Yesterday Krista took this photo of Jerry in their back yard. I went into photoshop and cut him out and added this background of the Sonoma coastline. I actually did a whole series again and posted them on flickr for him to choose from.
So now it's on his resume! I think it came off pretty well.
Well, we did it. We pulled off another Christmas extravaganza. There are more photos over on my flickr page--check 'em out!
India woke us up at 6am. Ugh. Turns out she'd actually been up at 2am to put out surprises for us.
Chili was perplexed to have us all up so early. I gave her a bowl of fishy glop for a Christmas breakfast treat.
India is such a generous soul. She surprised Krista and I with this stocking she'd sewn at Chops. Notice it's a map of NZ!! She felted me a little red and green airliner too! And bought Krista an expensive capo for her guitar and a little frame for me. What a sweetie.
I got India a scooter for Christmas. Now she can ride with Eden. She was pretty happy about it!
Eden was enthralled by this gift. She actually hugged it to her breast and sighed.
Zephyr LOVED Christmas this year. He's such a good age for it. But eventually he became overloaded and passed out. I think this was his gift to his folks, because they were able to enjoy a slow peaceful Christmas dinner with us for the first time in many years.
Our friends Coco and Jeff invited us to their lovely combo party.
Last night, right before bed, we heard a strange sound on the front porch. One of those WTF sounds that raise the hair on the back of your neck. When I opened the door to check it out, this bird was sitting on our stump in the glare of the christmas lights.
She kept fluttering up to the ceiling of the porch, trying to fly away. She must have been baffled by the bright lights inside the porch versus the dark night sky. I don't know why on earth she was out so late.
I finally caught her and (after a few quick photos) sent her back up into the dark rain streaked sky.
A most unusual visit.
What might it mean?
India finally flogged me into doing the lights with her. We made a big peace sign out of Krista's hula hoop. We didn't really intend for our house to be hippy. It just sort of happened.
I've been sick for about a week now, with a nasty cold. Today I felt almost well, and since it was a gorgeous day--almost warm even--we decided to bust loose and head out to the coast.
One of our favorite drives is up through the little town of Occidental and out Coleman Valley Road to the ocean. It's a majestic road, hugging the winding tops of ridges, with plunging green valleys and stunning rocky outcroppings.
You drive through old turn of the century ranches, redwood groves, oaks and pastures and then you get to the top of the world and the views open out to the Pacific Ocean and on a clear day (and it's often foggy there) you can see south to Pt. Reyes.
Krista and I used to trespass onto some sheep ranch land and walk about a mile down to this grand overlook. We used to find sheep skulls and once came across an old dump, with antique glass medicine bottles we still have.
We actually thought about getting married out there!
In this photo you can see the ocean on the horizon. All in all a magical place and a very refreshing 'three hour tour'.
There is a part of Coleman Valley Road where the cows aren't fenced off from the road. It's sort of a poor man's "Wildlife Safari". Since we don't eat the sweet creatures, we feel free to stop and enjoy their company.
We stood fascinated by the shimmering and everchanging palette of the surf and sun. We watched the sun set over the rim of the world and behind us the nearly full moon cresting the hills.
