- KITES? -

Cormorant gathering.  

I am still waiting for the big kites.  When I returned to the beach yesterday afternoon, there were still mostly the smaller kites that go sideways, up fast, down even faster and make a buzzing noise as they fly.  The fog was in and it was crazy windy at the rock.  So I will check it out again early this afternoon.  I am certain the kite flyers arms and hands are tired this morning.  It looks as though they work rather hard at the type of having fun.

Heron & Egrets lined up fishing!

I am getting ready to leave Morro Bay May 3rd.  I will go to Sacramento to visit with Tim and Darlene and help them with some inside house painting, eating and having fun.   Then to Roseville to stay with Millie where we will do some cooking, baking and putting new fabric on her kitchen chairs and, of course, eating, shopping and etc.  Millie has informed me the temps. will be high.  Hopefully I will avoid melting.  I have become very accustomed to cooler temperatures.

Today, though, Gaytrell is on her way here to stay until Wednesday morning.  She will be at the same motel where Tim and Darlene stayed when they were here.  It is clean and most reasonable.  So if you come to the area and need a good motel check out the Rockview.  Their rates do change for the summer though.  Good luck.

Heron & Egret fishing!

Gaytrell and I plan to visit Hearst Castle, Cambria and whatever else she feels up to doing.  If she is up to checking out the kites this afternoon when she gets here, that will give her a good walk after her long drive.  Whatever we do, it will be great and some place new for her to see and enjoy.  While it all may be the same area for me, I always enjoy every aspect of it as it is different every time I see it.  I am most grateful and fortunate for the time I have had here and excited for whenever I return.

Surf is up!

One of my early morning walks this past week I found Christa's vehicle parked in the beach parking lot.  Here I was able to pet Duke and Kyra (a dog Christa is currently caring for) while they patiently waited for her to return.  It was a beautiful morning, calm and clear and one of those days when one could just be outside all day long.

Christa catching a wave!

I spied the surfers and took this picture of Christa catching a wave.  Actually, my eyesight might have played tricks on me as I am uncertain if this was truly Christa.  So,I am pretending it is her just because that would be cool.

Wednesday will be rather busy getting the tires and lug nuts checked, getting propane and having an early dinner with my former mother-in-law.  This will be the last time to see her until I return.  She turns 91 years old in May, so seeing her whenever possible is wonderful.  She is doing wonderfully and still on her own.

Great Blue Heron fishing!

I have been in contact with Allison from Canada and she is on the East Coast now and heading north to be back in Canada by May 27th.  Her travels have been safe and interesting even though she was unable to find a diamond at the mine where she stopped.  I am certain she has many wonderful memories to take home with her, even though the gem stones may have eluded her this trip.

I am beginning to figure out my travel route once I depart from the Sacramento area.  There are a few campgrounds nearby that I will visit before going either north or east.  South feels as though it may be best for a later time.  We'll see, I could wake up one morning and find the RV is going south anyway.  I am never truly certain who is in charge of this Adventure.  (Actually, I do know!)

So, it is 11:00 am and still foggy.  I want to tidy up a bit and check out the beach before Gaytrell arrives.  I also have some Words with Friends moves to make as I have become addicted to playing this phone adaptation of Scrabble.  What is curious is that words acceptable in the board game are not with the phone version and visa versa.  I still have yet to understand the scoring.  It is addicting!

Snowy Egret fishing!

"What lies behind us

and what lies ahead of us

are tiny matters

compared to what lives within us."

-Henry David Thoreau

Enjoy your within!

- FULL MOON RISING -

Early Morning fishermen going out for their catch!

The walk to the Rock this morning was cold and damp with generous amounts of fog.  The kite flyers were preparing for their day of flying events.  There were several smaller kites that were zooming sideways and creating vibrating sounds of various colors.  There were a few larger kites very high that could only be seen now and then as they were obscured by the fog.

  There were vendors setting up their fares and included corn dogs, corn on the cob, chocolate dipped frozen cheesecake (which would be one of my favorites) and chocolate dipped frozen bananas, sweatshirts and t-shirts and trinkets.  Lots of port-a-potties and large dumpsters (including large recycle dumpsters).  Even this early there were plenty of cars and vehicles everywhere.  Main Street has been congested with cars, trucks, motorcycles and the like.  I will watch the weather and return to the beach for perhaps a better view of the kites and activities.  I hope to capture some of the large kites in flight.

