A MIDSUMMER DAY'S TRAVEL UP CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL COAST








There are days in one's life that you'd rather that bedtime came about 12 hours earlier than normal, and then there are days that you wish would never end. Yesterday was the latter for this traveler! A Type A personality, I am not. The day just past would have driven my Type A friends nuts, quite probably. Starting a day with little or no plans other than where I thought I wanted to spend the night (the locale anyway, no reservations nailed down) was exhilerating for me. 


The campground that was home for a night was high on a mesa, overlooking the ocean (no ocean siteline for me though - bummer..) and located a short jaunt north of Santa Barbara. {...allow me to digress... Santa Barbara is a spectacularly beautiful place - the mountains that surround the city and the beach areas make for a setting that would satisfy the most discriminating of landscape pleasure-seekers. Oh, and the wine-tasting event I stumbled across in the quaint village wine shop located downhill from Westmount College was a serendipitous 1/2 hour for me. I left the little 'party' a bit smarter about a handful of French (not particularly inexpensive) champagnes. Mr. French-man knew 'his stuff'... I knew I liked 'his stuff'...) Back to the campground mesa - a place that offered cleanliness with a capital 'C', as well as a wonderful trail downhill through the avocado trees to a cafe hut (where I took my morning tea) and on to a beach that is part of the California State Park system. This beach, loaded with boulders and black musssel-covered rocks, offered a quieter seaside moment than most I'd visited. Watching a grandpa and his grandchildren frolicking in the waves was pure delight. The hike up to Pedro provided the day's aerobic challenge - I survived and was soon rolling down the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) with my oldies, but goodies making music in my ears! 


Solvang, CA does not have very big lettering on any map - it's quite small. It is, however, a major tourist attraction, not that I knew that before I arrived. Although it had crossed my online search, it had not peaked my interest too much. I was so close to the town as I rolled down Hwy 101, that I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to have a short 'look-see' at the town. Well, I do believe that I would like to return to Solvang for a couple-day-stay in my future! What a cute and bustling Swedish village! All the retail stores and most houses (that I saw anyway) look like they were moved over on 'the big boat'- (Swedish architecture and ambience galore). A large windmill anchors the downtown strip and bright red banners adorn the street lights, an exciting explosion of color. Knowing that I had other places I wanted to see on this day, I curtailed my shopping yearnings after one adorable home and garden shop and one purchase, heading back to Mr. P for the next ribbon of highway.

The St. Ynez mountains are different than any I have ever seen. Situated north of Solvang and south of Paso Robles, these rounded top vistas sport vast areas of goldenrod colored grassy expanses with rounded trees splattered across the terrain with sporatic frequency. Tuscany, from the pictures I have seen, has little over these rolling hills and mountains. On occasion, cattle and horses dot the distant hillsides, but the other presence that delights are the many vineyards and field after field of grapes growing on their stilts of wire fencing, many fields showing off signage of the grape varietal growing there. It was a feast for the eyes. Gradually the mountains shrink as I head further north through this central coastal area. By the time I reach Pismo Beach, the gentle roll of the landscape gives way to the beautiful ocean blue. 


Beaches have personalities! If you sit still for a half hour in the midst of the sandy stretches of California beaches you realize this fact. Some beaches scream of 'Surf-City USA', some of family fun time, some of yoga-posing six-pack 'abs', show off the bod, guru's and still others attrack the wide-brimmed hat grandmas/grandpas in their lawn chairs, books propped on there laps. Of course, this is a bit over-generalized, but there is a flavor to every beach vista that captures one's attention. Pismo Beach was teaming with the party-time crowd in it's beachside retail area. Of course, a Friday night is prime time for such 20-something adventure-seekers. Maneuvering Pedro through the pedestrian crowded streets was a real 'trip', I must say! Although I'd set my sites early in the day to stay in this locale, I quickly ruled it out for this saucy grandma. I punched my new destination on my trusty Garmin and head out for Avila Beach, a half hour up the road.


Such good luck was mine - a fun and family-oriented festival on the beachfront was gearing up as I arrived in the early evening hours at Avila Beach. Good fortune, being mine once more, I pull into a parking space just 1 block from the 'action', as a nice gent pulled away from the curb in his Explorer. This Scottish jig-dancing crowd followed the lead of the kilt-cladd part-rock band crew as they energized the families and grandfolk crowd to explosions of clapping, laughing and munching their way through tacos and gyros and ice cream cones. All the foodie tents, flower stands and fresh fruit stands lent the market festival atmosphere the best of a Friday nite fiesta for all. One last purchse of a chocolate truffle to tuck away for my treat with the best red wine I can find in the next day or two, and I am off to find a place to park Mr. P for a night's sleep. Avila Beach is not the place for that, so off to Paso Robles I journey.
 

