getting away

(my picture of a postcard, no photographer noted)

Anyone desiring a perfect weekend getaway need look no further than Cambria, California...

...often described as the Jewel of the Central Coast, Cambria is a beautiful oceanside village with something for everyone, shops, galleries, quality restaurants, hiking trails, and beach walks ...

....my sister, her friend and I drove up this weekend for a little get~a~way...

...we all decided we'd have no agenda, we would do whatever we felt like for two whole days! no work, no laundry, dishes or kids...

...one of the things I like best about Cambria is the fact that there isn't any cell phone towers nearby, so the phones were put away...

...and with no phones ringing, we were free to concentrate on each other and the quiet of this charming creekside town, for me, that's heaven!...

...we walked and walked, peeking in and around every little shop, I like this deer here, and the pretty mirror...

...we loved this place, with beautiful music playing and this welcoming sign, the shop owner didn't mind me taking this photo...

...there's my sister and Alicia enjoying the beautiful weather. The sun was shining with temperatures in the 60's.

The Three Runaways

Alicia, Lindy and me!

...lunch would have been the predictable thing to do in the afternoon, so we had cocktails instead, ...

...and then walked and talked some more...

...best Lobster Bisque in California... If you go, and you order the Bisque, let me know what you think...

...can you see her? this was the meadow outside our hotel...

...and their fenced in yard...

Four miles north of town at San Simeon you will find the home of the Elephant Seals.These amazing creatures mate, birth, sleep and fight here at San Simeon. In this picture you can see the difference between a two ton adult male and a newly weaned pup (around 300 pounds) around 3 months old. The mother's are gone now, leaving the pups to learn to fend for itself, I think the statistics say 1 in 3 survive.

Here is why they are called Elephant Seals. See the proboscis on this big male. The sound that comes out of there is similar to an outboard motor. And so loud! Can you see the baby in the little pool right behind him?

Here are a couple of the kids now! these weaned pups are teaching themselves to swim. Be careful you two, it's a big ocean out there.

"The Northern Elephant Seal, Mirounga angustirostris , is an extraordinary marine mammal. It spends eight to ten months a year in the open ocean, diving 1000 to 5000 feet deep for periods of fifteen minutes to two hours, and migrating thousands of miles, twice a year, to its land based rookery for birthing, breeding, molting and rest. The Piedras Blancas rookery, on Highway 1 seven miles north of San Simeon on the California Central Coast, is home to about 15,000 animals. The area is open for viewing every day of the year and there is no admission fee or reservation required."
Friends of the Elephant Seal ~ to learn more you can go to

http://www.elephantseal.org/

...our state flower, the poppy, is already in bloom...

Time to head home, back to the cell phone zone. But happily renewed and with a few souvenirs...

...a tiny vintage petal sugar and creamer, just the right size for doodle tea parties...

... and a beautiful old copy of Merry Men to add to my Robert Louis Stevenson book collection. Fantastic.

Tonite my middle son is on a plane heading for Indonesia,

his first solo adventure,

a dream surf trip,

please be careful son, it's a big ocean out there.

love, Mom ~ Lori