Author: Suz

Wrapping Up Carmel & Napa. Enjoying Another Trip Around The Sun With You.

On By SuzIn As blogged by Suz22 Comments

While in Carmel we took the 17 mile scenic drive since we were told it was a ‘must do’. I was the backseat narrator/tour guide which meant that I didn’t have the opportunity to ask eleventy thousand questions. We stopped at a few spots along the way; we checked out some views and sea lions. Or were they seals? I don’t know for sure, but they were NOT baby dolphins.

We stopped at the Lone Cypress; the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Course symbol. I’m no golfer, but driving alongside the course, woohoo, it was windy AF. Good luck.

At the end of our tour we stopped at little dive deli, picked up some ginormous Sammies and had a pic-a-nic. One thing to know about us is we are always interested in Real Estate and how much it costs to live in different areas. So as we pic-a-nic-ed next to very small, modest homes a few blocks from the ocean, we had to check out the prices on our apps. Good lord. HGTV wasn’t lying; it’s expensive to live in California! I can see why so many people are moving to Georgia and Florida.


Then we moved onto Napa and our Songwriters In Paradise event. It was five nights of singer/songwriters performing at five different vineyards.
We also visited a good friends’ vineyard and had a delightful tasting. They might have the most delightful Rose’ ever.
Coach (fake) playing Mark Bryan’s (Hootie &The Blowfish) Mandolin. To Quote him: “I put the Man in Mandolin.”
Suz and Kelly. Do we ever tire of each other? NOPE.
This photo sums up my friends and I.

There was so much good music to be heard. I only took a few video clips from some of my favorites. Here is Johnny Bulford; he’s our favorite Florida guy. So much talent; he writes a lot of songs for Chris Young and Lee Brice. He and his wife Heidi played a house party for us a few years ago. They are as good as gold.

I’m done talking about our trip because I have a few other things to discuss/share/blog. What do I talk about next?

Our ‘back of the house’ renovation that is now 98% complete?

OR do I share with you a big surprise I pulled off this past weekend?

OR do I let you know why a large dumpster is now residing in our driveway?

SO many choices.

Also, today is the day I turn another year older, not to be confused with another year more mature.

{I think I’ve come a long way}

Be a doll and leave me a comment since some of you (I just found out!) read but don’t leave a note. I would never do that to you!

XOXO

A Bird In The Hand

On By SuzIn As blogged by Suz26 Comments

My day-to-day life is already filled with butterflies and last week I shared with you that I learned in depth about Bees on the first part of our visit to California.

What’s could be next?

Birds?

Abso-freaking-lutely.

Kelly signed us up for a Falconry experience. At first, I thought she only signed up the guys for it and I thought that was appropriate. Men and Birds Of Prey go together like wine & cheese peas & carrots.

I was so glad that she included us in this as well as it might have been my favorite part of our entire 9 days in California. I’ve done some really cool things in my life, but this was right up there with helicoptering over the Blue Hole in Belize, but with birds who flew and I stayed on the ground.

Maybe, it was nothing like that, but the WOW factor was 100% there.

CUE THE BIRDS

The Master Falconry Guy was so interesting. He was very serious about his birds and educating us on his birds and how WE as humans have made their lives worse, but he was also very funny. He had to poke at us, the only non California people in the group. Again with the Florida jokes?

In case you were wondering, I did have a bajillion questions for him.

I did not know that there was a time where birds of prey had a bounty on their heads and were hunted by humans. Their numbers declined SO much and it took years and years for them to come back up when humans realized they are an integral part of our ecosystem. Of course, then DDT was introduced and they were being poisoned. WTH people?

I’m trying to remember all the birds he shared with us, we were able to get an up close and personal meeting with each of them. A great horned owl, The Peregrin falcon, (it can fly up to 300mph) a red tailed hawk, a Saw Whet owl, (which was adorable) American Kestrel (also adorable) and a Harris’s Hawk. I feel like I’m forgetting a few. I didn’t photograph each one as I was really trying to be present and take it all in.

The great horned owl was amazing; he was able to channel his inner Exorcist by spinning his head around. While the Coach had his hand up to him, he quickly took his sharp ass beak and started to close down on his fingers. Coach was cool as a cucumber, stayed still and the bird changed his mind and did not crush his fingers.

Later on, the Falconry expert shared a story about when This Very Owl was spooked and clenched his beak on the hand of one of his friends almost crushing bones until he felt comfortable again. Ummm….could you have told us this 10 minutes ago? I’d like my husband to have both of his hands working. How else can he cook, do dishes and massage my back?

