Lucky

Thunderous waves,
scenic beauty,
and bird watching.

Indian Summer

This week or two on the Monterey Bay, Indian summer, is really the best time of year here.  We planned our being here so that we could be in this fogless, warm, glorious time.  What I forgot is that we would be in a motorhome, in a 30 amp park, that translates in to only being able to use one air conditioner.  It's hot man!  :)

Last week we were down on the harbor eating lunch at Aldo's, a seafood restaurant that allows dogs if you eat outside.  The dogs loved watching the seagulls rush towards the tidbits I secretly dropped over the edge of the platform.  While sitting there, we saw the Chardonnay II pull out of the harbor, loaded with school kids.
The Chardonnay is the boat we sailed on when Hubby proposed, or didn't propose. Ha!
Anyhoo, Saturday morning his daughter treated us to a morning sail. The weather was warm, the water calm, and just enough of a breeze that we could sail for a bit.
There was also a student from UCSC on board that was a senior, majoring in marine biology, so we learned lots of things about the sealife in the bay, the differences between dolphins & porpoises, how you can tell if you're looking at a sea lion or a harbor seal, and how the seaweed in the kelp forests grow 18" every day!
There are usually only males in this area, as the females stay farther south in the Channel Islands where they give birth every year.
We saw otters,
dolphins,
pelicans,
and lots of other wild life.

Friday My Town Shootout

Flora, Fauna, or Pets

Driving through Buellton, CA, alongside Hwy 246, you'll likely see an ostrich farm, as part of the fauna, with many ostriches, and emu's, wandering through the brush out in the open.

The Ostrich

The Emu

Look at the beautiful colors on their neck!  So very different looking! For an extra dollar, you feed them a bowl of kibble (ostrich chow?) 

To see more from this weeks shoot out, visit here!

Flag is Up Farms

This was a beautiful little find yesterday for us. When you drive along Hwy 246, between Buellton & Solvang, you pass acres of horse pastures. So green, with horses meandering, nibbling their way back and forth from shade to sun.
This is the long driveway that you enter after automatic gates have opened off the highway. Would love to have gotten this shot early in the morning with the fog just breaking.
These are beautiful grounds, open to the public, owned by Monty & Pat Roberts. If you are a horse person at all, you've probably heard about, or read some of Monty Roberts' books, about the special way he has of training horses.
This farm has huge paddocks, giant barn, a racetrack, and LOTS of horses.
Off to see some ostriches this morning. Have a wonderful day!

Flying Flags RV Resort

Oh, everything is all messed up on here!  I seem to have so little brain left these days.  Way over used with worry, whirlwind decisions, and mind-numbing moves.  I'm hoping it will come back.  I miss it, my brain.  :)
This is where we're staying right now, a time-out sorely needed.  It's full of huge trees, grass, and beautiful flowers.
When we first arrived in the middle of Labor Day weekend, the place was absolutely packed!  Looked like a circus around here.  Monday morning we watched as 90% of the RVs left.  We'll be here another 3 days waiting for our mail to catch up with us.

Going Home for a While

Funny, even after spending seven years in AZ, California is still home in my mind.  We're planning on staying in the Santa Cruz area for the next few months with family, friends, and that big beautiful ocean!  I'm hoping to find some R&R there.  I know, it'll probably be full of some craziness of it's own, but it's been too long since I've seen the rest of my family!  And I long to be tucked under the wing of lapping waves and sea air.

Our first stop in CA was Blythe/Colorado RV park.  It was directly beside Hwy 10, so, yes, it was noisy at night, but very beautiful.  I guess it would have to be if they expected anyone to stop there at all!  It also sits along the banks of the Colorado River.
There was a great fenced in dog run with lush grass and agility equipment!
No, my dogs have no clue as to what to do with that! 

We left the next morning heading for Soledad Canyon Thousand Trails.  I don't know why I was thinking it would be cooler here.  Well, compared to 115* in Phoenix, this is cooler...107*.  Just not cool enough.  That's why tomorrow morning we're heading out again to Solvang, CA.  We hear it's 85* during the day and cold at night!  I'm sure I'll be whining about that soon enough, but between the heat & some heat-related RV issues, I can't wait!