Spectacular Carmel California

This is the view from Point Lobos, a national park with hiking trails that lead to the cliffs and ocean where there are a variety of birds, otters and sea lions. The water really is that blue.

Two pelicans. This is also from Point Lobos.

This is by the ocean at Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Everybody: if you have never been to Carmel, California you must treat yourself to the spectacular beauty of this coastal town. I have been fortunate enough to have family there. My Aunt Terre and her husband, Jimmy Lyons who was a jazz DJ in San Francisco and a cofounder and emcee of the Monterey Jazz Festival settled in Carmel in the 1950's moving from the, at that time, isolated area of Big Sur. My aunt designed the house they had built for them in Carmel Valley. They had three kids: my cousins Liz, Mark and Matt. All three stayed in Carmel to raise their own families. Lucky me!

The view from the dining patio of Mission Ranch, one of Clint Eastwood's restaurants. Whenever anyone in my family visits Carmel, we dine here. You can see why from looking at this spectacular view. Clint Eastwood was the mayor of Carmel a while back.
http://www.missionranchcarmel.com/

A church in Carmel Valley. When my grandmother died, this is where we held her memorial service. In this photo I took in the morning, the fog is in. Usually you can see the backdrop of the hills of Carmel Valley.




From the balcony of La Playa Hotel in Carmel. The view of the ocean is spectacular. So is the food! Here's the link where you can see more of this beautiful hotel. But first here is a photo I took in the lobby.
http://www.laplayahotel.com

This photo is from outside of Casanova, a restaurant like so many here that is artistic, interesting, beautiful and charming. Oh - and the food is great, too! http://www.casanovarestaurant.com/

Carmel dog sitting outside of the Carmel Art Association. A family friend, Peggy Olsen has been showing her work there for a long time. Here's the link: http://www.carmelart.org/artists_new.html

I spent seven days in Carmel where I stayed in the Valley. This is what I would see when I went out for a walk.

And finally...

Two more Carmel dogs!



And now, after eating all of that great food -- back to my yoga classes in Arizona at Crescent Moon Yoga! www.crescentmoonyogaaz.com

The Poetry of the Sky

Visual poetry. This is what I see when I step outside my front door.

The rest of the sky photos are accompanied by poetry and quotes.

I myself have been tempted for a long time by the cloud-moving wind - filled with a strong desire to wander. Matsuo Basho

The sky is the daily bread of the eyes. Ralph Waldo Emerson



The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand. Frederick L. Knowles

Nature was streaming into us, wooingly teaching her wonderful glowing lessons… every wild lesson a love lesson. John Muir

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. Rabindranath Tagore

Your world is as big as you make it. Georgia Douglas Johnson

Strong and content I travel the open road. Walt Whitman

This is Sky, my friend Mary's cat

I like to think that the moon is there even if I am not looking at it. Albert Einstein

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time. John Lubbock

There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story. Linda Hogan

It is good to love the unknown. Charles Lamb