Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Carmel by the Sea

DH and I managed to slip away for a few days following the busyness of the holidays to Carmel by the Sea.  It is a beautiful, artsy town and it was so relaxing for both of us.  The days had scattered fog, but we enjoyed the 17 mile Drive along the coastline which passes many gorgeous homes and golf course, including Pebble Beach.  Along the way we stopped to visit the famous Lone Cypress tree.



I love the structure of the Cypress trees.


It was fairly early in the morning so these fellows were trying to soak up what few rays they could.



We drove up via Hwy 1 which is a stunning mountainous road with spectacular views - most of the time.  However, on this trip the ocean was shrouded in fog.  The highway is not a road for the faint of heart with its shear drops into the sea.

Just past Cambria and the Hearst Castle we stopped to visit the elephant seals.  Their story is so interesting and can be read here.  They also have a webcam which is fun to view.  In January and February the seals return to the same beach at Piedras Blancas to give birth to their young.  It was fascinating.  Some of these seals weigh over two tons so they are HUGE!

Hearst Castle

The dominant male bellowing his call.

Baby just an hour old.

They appear to be boulders on the beach


 For Christmas our children gifted us with a Chef's dinner for sixteen and it was last weekend.  It is prepared and served at our home which is a treat in itself....a party with no cooking and no cleanup.  How much better does it get?



Sewing kind of took a back seat, but I did manage to work some on my cross stitch nativity.  I also finished my monthly blocks.

You can see the beginnings of my donkey and ox when compared to the last photo of the project.



These are my "Goodnight Irene" blocks for January......



....and this is for my Classic Meets Modern.  It's not really modern, but I am counting solids as modern.



Our January/February swap of our Sewing With Friends was for a pincushion.  I did this pincushion for my partner, Leona.


    

37 comments:

  1. Wow that's really interesting about the seals!!

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  2. Looks like a lovely trip - wow, I would love a chef served meal, but not in my kitchen (they would faint). Your cross stitch is coming along.

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  3. Sounds like a wonderful trip! Love the dinner idea! And you still found time to create some treasures. Good for your,

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  4. I love the trees and the seals! And your goodnight Irene blocks look wonderful! :0)

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  5. What a treat having someone cook for you in your own home! I love your cross stitch Nativity!

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  6. That dinner sounds wonderful! Love the pincushion. ;)

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  7. You and your DH are so romantic. I must get mr notjustnat to read and learn haha! Wonderful Christmas treat from your children. I'll have what you are having please? Your monthly projects are just wonderful! Love that pincushion - Hugs Nat

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  8. Thank you for taking me along on your beautiful drive. Yes the Cypress trees are lovely.
    What a wonderful Christmas gift. Sew nice to be able to have a fabulous meal with family and do nothing.
    The nativity is growing...........
    Love your blocks and cute pincushion. Lucky Leona..

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  9. Wow, what an absolutely fabulous Christmas gift! My hubby and I honeymooned in Carmel by the Sea - we would love to return!

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  10. What a great Christmas gift. You are so busy, I'm surprised you have any time for stitching!

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  11. Looks like a lovely trip away, amazing seeing those seals like that. What a great Christmas present - very thoughtful and I bet you totally enjoyed it! Good to see you have squeezed a little bit of stitching and sewing in.

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  12. What fun. I do so love the Carmel area. I've heard that this time of year is a good time to see the seal (elephants?) with their pups. Fun to see your pictures.

    Everything sounds wonderful. Glad to read your update. :)

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

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  13. A gorgeous neck of the woods! I love trees and the cypress have such an intriguing shape. It that natural or from the wind and sea? I think with the size holiday meals you prepare it's a wonderful gift to be the guest at your own party!

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  14. Such a nice trip and even nicer diner.

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  15. What a lovely place to visit and enjoy! That's an amazing idea for a gift - I'd never have thought of that!

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  16. My bop rotter has visited that shoreline many times , he is an artist and says it is a a gorgeous drive . Your cross stitch is simply beautiful. , what a lovely pice this will be . Your Goodnight Irene blocks are great too , I am working on mine now .

