Winter in California, Spring in Montpellier!

A wintertime view of the Central Coast! Not so bad... Note Morro Rock, nearly dead center.

Ah, the California coastline! We were there in February, making the long trip to spend time with friends and family.  And California, specifically the Central Coast where we live, was more than fine. It fact, it was extraordinary!

We flew into San Francisco and met up with our friends Sue and Alan, driving with them to Los Osos. They stayed for a few days, escaping the Oregon winter. They came with us to one of our favorite places, the nearby Montaña de Oro State Park. We love coming here to stroll along the flat cliff tops and watch the powerful waves of the Pacific Ocean crash against steep rocks. On this visit we had thick fog drifting down the coast, giving the cliffs and narrow beaches a mystical aire.

The rough rocky coast of Montaña de Oro, a state park not far from our house in Los Osos,
 on a foggy sunny day.

Paula and Sue at Montaña de Oro. Discussing the weather?

Nothing beats a sunny day at the ocean, but there's a lot to be said for a mystical, foggy seascape.

Finally a break in the fog, and a pair of lovely, lonely California poppies. 
(The State Flower!)

Our house in Los Osos is close to Morro Bay, and while we can't see it from our ground-floor apartment, it is ever-present. We walk often to the bay, just a mile (downhill!) from our house.

 

Kayaks on the shore of the bay in what we refer to as "downtown" Los Osos.

Oh so California: a cow statue, a stand-up paddle boarder wearing California poppy shorts.
(Looks like the tide is out on the bay!)

Somehow, in all the years we've lived there, we/re rarely been out on the water. All the many kayaks we see on the shore and in the water is a constant reminder that we really don't take the opportunity to use this fabulous resource! 

But we did on this visit.

Our good friend Mike is a tourist guide who spends a lot of his time on the bay. He organized a trip across the one-mile stretch of water to the sand spit that separates the bay from the ocean and keeps out the huge Pacific swells. So one morning found three of us—Mike, John, and me—sliding kayaks into the water at the edge of the marina.

It's not a long paddle, but we felt victorious when we arrived on the far beach and left the boats to climb the dunes. From the top we enjoyed fine views all up and down the coast, and it was a quick descent to the  spacious empty beach on the other side. After contemplating the vast Pacific Ocean, we made our way back up the dunes again, and then came running, jumping and crashing down the steep dune faces to our boats. The wind had picked up, but it was now at our backs, so our return paddle was quick.

View from the top. Mike holds the camera; in the background is Morro Rock,
one of two iconic landmarks of the town of Morro Bay. 

John runs-jumps-slides down a dune face as I wait my turn at the top.
(Photo credit: Thanks, Mike!)

A quick view of the bay from the sand spit...

It was such a successful trip that we did it again the next week, with Paula and Jamie, John's wife. The wind was up this time, and we only got halfway across the bay before turning and paddling along the shore. We had walked and driven along these beaches many times, but this was the first we'd see seen them from the water. That was very special. Overall, our two kayak trips on the bay were fantastic!

Mike, Paula, Paul, Jamie, John after our highly successful paddle on the bay!

We were pleased to see how well the yard was doing under Jamie's excellent care: the succulents were exploding! Here in France we are limited to little pots on the balcony. It was a joy to see a real garden. And we have John to thank for the night time lighting... 

The succulents grow SO well in the sand dunes of Los Osos!

John's night time fairyland...

...and he found something new to light the garden paths.

Even in February we can enjoy the garden at night!

A final shot of Morro Rock, seen from Sweet Springs, across the bay.

            It's spring again in Montpellier.

Well, so what? It's spring again all over the northern hemisphere. But we LIVE in Montpellier, so we get to see spring happening here. 

We lived in California (also in the Northern Hemisphere) for many decades, and spring did, indeed, happen at this time every year. But it didn't make as great an impression.

Why? Because California weather is pretty nice all the time, really. Things are always green!

Here, while winter is far from harsh, many trees and other plants do lose their leaves. Things turn brown. Branches are bare. Now the leaves are returning, plants are flowering. It's a change, it's exciting. It's remarkable!

View from our balcony. For months we've seen these bare brown branches; soon we'll have a solid wall of green, restoring our privacy (and that or our neighbors), and protecting us from the harsh summer sun.

Wisteria gone wild! We see it all over town.

While our time in California was wonderful, spent connecting with family and friends, we are always glad to get back home to Montpellier. Now we're busy connecting with friends here, and making plans for the summer and fall.

        More on that in our next blog...

Paula admires cherry blossoms near our apartment in Montpellier.
They only lasted about three days; now the tree is full of  tiny hard green cherries!