Fort Bragg

Oh dear... I just had the loveliest visit with a friends Jo (Joan). I drove over via Hwy 20 which crosses through Clear Lake County, and Barb drove up via HWY 101. She says the traffic from Santa Cruz on was at .002 mph.  By the time she & doggie Chori arrived at Jo's, Barb was a wreck.

This is the first visit during which I was so lackadaisical, that I never bothered to visit Mendocino or MacKerricher State Park which is literally in walking distance from Jo's house. Jo did take us all for a walk on the beach. I enjoyed my leisurely stroll along the beach, happy to be a little chilly as opposed to being back in Sacramento County with its 100 plus temperatures. I cannot wait to relocate to cooler climes, if I can indeed pull that off - many people are secretly betting I cannot and even I am a little overwhelmed by the necessary organization involved. UGH! Back to the beach - it was heavenly.

Fog one minute...

Blue skies the next.

The skies can be blue and foggy at the same time

Last time I was at Jo's it was Spring, and the bird life was hoppin', with Ospreys, Falcons, and my favorite a Olive-sided Flycatcher that called 'Quick Three Beers!' just in case you thought you might be thirsty. This time it is mid-summer and the feathered sorts were there, but not as varied in species. My favorites were the Cliff Swallows that annually nest under the eaves. Both nests contain nestlings that seem about half way to fledging.

The two nests under the eaves

HOLY CRAP! Is that Batman in there or a Chupacabra?

Waiting for Mom & Dad to get back

Whew... these are the nestlings in the right-hand clay nest, who look like the grumpiest of old men.
The nestlings had us cracking up every single night. After dark, when Barb would let her doggie Chori out for a last pee for the evening, she'd turn on the porch light and the poor nestlings thought it had been the shortest night ever and they'd shriek, "CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP!" The second the light went out there was nothing to be heard but crickets. Too cute.

The last day & night of our stay was unnerving. Jo got a call from a friend, Teje (Tee-gee) who lives in Clear Lake, which I safely drove through last Tuesday. Due to out-of-control wildfire, Teje was ordered to evacuate. So with her dog Annie, Teje called Jo, then headed over to Jo's house, seeking for shelter from the fire storms. Teje generously brought with her, a lot of BBQ food (electricity was out at her place) so as with my favorite saying, "No great harm without some small good" we feasted on steak, grilled ears of corn and massive salad. All sated, we solemnly awaited the news of the fire. Last report - from a friend of Teje's who stubbornly refused to vacate her home - all was safe, the fire had passed by their little neck of the oak woodlands, proving that Miracles do happen.

Here's a little miracle I filmed in Jo's front yard, set to an old tune from the 70s. Enjoy.