Pismo Beach...Actually this is Grover Beach where I rode every morning (full report here...eventually) The weather was ideal and spirits were high... Below are some more of the few meager shots I did get on my holiday...The next one, appearing nearly identical to the first! Real creative. Actually it was a very long (nearly 5m) beach. It did sort of look all the same...Especially with my coastal attitude...
We visited the Butterfly Trees of Pismo Beach...They were very interesting and beautiful. The butterflies hang in massive clusters. They stay here for the full winter. I was wishing I had a telephoto lens...full story on monarchs of PismoBeach here 
The Famous Pismo Pier..Nice silhouette with Pepper and my Middle Daughter...Below, I tried to play catch up for lack of photo's by shooting a few typical tourist-vistas on the scenic drive up HWY 1. 
The drive was long, but the day was brilliant. PLUS, on our trek inland we stopped at a random turnoff near Morgan Hill (South Bay Area) and while I walked the dogs, Pepper alerted on to a box. It was hidden beneath a tree. I was all Nancy Drew about it, thinking for sure we have stumbled on some sort of crucial evidence related to a crime. I wondered if there was a weapon nearby, or $$$.....hmmmmm....Alas, upon further inspection I found the box was only filled with small trinkets, a pen, and a log book with some sort of random codes. Upon yet further inspection, I found there was also a note in the box. It turned out, what we found was a cache placed by a participant in a treasure hunt of sorts, called geocatching. Folks with GPS units track down the various caches that have been placed by others. It is a trip. I am intrigued and curious. There are several caches in SoHum. One in Tooby Park, one down lower Salmon Creek and there are several in the redwood parks. Virtually everywhere. Pretty random discovery and now (of course) I want a GPS! Anyway, I signed my named and returned the cache to its spot as the letter had informed me to, being one of the clods that might stumble on the cache accidentally. Oops! (Good dog!)
Sunset on the Road...
High Water...We came home to plenty of rain. I've recorded over a foot of rain/moisture since last reported here...I love my spring, the creeks and the Eel River when they are all running high and sweet...Well, the spring is sweet. The rest of these look a bit murky. Big Rain.
Random Chard Shot...The chard is happy. They don't care about rain, freezing temps, snow, whatever. It is standing tall, green and growing. Happy New Year! Now below, things are not so rosy. The high winds (gusts of over 90mph) that accompanied one of the most recent storms, left a huge fir tree snapped off at the base and with its collapse, a good stretch of our fence line was flattened! This thing was massive. It had been topped years ago by lightning I assume, but it seemed by all appearances to be healthy and sturdy. Now, if you take a good look at the base of the tree you can see it is all pithy and dark brown in the center. It had only a couple healthy roots on the sides, like a little kid's tooth just barely hanging on...
Check out the Crater Left by That Fir...It is about 12' across! The tree itself is over 6' across.
We have had three snow falls since I posted last. One while we were away, and two with these recent weather events. The persimmons are perfect right now. We've too many, and I am happy to share them with the birds. I think we've reached critical mass on this tree. There is plenty.
The Snow This Morning....Beautiful and Mystical...Fog, Snow, Clouds, Trees and Sky....
Bear Butte...It is nice when the clouds lift and give us a peek...er, peak...
Vineyard With Snow.....It was a soggy snow followed by a cold night. Notice how it is clinging enmasse to the wire...
Pyracantha...A Beautiful Carefree Perennial Ornamental. These can be easily trained to a trellis, wall or fence. They bloom on the new wood, so do not prune late in the spring.
We continue to burn the log wood. Enjoy the pics!
