I'm About to Make You Sick...

Sick with envy, maybe. SICK AND TIRED of hearing about the 25th wedding anniversary - most certainly!! As I said yesterday, this has been one full-on month of celebration. In fact, maybe I'm even feeling sick... hhaaaa - NO, really! - physically a little queasy-tummied from all of the food and champagne we've consumed! LORDY!


A sunny day in early May. We loaded up nearly everything we own to camp at our serene-place, that tiny facade of a cabin - that is truly nothing more than a rustic shelter. A place beyond compare. I reserved this spot months in advance of our Anniversary - because of our history with it, and it's spot in our hearts. We slept soundly with ocean waves rocking the cliffs that the cabin sits upon and the cooing of swallows nesting in the eaves just above our heads.

Some days we ventured out to celebrate with meals in other of our favorite haunts. Again winding down Highway 1 to Nick's Cove.... happy to revisit the boat house sitting at the end of a long dock.

The table nearest to the edge, closest to the sunset and directly atop Tomales Bay. Have you ever experienced crabby mac-'n-cheese? It's a gotta-do, one day! Put that on your bucket list!

Mostly, you're on your own out on this dock. We order by phone in the little boat shack, and then go pick-up at the restaurant way down the dock. Brought along our own bottle of bubbly, and tablecloth, and then I became our waitress...

Our celebrations have centered around one main theme.. well I guess two themes, #1 is Silver Anniversary, and #2 is beach!!

Our heavenly, much adored spot was a perfect few days away... and a good place to begin the marking of the big 25 Anniversary celebration.  Are any of you sick of it yet? Hope not... there's plenty more to share!!

Yes, 'Tis I !!

There is truly a person behind the screen that writes this Abundant Picnic blog. Only problem being there are still difficulties that haven't been sorted out with my computer, camera and memory.

I'm away...I KNOW - AGAIN??!!
To this place ~

Not very able to complete the tasks at hand when I'm not home and close to my nearest Best Buy, or Fry's. I miss writing. Very much, surprisingly. Hope to be back to it soon!!

Pioneer Days!

Lest you've been led to believe that I'm luxuriating at the beach, I'll let you in on a secret....
The only exclusivity afforded here is the spectacular scenery that's free for all to enjoy!
While at this place- that seems near a second home to us - life is taken very slowly, yet it may not be considered necessarily easy. Doing mundane tasks of every day life are much more complicated when camping at "our" cabin. This tiny, sweet abode is merely shelter. There is not running water inside, nor a bathroom. The structure is not electrified, nor heated. Still worth all of the effort .

 A day in the life at Stinson Beach~

the staired trek in

Parking is only allowed at the top of the hill and we cart our belongings in via wheelbarrow or simple old muscle power. This in and of itself is a fabulous work out for us! By the end, our knees are sore.

kitchen area with food prep



the wood burning stove - we haul the wood!

 

must have flowers and herbs just like home

Pay no attention to the time on that clock - it really was noon somewhere!!

the only running water

This spigot is used to fill our pots for cooking, sometimes for washing hair, refilling drinking water and to make it's way to the stove to heat for bathing purposes! How did the ladies of yore do it?? Get a load of that view though!

potty

I know what you're thinking! This is the elder, unfortunate cousin to a duo of prettier ones!! HA! Once upon a day there were three of these placed about the grounds and we had no choice! Didn't photograph the new ones as they don't compliment my Pioneer theme...

We nearly always frequent local stores usually for cheese from Cowgirl Creamy and oysters at Tomales Bay.  Rather than a pot of beans, as may have been the way for long ago fire cooking, we give a shot at  upgrading our meals.

tired feet

Alot of miles are put on our feet at this place. We're always ready to kick off our shoes at the end of the day and while away hours reading by camp lanterns.

To think this and SO MUCH MORE was done each and every day in the life of our ancestors...
We have much to be thankful for -
                                                    OR DO WE???
I imagine many ills (physical and other) could be cured by activity and life using ones brains, brawn and boots!!

Again, I'll say ~   HAPPY TRAILS!  'til we meet again!

Early Birthday

On this trip to the cabin we had the unexpected pleasure of visitors. We frequently ask family and friends to join us at Stinson, yet it has rarely happened.This go 'round our friends came to celebrate. The month of March is filled with birthdays in our circle. Mine, Hubby's, my MIL's, and my pal Sharon's to name a few. It was decided to celebrate early and have the party  here at the beach. Such a good time - again! Story of my life!

