California Central Coast

We enjoyed a very special 8 day vacation from Sept. 15-23 on the Central Coast of California.  We flew to San Jose, spent 2 nights in Pacific Grove on the Monterey peninsula, drove down along the Big Sur for a couple of nights in Morro Bay, then inland about 25 miles to San Luis Obispo for a couple of nights.  We enjoyed wine tasting around San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles, and spent our last two nights in Cambria (on the coast) and Salinas.

Highlights:

• The exciting drive along the coast from Pacific Grove to Morro Bay.
• Relaxing and listening to the harbor seals in Morro Bay, and enjoying oysters in Morro Bay.
• The Thursday night farmers market in San Luis Obispo.  Most every Thursday they close off 5 blocks downtown for a great festival
• Wine tasting
• Driving through the Salinas Valley where most of our produce is grown.
• The striking beauty of this special area.

See my photo album:


Click above to view album

Raccoons

The masked bandits have been active recently, fishing in our pond.  The took one a week ago, injured another that died the other day, and have been terrorizing our last fish.  I have been baiting a trap for several evenings, and finally caught one of the culprits.  Footprints on the edge of the pond and the pump knocked over showed that it was a family affair.

Here's the fellow I caught before I relocated him.
As I transported him to the countryside, he was making quite a fuss.  When I took the trap out of the car, he was all over the place,  When I opened the trap which I had at a 45 degree angle pointing away from me, he jumped out as if he were shot from a cannon.  Into the woods he went, fortunate for me.  After this, I've decide that my trapping days are over.  I'll use the city services from here on out.