Milk is political? You're kidding, right?

Saturday, I headed over to Sequim (pronounce Skwim) with a friend, who’d never been. There’s a lot to do over there, but we hit what were (for us) the high points. Sequim’s claim to fame is that it’s in the rain shadow of the Olympics, so although it’s in the PNW, they get so little rain that they have to irrigate (and proclaim it with an annual Irrigation Festival.) They also grow a LOT of lavender (and have a Lavender Festival, as well.)

On the way into town, we stopped off for a lavender mocha (well, I guess that’s not my drink of choice, but it was worth a try) & then stopped at Sunshine Herb & Lavender Farm, which is always terrific. The fields are just coming into bloom now, and the nursery is full of different lavenders and other herbs. Their gift store is amazing, and they make everything themselves.

Then on to the Co-op, which is always fun, even though I’m not really a farm girl. But they do have cute Farm Girl brand jeans & Bogs. And lots of good lawn furniture. Then down the street is Over the Fence, which is always fun. Lots of home-type things, and candles. By this time, I had tried about every tester known to mankind, and my hands were soft and… let’s say “fragrant.”

We had lunch at the Oak Table Cafe, just off the main drag to prepare for a hike on Dungeness Spit. Good homestyle cooking, and a lot of it.

Then off to the Spit, but we made two stops on the way. One was to the Dungeness Valley Creamery, which provides the Puget Sound area with raw milk. I hadn’t had raw milk before coming to PT, and was amazed at the difference. Raw milk is illegal in some states, and even in WA, where it’s legal, they come under all sorts of attacks. (Read their testimonials page to see what I mean.) This operation was spotless, and filled with people going about their work with smiles on their faces. The cows out in the field looked contented & well-cared for, which is quite a change from “normal” dairy operations that I’ve passed, holding my nose & despairing for the animals that have to live that way.

Another quick stop at Nash’s Organic Farm stand. It was amazing all the vegetables and fruit they can provide this early in the season. I’ve seen a lot of hoop houses, so that’s probably the secret. The store is very well-organized, and displays the work of local artisans, as well.

Finally, on to Dungeness Spit. The tide was coming in, which pushed us up onto the rocky parts. We may have walked a mile, but it was a rough mile. The weather was gorgeous, though, and mountains, ocean and big driftwood is a wonderful combination. Renewed my intention to camp overnight there sometime.

More pix here. And recipe for Lavender Lemonade…

Once again, I was playing with the Law of Attraction, sure that I’d find the perfect place. Lots of friends gave me tips, and then… I got my old place back! The one with the red bookshelves and the fantastic landlords. I even have a little garden space, so may be able to grow some of my own veggies.

So far, I’ve updated my library card, visited both libraries, saw a deer, and been to the co-op to buy raw milk & coconut oil, where I ran into SMD. I know I can count on her to get the word out that I’m back. Then, while looking for necessities @ the thrift shops, ran into N, who stopped me from making an unfortunate purchase & offered to loan me a jacket for the wedding!

Gosh I heart PT! It’s good to be back. And to be in a place where I know where the light switches are… priceless.

Inukshuk sculpture Vancouver, BC

Sorry for the long absence! I was on a trip to British Columbia. Went to Vancouver, Victoria & then 10 lovely days in Tofino (on the West coast of Vancouver Island.) Had an absolutely lovely time with my dear someone, and the weather was faaantastic. (I think my weather curse has finally worn off!)

I did take lots of pictures, and boy, did we eat well. Can you believe I’d  never had Dungeness crab before? (I know, I know. But they’re kind of scary.) Well, I made up for lost time. Now I can eat one quicker than a sea otter. And oysters- raw, grilled, fried- you name it.

If you’re in Tofino & not into cooking for yourself, I can highly recommend the Wickininnish Inn and Sobo. At the Wick Inn (where they make their own butter- these guys are serious!), an eagle flew right past the window while we were eating. And Sobo has some of the best food anywhere. The polenta fries & fried oysters, oh my! For casual, go to the Jiggers fish & chip truck in Ucluelet- you won’t be sorry!

As my rental ends May 31, I found myself stressing out about “the future,” trying to plan & control things (b/c I’m so good at that!) But once again, the Universe showed me that it’s all taken care of, better than I could have dreamed.