Early morning fog hovering over the Rock!

This was also the day for the run from the Morro Bay Rock to the Cayucos Pier.  This is an annual event and gratefully the tide was low which makes it much easier for those running.  This way the run can be entirely on the beach, rather than through the water or over the rocks that are usually covered with the normal tides.  With the air being cooler, this also makes it easier for those running the race.  Good times for everyone.

The Rock sometimes creates its own weather!

The below video link was sent to me by a friend and captures the rise of the moon over Wellington, New Zealand with the silhouettes of those there watching the rise. Touching.

Amazing photography....

Full Moon Over Wellington

Here is something a bit random, but none-the-less astounding. A work mate of mine who is also a photographer captured what is, to me, one of the most remarkable things I have ever seen filmed.

It is a 3 minute video clip of the full moon rising over Wellington, New Zealand.  It was shot 2 nights ago, on a calm summer evening, as people gathered on the Mt. Victoria Lookout point to watch the moon rise.

This stunning video is one single real-time shot, with no manipulation whatsoever. The camera was placed on a hillside over 2 kilometres from the Lookout point, and was shot with the equivalent of a 1300mm lens.

The amount of planning, trial and error, and luck that went into this are mind blowing. He has been trying to capture this for over a year with many failed attempts. But 2 nights ago it seems everything was on his side, and it all came together in a way even he couldn't have hoped.

I honestly can't say enough good things about this video - from the magnitude of the visuals, to the intimate stories playing out with the people, to the sheer humbling nature of seeing the awe-inspiring reality of this giant rock in the sky that we so often don't stop to appreciate.

One thing I encourage you to do is watch this on the biggest screen you have - don't waste it on an iphone screen.

I hope you all enjoy this as much as I do.

https://vimeo.com/58385453

Happy Birthday, Debi!

"All things share the same breath -

the beast, the tree, the man.

The air shares its spirit

with all the life it supports."

- Chief Seattle

Enjoy your full moon!

- HERONS & EGRETS & LOONS. OH MY! -

Great Blue Heron hunting for breakfast!

Early morning low tides brings out the Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Loons, Cormorants, Pelicans and anything else that is looking for breakfast.  During the low tides the rocks and grassy areas are exposed to some degree and the wading birds show up in force to see what they can catch.

Great Blue Heron on the search.

Yesterday I was grateful to see a Great Blue Heron turn his/her head to the side, make a quick stab and pull its head out of the water with a fish in its bill.  She maneuvered it so it could be swallowed easily.  A rinse of the mouth and off to more fishing.  

This morning I observed the same thing and during the time I was watching her there was a 90% success rate for her efforts.  Quite impressive and amazing to watch.  

Great Blue Heron enjoying success!!!

The Snowy Egrets were less agitated this morning and they give way to the Heron.  The Great Egrets seem to space themselves strategically so they can do their fishing without interfering with anyone else.

Two Snowy and two Great Egrets.

The sound of the Snowy Egret is kind of a low keyed warbled gargle.  Very odd sound.  The Heron and Egret do more of a low sounding honk/bark.  Also a very odd sound.  All of these birds are so elegant in how they move in the water, on the rocks and as they fly.  I could observe them for hours.  (And I have!)

After having two days of soupy, drippy and dense fog, it has cleared and we have had several days of clear, sunny, calm weather.  It has still been foggy on some of the nights and this leaves moisture on everything in the mornings.

Snowy Egrets fluffed up arguing over space to fish.

One of the first things I need to do when I get to Sacramento is to wash my home.  It is extremely dirty from the fog, rain and wind combinations.  I think it is still white under the several layers of who knows what.  There are no places here to wash it (since I am almost eleven and a half feet tall) so I must wait until I leave.

It is amazing to realize I will be leaving in a week.  I have settled in so well here.  I am getting excited about visiting a few campgrounds that are on my list and seeing more of the country.  I continue to feel fairly certain this is where I will return when all is said and done.  Sounds good to me.