At the end of his presentation which was almost 2 hours we were able to release and recall this lovely Harris’s Hawk. OMG. I wanted to do this all day long. He would take off and it looked like he was never coming back. You can see there were some buzzards in the area too, but he paid them no attention. I think he knew he was Regal compared to them, although we all know buzzards have a special place in our ecosystem too.

{In case there was a buzzard reading this, I didn’t want them to feel bad}

Our falconry expert released Ariel (the Hawk) and then we took turns going up and letting him land on us, then release for the next person to be there when he came back.

I was able to capture the Coach on Ariel’s return
Suz releasing Ariel after gracefully accepting his return from the Coach’s release.

You guys, this hawk stared so deeply into my eyes when he was on my arm that for a second, I thought he was trying to steal my soul and fly off with it. Who would I be if I were soul-less?

This was such an educational, exciting and beautiful experience that I encourage anyone who has this opportunity to seize it! Just don’t go losing your soul to any of the creatures.

You know I walked away from this thinking I could add an owl or small falcon to my menagerie; I mean, I don’t think birds of prey would harm my baby dolphin. Right?

Has anyone had an experience like this?

XOXO

The One Where I Finally Wear The Uniform Of My Keepers

On By SuzIn As blogged by Suz31 Comments

We had planned this trip to see our friends Songwriters In Paradise in Napa, Ca since late 2019. We had attended the same event the prior April and had a lovely time. The 2020 trip we planned to extend our California visit and see some other areas aside from San Fran and Napa, so we booked a flight into LAX, planned to drive north and see some other areas prior to SIP.

Swimming pools. Movie stars.

*the world started falling apart*

That trip was cancelled and postponed. Three times. four?

DO YOU FEEL LUCKY, PUNK?

2021. Onward and upward we flew to LAX and headed north. Since the ‘traveling conditions’ aren’t ideal we opted to stay at one resort in Carmel before heading to Napa for the events instead of hotel hopping up the coast. Have you been to Carmel? The only thing I knew about Carmel was that Clint Eastwood lived there. Don’t ask me why I know this; my brain holds onto random, useless facts.

WHY SO MANY QUESTIONS?

I’m not sure what has happened to me in the last few years, but I’ve turned into the most quizzical person on the planet. I want to have a field trip to just about anywhere. Near our place in GA there is a marble plant/mine/whatever. I have endless questions about it every time we pass it. “Do you think they just go deeper and deeper and the marble is just there? Will the earth run out of marble? I’m sure the Coach’s heart starts racing when we’re in the vicinity of that place as the questions WILL.COME. I need a field trip there and then I might shut the hell up.

On the drive from LAX to Carmel, which was almost 6 hours, I had a least 768 questions concerning all the agriculture and oil fields I saw.

Suz Asks:

What kind of trees do you think those are? Maybe persimmons? Apricots?

Could those be avocado trees? They kind of look like avocados.

Hey, they grow almonds here. I think THOSE are almond trees.

Can you pull over so I can look at those plants with my app and figure out what they are?

I could go for a taco salad right about now.

I had NO idea how much agriculture there is in California. Did you guys know this?

Again, please pull over, I think that’s an arugula farm and I want to double-check.

SO MANY OIL FIELDS

Why are some of the oil pumps moving and some are not?

I’d really love to stop and see how they process all the veggies at that farm; field trip anyone?

My poor travel companions.

I was in charge of the hotel research before our trip and wanted to stay in a boutique hotel IN the downtown area. The Coach preferred a larger resort with more amenities about 15 minutes from the downtown area.

We stayed at the resort and I’m not that bitter about it.

The one good thing about the resort is it had many ‘experiences’ for you to enjoy while being on property.

We chose two experiences; one for the girls and one for the four of us.

They had a gosh darn bonafide beekeeping session. HELLO? I’ve been waiting for this all my life.

Does this outfit make my crotch look extra long and flimsy?

Ya’ll, I learned SO much about bees. I’m almost ashamed that I didn’t know IT ALL before. But rest assured, I know it all now.

That’s my Cuz Eddie up there.

This was the most enjoyable 90 minutes I’ve had in a while. Of course I wanted to get home so I could start my own hives. But I probably won’t take on that task anytime soon as it might interfere with my life’s work of catching of a baby dolphin to raise as my own.

My rose and my thorn for this little experience: I was able to identify the Queen bee out of this hive, but she didn’t look a thing like me OR Elizabeth.

That’s all I’m gonna share today because I don’t want to overwhelm you. Plus, you might have 768 questions about this.

Fun fact: The Coach agreed that if we ever get back to this area, we’re going to try a boutique hotel as the resort charges you up the wahoo in resort fees. And those fees don’t cover the bees.

Has anyone had their hands on a hive before? Have you been to Carmel? Fun fact: It doesn’t smell like CARAMEL.

XOXO