Paso Robles, to winery.

So after a brief walk on my favorite boardwalk, near the campsite, Jo Jo and I departed for the bay near Morro Rock. I was on a mission to find the sea otter. And how lucky that I did. I'm guessing there were about six or seven of these rather large sized otter floating around, care free, on their backs. I had first watched similar ones when I went to Alaska in 1995. So it was a real treat that I could find them again. After finding a gas station, to fill my tank for a modest fortune, here in $$$$$ California, I came up on the Morro Bay Arts Festival.

I was on the fence about visiting, but low and behold, I found an easy spot to park on the street, right across from the show. It was a drizzly rain, and I managed to walk through the show to see almost all of the work. It's rather emotionally mixed for me, since I was one of those doing these kind of shows for decades. I know exactly how the artists feel, and I know exactly what it's all about to be at a show in drizzling rain. It was only in the fifties. I saw some amazing work, including an enamel jeweler who had a two-sided pendant design. Her pieces, no doubt, took hours and hours in the making, set in 14 karat gold with precious stone. I wish I were in the market to buy her work, but I wished her a great show, and moved on. I left the show feeling glad that I took the time to look it over, I also felt glad that I wasn't really on the road doing shows like this, and at the same time I was a little melancholy wishing that I was part of it. I guess it's a normal reaction from an emotional standpoint, with my former life. In any event, I have new inspiration for my own work, when I get home.

After a visit to Morro Avocado Ranch, to pick up some homegrown avocados, and avocado oil, I spent a couple more hours at Morro Bay Beach and finally sat for a while, cracking open a book. My sister loaned me Michelle Obama's "Becoming," and so far I'm enjoying the read.
I wound up at Stacked Stone Cellars Vineyard, near Paso Robles, and had a marvelous time meeting people, including the owner. We enjoyed conversation, and some real laughter as we sampled these wines. It was a happy, Happy Hour. I'm parked right next to a horse stall, literally ten feet away and can hear the horses stomping around, and neighing, as well as the chickens that roam freely....goats too. What a peaceful space to spent the night.



















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