day. And of course funnel cake which was so delicious I forgot to take a picture.. (a memory I will savor). After some fuel, I made my way to the chickens..Who would ever think there were so many varieties! Next on to the Pigs. They were getting prepared to be Auctioned so many were already taken into the arena area to be sold!I managed to catch this big guy before he left!

This little girl got her goat! and might I add it was a Blue ribbon goat as well! She told me it was her first fair entry ever and she was quite excited.

Next was the blue ribbon for jewelry that was hand made… hmmm some wire love in your heart and a blue ribbon.. easy as that!

Stones and wires ha?

Then to the quilts. too many to see but I picked my favorites..…….

This outfit caught my eye.. such talent…Some little girl will look amazing wearing this outfit to school or church!

On to Art’s and crafts. This Blacksmith was all too happy to pose for me and also tell me he was just now firing up to start making more of his goods. I large hammer some fire a few twists and you have Art..I was most intrigued but this Ahwahnee Indian woman and her craft. I watched her for 15 minutes create three miniature baskets. after chatting with her and her husband, I found they are in their 80’s and have been coming to this fair for many years.Amazing crafter!

I bought the boys t-shirts here that were hand painted.(airbrush) The young man who painted them was only 15 and quite talented! the end result was stunning! 2 shirts in 20 minutes!

Next I moved to what seemed to be the busiest station.. The NRA booth.weaponry at it’s finest.. Stand and Deliver they say… Keeping the country cowboy, I imagine! after taking in the sites I had a second lemonade and we made our way out.Cowboys everywhere!

My thoughts in whole were; they stressed being cautious with wild animals and only you can prevent forest fires..So after a grope on Smokey and I think he groped me back our day ended.. It was a fun after noon in the sunshine of Mariposa!

Yosemite National Park

Today we took a day trip into Yosemite National Park. The sun was shining, the sky clear blue,No Smoke, No Fog and perfect temperatures. about 85 most of the day.

Surprisingly there was water in many of the creeks and streams despite the drought.

Our first stop was at Bridalveil falls.You could actually see water spewing at the top but the lack of rain wasn’t allowing anything much to flow over the edge.

Despite the warning posted.. yes there were people climbing to the top of sharp steep massive rocks for the perfect photo op.. some even putting small children at risk.. Oiy!!!!

Views were amazing from every direction.

truly a bucket list must see!

Something around every bend to take your breath away!. Next stop was Glacier Point elevation 7,214 ft!

  As quoted by John Muir “It is by far the Grandest of all special temples of nature I was ever permitted to enter!”

From Glacier Point looking down inside the valley below!

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Next point we stopped at was called Half Dome.These points reach heights of 8,836 ft.

Is it me or does anyone else see a face here in this massive rock?

Our next stop was at The Ahwahnee Lodge For lunch. The lodge was amazing and we walked around indoors.

Inside it was a rustic stunning beautiful Lodge.

We entered the dining room and it was breathtaking as well.Dawn Had pulled pork and I had Philly cheese steak which was entirely way too much food for me to consume in one sitting! But I sure put a huge dent in it!

After all that food I need to do some weight training.. and so I did!

Looking up a giant redwood tree..

 Stopped here to mail some postcards that I bought at the Ansel Adams Gallery!This was taken at Yosemite valley Visitor center.

After this we traveled down the Northside Drive heading toward El Capitan

El Capitan which at peak is 7,569 ft.

The sun was amazing. Warm yet a nice cool summer breeze made it such a gorgeous day! We circled back around and up the Southside Drive.

 As i stood watching these young people practicing rock climbing I noticed a squirrel making his way towards me.. all i could think was Okay they keep talking about these rodents carrying Plague so I snapped a few pictures of him and was shocked to see his coat was awesome.. Looked like a pine cone so this truly is a ninja Squirrel!! Wearing his Camo coat!He politely turned his back so I could see his coat and then he ran off! too funny because all I could think was he was going to attack HAHAHA! <My obit would read> “Struck down in her prime by a pine cone looking Squirrel!” Definitely not the fate I have in mind!

We made our way up further to the Chapel in Yosemite. Which was a beautiful wooden framed Church sitting in a panoramic valley surrounded by historical mountains..

Such a peaceful place settled into the mountain.. After visiting the Chapel we were ready to start back home.