I brought the fixins for a welcome sign

they arrived (I may have posted this yesterday too?)

Sharon has been a part of my life since High School - give or take a couple of years that we were each involved in our own lives in different places.

We rock scrambled and played at the beach....

We watched the sun sprinkle it's sparkling happy dust all across the sand and sea! We had beautiful days while they were visiting!

The local resident Blue Heron was part of our viewing pleasure ~

stopped in at the burger stand

We had cocktail hour while picnicking during sunset ~

When evening arrived we headed indoors to cook our supper and uncork wine ~

my sand pail for an ice bucket

Late in the evening once our meal was finished, we had cake - with candles even! To celebrate our three birthdays in quite a different way this year!

To my friend ~ a memorable HAPPY Birthday to you! Godspeed  on your travels home...

Still Stinson

Loving our time at the beach. Even got some friends to come out and visit...... such fun!

Just a fast stop at the library! Far too beautiful to be inside..... 
Will check-in Monday! Happy trails!!  (hoping to hike a few!)

Scenery

Thought I'd share some more of the beach and environs from our get-away...

Lots more soon.......

Away

Hubby has swept me off to Marin. well, possibly the other way around as I'm the one that made the reservations! And Hubby truly does not mind - Vacation is our middle name! We've escaped to our favorite place.

Last night our air mattress decided it had bore tooooo much weight (hhhmmm what does that say about us?). It is now completely flat. I headed over the hill bright and early to hunt for a new mattress. Kind of happy I did. Found another sweet place. Nicasio (Marin County). What an adorable little town!

 

I'll share more of my morning with you later. I need to hop, skip and jump on over the cow pies along the trail  I just hiked... and get back to Hubby at the cabin. Unfortunately without his oysters! Has been so rainy that the company is unable to harvest any from Tomales Bay.

The rain has gone for the time being. It is sunny and time for a picnic lunch at the beach! See ya back here soon. It may be a day or so, though. We're actually entertaining at the beach for the next couple of days!

Edited: This is my first try at linking a post of my own to someone elses blog. I've followed this blog for quite some time. I'm enamored of her beachy life in Australia.  My attempt is to participate in something she calls : Good Life Wednesday. Go check out her lovely life: http://www.abeachcottage.com/  Not sure that I've done this correctly! Bare with me...
<a href=”http://www.abeachcottage.com” _fcksavedurl=”http://www.abeachcottage.com”><img alt=”Beach Cottage Good Life Wednesdays” title=”Add your inspiration to Good Life Wednesday at abeachcottage” height=”125″ width=”125″ border=”0″ outline=”0″ src=”http://www.abeachcottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/good-life-wednesday-a-beach-cottage3.jpg” _fcksavedurl=”http://www.abeachcottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/good-life-wednesday-a-beach-cottage3.jpg”></a>

W - R - O - N - G !!

Yesterday I just happened to end my post with the fabulous thought of another day at the beach.

YEAH. WELL. NOT!!!

Guess one has to read their printed reservation confirmation in order to know the date of departure! On fourth vacay day as I was at the library loading photos and reading emails.....  hmmmmm I happened upon a note that I made on my computer calendar. Check-out from beach on Thurs. BY NOON.  This I'm reading on Thursday at ONE.  Oh my gawd! Not so easy to rush back to the cabin and inform Hubby that we are supposed to be one-with-the-highway, goin South, headin' home - when the road isn't easy to maneuver on the best of days and this one is pouring rain, hailing and windy!  Somehow we managed to beg forgiveness and exit stage right with cringing faces. Poor, poor Hubby!

So, when what I hoped to post was another day of silly fun - posing as some new conjured up personality... instead I had to headline with my big faux pas. But, now that that's out of the way - wanna guess who I dreamed up to play the part of Act III at the Beach???

Meet him - JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL - or do I have to be a she? I could be -
JOANIE LIVINGSTON SEA-GAL!!  She loves to ponder the waves :

She ate well while beaching. Bread chunks particularly. Cheese spreads firstly.

She felt a bit caged. See that view? Lots of dreary weather....

Then the sun broke through. She felt like soaring. Evening delighted her with color and beauty!

And the end of the story goes - Miss SeaGal then flew away. It was time to leave the beach. She REALLY

outstayed her welcome! The next Jonathan & his Miss were checking in and didn't want scavenging interlopers in their nest!  DANG! Couldn't they see that we had an entire evening of food already planned?