West Coast

Where land meets the sea.  On this day in January the weather was unseasonably warm as you can see by our clothing.  On this day this place was teeming with life.  We saw whales, dolphins, otters, seals, egrets and pelicans among other things.  A quintessential California day.  A good day to watch the diamonds of light cut across the water.  A good day to soak in before heading back to the east coast. To the snow drifts and winds.  To the papers and books.

   

Morning River

Usually this is a trail head we bypass on our way to the cool, refreshing,deep, rocky river.  Barely glance at it.  But on this warm winter morning it was exactly the trail head we were aiming for.  To explore a tributary along one of my favorite rivers.  To see it in a different season.  To smell the dampness and cool air instead of the dry dustiness we are used to in this area.  To feel the cool vapor rising up from the river instead of plunging into the cold water.  A refreshing walk before we headed back down, out of the mountains, to the valley and city and shore.   

These Woods

This exceptionally warm weather provided the opportunity to walk in the woods.   We were staying in the house right up from here.   We got to just walk out the door and down into these woods.  Eli found a great stick and the second time around brought down his pocket knife to do a bit of whittling.  He is so comfortable in these woods.  I love to walk behind him and watch him bounce down the hills stopping now and then to pick up the perfect stick to put in his pocket or lace it into a belt loop.   We follow deer trails here and there.  We are reading The Hobbit and I must say after reading that and then coming right out here, these woods seem a little bit more magical.