A quick check with Garmin and I discover that Walmart is only 26 miles up the road. The county fair is in progress in this Central Coast Wine Country city (a discovery in my Google searches) and as I drive into the Walmart lot, it feels like a local campout is in progress!! I feel right at home! I have never seen so many RV's and vans in one Walmart before! As I find a niche for Mr. P I think of all the interesting spots I saw on this special day. An evening's conversation with a friend over a cup of tea would coax out a boat load of other pleasure moments - the 60's feel of Ventura, the ostrich farm, the alpaca farm, the yellow VW with yellow daisies in a vase on her dash, the cute downtown of San Luis Obispo, the sculptures all over the campus at Westmont College, the nice lady I visited with in Solvang.... the list is long











I flip on my TV to watch the Opening Ceremonies for the Olympics, settle in for the late evening and smile at the grace-happenings of my day-gone-by.


Thank You God for this day, for adventures and nostalgia and learning moments and ... peace.

Tomorrow..... oh yes.... my reservation is at noon to visit the Hearst Mansion at yet another coastal spot. I'm told this should be nothing short of amazing, and yet to be experienced. Oh yes, I wonder where I will spend my evening tomorrow night??


Into the Wind..... Naturegirl.

　

"Art washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life." - according to the great artist, Picasso. Often I have reflected on the meaning in this. Everyday life can easily becomes routine, unexciting, dusty from lack of exploring new and untested waters. There is certainly something to be said for the comforts of routine, the safety, the worn old moccasins on our feet that feel so soothing. The danger in too much comfort, it seems to me, is apathy. As I swim through the untested waters of my life as a single person, I have gravitated toward the nurture and challenge I find in the art world. Dabbling, doodling, drawing and pushing new horizons in my creative ventures have always brought me to a new place. Making art is at once invigorating and aggrevating. On occasion the outcomes are great, so spontaneous, so exciting. Other times artistic endeavors make a person, such as me, stare into the face of perceived failure -a result that screams of 'sub-par' renderings! The past week I washed away a lot of dust in my life! Let me explain.



Art Exploration - Day One:


The Huntington Libraries, art collection and gardens of Pasadena, California have never been on my so called 'radar screen'. The beauty of the internet is the readily available information on areas of interest in any geographic location. The Huntington came to my awareness through my Google search early last week. Pasadena was an easy jaunt up one of the spider web of freeways here in the LA area, so off I sped, early in the day with Mr. P, my trusty RV. Thanks to the GPS world we live in, I arrived easily at the gate of this gem of beauty within an hour. Over the ensuing 6 hours, I was transported to worlds and places unknown as I perused 240 acres of gardens, turn-of-the-century top-notch architecture filled with the art collections of Mr. Huntington. The mega millions he amassed in the early 20th century came as the result of his uncle's ingenuity - the creation of the transcontinental railway system . One of the largest collections of original 17th and 18th century art by both American artists, as well as European artists is housed on the Huntington Estate. As I listened to the docent tell the stories of these great painters I was transported to a new mindset, sweeping away a good many of the dust 'bunnies' in my life. A walk in the imaginary shoes of another person that walks this earth has the potential of erasing the shades of melancholy which often creep, unnoticed, into one's soul. To understand, to realize, the commitment these artists have made to their life's work is nothing less that inspiring. It would, however, be a falsehood to believe that everytime the paintbrush touched a new canvas of one of these artists, that a magnificent work of art was produced. The truth is, the 'paint-over's' were numerous. Success did not come overnight and for many, success was not associated with these artists until AFTER their demise. There is a valuable lesson in this realization: Strive to work at your life's calling with persistence even when the rewards seem a distant dream. The inner soul satisfaction that comes with acting on the dreams in your life, is enough ....for now. Leave the rest to the great "Master Artist" - God. 


Art Exploration - Day Two:

Laguna Beach, California has, for 80 years, been the site of a marvelous yearly pageant that brings art to life in a venue like no other! Sitting in the outdoor theatre of the Irvine Bowl, an attendee at this years' production of "The Pageant of the Masters" was the highlight of last week for me. As my daughter and I listened to the orchestra and the narrations, and viewed the real-life models on stage, in three dimensions and framed by recreations of the art works of such masters as Picasso, Michaelangelo, Jan Vermeer, Edward Hopper and numerous other famous artists, the lights of the stage created surreal images before our eyes. We, together with about 2,500 other guests ooh'ed and ahhh'ed for several hours, as if we were watching the local fireworks extravaganza for the all-american 4th of July celebration. The hills and valleys of everyday life vanished from our consciousness as we lived in 'another world' for that Friday evening - such a treasured night was ours! The Festival of the Arts, a 2-month-long event in Laguna Beach is something everyone who enjoys
the arts should add to their bucket list. The daily art fair by local Orange County Artists of today is part of this wonderful venue. Bring more than your piggy bank if you come. You will be glad you
did!



