Life would not be an adventure if everything went according to plan. Going with the flow and being open to the new possibilities that a change of plans brings is key to enjoying the adventure. Like when I show up 45 minutes before my train is due to get my boarding pass only to find out that my train has been delayed by an hour and a half. And what's even funnier is that as I'm at the ticket window hearing this news, my phone rings and it's Amtrak reservations calling me to let me know that my train has been delayed. I had a good laugh at that one.
So after thinking over my options (hang out in a train station for two hours with a one-year-old and lots of strangers or get in my car and just drive to Carpinteria), I get a refund on my train ticket and head back out to the car. The drive is long but traffic is thankfully pretty light, and we arrive in Carp at just about the time my train was originally supposed to arrive.
The first thing we do is walk two blocks to the Thursday farmer's market:
I love me a farmer's market. I feel closer to nature and I appreciate the effort to bring food to market when I see it displayed under blue tarps that flap in the wind and presented in cardboard boxes which sit on worn portable tables or the bed of a truck. The grapes were dusty from the previous day's wind but are plump and an incredible deep purple, and the tomatoes were big and fat and totally unlike anything you see in a supermarket. The flowers were vibrant and fragrant. And fresh cookies and breads that make my backside bounce happily with carbohydrate promises. The fresh-baked macaroons I bought were as if a coconut exploded in my mouth. Total heaven. Things just taste and look better at a farmer's market.
On Friday Nadia and I continued our mommy-and-me adventure. We headed out Hwy 154 to the Gainey Winery. It was a windy but incredibly clear and vivid fall day, and what better way to appreciate that kind of weather than walking through a vineyard heavy with fruit. Just outside the tasting room, and to my happy surprise, I found an educational area which demonstrated the several ways of staking and pruning and growing and training grapevines. I love wine, and I'm not a connoisseur by a long shot, but I'm fascinated by the grape-growing and wine-making process. I love the chemistry, the history, the religion of wine.
Then after our winery adventure we drove out Hwy 246 to where it met up with Hwy 1 and then headed back to the East. I love to drive and I especially love to drive through the sparsely populated rolling golden hills of Central Coastal California. I feel so peaceful and quiet and so ready to give up city life for an acre (or twenty) of golden rollies of my own with cows and chickens and a fresh herb garden, and maybe a small vineyard. Nadia seemed to like it there, too, babbling quietly in the back seat, looking around, playing peek-a-boo with me now and then in the rear-view mirror.
We eventually made it back to the 101 and within minutes of being on the freeway I spotted an exit to Gaviota State Park and decided to turn off. They cute young dude at the booth let me through without paying and I took photos of the railroad trestle and of a seagull atop a lifeguard tower. It was very windy at the beach and hardly anyone was about. And I could see for miles.
At around six o'clock Friday night, Chris and The Bigs arrived, road-weary but excited to be in Carpinteria. We headed out for dinner and a walk through the Avocado Festival which, at that time of night, was mostly loud rock bands and a rowdy, beer-soaked crowd of partiers.
On Saturday we all headed back out to the Gainey winery so that Chris and the kids could see what I had been talking about. The Bigs loved picking and tasting the grapes and then spitting out the seeds. It made my heart swell to near bursting to watch them run through the grapevines, bunches of grapes in their hands, having a great time as a family.
In all, these are the highlights of our weekend. Adventures with the ones you love are the best adventures. And, funny enough, the big draw for us was the Avocado Festival and I did not take a single photo while we were there. Big crowds and three kids don't make for too many chances to take photos. But it was nice and fun and there's always tons of yummy things to eat (someone was selling avocado bread) and fun arts and crafts to see and interesting people to watch. We even got to see some of my family while we were up there. (Thanks, Chuck and Lesley for brunch, nice to meet you, Eva, and good luck with the book work to Susan and Stan. Love you!)
So, there's a long post for you with lots of photos, and maybe some fun things to do and see if you're ever in the Santa Barbara area. Have a lovely week!
Beautiful pictures. I love the grape orchard ones. This makes me work that much harder on my own photography.
Posted by: Lisa | October 08, 2007 at 03:41 PM
GORGEOUS photos! I particularly like the one of the kids in the hats. Such beautiful lighting!
That's nice that Amtrak actually calls... I always wish more businesses did that, like the dr's office...
Anyway, looks like a great time!
xoxox
Lain
Posted by: Lain | October 08, 2007 at 05:13 PM
Beautiful photos! I love the ones of the grapes.
Posted by: Carrie Owens | October 08, 2007 at 07:42 PM
Your photos are stunning, Tina!!! And that one of your three kiddos - precious.
Posted by: Joy | October 08, 2007 at 09:33 PM
I too am a fan of the grape photo! I'd love to hang that in my kitchen!
Posted by: Elisha | October 08, 2007 at 09:58 PM
your pictures are AMAZING!
looks like you had fun!
Posted by: Janice | October 09, 2007 at 11:15 AM
Great photos, as always.
Gainey is a personal favorite of mine as well as for my SIL.
Posted by: Martha | October 09, 2007 at 01:42 PM
Your photos are amazing! thanks for sharing your day with us.
Posted by: Lisa | October 12, 2007 at 11:06 PM
Tina,
Thank you for the wonderful RAK I rec'd on Thursday. It was chocked full of scrappin goodness. I've already used some of the items.
Love the sky shot. It is the most beautiful shade of blue. Sound like you had a wonderful weekend. It make me miss California. Sigh...
Posted by: Adriann | October 13, 2007 at 03:57 PM
wow! your photography is amazing!! glad you had a great time :)
Posted by: waleska | October 13, 2007 at 10:26 PM
I love your farmer's market pics. Sooo beautiful.
Posted by: Kristina K | October 20, 2007 at 09:18 AM