Kicking It while exploring new places

Besides the joy of spending time with the grandkids, additionally, I get a special reward every time they burst through the front door. You see, from where I sit on the far sofa, I get to enjoy a perfectly framed picture of one branch of our blooming Jacaranda tree in the front yard.

Speaking of wondrous views, we have another one from the kitchen window. Throughout the day from sunup to sunset, we watch Oriole families chow down the nectar in the onetime hummingbird feeder. Now for the most part they (the hummingbirds) have been shoved out, it’s now primarily an Oriole feeder. The Orioles are the new squatters.

Under the topic of “Did You Know?” I recently read that Howard Keel graduated from Fallbrook High School. Even though it was years ago, it’s still fun to know. I think it is also fun to know about other former famous Fallbrookians like Frank Capra, Martin Milner, and Rita Coolidge. Isn’t that a hoot? By the way if you know anyone famous living here, now or before, or if you personally are famous, I’d like to know.

Someone just emailed me this: “Money isn’t everything, but it does keep you in touch with your children.” Now that’s funny. Here is another one. “If God believed in permissiveness, He would have given us the ‘Ten Suggestions’.”

No one will be surprised when I admit that “I love to travel.” Here is how I like to do it. Except, I only visit places that I think I might want to live. So, when you think about it this way, I really don’t travel, I’m house hunting.

Which explains why I am always exploring new places to go. I get travel magazines galore that offer tempting locales, except, often the articles are extreme like bungee jumping into the Grand Canyon, trekking on foot to see anything, and I do not want to travel on a camel anywhere and especially if I have to sleep in a Bedouin encampment.

Although, I am game to sleep in a tent; albeit glamping. We’ve done that. We stayed at Safari West outside of Santa Rosa where we slept in an African tent listening to jungle noises throughout the night.

Another time, just south of Half Moon Bay along Highway 1, we drove to Costanoa to stay in a very posh tent. We selected one away from the general campground nearer to the edge of the wilderness. One evening while sipping wine in canvas director’s chairs outside our tent, we watched a mother quail pop out of the tall grass with 16-plumed chicklets scurrying behind her. With military precision, she paraded them over the mown lawn about 7 feet before ducking back into the sea grass. It was so dear; the memory will always be with us.

On another camping trip, we enjoyed delicious homemade breakfast waffles when we stayed in a yurt at Treebones. This campground is just a few miles south of Big Sur on a stretch of lawn across the Highway 1 along the Pacific Ocean. Mostly I remember the rowdy neighbors across the highway; apparently, it was breeding season for elephant seals.

All of these glamping excursions are memorable. That said, give me a 5-star hotel any day, anywhere, chances are I’m game to go.

Elizabeth can be reached at [email protected].