Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Joyeux Noel! Santa is coming to town!

I have a grin on my face just like this snowman. Tomorrow, my daughter returns home to California from college in Barcelona, for 10 whole days! It will be a whirlwind. It will also be a low-key Christmas; no grand plans, just the pure joy of being cocooned at home with the wintery rain glistening the falling leaves, and the trees swaying in the northern winds.  
The decorations around the house are simpler this year. I like the miniature effect of the filter setting I set on my camera. I like the mood. 

Rejoice in the spirit of the Season ~ Gather your loved ones ~ And smile ~ Smile wide.
















How grand it would be to have such a regal coat. Winters are much too mild here in northern California, but perhaps my daughter would benefit from one just like it - she is off to Montreal for a semester after her 10 days here at home - now that should be cold- very cold.

I send blessings to you for a beautiful Holiday Season - sprinkle a little glitter in the air, surround yourself with light, love, and peace for that is truly good for the soul.

Joyeux Noel! Adeline

Thursday, December 3, 2015

A lighthouse, a winery on the edge, and a dramatic sky

Time wants to just fly by!
I remind myself after this short blogging hiatus how I love stopping time with three-day weekends and filling them with incredible vistas, exquisite light and treasured moments  - these quick getaways, done every few months, invigorate me, take me to destinations unknown or rediscovered. With a busy work life and a busy high schooler, my days are very full; so stepping outside, putting foot to pedal, grabbing my companion and heading out of town - is a sweet blessing. 

On a recent escapade, the Mendocino coast beckoned yet again. The stops along the way were new. North and South of Mendocino we meandered - from back roads to picturesque ocean views on one hand and rolling California hills on the other. South of Mendocino, we stopped between Albion and Little River. Here the coastline definitely starts kicking into high gear. The sky that day was busy with intricate cloud formations. We walked along the bluff and stood in awe. A pristine blue sky would have been dull in comparison The Point Cabrillo Lighthouse stood prim and proper against that stormy sky. Pushing north, tucked on the edges of the Pacific Ocean a few miles past Fort Bragg was another delightful discovery - the Pacific Star Winery with its barrels basking in the damp ocean air. You feel as though you have stepped into the mouth of the San Andreas Fault with all the deeply eroded and etched crevasses denting the dark coastline. Quite a setting indeed!

























Between the drive along Anderson Valley to the coast, the lighthouse, the winery, the stunning scenery, the spectacular skies, a glass of "It's Not My Fault" in hand, we were smitten. The winery guesthouse beckoned, but we pushed on, through The Avenue of The Giants to wrap it up with dinner in Eureka and a night even further north in Trinidad, not too far from the Oregon border - I must save that northern corner of California for another blog - The skies just kept getting better!
I do believe you will be planning your 3 day weekend in no time - 
You see... It is good for the soul...
Enjoy as always , Adeline