Musings

Just into southern California - writing from Bakersfield, about 100 miles east of LA.  We did a similar trip a year ago and chuckled when we realized that last year it took us four days to get here from home; this year it took 21 days!  The highlights of our meandering ways this week included a trip into San Francisco and visits to Napa and Sonoma.  We were able to leave our chariot in an RV park outside the city and approach the city by passenger ferry.  Fun for us country kids to see skyscrapers and climb aboard cable cars - as thrilling as the rides at any amusement park.

Never mind the (excellent) wine, the Napa and Sonoma wineries are enchanting and the
countryside idyllic.  At this time of year mustard is prolific everywhere, even beneath the vines.  
From a distance, it looks as though a master splashed the landscape liberally with bright yellow paint.

Back to the coast for perhaps the highlight of the week - Point Reyes National Seashore,
not far northwest of San Francisco.  It's desolate beauty is completely captivating - isolated
farms, thousands of grazing cows, pocket beaches littered with resting elephant seals. We
watched as they deliberately covered themselves with sand and we learned that they sometimes
stay put for three months!

Local hiking trails reminded us of walking in Ireland or Scotland. The weather changed dramatically
several times in the few hours we were there. We dodged occasional downpours and were lucky
with timing for long walks.

Point Reyes itself - another treacherous headland.  The blustery wind so strong the stairs to
the lighthouse were closed and I struggled to hold my camera still enough for a photograph!

Signing off from sunny, chilly CA - up to about 10 C in the daytime and just below freezing at
night.  But here is the view from our window this morning, and we are allowed to harvest!