All of That Annual Patriotic Partying... and Summertime Sunshine

Yesterday, and well - the last couple of weeks - have been chock-full of good time seeking. We've been doing anything we can to beat the heat. Temperatures have hovered near to 100* in our area - making for hide and seek games with the afternoon sun! I've gotten out of my darkened, fan-blown cave a few times to try and get some exercise. Sometimes I've opted {in the past} for mall-walking to be in air conditioned confines, but this is not one of my favorite venues. So many people, and too many distractions with window shopping!

Swimming pools are good places to hang out!

The garden is overgrown. Plums sweltering, and fermenting by the bushel in the gravel pathways.

Our hand-wrought wooden baskets far too small to hold the bounty from two trees ~

Lavender bunches trimmed...

{I have to say - I love reading blogs that mention harvesting lavender, and then then performing the ultimate DIY with said harvest. Unfortunately, this is not me! I trim just to downsize the plant}




And, yes! - we did also participate in patriotic partying. The 4th of July is just days past one of my brothers' birthday - so there is an annual celebration of both....

This morning brought cool air to my fluttering curtains.... very grateful for this! Yet, I realize there are still months to these ..



                      DOG DAYS OF SUMMER ~

More Beach, Less Fog

Fourth of July celebrating was done, and we still had an additional day and night at the beach. Waking to the scent of freshly baked bread is scrumptious. The kitchen was just below our open window at San Benito House.

A fog horn burping it's every ten second warning was beckoning us to come hither. The harbor where the horn bellows was peaceful, the beach hardly visited. We collected seashells and walked the cliffs.

I felt quite lucky to find an anemone, unmarred by the sea ~

Fog of the morning hours lifted and left us with glimmering sand ~

We had hours for relaxing, reading, browsing shops and feasting ~

Two days of cool beachy breezes and that extra added bonus of a small town parade - so good for one's spirit!

Goodnight Half Moon Bay - we'll see you very soon...

Red, White and GREY All Day

Our 4th of July was spontaneous and fun. Only planned part was the reservation I made to stay in a Bed & Breakfast in a small town at the coast. No way of knowing that the day was to be foggy as all get-out. Worked out fine that the town of Half Moon Bay had no funding for a fireworks display - wouldn't of seen nary a one with that thick fog. Twas grey all the day!

Half Moon Bay did display their down-home, community spirit and anyone willing could march down Main Street in the annual 4th of July parade. The most popular portion being the dog march. Waggers, barkers, fluffys, gargantuans, minis, rescues, and handicapped....tons of dogs dressed in red, white and blue.

There was a pancake breakfast ~

We bundled up and smiled  ~

Small town, big heart!

We picnicked in a garden and bonfired at our B&B ~

We're often lucky to be joined by my brother and sister-in-law... Much more fun to share these special times with someone.



Dinner was seafood heaven

The only time we saw the sun... the entire day (no sunset either) ->

See the sun hiding back behind us??  :-)

********************

Picture-a-day on the 4th was:  FUN - I enter my first photo on this post - the Bulldog with the Uncle Sam hat is pure definition of fun!

Picture-a-day on the 5th: On The Floor -

Picture-a-day for today (the 6th) was: Chair

She fits the patriotic color scheme so well!  ^

Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness...

Liberty = Independence = Freedom....

HAPPY JULY 4th!!

Off to pursue some happiness at the beach... Loving LIFE!

Red, White & Blue Revue

Time usually rushes past far too quickly when you're wishing the exact opposite would happen. The more you are enjoying yourself... and so hoping that this feeling could last forever, that is when the hour hand on the clock seems to spin. Somehow this weekend kept a perfect pace. We did much, visited many, ate volumes, got rest nightly, celebrated,  and still seemed to have time on our side!

How'd we do it all?   Look see   ~

I hiked for 3 hours, through 3 different County parks. During a heat wave.....

let's begin - with a hike

We picnicked with friends while cheering on a dear trumpet player... who, by the way, toots a horn mighty well at the age of 87!

We picked fruit by the buckets! Hubby shined every fruit to a gleaming purple perfection. Sharing them at all of our holiday stop-offs.

We celebrated a family birthday, included some red, white and blue and laughed for hours....

Food, FOOD, FOOD, FOOD, Food, MORE FOOD !



summer = corn on the cob

 and sparks flew at nightfall on an eve or two...

And the people ( and pet) in this household are tired, and ready to start the new week....