25 May, 2005 - 7:22 a.m.
California was lovely. The rains which started when I was in Baja in October haven't stopped and everything is in bloom. It is amazing. The canyons, at least in the central coastal area, have a yummy spicy smell and are colored by tons of flowers. Very different form teh usual dry browns and gold witht he occassional scrub brush.
The drive up Big Sur was fog free. We visited with Ostriches and even saw a herd of zebra on a hillside near the Hearst Castle. The kayak on Monterey Bay allowed me to visit harbor seals, sea lions and best of all, sea otters! in their natural habitat. They were much bigger than I had imagine. Very cute and endearing in their antics. Westie friends met us there and shared the experience. It is always so nice to hook up with friends while traveling.
From there it was off to Yosemite. The first day the valley floor was flooded so we hiked the sequoia grove. Met the oldest tree in the country at 2700 hundred years olds and 30 feet in diameter. Majestic!
The next day enough water had run off to allow us into the valley for some awesome waterfall experiences and mountain/granite face views. Stunning!
Hit the ground running when I got home (not a big surprise, I know) and have been painting every day. Was so exhausted by the time my birthday got here on Sunday that I almost missed it....... Robert and local friends made sure I had fun though. Oddly enough, sleeping was what I wanted most.
Will be working as the Office MAnager at my church as of June 1. It wil be nice to have a job that slows me down a bit.
Hope you are well!
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