Santa Barbara Score!

  

And here's the lovely score from the Santa Barbara Trip.

From Art from Scrap - Appliques - flowers and nautical, 

and vintage Oriental wall paper,

vintage postcards,

old envelopes and a time stained pair of child's socks,

and prize ribbons from long ago horse shows.

From Antique Alley - a small tin Easter egg that opens to hold a tiny treasure.

From The Random Store - Pink and white cameos

 and a faux Bakelite jewelry finding.

And from Paper Source - a retro-looking Periodic Table, 

a constellation chart and colourfully painted clothes pins.

Can't wait to start using everything in future art projects!

More Love Shack Shots

 Just a few more photos of our trip to the Love Shack.

The weather was delightful, low '40's at night 

and mid '70's during the middle of the day.

We took long walks through the woods and by the stream.

And like two 10 year olds, scuffed loudly through 

every pile of sycamore leaves we saw!

Love Shack Holiday

We have been promising ourselves for years that one Christmas we would steal away and quietly celebrate just by ourselves.

And this turned out to be the year.  We returned to the Love Shack just out of Ojai where we had spent a wonderful weekend a couple of years ago.

Ethereal  quiet, wood smoke from our stove, stars everywhere, a burbling  creek just outside the window.

We brought a few decorations and a small tree.

A stop in Santa Barbara on the way down for a delicious lunch

 and a stroll through the beach-side Art Walk.

And a visit to nearby downtown Ojai to see 

the Christmas sights and do some last minute shopping.

But, mostly just solitude, reading, jouranling, listening to music,

watching candles burn and being together.

Holiday bliss.

Life on the Coast

photo courtesy Mary Ann Moss-Dispatch from LA

We are spending a long weekend here - having a delightful 60th birthday retreat for me! Wonderful tiny cabin, wood burning stove, babbling creek, piles of books and relaxing time together. Thanks to Mary Ann for discovering this hidden gem - and for her evocative picture above. Have to go read and nap now.

Road Trip - Berkeley

We are hitting the road for three lovely days in Berkeley. Dick Blick, Castle in the Air, the Art Museum to see the Kurt Schwitters exhibition (thanks to the heads-up from Michelle Ward!), and of course some yummy eating. Will probably stop by the City as well. This is our summer vacation (due to being understaffed at the library) and we're planning to make the most of it!!

Breakfast on the Terrace

We're enjoying a delicious breakfast here on the terrace at The Bath Street Inn this beautiful Monday morning. Followed by a leisurely beach walk and late lunch. Ah, relaxation - gotta love it!

Life on the Coast

A birthday overnight in lovely Santa Barbara
for my lovely wife Margot.

A trip to the Art Walk along East Beach,

lunch at La Super Rica (Julia Child's favourite taqueria),

a bit of shopping downtown,

a delicious Italian dinner

and a relaxing stay at the Bath Street Inn.
Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Fun in Solvang

Daughter Bronwyn and I drove down Hwy 101 for a couple of days in Solvang - Little Denmark in the Santa Inez Valley. I first visited here with my aunt and uncle about 50 years ago, and have been often. We've enjoyed shopping, walking the quiet streets and tasting the goodies on offer.

Some things have changed over the years, but many of the landmarks from that first trip are still here. The pastries are just as delicious, the red cabbage is divine and the windmills still turn.

By the Roadside

For years we've driven passed this old railroad siding alongside Hwy 101 between Salinas and Gilroy. It sports a fascinating crop of graffiti, rust and peeling paint.



I'd always wanted to stop and get pictures of it, but as things like that go, it never happened.


On Margot's last solo trip up that way, she scouted out the nearest exits, and on our trip up the weekend before Christmas, we pulled off the highway onto a small frontage road, parked and got some wonderful shots.


Neither of us can figure out what it was for, years ago when it was still in operation, but what a myriad of interesting shapes and mechanical bits.

Along with the pix, I found three rusty railroad spikes -
a real score!

Life on the Coast - Berkeley Style

On our way up to Sebastopol, we spent the better part of Saturday enjoying Berkeley. Yummy breakfast at Bette's Diner, and even yummier shopping at Castle in the Air, Tail of the Yak, Juniper Tree, Dick Blick, Artist and Craftsman Supply, and stocked up on provisions at The Cheese Board.

A great start to a great vacation!

On the Road Again

When do you need a vacation? When it's been 18 months since the last one! The current economy has curtailed our travel abroad for a few years, but living in California provides a myriad of wonderful opportunities within a few hours drive. We're spending the next 10 days in Sebastopol house-sitting for a dear friend. A gorgeous house, at the end of the road, surrounded by the woods. A hot tub and sauna steps away from the deck. Dozens of antique stores in the area, great restaurants, a weekend flea market and San Francisco just an hour away.
Big plans to read, relax, journal and share lots of laughter together.

Cozy in Big Sur

Here's where we're spending the night -a cozy tent cabin in Fernwood along Hwy 1 through Big Sur. One of the great things about living on the Central Coast is that this magnificent natural wonderland is only an hour up the coast - one of the truly beautiful drives in the entire world.

We'll spend time hiking through the redwoods, visiting the beach and having a delicious BBQ dinner out here on the deck.

Fun in Santa Barbara

A midweek day off - we decided to take a day trip down to Santa Barbara
and do three of our favourite things -

1.) Have lunch at Jeannine's - Bakery and sandwich shop extraordinaire!

2.) shop at Art From Scrap - found object heaven, and

3.) visit the Santa Barbara Art Museum - current exhibit: Delacroix to Monet.

Life On the Coast - Pacific Grove

A beautiful ocean

Colourful Houses

A cozy room in a seaside bed and breakfast

Happy Birthday to Me!