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  17. Carmel-by-the-Sea is one of my favorite places ever. I felt like I belonged there... it was a strange feeling.

    I love the drive along the water. We saw a commercial being filmed on the rocks with a few curious seals hanging around.

    When my daughters travel (they do one big trip a year with a group of friends) they always have one meal cooked and served to them in whatever house they're renting. When they were in a Tuscan Villa, they even had cooking lessons at their house for everyone. Such fun! What a wonderful gift from your children!!

    Joni

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  18. Thanks for sharing the pictures of your trip. I love the coast. The chef's dinner sounds fabulous! Your cross stitch is looking great. And love all your other sewing.

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  19. Your trip sounds like it was great! Drove down Hwy. 1 from San Francisco to Long Beach...hubs wished he had some Quaaludes for me as I don't do heights and was a nervous wreak the whole way! Hearst Castle is amazing and the tours are very well worth your time. Love how your needlepoint is coming along :)

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  20. Oh, you are making me so homesick. I was raised not far from Carmel, and love to visit as often as we can.

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  21. Oh Mary, what a lovely place Carmel by the Sea is! I'm sure y'all enjoyed yourselves immensely!! I love all the seal pictures!! Your chef's dinner party sounds intriguing! What a *great* gift!! And your needlework is lovely--isn't fun to see it take shape??!!! :)

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  22. That's a pretty little pincushion! The style is right up my alley.

    I loved the photos you shared! They brought back memories of my honeymoon. My hubby is right here and I showed him your post. We for married in Santa Barbara and honeymooned in Montecito and Carmel. We also did some other trips to Solvang, Monterrey, and we did the Hearst Castle tour. Wow that place was so impressive. I can still remember the marble pool and beautiful gardens. We've been talking about renting a house in Santa Barbara for a month for our vacation this year instead of Disney. I think I am liking the idea more and more!!!

    How about those half square triangles? What did you decide to do?

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  23. Love the post and love that you were able to get away for a few days with your hubby......for someone who didn't do much sewing you sure got a lot of sewing done! lol..

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  24. What a wonderful trip! I love the seals :-) That must have been a fun dinner, an amazing Christmas present. Love your pincushion.

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  25. great gift, chef dinner..how was it??

    Carmel the location for the movie"Play Misty for Me" ???

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  26. I love the photos of your trip! That is my #1 getaway place! That pincushion is really cute.

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  27. I just love all of your projects. The pictures are so wonderful, the trees are just beautiful as well as the ocean.

    What an awesome gift from your children.

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  28. I have always wanted to go to Carmel by the Sea, Mary! How fun! I hope you got to walk around town and do a little shopping, too ;>) Your Christmas gift couldn't be better - a good meal and family all around!
    Cheers!

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  29. Wow what a wonderful trip! I love the Good Night Irene blocks you have come up with thus far. I am debating if I will join up and play catch-up as the quilt has been on my to do list forever! What a wonderful gift your family got for you, I am so curious what was served that night!

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  30. Such beautiful photos and I particularly liked the pin cushion you made!

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  31. What a beautiful drive and great photos!! Everything is so neat and those Cypress trees.....awesome! You must have a huge kitchen and how neat to be treated to a Chef's dinner, didn't you get something like that a year or two ago?

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  32. Always a nice treat to visit the Carmel area. I love your pincushion.

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  33. So fun to see your pictures...we had lunch in Carmel many years ago before kids.

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  34. The coastline looks beautiful! What a great getaway. I love cross stitch, but isn't it funny how two inches square is a days work! You do see them grow steadily though.

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  35. Love your trip pictures! And I do so love that nativity cross-stitch. I am anxious to follow the progress.

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  36. Wonderful pictures of your trip. My husband and I (40 years ago)honeymooned in Carmel/San Simeon area.

    And...OMY, you cross stitch! I just started trying that once again after being discouraged many years ago. Maybe 2nd time will be a charm? =)

    hugZ,
    annie

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  37. Glad you had a good time and with all the family around over Christmas I guess you were ready for it.

    So artistic that lone Cypress tree on the rocks.

    A Chef's meal, what a treat.

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