California: Too Much Pretty

I hit what I will call a "pretty overload" today. As Joe put it, at every turn it's like, look, more pretty. So many breathtaking cliff views of roiling ocean or quiet bay, vast blue skies and fertile green hills, little yellow gatherings of flowers, field upon field of artichokes and strawberries. Fog enrobed mountains, curving twisting roads, beaches covered with happy barking sea lions. Somehow after a full week of this glorious nature I'm actually longing for the flat plains of Kansas.



Today between post graduation brunch and the evening get togethers, Joe and I took a few hours to tour around Santa Cruz. We hit an antique street fair and browsed and hippie watched. And Dave had suggested we visit Long Marine Lab to see the 87 foot blue whale skeleton outside the facility and at the same time take a look at the Natural Bridges Park right next door. We drove over, it was nearly empty.





We had nowhere to be in a hurry. So while Joe tried to capture in flight sea gull photos, I sat on the light brown grass and gazed off into the bay for a perfect quiet half hour. I just watched sailboats and birds. I just took a minute to absorb the pretty. Take in a small manageable dose before it's gone. I'll miss it tomorrow as we fly in over the flat yellow land that we call home. But I'll be glad to return.