Discovery Day at San Simeon

This is aa annual event for children to explore science and especially learn about our marine sanctuary environment.

                                                      Mike tried his hand at cattle roping.

Kids built remote control submersables out of PVC pipes and floats.

Our friend Tony works with birds of prey to provide natural pest control for the grape and blueberry fields

Wonderful day Kayaking

On Thursday we enjoyed a great day of kayaking Morro Bay. The weather and seas were perfect and we spent 4 hours on the water.

Pelicans waiting for a handout

Jellyfish

White Pelicans

Seals

We watched the sea otters play. This gull kept trying to steal the food right off the belly of the otter.

We even went out of the breakwater into the open ocean.

Hurrah !!!

The chicken coop is done and the chickens are enjoying their new home, Cluckingham Palace.

Hope the chickens appreciate the parquet floor.

Bixby lept through some of the work.

On the way home

After leaving the festival we explored north of Laytonville,walking among the redwoods and along the Eel River and  looking for evidence of our neighbors family cabin resort.

We headed along the back roads staying at the State park at Clear Lake then south to explore
a Robert Louis Stevenson memorial marking the spot of a cabin where he wrote.

                                                                 The Salinas mission

                                
                                                And Mikes favorite, Mission San Antonio

                                                A good 4th of July lunch in Calistoga

We spent the 4th of July night at Lake San Antonio. Surprisingly, we had a whole loop almost to ourselves.

                                                               Wild turkey family

more Kate Wolf

This year at this festival they used all washable dishes and utensils. It was amazing to see the enthusiasm for this even from the dishwashers. This worked so smoothly and greatly reduced trash and impact on the environment. Very impressive when serving thousands of people over 4 days and all done outdoors. All of the food venues participated, serving on washable plastic plates and real stainless steel utensils. When finished we just put our used dishes into the buckets and they had a wonderfully organised crew of washers.

                                           It even added plate juggling to the entertainment

Other play activities included this cardboard slide and hula hooping.

Our friend Louie  Ortega played with his group the Texas Tornados. he was one of the original members of this group and it amazing how many songs the audience knew to sing along with and dance to. The renown Flacco played his accordion. A great warm up for K.D. Lang on Saturday night.

Mike played his flute by the river.

Occasionally  Wavy Gravy (of Woodstock fame) takes the stage and enthralls the audience with tales of his life. We saw a special on PBS about him and now I appreciate his interesting life, philosophy and good things he has done for kids with his camp.

                                      The Love Choir always puts on a rousing singalong.

                            We enjoyed this vendor, buying feather hairpieces to get into the Hippy mood.

                                View from the river (tried to photograph only the suited)
      

                                                       Respect for nature

Lee and Janelle enjoying their outdoor shower.

Friend jamming

                     

They end every year by singing "Give yourself to Love". Rita Hoskins led the whole group including Wavy Gravy sitting on the left. These musicians were all friends of Kate Wolf and honer her beautiful song.