the way home

Part 3 of a summer road trip...

Leaving Ashland was a sad business. But I do so love a good drive, even when I'm driving away from a glorious summer holiday.

The fast changing view from my car window included snowed topped Shasta peaks, blood orange sunsets...

...  high mountain valleys & roadside cherry stands.

And no road trip down the Northern 101 would be complete without a pancake stop in Salinas, CA.

There are some really lovely old buildings and signs in that town. Marquees that look like they were there before color. 

I always think about those great American depression writers & photographers when I pass through Salinas. Although, I never have visited Mr. Steinbeck's museum.

Being There

Part 2 of a summer road trip...

Our trip to Ashland, Oregon was one of those vacations that none of us wanted to end. Some of the highlights were...  

 ... late summer gardens, spilling out over picket fences...

... the old house we stayed in with the perfectly wallpapered attic room...

... all the old houses and buildings with paint peeling character and signs of lemonade summers on back porches...

... slow spacey time spent in art filled coffee houses...

... morning mimosas at the Dragonfly...

... late night pints at the Black Sheep...

... hanging out with this gang...

... and these guys...

... lounging in Lithia Park...

... watching the grass grow.

Wandering North

Part 1 of a summer road trip...

We drove the 101 N from Ventura to San Francisco and passed by this crazy fire along the way.

After a night of r&r in the bay area, we got back on the road and made our way to southern Oregon.

Anyone who says there's nothing to look at on Interstate 5 must never have made it far enough north. That amazing highway winds through valleys and mountains, by forests and streams. It's lovely.

home is where the rodeo is

We're home! Made it just in time to catch the last day of our county fair. We ate candy almonds and got sun kissed while we watched the rodeo. All in all, a very Americana Sunday.

see you real soon...

We leave tomorrow for our summer vacation. There's just nothing like a good old fashioned family road trip to make you feel the sunshine season. Ah Americana.


This will be my first vacay in a long long time that I won't be taking my laptop. I'll certainly miss checking in with y'all but I can't wait to share all my photos and stories with you when I get home. Cheers.


{photo from the Library of Congress}

Fair!

The rickety rides and fried food carts have started to arrive at our seaside fairgrounds. 








Oooh I just love the County Fair!

dog days

Summer school is over. The sun is shining. I've spent the better part of the afternoon baking pie and gabbing with a girlfriend. Let the dog days of summer begin.


{photo from here}

Sloppy Summer Pie

This pie started off so well, with perfectly sweet raspberries and fresh yellow peaches from the farmers market.








Everything seemed to be going well, the juices were bubbling thickly and it would be done in time to bring to a Sunday BBQ with friends.





Sadly, when we cut into it, there was something like a peach raspberry soup inside the crumb topped crust. Isn't that always the way when there are eight hungry grown ups and 2 salivating toddlers waiting to eat desert.  





Well, it was devoured anyway. Even if it was a sloppy failure.

back to the beach

I'm still sandy from my morning at the beach. And it's just too nice a day to sit at the computer, so I'm going back outside. Maybe I'll stay up late and post things after this glorious day as gone to sleep.

Hope you're having a perfect Saturday... wherever you live and whatever the weather.