Egrets and otters!

I took the bus to Cayucos yesterday for the dentist appointment.  All went well.  I included a walk through the local candy/ice cream store (I was successful in only looking), strolled out on the pier, walked along the beach and had a delightful lunch at the Sea Shanty.  All this and I made the return bus on time.  

I walked to the grocery store and was unable to find one of those hand carry baskets, so just carried the few items to the register.  When I asked the clerk about this he explained that people have been stealing them.  I am certain my jaw was on the floor.

Great Blue Heron shaking off after eating his/her catch.

What in the world would people want with these baskets?  He continued saying that people take their groceries out to the car and fail to return the baskets.  You know what this means.  No more little baskets in the stores.  They are probably a bit more expensive to replace than paper bags.

Great Blue Heron and Snowy Egret waiting & watching!

Since San Luis Obispo County has gone plastic bag free, and the stores are charging five to ten cents for paper bags I suspect people are doing whatever they feel they can get away with and probably think they are getting back at the stores.  Well, this affects all of us who like to use the smaller basket when getting just a few items.  Now all of us will be using the larger carts unless we can manage carrying our items in our hands.  Gets interesting though if you get something frozen.


The large kite weekend is upon us beginning tomorrow.  I will do my best to take pictures that are clear.  Hard to do with moving targets.  It is predicted to be awesome weather.  Hopefully there will be enough wind so it is a good kite flying day for all.  Sounds like fun.

Great Blue Heron just watching!

Happy Birthday, Elida!

Happy Birthday, Mary!

  

"If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace.

There need be no trouble.

Treat men alike.

Give them all the same law.

Give them all an even chance to live and grow.

All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief.

They are all brothers.

The earth is the mother of all people

and all people should have equal rights upon it."

-  Chief Joseph

Enjoy your peace!

- GOOD FOOD -

Rosea

It seems that lately I have spent a great deal of time with friends eating wonderful foods.  I had lunch with Patty and a lovely chat to catch up on everything.  The next day Joyce and Carol and I went to the Bayside Cafe and had yummy food, sitting outside and enjoying the mild weather in the back bay.  We took rabbit food to some older citizens at our local center, for them to feed the rabbits that come to their door, went to the Farmer's Market and afterwards, did some browsing at a few antique stores.

More Rosea

I've had a home made spaghetti dinner with my former mother-in-law, breakfast foods with Christa, and lunch with Megan, followed by a walk on the beach and coffee to finish everything off.  I truly enjoy all of the time I spend with these amazing people in my life.  I love the diversity as they are all so unique and share amazing aspects of themselves.

The dentist's office called to rescheduled my appointment to Thursday, so I did some laundry (I was able to hang everything out on the line) and I am catching up on other home chores which often go undone since I prefer to walk on the beach and all around town.  The weather has been amazing with low to mid 60's during the day with clear sky's.  The wind seems to be history for now and a bit of fog has come in.  It must be warm inland.  

More Rosea

I finally met the man who stays in the trailer next to me.  He works at the large solar facility near Santa Margarita for four days and then goes home to Las Vegas for the other three.  He leaves at five in the morning and returns around 7:30 pm on work days.  His wife was here over the weekend which was why I met them.  Apparently there are others here in the area working at the same facility and a car pool provides transport.  These are interesting times for all.

Another Heron

Herons continue to show up in my life.  There seem to be more around the rock, in the surf along the beach, in the trees along the Embarcadero and along the path of the harbor and bay.  I have seen them flying more often and almost posing for the few pictures I take.  I always thank them for showing themselves to me.  They are so elegant.

There was an antique emergency response vehicle show here over the weekend.   I was unaware of it until I went for my walk Saturday morning and saw all the parking lots of the motels full.  Wondering what that was all about, I questioned those who seem to know everything that is going on in town and learned of the event.  There were some fun old vehicles to see.

Yes, Rosea

This coming weekend there is the big kite event on the Morro Bay beach.  My Mom and I happened to be here several years ago and came upon these huge flying kites.  I had never seen so many kites and we were in awe of their size.  I am looking forward to seeing what they have this year as it has been many years since that last visit.  It is fascinating to see the handlers work to keep their prized kites flying high. It is a very fun event and draws many people to the area.

