Best of Cali: Carpinteria

This is Carpinteria, CA.

This might be my favorite spot in Cali so far!

There is a trail that goes all along the bluff next to the ocean.  From up there you have a bird's eye view of the seals rookery where they come to have there pups every year.  We got to see them last year.  It seemed like there were more this year. 

I love that this beach town has so much wildlife.

Pelicans.

Horses.  On the beach.

This is movie stuff to me.  People really do that?!

And dolphins.

Cool rocks.

The kids were divided on whether or not they would let me take their picture in this perfectly idyllic place.  These two were cooperative.

These two were not.

The other thing that makes this place a winner.

That's right.  The Burger Spot.

Walk right up from the beach for a very satisfying burger and fries!

{This is that final post from our spring break trip.  Due to internet troubles, I am a bit behind on posts.  This week will be catch up.  I mean I haven't even posted about Project Milk Goat!  Soon.  Very soon.}

Wildlife {Carpinteria, CA}

This spring break we took off in search of a warmer climate.  We headed south and ended up the little beach town of Carpinteria, CA.  Carpinteria is just south of Santa Barbara and north of Ventura.  Such a cute place! I didn't get any pictures of the downtown area but if you've ever seen a Gidget movie or one of those beach films with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon then you've seen it!  You can walk right off the beach up to The Spot which has been and still is the spot to get burgers.

Another cool thing about Carpinteria is the wildlife.  Across the street from where we were staying, you can walk the bluffs that overlook the ocean and one part of the beach is a seal rookery.  The harbor seals come here year after year to have their pups.  So we were able to see the cute little baby seals and watch them all jostle each other about.

While we were standing there we saw two dolphins and

a whale surface several times!!!

And this cute little rabbit crossed our trail at one point.

With all this wonderful wildlife happening right before our eyes, what are my boys fascinated by?

Roly Polies.

They collected dozens of them.

Really?!

I mean, we were watching a whale migrate north for the summer.  The real thing, not just some show on Discovery.  But then again, whales can't roll up into a perfect little ball when they're scared either.

It's Spring Somewhere {California Coastal Wildflowers}

There we were, on top of this gorgeous bluff overlooking the ocean and surrounded by all these wildflowers!  I wish I knew the names of all of them.  If anyone who knows would like to pipe up and tell me, please do.  For now I hope you at least get a little taste of this magnificent view that we enjoyed that day in Carpinteria.

This next one I do know.  It is the bloom of a eucalyptus tree.  It has no petals, but is decorated by its many stamen.  After it finishes blooming, the seed pod is left.  The pods that I have seen have either a star or a cross in the center.  If you look in the center of this flower, you will see a pentagon shape where the star will be when it dries. 

I love how God leaves his fingerprints all over nature.



The pods can be used in lots of fun, crafty ways.  I've been using them as stamps to decorate different clay creations!  Bowls, cups, earrings.  Any other ideas for eucalyptus pods?