With a LOT of help from my friends, I’ve found my next place to live. As of June 1, I’ll be back in Pt Townsend! Not only that, but back in my old apt, with the lovely red bookshelves! It will be such a delight to be back in familiar territory…

Wild Rivers Wool Factory, Langlois OR

April 22- Spent another day resting up in Gold Beach, OR. What a great little town! I really liked it there. And the folks @ the Gold Beach Inn were just great. Look out, I’ll be back!

April 23- Finally decided I’d better get on the road again. I was thinking about Bandon, OR, but just before I got there, I happened on to Wild Rivers Wool Factory. Of course, having a mom who owns a sheep farm, I had to stop. And boy, am I glad I did. I’d passed lots of sheep on my way into town, and this tiny factory takes the local wool & creates everything from art to yarn to insulation! Not just that, but she sells these incredible SpinOlution spinning wheels and teaches spinning, knitting & other fiber arts. Oh my!

Then on to Bandon, where I had breakfast & checked out some art galleries. Very, very nice stuff. Laurel Studio Gallery was my favorite, and I especially loved Laurel Gregory’s aboriginal inspired art.

Farther up the road, I stopped at the Silver Surf Motel in Yachats. I’ve been having great luck w/independent motels lately, and this one was terrific. Views of the beach and lots of extra little touches for a (very) weary traveler.

April 24- In between rainstorm, I somehow got a radio station from Eugene, KLCC, that was playing folk music, and got to hear some great new stuff, as well as Gillian Welch, which cheered me immensely. My favorite new-to-me was Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer- The River, Where She Sleeps.

Stopped in Manzanita, OR to look around, but decided to go on to Cannon Beach, which has many great memories. Just for the heck of it, I stopped at the Hallmark Inn, where I’d stayed before, for a wedding. Didn’t really expect to get a room, but once again I totally lucked out. I don’t dare tell you the deal they made me! And I have a room overlooking the ocean, with a balcony and gas fireplace. And fancy schmancy soaps! Heaven!

So now I’m packing for the last night on the road. I’ll be “home” in West Seattle Monday night!

Wait 'til PETA finds out!

Well, I’ve got to pack up & leave Gold Beach, OR. I have to say, this has been one of my favorite stops. Just lovely beaches, driftwood… And my hotel has hot tubs overlooking the beach. Mmmmm…

So here’s for your Friday fun:

• Fun with money
• Too funny! Read Lay of the Deserted Influenza- I dare you!
• A gardening tip…
• If you don’t hear from me…
• Ham-dogs? OK….
  

Sunset @ Gold Beach, OR

April 19- Spent another day in Mendocino/Ft Bragg.  I went to see the Sea Glass Beach in Ft Bragg. It is absolutely amazing. The sea hits what used to be Ft Bragg’s town dump, and all the broken glass is churned until it covers the cove. Here’s an idea of what it looks like. I do collect sea glass, but it’s verboten to collect here, so I stuck my hands in my pockets & left it for others to enjoy.

Then went to the Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden. Because it was a weekday, I had it almost to myself. I wandered all over. Checked out the organic vegetable garden, the benches overlooking the ocean and the Cliff House, which is great for stormy days. It’s about 1/2 a mile each way from the entrance to the ocean cliff.

Finally, I went back to Mendocino. And stumbled on the cutest shop- Perfume Mendo! (aka Gallery of the Senses). It’s run by a couple. He makes furniture grade stereo speakers; she has the widest range of perfumes I’ve ever seen. (and yes, I’ve been to Nordstrom). They even have their own blends. I tried about a hundred, but came out with the first one suggested- Mendocino Midnight. Smells like campfire, musk, something floral and maybe a hint of… cannabis?

April 20- Mostly spent driving to Arcata. I took the slowest, most scenic route. That means I saw a LOT of ocean & a LOT of redwoods. I also stopped in Loleta, CA to taste and buy cheese.  And of course, drove through Ferndale to see the beautiful Victorians. And btw, a lot of beautiful Jersey cows. If you’re a fan of Humboldt ice cream, this is where it comes from!

I mainly spent the night in Arcata & then pushed on. My hotel’s internet connection was down, which put me in a cranky mood. But yes, I should have spent more time in Eureka & Arcata.

April 21- I drove and drove and drove. Mostly scenic byways. Saw an elk herd, lots of redwoods, lots of beaches. I’ll never tire of that. At one point, when I was really drooping, I passed a sign that read: San Francisco 230 miles. OMG! That was last Saturday. I’m really moving slowly now, but this coast is one of my favorite places, and it’s been a long time.

