Hearst Castle

 

Hearst Castle is located about an hour and 20 minutes north of us on Highway 1. We have gone to the Castle many times and taken most of the tours. But this time was special.

 

We went to a private showing of a CA State Park movie that will be aired on PBS this fall.

 

The movie and reception was good but the spring evening just before sunset was spectular! There was not a whisper of a breeze, you didn't even need a jacket. Very unusual up there. I guess Mr. Hearst knew what he was doing when he chose this setting to build a castle.

 

What's For Lunch

As we were leaving the house today, we watched two Red Shouldered Hawks catch and devour their lunch. They were in an open field and one right after the other, they swooped down and scooped up what looked to be good sized gophers.

 

Although they saw us watching them, they were much more interested in filling up on their tasty meal and made no move to fly away. Sorry gophers, this was not your lucky day.

 

That's how nature works... out here in the rural countryside of Arroyo Grande,

Lizzy Lizard

 

I LOVE this watercolor my daughter did. She is such a special and wonderful lady in so many ways. And then to top it off, she is a gifted artist!

I love you my darling daughter, just because you are you.

The Spotted Towhee

 

This Spotted Towhee comes quite regularly to eat underneath the bird feeders. They hunt for the seeds and cracked corn that the other birds kick out of the feeders and into the grass.

 

They are so much brighter than their cousin the California Towhee, which is a rather drab brown. Doesn't seem quite fair! All the Towhees love to eat on the ground and are quite tame and unafraid.

We love our wild bird friends.

Coreopsis Hill

 

The sand was pristine... not a foot print in sight. It rained last night which packed the sand and made walking easy.

 

The wind blows the grains of sand in wonderful and mysterious ways.

 

The drops are sharp and unexpected.

 

It was threatening to rain but it never happened.

 

Avila Bay, Oso Flaco Lake and Coreopsis.

 

The Coreopsis are like giant bouquets popping up in the sand.

 

I'm so glad I didn't let the chance of a few rain drops change my plans.

Home Grown

This is one of the Monarchs we raised here on our property. The egg was layed here, the caterpillar ate on our very own Milkweed plants, it made it's chrysalis on our fence and I found it drying it's wings and brought it to the house and put a tag on it. It sat in the lime tree for about an hour and then flew away.

Have a wonderful life!

Horses At Play

We were on our way to San Luis and saw these horses playing in a pond left from our recent rain. They splashed each other, rolled onto their back and pawed the bottom.

 

They chased each other and threw around some plants that were in the bottom of the pond.  I guess I'd say, "they were just horsing around!"  

 

It was quite a display and we watched them having fun until they had had enough.

 

Then, as if on cue they gathered themselves up, shook themselves off and regain their horse composure!