Before leaving we spotted these giant racked deer dining in a field. He must have had itchy’s because I shot four pictures of him biting his rear end..

As we were about to head to the Park exit I spotted one final stop.. And I am so glad I did. it was Very Serene.. I had to capture some pictures as I found it a perfect place to end a perfect day! Exit Yosemite National Park! I hope you enjoyed as Much as I did! Truly was a beautiful Day! Thanks to my personal Tour guide Dawn! ❤

September 2015

Well September has arrived. The days are getting cooler a bit yesterday the high was 94 dropping down to a cool morning temperature of about 62 when I woke up today!

Last night I captured the moon, a harvest orange yellow color.

The Dogs seem to not mind the cooler temperatures. At least Zeus seems to be okay with it.

I myself prefer the warmth of the sun and spend as much time as possible absorbing as much as I can.

This morning I sat on the deck taking in the morning Herd of Deer as they made their way to whats left of the dwindling water hole in front. The Blue Heron still makes his way here in the early morning. he doesn’t seem to care that it is only inches deep now.

Signs that summer is nearly early here are everywhere. The trees are losing leaves quickly. I imagine it is a combination of NO rain and the fact it is September now!

The sunsets are still phenomenal. 

Guaranteed to show color every single evening.

After feeding the dogs their dinner Zeus and I went for a walk. Apollo laid on the deck waiting our return.. After some t.v. it was early to bed night.. Something about cool mountain air that makes you feel cozy!!! With that I leave you with the moon… Good night Moon!!!!

How much is that Doggy in the window!

 This is Zeus..  When his mom goes anywhere he stands guard waiting for her return  Patience is not one of his finer qualities but everything else makes up for that! Just look at that face…  He waits for her return and I even catch a grin.

 Hope you all had a great weekend!

La Luna Gianormous

Was such a good night for viewing the giant moon. The clouds moved in and made for even Eerie  pictures.

Really got to work on that new lens. This one just doesn’t have what it takes to get the better pictures up close.. But nonetheless the memory is etched in my mind!

Today was a cooler day temperatures reaching only into the high 80’s and a cool evening. The corpse is nearly gone… just a few days and nature ran its course..At least the smell is gone thank goodness.

 The moon Sparkled in the night sky. Like a spooky movie at times. The crickets were chirping loudly and the creatures of the night were out in full force.

It’s strangely Amazing the beautiful things you miss when you live inner city, how the building’s and trees block such a wonderful view.

Although it isn’t quite clear, I loved this picture I took of the front yard. reminding me of an oil painting of the path less taken. The moon lit everything up so brightly. I didn’t want to go inside, but how can you wake up to a new adventure if you spend the night watching the sky; as peaceful as it was I snapped a few more pictures and was off to bed at 1:45AM. After all Tomorrow is another day!!!!

Monday Trip to Turlock

 Good Morning Mr. Sun..

a beautiful sunrise.. giving hope for another beautiful day!

Today we took a trip to The town of Turlock, California, for a shopping excursion.. One I might add that was a complete success.. I found too many cute items ALL ON SALE!Just a cute little dress I bought at Old Navy for $5.00..

On the way we passed a farm and had to stop. Standing at the fence was a long horn and a Zebra.. When I got out to take some pictures I noticed it was an Alpaca farm… One little guy stood out and all I could think in my mind was “Cute pair of Boots!”

 Yes the little guy in the center to the right (Gray)..

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The trip was great. Loved seeing the sites along the way, The Almond Orchards, Grape Vineyards, and the lush golden fields that seem to go forever.Farmer pickers taking a break in the heat from harvesting Almonds..

 And by the way.. HEY THATS ALOT OF HAY!