And still more Rosea

I tend to reread books and re-watch movies.  I am currently hung up on the Harry Potter series of movies and I am rereading "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz and "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman.  I usually have several books going at one time if I have already read them.  When I do read a new book for me, I marathon read.  It seems crazy at the time because nothing else gets accomplished.  Oh well, good thing I am without a schedule.

Ah, Rosea!

I have given you a glimpse of some of the beautiful Rosea flowers currently blooming.  There are patches of it everywhere through this city.  It is perfect for areas where it slopes and it helps to keep the earth from eroding.  It is so stunning when it is full sun during the day.  The pictures fail to capture the almost neon affect they present.  It is food for the eyes.  There are more varied colors now and they are all beautiful.

Happy Birthday, Cara!

Happy Birthday, Jennifer!

Happy Birthday, Erin!

Happy Birthday, Kelly!

Happy Birthday, Danielle!

"The Universe is wider

 than our views of it."

- Henry David Thoreau

Enjoy your food!

- SLO COAST JOURNAL -

SloCoastJournal.com

I have written an article, for the Slo Coast Journal, which is an on line magazine about life and adventures of living on the Central Coast of California.  

This initial article summarizes what most of you already know about me.   A Roe Adventure can be found under Slo Coast Life on the home page.  So, from here I will be discussing life, as I know it, while living here in Morro Bay and discovering all that I find here.

Check it out and enjoy all the other offerings of the magazine.  You will learn a lot about this wonderful area.

Enjoy!

- AWESOME VISIT -

We had a great time walking on the beach, drinking coffee, walking,  eating food, walking, jabbering, walking, hugging and enjoying our time together.  The weather was wonderful for our time sharing and I will miss them until next month when I will be in the Sacramento area for a bit.  It was a perfect weekend and I love these two very special people in my life.  The odd thing was that I failed to take a single picture while they were here.  

So this entry contains pictures of orchids I have taken at a local nursery.  Some of them are simply amazing and so breath taking in their colors and shapes.  I simply love the beauty that nature provides us.  It is always a joy to the heart to be able to see it, where ever it is found.

Gosh, three more weeks before I leave to check out a few RV campgrounds near Sacramento.  I heard from one of the sisters I met on the Embarcadero a while back.  She lives in Tennessee and said all is calm there.  So that may be one of the places I go once I am out on the highway.  It was so sweet of her to call and let me know they had a great time while they were in California and all is well at home.

I have been seeing a lot of golden retrievers lately.  Lots of dogs, period.  I wonder if one is close to coming into my life.  I enjoy the friendship offered by those here in the RV park and on my walks.  All of them have been friendly and fun to be around, even if it is just temporary.

The wind blew strong all day yesterday and into the evening.  I did laundry this morning while it is clear and calm with the hopes that it stays this way until the clothes on the line are dry.  So far, it is looking good.  I had failed to realize how behind I was in this regard.  There was absolutely no time while my family was here.  Too many other fun things to do instead.

I am so sorry for all those affected by the tragic bombings in Boston yesterday.  It is impossible for me to understand any of this kind of behavior.  The intentional loss of life and injury to anyone is completely unacceptable.  I offer prayers and peace to the victims and their families.

There was a 7.8 earthquake in Iran this morning.  I have not had the TV  or radio on so unsure if there were injuries, etc.  That is huge.  If you have been following the earthquake site it appears as though there is a lot of activity right now in several area.  Makes me wonder what is really going on.  Many people and our earth will benefit from prayers and healing thoughts right now.

While Tim and Darlene were here they introduced me to a small Mexican food cafe that I have been avoiding.  It turns out it is very good and relatively healthy.  Since I am allergic to corn, I got a flour tortilla instead for my taco and it worked out well.  So, now when I am hungry and don't feel like cooking, I can go there and get something to eat.  It is comical that someone from out of town finds a good place to eat here, instead of me having a good eating place for them.  

