Posted January 14, 2020
This winter I am taking some time to travel the west coast with my husband and our dog. We started out in Washington State before the holidays and drove down the coast highway to the Bay Area of California for Christmas and and now are rambling around Northern California. All along the way we’ve had the joy of seeing family and friends and celebrating holidays with them. It is nice to sneak out of Wyoming’s sub-zero temperaures and deep snow, after 16 years winters straight this Northern California “winter” feels like springtime.
Along the way I’ve been picking up rocks and shells with thoughts of including them in my jewelry design. The northern coast of Califorina is especially wild with huge sea stacks, rock arches, and rugged cliffs. We check the tide tables each day and figure out when would be best to do a little beachcombing. So far I’ve found agates, abalone shell, and colorful tumbled pebbles on the beaches. Sometimes I like to think of the ocean as the world’s largest rock tumbler and enjoy seeing what it churns up for us.
Near these beaches are mountains with redwood forests that are full of green moss and ferns. It’s amazing how dark they are during the peak of daylight, the trees are so large and the canopies are so dense that only dappled light enters the forest. It’s good for my creative eye and mind to experience these new environments. We’ll be on the road a little while longer and eventually wind our way back to Wyoming. Happy 2020, everyone!
Rock hunting on the beaches of Northern California, agates, and pretty colorful pebbles (abalone pictured at top).
Pop-up jewelry sale at Hama Hama oysters in Lilliwaup, Washington in December.
We had a lot of quality family time during the holidays with exteneded family gatherings including three generations.
Wandering the redwood forests of Northern California.
Wild coasts of Northern California.
