Want for What Was

This day's twist hit me by surprise. Hubby's usual outlook was skewed and he was unusually open, raw and sometimes tearful. The want for WHAT ONCE WAS - that is the emotion that saddened our sunny morning. Eighteen months ago he was struck with an unforeseen illness. Life is mostly normal now, but the looking back is hard not to do. We don't and shouldn't live constantly in that state as it will get us nowhere. The ramifications - difficulties in walking - are progressively being challenged as Hubby and his therapist continue searching for a regimen to aid his left side.

Walking. How often here in my "journal" have I spoken of that simple verb?  To walk ~ for me it's a task-exercise-pleasure-life line-necessity ! Walking once a simple, ordinary, automatic action and now for Hubby it is anything but simple. My heart breaks when he struggles. He marches on however!


On the anniversary, eighteen months ago of this turn of events in our life, we finished with the tears - we dressed, made plans with friends and we went for A WALK !!

Beautiful spot for a walk, huh? ^

Hubby on the downhill...  :-)

No fanfare. We never mentioned to others the mark that highlighted this date on our calendar and our hearts. There'd be no raising of glasses, as it would make our mindful state tangible - more of a reality than we would like. Almost as if this thing had a HOLD of a spot in our life. I for one cannot give it more space than it already has!

Afternoon picnicking and wine tasting made laughter the star of the day!

Should I still be holding that stemmed glass in my hand - I would like to nod my head your way, dear man, give you a smile and toast to you - my HUBBY!!  Sentiments so wistful for what was, but greater than those; wishes for the days ahead that the strength you've kept all the while, will hold you upright , sturdy and forward thinking. Hopeful still and always!


That light? .....                                             ->

The proverbial end of the tunnel - it's the good place we find ourselves at the close of each day !  Because we've found that the tunnel isn't all bad - it's just ... well, we've got more tunnels on our road than some.  I'd much rather travel the tunnel with you the rest of our days, than the alternative!

Road Trip

Oh, for the love of God... err..   Pete!!  No more banter, just get outside and DO IT!

Wanna walk with me??  The Shari bus is taking you to the coastal towns of Davenport, and on further north to Pescadero. This is Northern California at it's finest...  and there's much more to be seen hundreds of miles north and south of here too. What a great place to live...

Closer to God, we are!!  :-)

Davenport, CA

old lumber mill - vintage horse trailer used to contain sawdust

Davenport's history is tied to the lumber industry. The redwoods inland from here were a resource. Timber was shipped from a now defunct wharf via ships, all across the land.
** little side note: I have some lumber-lore in my history. I'll write a post about it tomorrow**

Down the road a piece and at the dynamic Pacific at a place called Cowell's beach...


Cowell creeks ~

 

 

 

 

 

cliffs ~

and cacophony... oh, dear the chatter of the gulls!!  swarms of them.. enjoying California sunshine ~

What is there about a lighthouse? The splendor, the history & stories...

Hop back on my bus another time! This wander did not end at the lighthouse.... always so much more to see, no?!!  I'm off to do a walk in real time right now.

Chicken Gifts & Gold

Have chicken and get egg abundance!

While I appreciate the goodness of an egg, I do not eat one every day. They are good protein, and I am fond of all that the egg can do in the kitchen... but, we're on egg overload here! We are gifted with one creamy white egg each day, and as of late, one of the next-door-neighbor-chickens has decided that our garden is as good a place as any to leave us her brown present. The coop over the fence must be too busy!

What to do when the egg carton total is above one dozen? Make a quiche...

Slice a chunk, accompany with tea. Protein galore - and head out the door!! {rhymin' Simon} :-)

Morning walk time - filled with goodness and energy - let's go to ... ?? {remember Where's Shari?}
Each day I find myself in awe of the place that I live; the freedom I'm given to search out these environments; profoundly blessed with my ability to walk,jog,hike,bike for hours at a time.

I traveled that highway above ^ to get to the hills I would hike...



Mary Knoll sits in the hills above Cupertino, CA ~

Beautiful garden and spectacular Bay Area views ~

It's dry in those hills.. as America the Beautiful lyrics say... "amber waves of grain" - though these California hills are mostly weeds and dried grass, not grain. Still have a beauty all of their own though.

Golden hills, golden sunshine, I feel Golden myself... quite lucky and blessed.

Midsummer's Day Dream

This is what summer's all about Charlie Brown in an ABUNDANT PICNIC life...

and just to change it up a wee bit ~

Off to enjoy another California-style summer day...   What might my outing be today?...

Hey maybe I should do a Where's Waldo  Shari post? find me in stripes somewhere walking in one of the insanely fabulous spots that I discover....


