the last hours

the ONLY thing I can think of whenever I walked past these flowers was...

the splendor of the King

click on the pic and look closely.....a hummingbird a fluttering

I can't remember her name, but she and her new husband (they were from France) had started pedaling in Alaska and made it to Santa Barbara on this November day and their final destination....Argentina in 2010 ( the biker, not the walker)

this is for Chet

climb the mountain

be it big

be it small

take the challenges

that present themselves

and you will never be bored

promise

Pics from Mon

Ben lives @ Big Sur and works the parking lot in the middle of nowhere. He pays 50.00 a month to live in a dorm and work in a state park. He reads, draws and talks to people.

Ben had suggested a trail to the coast to see "purple sand" and the beach. He said we would have to get our feet wet.

Our feet got wet & muddy....the mud was amazing spa treatment like mud and it was free!

I hiked the entire hike barefoot and when we told Ben what I had done he called me a savage.

Look close or click on the pic to to see the fox. I thought it was a grey fox....Ben said they don't have grey foxes....only red, so it was a red fox.

After this hike we took a 2nd hike to see more wintering monarchs. We had a really, really hard time finding them, but we did. Deep in a Eucalyptus tree grove. Standing in a small clearing and having like 20 butterflies flittering about you is like pure fantasy.

what happened on Sunday

It will be hard to recount the entire day, but here goes....The town of Pacific Grove, CA has a site where Monarchs winter....it is an amazing site to see thousands and thousands of butterflies in one spot. It is an experience much like a fantasy.

CLOSE-UP!

this is a harbor seal in Pacific Grove---we also saw Elephant Seals

The Mission in Carmel

so....we went to see the butterflies and then went o church in Pacific Grovc then we drove to Carmel and had lunch which was spectacular after which we found a cheese store and purchased some local cheeses. then we went to Padres State Park and watched a spectacular sunset and saw waves crash against the rocks and send spray 10, 20, 30 feet in the air. It was God performing fireworks ( I lost all of these pics)

then we went back to Monterey and stayed @ the Blue Lagoon for 39.00

zzzzZZZZZZZ.....

Then Monday came....it was a long day

BIG SUR

what its all about

This is where we stayed Fri in HMB (Half Moon Bay). It was nice, with a shared bath, but we had no one to share with. We have been getting some sweet deals since it is off season. Last nite (Sat) we paid 49.00 in Monterey. We only have two nites left of exploring. Tues nite in LA has been booked for a long time.

This is Sheila in her store Tokenz in HMB. This is what it's all about---people and love. Her store gave off a positive light and yet it had many points of reference to god(s). We talked....she is a wonderful good person. In the end we all left more faithful to God.

It has been raining for days and it has been overcast since we got here. Our pics have not had great light. This was during the pouring rain somewhere north of Monterey....I cannot begin to describe the POWER of the ocean. Except to say it was made by Him who is all powerful.

Santa Cruz

THE HOOK

where surfing began

One thing I have noticed about Cali...each area is proudly it's own

santa cruz has a serious ambiance

Great pizza @ Pleasure Pizza on E. Cliff Drive

Great COFFEE-- Fins on Ca. 1

Ever in Monterey? Kristen recomends The Blue Lagoon Inn which was BOOKED SOLID and we found Padre Oaks---possibly the best bargain of the trip!

Sunday 11/2

Church

Carmel Mission

Butterfly Groves

BIG SUR

let's go!

Alcatraz from Pier 39
Mar driving the cable car....they let me ring the bell..

Making the difference by encouraging and loving people has it's rewards.

B & W; Fuji Fine Pix Z

Pier 39

Photographer Margaret Perazzelli

it's raining today....

overcast and windy and it is the first day below San Francisco.

We stayed in a lovely little town of Half Moon Bay last nite albeit a bit of a posh little town

We are ready to hit the coast after being in SF for a full day.

Missions & Monarchs lay ahead

A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Lord God, may Mar and I gain wisdom in our travels and knowledge in our day.

Halloween

Union Square. LOVE is all powerful, isn't it?

Sign in the Mission area of San Fran

No matter what, no matter who----don't judge. Just love.

How else will they come to know Him?

in the city

The tugboat Hercules, retired and docked in San Francisco Bay...and it was built where....Camden, NJ, five minutes from my house?

TIMES CHANGE--people don't Coit Tower, a Frisco landmark,and this is the view from it.

One of the major highlights of the day were the murals at Coit Tower.
The murals captured mankinds quest.
That quest will be talked about on the next post.

We heard that it was like Jim's Steaks, but just Chinese food....we were told there would be a line out the door. Well it was excellent.....nothing fancy just really good Chinese food....and of course God had spared us the lines.