There is a sweet 87 year old woman who rents a permanent mobile home here in the RV park and she just stopped by with her daughter who is here for a few weeks.  This woman is full of energy and does everything herself as she continues to live on her own.  They are off for a walk and probably other fun things.  She is an inspiration to me.

I have planned lunches with friends Wednesday and Thursday, and possibly Friday.  I am being the social butterfly again which is always fun and entertaining.  It is always nice to take the time to visit with friends and catch up on all that is going on with them.  They are all special people in my life that will remain so even after I leave this incredible area.  I will be back.

"You must live in the present,

launch yourself on every wave,

find your eternity in each moment."

- Henry David Thoreau

Enjoy your eternity!

- THE HAT -

I finally got tired of seeing myself with raccoon eyes from wearing sun glasses almost everywhere I go.  Even the early morning walks when it is overcast can generate darkening of the skin.  Hence, I found a gardening hat at the local hardware store and it is perfect.  It has a rather wide brim which protects the face and the back of the neck.  So while others are sporting cute base ball type caps, I look as though I am looking for some dirt to play in.  (Actually, I am!)

Yard sale house, yellow with a green roof and wrap around porch.  Lovely!

The wind finally stopped by the time I went to bed last night.  My poor little home on wheels was a rocking and rolling almost all day.  Too windy and too much debris in the air to venture out any more than I did in the morning.

Today is calm, the harbor has glassy water and the seals were in the back bay feeding and causing a ruckus.  The otters have other things on their minds, I think.  The large male appeared to be posturing and attempting to gain the attention of the females.  I suspect he has something else on his mind other than food at the moment.  I need to talk with the Harbor Patrol people and find out what is going on.

The small cottage for sale.

I took another walk up to the top of Black Hill and got some better pictures of the Rock and surrounding area.  It was much more clear even though there was a bit of moisture in the air.  I was grateful as this is what kept me cool as I hiked.  

I usually walk past the lovely yellow home when I go up to Black Hill.  I have been keeping a close eye on the blooming flowers that are, oh so close to being in full display.  I think perhaps within the next week it will be totally stunning.  I will be checking and hopefully capture pictures of this color treat for the eyes.

Add caption

While I was on my way back down from the top of Black Hill I was fortunate to see a small rabbit scurrying from under one bush along the path to another bush.  It didn't freak out too badly when it saw me, though it kept moving just in case I was a threat.  It was a cotton tail.  Way too cute.

These pictures give a rather clear sense of how this huge piece of rock is almost completely surrounded by water.  There was no way to drive to the rock initially, so they constructed a land mass for people so they could get to the rock without having to go for a swim.  A jetty was constructed which made the harbor entrance.   This protects the harbor from the enormous waves of the ocean and ships are protected in the harbor.  Thus, it is safer for everyone entering and leaving the safety of the harbor.

There is a sand spit that extends into the harbor on the south east side and is visible in the pictures.  When one goes to the museum near the Morro Bay State campground they explain all about the wildlife that lives on the sand spit which includes deer and mountain lions and many other kinds of wild life.  The museum is very close to one of my favorite restaurants, the Bayside Cafe.  Joyce and Pete, Carol and I went to lunch in San Luis Obispo recently and decided the Bayside was the next lunch place for us.  Yea!
Grilled tuna wrapped in bacon with teriyaki sauce and a small salad.  Yummmm.

I am getting ready for the arrival of my son and daughter-in-law (Tim and Darlene) on Friday evening.  I need to clean house (which since it is small will happen quickly) and get other chores completed.  I actually did some mending the other day and perhaps I will continue to whittle down the items I brought with me.

Balancing rock on the trail of Black Hill.

Super foggy this morning and now it is clear and a bit windy.  I may venture out a little later to check on the flowers.  Otherwise, some cooking and chatting with the people here in the park.  Life is good.

"Humankind has not woven

the web of life.

We are but one thread within it.

  Whatever we do to the web,

we do to ourselves.

All things are bound together.

All things connect."

- Chief Seattle

Enjoy your connection!

