finding moonstones

it was a surprise. he had a plan.

"can you get three days off work?" my husband slyly smiled when he asked...

we celebrated our anniversary last week (thank you for the sweet comments on our wedding post! and a very happy anniversary to all those with october twenty ninth weddings!) with a getaway on the central coast of california, in cambria, on moonstone beach...

rain fell as we drove up the coast, and was falling still when we arrived. so we donned waterproofs and went looking for rainbows, for romance...

our cozy room had a fireplace and whirlpool tub :)

haha

it's cool enough to wear my sweater :)

we visited elephant seals

elephant seals are endlessly watchable

an elephant seal nursery

they fled when chuck climbed down

only to reappear, curious creatures they are

they came close

they looked

and then they posed

hee hee

we found a snake. chuck always has to touch the tail (non poisonous ones). when he reached out to this beauty, it turned and slithered towards us. in all these photos, chuck stood still as a statue. the snake slipped around his shoe while we watched fascinated. for a moment we thought it might go up his pants (hee hee), but instead it surprised us by going down a hole we hadn't even seen

william randolph hearsts castle is just visible on the faraway hill

at sebastian's, the store/ restaurant was closed for the day, but the winery was open, so when in san simeon...

hearsts zebras

killdeer, sweet shorebirds

a first, seeing this majestic buck

well we never did see that rainbow, but the romance and the so much more, yes and yes! it was so much fun to be surprised, moonstone beach is so lovely (and it was where we spent our first anniversary, thank you so much honey!!) we wildlife watched, on the ocean and on trails. we beach combed, hand in hand, we clinked glasses (even in the afternoon!) and counted down as the setting sun slipped into the pacific. we tide pooled and then briefly, we tucked into town, he to the sports store, me the wool. we dined on shrimp crostini, new england clam chowder, and macadamia crusted wild alaskan halibut. and each morning continental breakfast. and the desserts... they were almost more delicious than the time we spent, sharing, planning, dreaming, just being, together   :)

thank you for coming along, it is always such a pleasure to share! 

love, lori and chuck