From the Prairie to the Sea

Shortly after leaving the wide expanses of the Carizzo Plain, heading for the coast, we found ourselves in the green grass hill country of central California. Pictures can't begin to show the shades of green we passed along the way. And brown. Wow! American Bison were grazing


on a hill right beside the road. These are really big guys. It's hard to tell the size, but I think they may even be larger than a rhinoceros. At least alot hairier, and snortier. They are not like horses or cows for sure, they had no interest in people, they just walked slowly by, without even looking up...


enjoy your day buffalo...



...taking a detour off the main road we found a sweet meadow to have a picnic lunch in. Spring is definitely here on this patch of mother earth. Everyone was there, the magpies and meadowlarks, the bees and butterflies, caterpillars and even more wildflowers...




... pretty Baby blue- eyes...

This is my 5 star restaurant, lunch made for me (again!) by my lovely husband and served in a field of fragrant flowers (and no cell phone service again)...it can make you think...





"Can one desire too much of a good thing?"


~William Shakespeare


...a couple hours later, we've arrived at Morrow Bay, not our original destination, but taking a chance the Sea Otters might be around, we went to go find out. There they are! See that mass of brown? I am sorry i don't have better photos, at least not on this computer. They are really cute. There are six out here, two are mamas with their babies on their chests. They wind up in the kelp to keep from drifting away, floating on their backs. And then they nap. So peaceful. We, watched until they woke up. They preened and rolled around cleaning up. They are so animated and funny to watch. All the big lenses were pointed at them, it's a fabulous place for photo's...

...here is my husband and his pride and joy,(this lens needs it's own separate backpack!) see the gull? I think he was feeling leftout, everyone filming the otters...

...alright then, pose for your portrait!...

...and not to forget you silly squirrel ;) ...

...and then these two ran up to me for attention it seemed (i know, i know, they want food) and then suddenly got shy, whispering to each other...

I climbed down the rocks to get a better view once all the otters were awake, I was hoping they might move a little closer. And then an amazing thing happened. I hope my video will work, but just in case it doesn't, one of them broke away and swam directly towards me. It was one of those moments, making eye contact with a wild animal. I know I smiled at him and I'm sure he winked at me...

...time to head north and look for a hotel for the next two nights, I'm really excited for tommorrow (and right now and tonite and oh, you get the picture!) hot showers, warm beds, more adventuring...

xxx love, lori