Topanga Days

When I first moved to Los Angeles in 1995, I fell in love with Topanga Canyon because of its leafy trees, its unpredictable winding roads, and its culture.  The Topanga Canyon neighborhoods are eclectic and varied, and the folks there celebrate on Memorial Day weekend with the Topanga Days festival.  Now in its 37th year, the festival is a three day party featuring music, fine arts and crafts, and food and drink.

Music lovers will appreciate the opportunity to discover new sounds and talents.  An amazing roster of acts is planned for this year, including local acts you’ve never heard of and bands that have been there, done that.  My own friend Charlie Vaughn and his band The Daily Routine are on the bill for Monday.  This live act is not to be missed.  Just imagine it – you’re outside in the dusty canyon, a cold beer in your hand, music pumping through your body, happy people all around you.

Oh wait, that was when I was 24 and single and childless.  Read More »

UpTake on soaring pelicans

White oval stickers with black capital letters HMB are proudly affixed to many car bumpers in my “neck of the coastline.” I have one stuck to my laptop and many people ask what it stands for. I often reply with “Heaven Made Better” because that is how Half Moon Bay makes me and my diggity-dogs feel.

This ‘UpTake’ was snapped by yours truly while taking a stroll on Maverick’s Beach with my furry four-legged companions, Lupe and Paolo. It was a beautiful and warm day with just little layer of clouds in the sky. The tide was out, people were picnicking and dogs were happily running in the sand, tails wagging and slobber flying! While my dogs were sniffing in racks of washed up kelp, I was basking in the moment. I looked up to the sky with my camera and these pelicans were soaring overhead in the sunlight. *sigh* Life is good. Wag more, bark less (another familiar bumper sticker).

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Worth the toll.

Santa Cruz, California is a great town with lots of character and natural beauty (see above). Plus, it makes me think of this song, which I like.

This photo is for Wordless Wednesday. Words included at no extra charge.

Photo by the_tahoe_guy via Flickr:

UpTake on Pie Ranch

My calendar now has every third Saturday of the month blocked out for volunteer farm day, pot luck and barn dance at Pie Ranch. I can get dirt under my finger nails and do-si-so all in one day. Git on yer boots and swing yer partner!!

You may ask yourself, “what exactly is Pie Ranch? What does it all mean?”

I discovered Pie Ranch while driving on Highway 1 south of Pescadero and Pigeon Point and I saw the sign in front of an old barn beckoning me in, “Pie Ranch”.  Hmmm, I imagined fields of pie grazing on lush green grass like free range cattle or chickens. I have a really active imagination! So, I had to satisfy my curiosity and perhaps craving for pie and pulled into the dirt parking lot to find out the answer.

The answer is Pie Ranch is a non-profit educational farm with the mission “to inspire and connect rural and urban people to know the source of their food, and to work together to bring greater health to the food system from seed to table.” Read More »