Adventure Before Noon

We hit the road at 6 AM.  Destination, Enchanted Rock.  Watching the sun rise over the Texas Hill Country is pretty spectacular to witness.  My polo film wasn't in its best form on this trip - the gusts of wind while hiking on "the rock" probably didn't help... oh and my neglect to check the exposure setting... I was kind of distracted.  Blue skies for miles, crisp cool air, wildflowers, the hubs, dog and myself on a family adventure.  Hello weekend, oh how I love you. 

Salt & Sea

A perfect day hiking a stretch of the Northern California coastline through  Little River and Mendocino.  The day before had been rainy & cold without a peep of sun.  This particular morning we were greeted with brilliant blue skies dotted with puffy clouds and crisp ocean breezes.  We set out mid - morning, after another ridiculously indulgent breakfast.  It was about a mile to reach the headlands trail from the Inn, through cypress trees and tall grasses - and me anxiously looking around every curve in fear of a mountain lion sighting.  The risk was worth the reward - through the thick brushy trail, a wide expanse of ocean and crashing waves greeted us - as far as the eye could see.  We stood there for a while, just admiring and taking in the beauty of it all.  Then Josh started exploring, walking further out towards the ocean on the rocky Cliffside - I started saying my prayers, please don't let the Ocean eat Josh, please.... (you'd think I would just enjoy the beauty around me instead of worrying so much... ).  Thankfully, he made his way back safely and we continued along the trail.  At one point I was lingering behind, trying to snap the perfect shot when I heard Josh yelling - my first thought was he was being attacked by that mountain lion...  more prayers and obscenities and prayers for saying obscenities after a prayer... and I found him safely standing on the cliff pointing towards the ocean.  Whales!  We got to see the whales migrating.  A whole pod of them - spouts of water shooting through the air and you could see them surfacing - we really couldn't believe it.  Everyone had been saying to be on the look out for whales since this is the time of year they are migrating, but we just dismissed it because what was the chance we would even see them... people spend hours, if not days searching the seas in hopes of a sighting.  And hear we were, just walking along, me afraid of mountain lions and then all of a sudden, there they were.  I didn't think I would be as excited as I was - it was such an experience to witness them!

From there we decided we needed to take a picnic out by the sea.  One of the inn keepers suggested we go out to Point Cabrillo Lighthouse for the ocean views and picnic tables.  So we packed up our lunch from the local grocery store and I grabbed a few goodies from the Inn and we made our way to the Lighthouse.  We took the long way to get out there... probably about a mile hike, and we were pretty hungry at this point, but the views really were incredible.  Our lunch consisted of chicken salad with freshly baked French bread, seaweed salad and a couple of no bake cookies from the Inn.  We had a front row picnic table view of the ocean - you really couldn't have asked for a better way to dine.  I'm not really sure how long we sat there, but it was hard to leave. 

It's hard to leave this blog post now.  Going through the polaroids, taken just over a month ago - time really does fly.  So today I'm saying a little prayer of thanks - thankful for those perfect days that make all your worries go away.    xoxo

 

 

 

 

 

By the Sea

It's the end of April.  My fingers are frozen, the front door is open, and I'm wrapped up in blankets and warm booties.  Probably the last cold front until fall returns.  My Weather Bug App says it is 43 degrees but feels like 36 degrees - my fingers agree with the 36 degrees.  Hmmm why do I have the front door open...

 

Looking back at some of my vacation polaroids.  Mendocino, California is such a beautiful little town.  Victorian homes dot the streets with white picket fences at their guard.  The scent of salt and sea intermingles with blooming flowers creating intoxicating dreaminess.  The lull of the ocean further draws you into a state of relaxation.  It really is impossible to move fast here - and why would you.  Lingering among wild gardens with oceans breezes carrying your worries away. 

 

View towards Mendocino, CA from Highway 1.

 

Cemetery by the Sea.

 

All the homes are really this lovely.

 

I was obsessed with the whale weathervanes!

 

Local wildlife... 

 

Even the cars tell a story.