Art Exploration - Day Three (and more)

The 'art part' of this journey I find myself on is the art - 'I am making'. As I visit all my nieces and nephews across this great country, my plan is to present an art piece to each person/family. The art varies - most creations are in the form of either an art book of collaged elements or a wall piece of two-or-three-dimensional assemblage. As I search for just the right elements for each piece, I find myself reliving much of my life. Whether through the use of photo reproductions or salvaged elements from my 'art caves' - my treasure trove of craft supplies I have moved from house to house through the years which, incidentally, has been referred to (not so fondly) on occasion, at each move in my life as, "Carolyn's craft crap"! It is now finding new homes! Thoughts of - 'where I have come from' and 'where I am going' - run rampant in my consiousness as I paint, draw, paste, cut, tie, pound, wire-together and layer the little 'vignettes of meaning' together into a 'whole'. As I finish each piece, my hope is that they become
 metaphors of the seasons of life to my dear ones that receive them.  Two art projects down, 20 to go! 



For each day of my journey - a purpose - something I continue to aspire to.

I am listening,  

    I am learning,

       I am experiencing,

          I am becoming..... hopefully, something 'more'. 
  

Into the Wind - Nature Girl

As I traverse this great country on my year's sojourn, a constant is my feel-good morning jaunts to a coffee shop! Where else can one see the world walk by you, one soul at a time, faces speaking of hurry- of wonderment- of concern- of curiosity- of.....JUST GIVE ME MY COFFEE-LIKE NOW!! This ritual in my life has been a nugget of pleasure for quite some time now. There seems to be some anchor that drops to the bottom of my soul upon entering(coffee shops) that is at once satisfying and stimulating. It's probably a bit misleading to say that I'm a coffee guru, because, I never drink coffee!! I am, in fact, a tea conisseour! That said, I admit that for some years I consumed quite a lot of coffee, until.... my inner workings (aka - digestive system) began to complain, thus the tea transition.

Upon arrival in California mid June, when the agapanthus in all their orb-shaped lavender splendor bloom in profusion on the carefully manicured boulevards of Irvine, my tea time is taken at "The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (Company)". This unleaded drinking establishment is to California what Caribou is to Minnesota, a home grown caffeine house to the masses! Though my 'vice' most definitely includes internet time, it is also a time to soak in the aura of local culture. Diversity with a capital "D". Take, for instance, yesterday.. West coast people are not afraid to show their true colors - self expression, a badge of honor worn with pride! Behind my midwest modest glasses perched a bit low on my nose, I lift my eyes every so slightly as each new 'guest' crosses over (from outside to inside where the smells and sounds are of grinding and steam release and air hung heavy with freshly ground beans - an implosion on the senses.) My 'read' of the caffeine-seekers goes like this: late-twenties male-tight jeans-no socks-wrinkled shirt-portfolio under arm-carefully messed-up hair-perhaps a morning to complete a 'design-diddy' for client #277; mid-thirties model-type female-rapunzel-type hair- clingy jersey lounger (really!!!)-lashes that don't quit; mid sixties gent in suit and red tie with black golf-style hat on..backwards!!; and so it goes, a never-ending treat for the senses! Other than my tea-fix, I confess to getting more 'soul-work' done in Starbucks (and all their cousin-shops) than anywhere.

Today is Sunday. I am at Starbucks in Lake Forest, CA. Today's musing: When I was a kid I attended enough revival meetings to keep my little head wondering for years about how many times a person needed to 'get saved' before their place on streets of gold was a guarantee. I remember a lot of talk about souls, mostly 'how many' souls saw the light and embraced it. I think of my soul in different ways these days. I have called my current traveling blog 'Art and Soul Journey'. I have also called it a pilgrimage, because pilgrims, I've read, have purpose. A vacation, it is not; I am not getting away 'from it all', but I AM getting 'into it all'... the stuff that occupies my mind, my self-talk, my very being, my soul. God is found at the center of it all. Without Him, I am nothing. What I do need to do over and over, it seems, is get a new set of directions! Life changes things; some changes are expected, others are big time surprises, thus, 'New directions, please, God-Sir or M'am!'

Today's travel took me south of LA to Lake Forest, home of Saddleback Church, of Rick Warren-notoriety. It was, I must say, a 'soul morning'. God reached down and spoke.. I Iistened. Now, to implement! The preaching series "The Crazymakers in Your Life" (paraphrase!). Primary focus: How and Why, Not to be a People Pleaser. In a nutshell.. the only one a soul should please is... you guessed it.. GOD. FREEDOM!! Now, I suspect I am not the only one that has strived to please people far too often, and, I also suspect I am not the only one who has found courage enough to make decisions reflective of 'who God made me.' Joy comes through God's freedom plan -pleasing an audience of one (The ONE - The great I AM)!

As I sit, once more, in blogging mode, doing more soul-searching, the message I carry with me from this morning will swish around in my thoughts as I spend the next 24 hours visiting: San Juan Capistrano, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Escondido, and Solana Beach. Hopefully a bit of art-time to come. Then its back north to Irvine for 2 more weeks with precious family!

To all you 'pleaser' souls, I wish for you 'new directions' - if required! God has a fresh supply of courage for all seekers!

Into The Wind - Naturegirl