traveling

hello from california's central (and northern) coast! we are traveling, on a road trip (and boat trip). this adventure is a bit different (for us) and is actually three adventures in one. part one and two are complete (mission accomplished!) and so the most fun part, part three is left, which we are on right now!

part one ~ 

a few hours up the coast, san simeon ~ we spend the evening watching the surf, the sunset and eating fish and chips, and waiting for friends to arrive.

next morning, we all head north to big sur

 in big sur, we cart and carry one kayak, two paddleboards, paddles and several days of equipment and food over a mile down to the beach

making preparations

there they go, can you see the 3 of them out at sea? i watched and made my wishes for nearly an hour, and then slowly began the hike back alone.


part two ~

on my own in big sur i went to my favorite place, nepenthe. such a beautiful day! i ate lunch, knit and watched three acorn woodpeckers and one stellar's jay in the tree directly in front of me!

this is the bathroom at nepenthe. the art painted on the walls is so lovely, everytime i see it it's a thrill. 

 went to the henry miller memorial library next

found a couple books and a tote

 at the hotel (one of the books, and the tote, and knitting!)

 another day i went to hearst castle

 even though i've taken all the tours a few times, i could take the upstairs tour a dozen more (or even more!). the library is amazing. each guide offers something a bit different too, different stories and anecdotes. this time i learned that first lady grace coolidge was once trapped in the elevator. when she was finally found and asked if she were okay, she answered yes, she could yodel and she had her knitting.

part two and a half ~

the adventurers arrive! they'd kayaked and standup paddleboarded 36 miles of big sur coast. returning safe, healthy and happy = successful adventure.


part three ~

patrick and will head back to their homes and families

and now, time for chucks and my adventure together. we spend time with the elephant seals

central coast zebras, and then head north...

to san francisco

then marin county

our bed and breakfast came with chickens  :)

this place!

heading further north still, point reyes seashore

point arena lighthouse, mendocino (we are in the top of the lighthouse!)

and because this happened nine years ago today, we are staying at our favorite place on the entire california coast to celebrate...

here. we'll be back soon, there is so much to share about mendocino and magical alegria!

thank you, as always, for coming along! xxx lori

in a nutshell

helloo and oh dear. i hope all is well with you!  i've been very neglectful of this space. i'm dreaming of a week at home, no work, or travel...just quietly staying home and catching up on the big and little things. that is unlikely to happen before october (today is already the first day of fall!) a bit of life here lately then, in a nutshell (all photos taken with iphone)...

knitting for babies! i found this pattern for a soaker in a vintage book. i love making them!

'go to work with your husband day' every chance i get! the weather is perfect this time of year! we are at channel islands national park.

my best friend and i went to the california central coast yarn crawl. it was a two day event so we stayed in a hotel saturday night. her sweet husband packed us a picnic dinner. 

 in the hotel we ate delicious tapas, drank delicious wine and knit socks! (and took photos of them on the way home) ;)

the next day i flew to nyc with a friend

we met my girl at grand central station

jumped on a train to connecticut...

rented a car in new haven and drove north to...

portland maine! met friends carrie bostick hoge, maryjane mucklestone, gudrun johnston. carrie, gudrun and i also had our girls, immie and maya and hannah (taking the photo, darn!)

there was a photo shoot on the maine coast

 foxy was left in good hands, and we headed back south to nyc...

 where in a small square in tribeca a few things happened... saw my darling son and son in law at their work, and across the street, my girl and i had an appointment in a shop...

for her wedding dress. (this is not it if you are reading matt.)  :)   there was just enough time to see 'the dress' (tears. oh my.) before i had to catch a cab back to jfk.

back at home, souvenirs from maine. carrie's book is gold. taproot is too. found seaglass on a maine beach. the daisy a gift from my future son in law. :)

 then the phone call came. i won the grand prize from the central coast yarn crawl. EEP!!

oh. my. gosh. this basket, filled to the brim. THANK YOU central coast yarn crawl and all sponsors: lantern moon, addi, rowan, plymouth, berroco, classic elite, never not knitting, knitbot, misti alpaca, zealana, frog tree, jojoland, swans island, anzula, manos del uruguay, mountain colors, lothlorian made in new zealand gloves and leisure arts ~ encyclopedia of needlework. 

not taken with a cell phone...

engagement photos in the city. hannah rose + matt, love, mom

xxx lori

please mama?

'please, mama? can i? huh?' 

we went back, to the lake, with larger lenses and big hopes of capturing the tern again. well, that was not to be (this time!), but we saw other amazing things. like baby birds, tiny swallows, sparrows, wrens and ducklings! this photo is over cropped, but i really wanted to share just the teeny baby duckling and it's mama, while they stood together on this submerged log. right outside the image is another adult mallard, and the ducklings two siblings, paddling furiously away. this wee one seemed to be asking (a perfect caption left on instagram, thank you sonja) could he go too?  :)

early bird gets... the early bird

we coordinated a day off together (LOVE when that happens!) and planned for some early morning birding up the coast...

it was also an opportunity to try out my new super lightweight tripod (hoping this one pinches fingers a bit less too!)

here is the little guy we came to see

and photograph

but these birds had other ideas (like flying away)

the california least tern

the behaviour we were really hoping to see was...

mating couples feeding on the railing

'where is my lunch!?'

here it is, i am here

with your lunch

i brought you a delicious yummy fish to eat

here you go...

wait! you haven't eaten your yummy lunch yet!

oh drat! wait for me! (this pair, disturbed by passing fisherman) flew away.



we came to see the california least tern. we hoped to see them feed on the rails here at oso flaco lake. it wasn't so simple. the pretty birds flew off at the smallest motion by us (of course) and so we would wait, and then tiptoe as close as we could to watch and take photos. and hope passersby wouldn't frighten them at inopportune times...

terns are seabirds in the family sternidae that have a worldwide distribution and are normally found near the sea, rivers or wetlands.

    

we will have to try this again...

these two were not shy at all

hee hee

a tiny wren

 -->  feathers

mallard grooming station

little duckling trains of all ages put-putted around the lake

ten am, time to go. we've already been out a few hours, and we're a long way from a hot cup of coffee.

next time we will remember the thermos, we hope  ;)

xxx lori

p.s. my last post, thank you.