I'm ON vaCAtion!

Point Reyes in the morning

 Actually, I'm not on vacation at all, but I have been super busy: new jobs, six weeks of awesome houseguests and weekend excusions.  Plus all the postcard printing to send mail to you!  It seems important lately, with the crazy schedule of switching jobs and juggling 2 or three at a time, to take one day off every week to see what California has to offer in the summer.  Mostly: beautiful cloudy coastlines and warm rivers.

Once again, Andy G. consented to birthday on the beach! Though the beaches are too cold for swimming, we had a beautiful hike around Point Reyes. Even the most touristy spots are beautiful and not too crowded.  We saw deer and smart-mouthed 12 year olds.

California State Bird! 

the lighthouse at Point Reyes

 A friend visiting from Norway gave us a good excuse to drive to the Avenue of the Giants, a stretch of road just off highway 101 that goes through and near many redwood groves.  It took us all day to get there but it was worth it to walk around these trees in fading light.  ANd we had detoured through Russian River to have lunch and a little swim.  We got back to Berkeley in time for "dinner" at Saturn and were home by midnight, but barely.   Now it is back to work.  Until next weekend, maybe!

giant!

Day Off

Luckily I have a smart sweetie who knows a good opportunity and convinces me to go to the country with our friends instead of trying to print next month's postcard when the printshop is closed anyway. So off we go, somehow only 70 miles from Oakland, there are levees and endless farmland where our friend has a small farm. She invited us there with a bunch of others for pumpkin picking and food and pie tasting and music. I helped sell squash and pumpkin and, in return, came home with a giant soup pumpkin, a jack-o-lantern-to-be and a belly full of pie. Who knew acorn squash pie is so good?

Andy wandered around the farm and took these great photos. As the sun went down, tired and wine-happy, we reluctantly got back in the car to drive to the city to our house which is finally officially well-stocked with food. Now if only I wasn't too tired to cook all week. Though I have 3 part-time jobs, they equal full-time work plus commuting. And this sinus sickness won't let go. But I have my three favorite postcards cheering me on and tonight, we might try and run the Vandercook in our garage.