I finally made it into Oregon. And drove for a while, thinking to get up to Bandon. But… I was passing thru Gold Beach, and decided to eat. And then I decided to stay. I found a really cute place, and got a room that overlooks the whole beach! With a balcony! So I’m staying 2 nights

Lots of new photos!

Hasta luego!

Mendocino cottage

So, how did I end up eating a Clif Bar for lunch in Mendocino, CA- a foodie paradise? Well, because the tides were right. On the way into town, I stopped off at Catch a Canoe, to see about taking out a kayak for a couple hours. They weren’t too busy, had a kayak for me, and the tide would be right in about half an hour.

So I went into town, looked around, bought a cookbook (!) and headed back to the dock. I can’t tell you how great it felt to be out on the water. Most of my kayaking has been sea kayaking, so paddling down a river (alone, because you can do that in calm water) was a real treat. It was so quiet! I saw a blue heron, about 5 seals and numerous ducks.

Definitely one of the top days of this trip so far. And I think I need to build kayaking into my life again, somehow.

About the shopping… If I were into shopping, Mendocino would be highly dangerous. Lots of cute little shoppes, with things that are chosen with great care to be both unique and tasteful (at least, my kind of taste.) I could easily go wild. But… One thing I’ve learned from the Space Clearing workshop (and Stephanie’s book) is that for me, clear space is more valuable than “stuff.” I tend to get overwhelmed with stuff. I did buy a cookbook. But it’s one that supports my style of eating: healthy, simple and tasty. (Yes, I’ve noticed that I don’t have a kitchen. But I probably will before too long.)

After kayaking, I checked into my motel (less said the better, but it’s clean & cheap) in Ft Bragg. I cleaned up & headed back to Mendocino for dinner. After wandering around, checking out the options (and NOT buying that cute top), I stopped at the Mendocino Cafe.  Really good choice! I had a portobello mushroom cap stuffed w/crabmeat  (local) and topped with cheese. And a local ale. I’m not a beer drinker (gluten-sensitive & don’t like it anyway), but it was just perfect after a few hrs of kayaking.

So I think I’ll stay another day… Check out the sea glass beach, the Botanical Gardens & maybe go back to Mendocino for more un-shopping

Hasta luego!

Here's me- having fun, a little worse for wear

For those inquiring minds… Yes, I have about 5 black t-shirts with me; it’s not the same one all the time. But here I am @ the Muir Beach overlook on a beautiful (windy) Saturday morning.

So… let’s see. April 15 I drove from Morro Bay to Monterey. Made stops in a little town called Harmony (pop under 20) where there’s a terrific glass-blowing operation & gift shop. Wow!

And then on to Cambria, where I explored the East Village. Had breakfast at Linn’s. I couldn’t eat the pie (darn gluten intolerance!) but had the most fantastic veggie omelet. The service was outstanding, and I loved all the art deco touches & esp the mission-style buffet with quarter-sawn oak & stained glass.

Then I did a little exploring. My favorite shoppes were Cinnabar Rock Trail (Lots of goodies there, including some from San Miguel, which made me a little homesick) and Heart’s Ease, a garden/gift shoppe. I must have spent an hour roaming around smelling everything, checking out the gardens, etc. Too bad I’ll miss the Faerie Festival on the 25th, b/c that’s exactly my sort of thing.

Let’s see… then I pushed up the road through Big Sur (lots of road construction, but what a great place to get “stuck”) and into Monterey. There was some sort of BMX racing thing that wkend & it was a total zoo, so I just slept & left early the next am. Very disappointing, but I have a low tolerence for crazy @ this point, and it was that. I did luck into a great little motel: Del Monte Pines. I’d planned to go elsewhere & am really glad I found it instead. It was the lowest price I could imagine, but was absolutely immaculate. And I even had a gas fireplace! Amazing!

So the 16th, I went farther up the coast to Half Moon Bay. I stopped off in Aptos, CA to re-visit Seacliff Beach. And saw the rental where we’d had some family reunions. Lots of good memories there.

Half Moon Bay… Well once again I was tired & cranky. Lots of gift shops, good restaurants & crowds. Some days, I just feel allergic to all that, so I concentrated on getting a good night’s sleep.