**Edited - I've linked my summer post to My Romantic Home... where Cindy hosts a weekly series.

Burritos With Ears

Quirkiest moments sure can happen out of the blue - when you least expect them. Here's the scenario ... I'm on my daily {almost daily} walk. It really was golden today. Warm with a flag-blowing breeze. Neighborhoods decked out for the Fourth of July.

Up and over hills, in and around gates and fences. Admittedly even into some gated areas with warning signs! But, I'd been there before. I knew the ropes.... NO PROBLEMO! I had watched other people coming and going 'round these parts hundreds of times.

Sitting on this particular hill is a chi-chi winery on many acres. Heck, how would any of those wine-people even know I was here?? Number one rule of trespassing - Walk straight towards your destination, do not stop and admire the scenery.

A Burrito stopped me in my tracks!! Yep, a Burrito out in the field. I did not know it was a Burrito. I happened upon a pace {term for a group of burros} of donkeys grazing the sun-crisped thistles of the hill.

So?.. where does a Burrito come in?
A strong voice from behind me startled my Instagramming hand. "JUANITA!!"
...not my name, must be yellin' at someone else... Footfall coming towards me...
 Uh oh, I was caught! Traipsing in unwelcoming fields...   what now? Sure that I'd be asked to get my tennies running right off the winery acres, I put the camera down and turned to explain. Before me was an elder gentleman in overalls, cowboy hat, and piece of straw in his mouth. NAHHH - just kidding about that! But, he was in overalls.

I was scuurrred. Lo and behold, this fella just wanted to tell me the name of the donkey whose photo I was trying to Instagram. "That one there is Burrito!".. "And over there - the black one is Jack", and "the two that look alike are Jerusalem donkeys. Their names are Juanita and Juan".
GEEESHH.. this guy was just an old softy with a penchance for talking....{ hmmm sounds somewhat familiar}.

The old guy never knew what hit him - I talked him up, I asked a dozen questions, I admired his job and the beauty of his pace. I was also honest and forthcoming explaining that I pass this way only infrequently. "Yes, the trespassing signs are posted - but the neighbors on that hill are treated kindly and allowed certain privileges" - said he. "Ah, I see" I kindly retorted. "I am not of this hill". Til now~


I officially belong to the legally allowed on winery trails group


It was my love of Burritos that did it!

The end....

Except for: Instagram photo-a-day topic: Your Favorite Part of the Day.... well, DUH! take a look above at said story and photos!!

Slug Farm

Slug Farm. As in - UC Santa Cruz mascot {Slugs}, and their on-campus agricultural farm. I realize I haven't posted in more than a week, but my last promise was to share the photos I took on my self guided tour of the farm. So, here we go ~

This reminds me of the dramatic difference from neutral-nearly-colorless to technicolor brilliance
{as in my fave: Wizard of Oz} ->

to this beauty just beyond  ^, and also this full view of color with all that the world has to offer out beyond your safe "den" ->

So happy the Slugs have a farm!

The Trail To Spring

Found a bit of spring with each step...

Walks in rain, and sun {Part I}

Part 2 of walking in Spring on next post..... so many floral photos they need a space all of their own!

Intriguing & Illegal

Can't help myself! Abandoned buildings are just meant to be trespassed! I've blogged about this unlawful habit of mine before. Was that story here, or on Abundant Finds? hmmm   Will go look, or you can too.

Morning hours were whiled away getting history lessons at missions, coercing chickens into sitting for portraits and climbing dunes at the beach.

                             ***************************************************
 By late afternoon I'd become a if-I-get-caught-felon for traipsing about the grounds and buildings of a long closed Army fort.  Along the local coast sits old Ft. Ord. Have to say that this trespass had an eerie vibe going on. I felt the need to hurry my picture taking. Weird to walk streets between rows and rows of barracks all abandoned. Paved ways that now have rubble and green growth, and fencing that blocks through traffic. There were  people before me that had done the same. I did not have to climb fences.

Twilight Zone-ish ~

this made me a little sad ~

so pretty with late afternoon sun ~

Bet if these walls could talk they'd have many interesting stories to tell!

When Last I Left You...

As I was saying, breathlessly, and while I hop, skip and jump with excitement - Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day....

                                                                       Part Deux

Gobs o'goodies more to show ~



{stained glass window embedded in decaying barn siding}



Geesh, Wilder Ranch - you sure do deliver!

Flashbacks of Aran Island (Ireland) cliffs while I stood on these bluffs and watched the pounding surf.

Fancy footwork would be necessary to get to any of the beaches here. The entire area is left to wildlife - no humans allowed to build castles in the sand.

Left the bluffs behind me, plowed through the crop fields, and over some mighty ol' train tracks to find my way back to "START".  I let the wind take me where it may...

Une petite Shoppe Francais!  ADORE!!

Then what to my wondering eyes should appear? A miniature taco shop, and many bottles of beer! Set in a courtyard.... just in time for lunch and a foot rest. Divinity!

Top that Huell Howser!!