- LOCATION - LOCATION - LOCATION -

Saturday was the day of the city wide yard sale here in Morro Bay.  I helped my friends, Joyce and Pete, who were able to use the yard of friends.  The streets near where we were are rather narrow making it interesting to watch as people attempted to find parking.  Most of them gave up and parked their cars on wider streets and simply walked the areas that were of interest to them.  As I looked up the streets you could see people everywhere, like ants at a picnic.  It was really quite comical and almost invading.

I feel the location we had was perfect as it is on a corner and the home itself is charming.  Many people  shyly came up to us asking if it was our home.  We politely replied no though wished it might be so.  Actually not for me, as it is way too big to clean.  It is, in my opinion, one of the most charming and inviting homes in the city.  

So the other interesting thing of the day was a home nearby that is listed for sale.  I had seen it Friday and Saturday mornings and thought to myself that I would really like to see the inside.  This little home is on one of the small lots in the city, the area called the "heights."  It is very desirable due to its location.  Close to the down town and Embarcadero areas yet out of the main stream of traffic.  Quite and with a view of the Rock.  What more could one ask for?

Well, I was fortunate to see that an open house was being held as I walked home.  To me the little cottage looks just like a little English cottage with large aged plants in the front yard that is surrounded by a white picket fence.  I half expected to see elves and fairies hiding and peeking and flittering about among the front yard plants.

It has a single car detached garage behind the house and a nice sized back yard with grass and plants and a small patio for a table and chairs.  The size of the house is 560 square feet!  Yes, 560 square feet!  This is the size of some apartments one could rent.

Investigating the homes rooms was easy.  The front of the house has a delightful bay window which is the one bedroom of the home.  There is a small shower lavatory off the bedroom.  There is a small living space with a small dining area.  The kitchen, of course, was small and beyond that is a small laundry area and a bit of a pantry where the water heater is located.  The layout of the home was nice considering its size.  If I remember correctly the home was built in 1916 or 1926.  Unsure.  For the day it was probably considered spacious and comfortable.  

I think it would be comfortable for one person, perhaps two very friendly people.  A family would be a huge stretch.  So, here is the kicker.  The listed price is $299,995!  Yes, $299,995.  In the real estate world they would remind the perspective buyer about location being extremely desirable and the potential for adding on.  One might do what many have done before them and tear it down and rebuild a new home.  

To me it is sad to see these adorable and quaint homes being leveled to make way for a a house that is larger and more modern in style.  Then again, each to their own.  I would prefer to see the old be restored and refurbished and taken care of.  Yet I understand the desire to have something that is new and up to date and modern.

And I am thrilled with the location of the RV park where I am.  Close to everything so walking wherever I need is doable.  I do my best to remember the things I need so I can keep the grocery store off the must do walks.  This leaves time for more, where I would rather go, walks.  Fortunately this is usually how it is and I am grateful.

Last night and today it has been incredibly windy.  It makes one want to stay in shelter until it calms down.  I was invited to go to San Luis Obispo this morning, so Dorothy and I braved the elements.  It was a cold wind so that only added to the, want to shelter, feel.  We accomplished all that we wanted to and found the wind still going strong when we returned to Morro Bay.  Just have to wait it out.

It is fun being in the RV because there are so many people here from other states and countries.  I recently had a few chats with two couples from Holland.  Over the winter there have been lots of folks from Washington and Oregon.  By the time I leave at the end of April I am certain representatives from many other states will arrive and enjoy the summer on the central coast.

It will seem odd to leave here as I feel so at home.  I have talked with those that live in San Diego and other coastal cities that love to come to Morro Bay to vacation and rest.  It is anything other than a place to make money and build a career or start a business.  It is a place to come and find the peace in your heart and connect with nature in a very unique and special way.

I know I am very privileged to be here now and I am so grateful for all this wonderful place has given and shared with me.  This is where the swans stirred my heart to do this amazing Adventure and from here is the support and knowledge to continue on to wherever I go.  

Right now I feel I would love to eventually return here to finally settle, and yet I have a very funny feeling that I may find other places and areas that will cause me to fell this same way.  I suspect it will all unfold as it is meant to do.  I shall enjoy the flow of it all.

"You must be in a space of

loving everyone - 

more than that,

you've got to see yourself as

connected to everyone -

in order to get the attention

of your Source."

- Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Enjoy your location!