April 24

After receiving my friend's flame-themed wedding invitation, I made them a picnic blanket and napkins in yellow, orange and cyan.

I love non-traditional weddings :-)

April 18

Lauren didn't want to go hiking, so I climbed Calabasas Peak alone.

April 16

My sister's birthday necklace goes perfectly with my new top.

April 13

Summer is coming.

April 12

More birthday love arrived today.

Awesome button flowers from my workmate Kerri.

And 15 unique notecards, wrapped in vintage linen, from, and featuring the original photography of, the inimitable, irrepressible Deb Taylor.

I'm a lucky duck.

April 10

I returned home to yet more birthday love. Thank you so so much, my wonderful family and friends. I truly feel celebrated :-)

April 9

Last morning at the cabin. I could hear bees, birds, and a far-off rooster. No cars. No sirens. No police helicopters. I need to spend more time like this.

But more adventures awaited. I packed up my stuff and headed north to visit an infrequent blogger but awesome woman in Santa Cruz.

On the way I stopped at the lovely Don Dahvee Park in Monterey and hiked the short creekside trail. So pretty!

I felt right at home at Doña's. We chatted and knitted and prepared food for a potluck supper, then went out to see Patty Griffin with a bunch of Doña's vivacious and interesting friends. This was worth rejoining civilization for :-)

More Big Sur Love

I have walked a lot today and yesterday. My hips and legs and feet are sore.


















But I couldn't be happier.

April 7

Today, I am fifty. Fifty! It's quite amazing to me. My gift to myself is a solo getaway in a secluded Big Sur cabin.

The instructions to get there are quite complicated. You have to call them from Hearst Castle (70 miles south) because after that your cell phone won't work. This gives them your ETA. Then, at a specific mile marker near the turnoff, you can get a cell signal so you have to call again from there to confirm your arrival. You then drive down an unmarked side street for a couple of miles, and meet this guy.
This is John. He led the way up a dirt road to the cabin then helped carry my stuff in, and explained the composting toilet.

The gardens around the cabin are wonderful, a perfect riot of colours and textures.






After a short nap, I hiked back down the mountain to Pfeiffer Beach.

Note the street name. I think they wanted me to keep out.

My dream home. Pacific Ocean in the background. Ooh yeah.

Wildflowers galore.

On the road to the beach is a field containing some shaggy horses. I guess a lot of people thought they were looking uncared-for, and the owners had to explain that they were just really really old.


I didn't stay long at the beach; I wanted to get back up the mountain before sunset.

After a spot of dinner, I'm cozied up in bed with a book and some knitting, happy as a clam.