Chalk Art Extravaganza

One of our favorite Santa Barbara festivals happened this weekend, the I Madonnari. For three days, chalk artists gathered on the pavement near the entrance of the Mission. Initial progress had been hampered somewhat by the luminous threats of rain. Fortunately in the end, the event was well attended and the created artwork breathtaking.

A dose of liquid sunshine...

Yesterday, quite unexpectedly, raindrops fell from the sky. This unusual weather in Santa Barbara took many people by surprise, including me, who learned of this situation in route to school on my bike. Alas, as a true Oregonian at heart, I smiled through the wet commute, breathing in the freshness of the day. Now, as the rain has subsided, the only reminders of that special treat, are a few scattered puddles and wet tints on the cement. Strangely, I find those views to be quite beautiful. It is funny to be at a place in my life where rain has become the "sunshine" that I used to celebrate in other climates.

The beginnings of a new decade...

Today I turned 30. Though I know many people stop admitting their age past their 29th year of life, I have decided to embrace this milestone zestfully. In addition, with the new life goals I have set for myself, I am quite excited for what the future has in store for Kyle and me. The wanderlust 20's may be behind me, however, my desire for adventure has only gotten stronger with time. Thankfully this past weekend I was able to celebrate this joyous occasion in both a reflective and fun way.

Kyle orchestrated a memorable wilderness excursion for us. We headed into the backcountry of the Los Padres on Friday evening, bound for Bluff Camp. Just last year, the area was mostly devastated by the Zaca fire. The hills all around the camp were consumed by the enormous blaze, leaving only blackened and twisted snags and bushes. We were, however, thrilled to see a large variety of wildflowers in bloom, as well as other signs of life amongst the charcoal. While there we did some much needed trail work, enjoyed the sunsets, waded in the creek, hiked around, and even played Yahtzee. It was extremely hot, though amazing. My last official misjudgment as a twenty-something resulted in a significant sunburn along the fringes of my tank top. That hopefully won't happen again, now that I am so much older and wiser (wink, wink). Just before our return home, we went for a quick dip in the Santa Ynez river before stopping for lunch at the Cold Springs Tavern (the old stagecoach stop). What a great place for people watching and eating the infamously hearty Tri-Tip sandwiches . Grrrrrr!

Hope each day of the rest of my life brings me as much fulfillment and joy! Here's to birthdays! Hip Hip Hooray!

An Avacado Contraption...

A dear friend of ours has the most incredibly humongous avocado tree in his backyard. Last week during an impromptu barbecue, he demonstrated his skill of retrieving these delectable treats. The contraption is basically a metal cup with claws that is suspended on a long pole. In a perfect situation, the avocado picker would easily reach up into the branches, release the ready fruit, and transport it gently down to the ground. Due to the size of the tree, however, many of the avocados are seemingly out of reach. To remedy this extra challenge, Luke has resorted to gathering avocados from up on his roof. Craziness! Kyle also participated in the process, though thankfully his feet remained on solid ground.

Zoom Zoom...

Since living in Southern California, Kyle and I have been chipping away at a "list" of must-do activities in this area. Our "list" is actually more of a verbalized creation of fun ideas that we either hear about or discover through casual research. As travelers at heart, we enjoy approaching our everyday lives with the same wonder that comes from foreign experiences. That said, yesterday Kyle and I checked off an item that has been a lingering thought for some time. In route, we ventured down to Santa Monica for the big REI sale. I had my sights on a new bike, as I have decided to commute to work in a more environmentally friendly manner. After hours of shopping and deliberation, I selected my new green machine (see middle photo above). To celebrate the purchase and to finally accomplish one of our Californian goals, we rode along the infamous bike path from Santa Monica to Venice Beach. Along the way we saw lots of scantily clad individuals, eccentric performers and vendors, and funky art. We even happened upon an adult jungle gym on the beach where people were swinging on monkey bars/rings, walking tight ropes, and swirling hula-hoops. The most striking part of the experience, however, was being around all of the active individuals who were either running, roller blading, or biking. Interestingly, it appears that numerous people are clued into what it means to internalize the notion that is quoted on my new bicycle, "Bikes are freedom." Cheers to the inventors of a fabulous machine and to those who exercise their freedom of movement!