I see dead things day 2

After finding this dead buck 2 days ago and being here alone, I went to the county website to see if there was someone to call to remove this dead Buck. the web site directed me to contact the Mariposa Sheriffs dept. Who told me basically I had to drag this dead animal all the way down to the road for someone from animal control to pick it up. (This is a full grown maybe 170 pound buck) After explaining of my disability, they told me then I would need to hire someone to come pick it up and take it to the dump.. Alot of useless information from the higher ups. so I figured what will it hurt (beyond stench) to leave him be and see if maybe Dawn had someone local who could come and haul it away… That evening every time the wind blew it was a reminder of what laid dead behind the house…

So I slept in until 8 am today.. rare for me but not unnatural.. I open my eyes and go immediately to my window to see if the corpse was still there outside on the hill laying. Secretly hoping something big took it for a drag into the woods away from the house.. At the window this was my site:

Pretty freaky I must say being a city girl most of my life… Somehow I felt like Tippy Hedron in the movie “The Birds” they were everywhere these pictures really don’t show them justice.. they were in the trees on the roof tops lining the fence and all over the ground..

This was taken on the patio they seemed to be swarming over me as they may have felt threatened by my presence..

The only complaint I ever remember growing up inner city was dealing with pigeons.. Picture these things flying close overhead with giant wingspans so massive you can hear their wing strokes..

Sadly enough I have learned that some animals grieve similar to how humans grieve loss. Here I captured after observing for hours, a large herd of deer walking by the corpse such as human would do in a funeral procession/visitation. they walked by the body slowly and then walked off into the woods.

since that moment this past morning I have not seen any Deer in that immediate area ( this seems to be a normal path that they routinely take to get around the property.) During this whole ritualistic proceeding I also noticed and watched for a long time as one of the giant vultures seemed to be in charge.. this particular bird of prey would sit atop the telephone just above where the dead animal laid. after watching him as well for over an hour I noticed, He would feed from the dead animal about 10 minutes then fly three complete circles within 50 yards of the carcass only to land atop the pole and rest for sometimes 30 minutes then repeat the same actions.. he was the only one who sat atop the pole the rest remained on the ground in other trees and on the fence top.. Here I capture him flying in and then resting atop the pole.

 So being that I am not only Seeing Dead things I have to say there is nowhere outdoors around the house that is safe to breathe fresh air… ew ew  that smell..can’t ya smell that smell??? Ewww ew that smell.. the smell that surrounds you. Bet I got you singing!! hahaha The odor of this corpse is horrific to say the least.. But so it goes.. this is the circle of life! Tonight I leave you with a capture (the best i could do need to get me that zoom lens!) of the moon as tomorrow night it is full…  Loved capturing it through the trees…Until next time…

Tuesday Smoke and dead things

This morning started off really smokier than the past days have been. I am told the smoke is coming from the combination of fires around and the wind changes. The fire near Fresno  near King’s Valley called the Rough Fire. Has destroyed over 54,000 acres and last I heard it was only 18% contained. Still praying for some substantial rainfall for these people soon!

Today Dawn Had to go to the Bay Area for appointments. She left shortly after 10 am. Zeus wasn’t so Happy.. he pretty much laid on the carpet in the center of the living room all day. Giving me lippy comments when time for him to go outdoors to potty.. Now Apollo on the other hand.. He gave not one single shit today… He Laid center space on Dawn’s bed doing his morning Siesta…

 The smoke didn’t stop the Egret pair who came by to use what little water to cool them self, as they can find in these parts.

 As afternoon rolled around the heat climbed to about 101 degrees.. Smoke remnants remained even in the clouds giving them a brownish gray coating. the taste of smoke has been looming around..I describe it best as light menthol pine burnt.I imagine this huge Military Plane had something to do here for the fires.

.Zeus began carrying on around 4:45pm.. He refused to stop barking so I went to see what was making him upset.. Just outside the back door he laid.. My Buck I had been photographing for weeks now.. Laying just under the fence with no apparent cause of death?? Although I can’t see his stomach He didn’t look bloated too much in the 101 heat.

I went into my bedroom and explored closer to find him laying just about 20 feet outside my window.. I guess there will be a feeding frenzy Tonight..Hope something drags him off before morning.. Don’t want him exploding out there where he lays! =OAfter our walk this evening we ventured home had some treats and laid on the deck until almost 8pm.. Had yet another beautiful Sunset this evening that I captured in phases..

There was also a dead Dragonfly in the Garage today.. So as the evening was winding down toward the end The family of the Buck laying dead came through the yard.. The fawn stood over the dead buck making almost a whining cry for about 10 minutes before something in the dark tree line scared him off.. He and his momma made their way through the dark.

Tonight I leave you with the moon.. The best I can do with the lens I have.. GOOD NIGHT MOON!