So yesterday April 17, I got up early & beat the crowds over the Golden Gate Bridge (!) and on to Muir Woods. It was absolutely lovely. Not as quiet as all that, but considering that it was Sat AM, and free entrance day, very nice. I hiked around for a while & then headed on up the coast.

All the little towns had events of some kind going on, so I really didn’t stop @ Bodega Bay, Tomales, etc. Lots of bikes on the road, and crowds. But once I got to Fort Ross, things calmed down. There are calla lilies blooming beside the road! Not to mention the ice plants, lupines, poppies.

And I found a great little place in Gualala, the Surf Motel. I got the last available room (my luck is holding!) with an ocean view and a feather bed. So I just opened the window & fell asleep to the sound of the waves. Oh my! Wish I could stay for a long while. But my budget is making little ouchy sounds, and MENDOCINO is just up the road!

Hasta luego!

Ojai, CA

Wow, I have a lot of catching up to do!

Went to Fresno to see my Dad & stepmom & be coddled for a while. Even gypsies need to rest now & then. The orange groves were in their glory. We went up to Shaver Lake to get a taste of the mountain air; there was actually snow up there. California is an amazing place, isn’t it? I wish I could bottle the smell of sun on the pines, with just a little woodsmoke for spice.

Then it was off (on Monday) over the Grapevine. If you’ve not heard of it, imagine a freeway over the mtn passes, with semis laboring up and then making up time on the downhill. I got to Ojai safely, but with a nasty headache.

So I tucked myself into the most wonderful bed in the world (I actually took a picture! I want a bed just like this if I ever settle down!) And woke up the next morning ready to explore Ojai, CA.

So Tuesday, I went rambling around town. OMG! I will definitely be back. There are the trees… lots of big gnarly oaks, palms, you name it. And mountains in the backdrop. And Spanish architecture. Not to mention, lots of good fresh food, thrift shops, galleries, boutiques… Kind of like heaven.

Did I mention that I’ve found my favorite bookstore in the world? (So far, I’m still checking.) Bart’s Books is mostly open air… There is a courtyard full of bookshelves, with tables to sit and read. Inside the house- more books! And the staff is helpful but unobtrusive. Oh yes, I will be coming back to Ojai. And I managed to get out with only one book- a history of Mexico by Mayo.

So Wednesday I took off reluctantly, but ready to head up the coast. What a gorgeous drive. I just kept drinking in the scenery. Just imagine- cows & eucalyptus trees on one side, and the ocean on the other. About mid-afternoon, I ended up in Morro Bay, and decided that was plenty.

So found a hotel & headed down for the Rock. It was really windy (and I mean really!) Saw some paragliders, had fresh oysters for dinner. (And garlic fries- there are benefits to solo travel!) and searched for sea otters from the restaurant window.

That catches us up… I’m heading north again today. Will probably see Cambria, Big Sur & Monterey.

Hasta luego!

Sedona Pink Jeep Tours- Since 1959!

I ended up staying 3 nights in Sedona. Could easily have stayed longer; I really liked it there. There are lots of photos on flickr.

Most of what I was doing was plain old resting up. But I also got the car’s oil changed, did laundry, took a Pink Jeep tour, explored the town and ate at the Barking Frog. (Cactus Fries are terrific! Think nopales salad, but breaded & fried. OMG…)

The Jeep tour was great! It wasn’t too strenuous, but I got to walk around & inspect a cliff dwelling. It was so amazing to see the fingerprints in the mortar. And there were LOTS of pictographs & some petroglyphs as well. The weather was absolutely perfect, and what was amazing is that I called @ 7AM & was able to get in on a tour @ 8:30. They really have a very streamlined operation.

Let’s see, the first day was windy, so I mostly explored the town via the Trolley. It was fun, but I’m still not in a shopping mood. I think I bought a latte And an oil change.

I didn’t really get into the vortex thing… I did go in a very nice New Age shop & chatted w/the owner a bit. And later on, went into a bookstore where I bought “Chakra Tonics” which actually has a very good description of chakras, and some good recipes.

Basically, I was just resting & letting my soul catch up w/my body again. Tonight I’m in Bakersfield, and then I’ll be in Fresno for Thurs- Sun.

Coming down into the Valley from AZ made me realize all over again that California is still “home” to me, whatever home means. The Mojave is blooming, but seeing those green-furred hills with live oaks… well, it’s one of my homeplaces.