Under the Boardwalk, By the Sea

What a wonderfully sunny, warm (and at times, hot) day at Laguna Beach. Again, the surfers and swimmers were out in full force. Hard to believe it's February! As Jerry and I walked on the beach this morning. I couldn't resist sticking my feet in the water and walking barefoot in the sand. We spent a good part of the day visiting art galleries where we saw some outstanding paintings and sculptures, including some authentic Asian pieces dating from the Ming Dynasty.

After lunch at a Mexican restaurant (the Halibut creviche was delicious), it was time for more sightseeing at the quaint shops and artist studios that line the Pacific Coast Highway. Laguna Beach is a great place to walk with lots to see against the magnificent backdrop of the mighty Pacific.

Laguna Beach, California

Jerry and I drove over to Laguna Beach today. We booked a lovely room in a quaint hotel with a fabulous ocean view. As I write this, it is evening: the patio doors are open and I can hear the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore.

We had lunch across the beach at Johnny Rockets where music from the 60s, such as Wipe Out, Surf City and Little Old Lady from Pasadena permeated the whole restaurant in a fun and upbeat way. The doors of the restaurant were open allowing us to enjoy the warm ocean breezes and a view of the beach, complete with boardwalk and surfers. The whole experience brought me back to Grade 9 in Moose Jaw and summed up what I thought of then as the quintessential American experience.

The beach is absolutely gorgeous with miles of sand that seem to go on forever. People were taking advantage of the sun and warmth today, as they walked, picnicked, swam, and surfed. The town is literally teeming with art galleries and is a mecca for arts in every dimension - paintings, jewellery, sculptures abound! We visited a couple of galleries and are looking forward to exploring more tomorrow.

After dinner at an Italian restaurant, we enjoyed a leisurely walk back to our hotel under the night sky. All in all, a very pleasant day.

49 Palms Oasis Hike

Recently,Jerry and I went on a hike to the 49 Palms Oasis, part of Joshua Tree National Park. It was an incredibly beautiful morning when we set out. The hike itself is about 3 miles (4.8 km) round trip and the terrain and mountainous scenery is outstanding. The rock formations have taken on amazing shapes and you can "see" all kinds of images embedded within them if you take the time to look (a favourite pastime of ours). The juxtaposition of desert plants with the greenery of the oasis is splendid and a treat for the senses. We had a great day.

One of the great things about living in Rancho Mirage, California, are the more than 300 hiking trails available within the Coachella Valley area.

The Southwest Arts Festival

This morning Jerry and I attended the Southwest Arts Festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. It couldn't have been a nicer day with sunny skies and temperatures of over 70 degrees Fahrenheit. An annual event for the past 21 years, the three-day show features over 250 acclaimed artists of traditional, contemporary and abstract works of arts. I loved the work of Laguna Beach artist, Shelley Rapp Evans who designs Spirit Keepers, wonderfully exotic figures thought to bring good luck and protection. Her Spirit Keepers are made from simple and unusual materials, many of which are found. Michael and Christine Love Adcock's baskets and ceramics are exquisite. We had an interesting chat with Michael who explained how some of the grass materials on the baskets and ceramics were harvested and then applied to the vessels. The work of Arizona artist, Kim Seyesnem Obrzut captured our hearts and imaginations. As Obrzut says, "I talk with my hands, the clay is my voice..."

Leaving for Calgary

Monday morning. We are getting ready to leave for Canada. We have been away from Calgary for approximately 7 months. It is bitter sweet leaving Rancho Mirage because we love it here, but it will also be good to be home. The time has gone quickly.

Since leaving Calgary, we travelled in our new Honda Odyssey van (Jerry sold his Lexus SUV because of the ridiculous amount of fuel it was using) to Kamloops, Vancouver, and Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.

After a wonderful week, we parked the van in Seattle, Washington and took a 17- day cruise to Alaska, Russia, Korea and Japan. We flew back from Japan to Seattle where we picked up the van and then took a leisurly and romantic week to travel along the Washington, Oregon and California coasts to our home in Rancho Mirage. The scenery was beyond compare...absolutely stunning beaches.

Well, better get back to some packing!