Windows Repurposed...Greenhouse!

Jono has worked hard building this lovely recycled greenhouse for us.

And now it is finished!

It's quirky and cute (kinda like us!) and completely functional. 
It is keeping in the warmth nicely.
The chicken shed is on the right side.

You can see the roof in this picture. 

We used clear corrugated plastic roof panels.

Now to get some seeds started!

Good thing I have some willing helpers.

They are planting some lettuce.  Beet seeds were also planted this week.

Such cute little helpers!

So there you go.  A look at the new/old greenhouse.

The shelves are in the process of being built so we'll give you an inside tour when they are done.

In the Snow

It snowed last week.  Finally.

I say finally only because this time last year we had snow coming out our ears and all of our perishables sitting on the front porch because the power had been out for days.

Sooo...

time to play!

We were a bit too ambitious with our snowman. 

Abby and I couldn't lift his middle so he got shorted a couple snowballs,

but thankfully he still got his carrot!

Come Visit Cali (Angel Island)

You've probably heard of Alcatraz, well, Angel Island is another island in the San Francisco Bay.  We went last summer with my mom.  Taking the ferry to get there was one of the best parts of the day. 

It's so nice to be on the water watching the fog roll out. 

And again at the end of the day watching it roll in.

Don't we look like great adventurers with our packs on?!  Of course, one is for the baby and the other is full of things like goldfish and graham crackers.  All great adventurers take the essentials.

Once you get there, you can hike, bike, walk, run, beach comb, etc.

The views are amazing all around the island.

You can also visit the Immigration Station. 

Angel Island was the Ellis Island of the west from the 1800s into the early 1900s.   Immigrants from hundreds of different countries had to pass through here before going on into the United States.  They could be detained for days, months, or years!  Can you imagine after traveling thousands of miles under all sorts of circumstances (think small boat, big ocean) only to be stopped here with a measly one mile of water separating you from freedom.

They were packed into barracks like the one below.  Something like 80 people slept in this one room wooden building.

Also found at the Immigration Station is a bell to ring.

And geese to talk to.

Elsewhere on the island you can find out about local (present) wildlife.

And some wild life stories from the past.

I would love to go back and try climbing Mt. Livermore (the highest point on the island) or renting a bike to ride around the whole thing. 

Who's coming with me?

Come Visit Cali (Muir Woods)

Muir Woods is just a hop, skip and a jump from San Francisco.

I mean, if you could actually hop, skip or jump over San Francisco Bay.  Instead you get to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and through the Rainbow Tunnel!  Much more exciting.

Most coastal redwoods have been cut at some point but Muir Woods is one of those protected places that has never been logged.

The trees are enormous and beautiful. 

It has a 1-mile loop hike that is easy to manage with little ones.  Pick up a scavenger hunt before embarking on the hike.  It keeps the kids engaged with the informational signs that are sprinkled along the way.  And there's a prize at the end!  Of course, we also look for tree faces.

And make fish faces at the salmon in the creek.

Armstrong Redwoods is another place to see the Redwoods that isn't too far from us.  Since it is in Sonoma County, we would go there if you choose the Napa Valley option when making your reservations to...

Come Visit Cali (San Francisco)

Reason #3 to

There are so many places to explore in California and many of them are within driving distance of us.  San Fran is only about 3 hours away and it has something for everyone.

Golden Gate Bridge + Crissy Beach

Trolley Cars

(Abby will show you how to act like you've been doing this your whole life.)

Seals at Pier 39

The Presidio

where I will force you to play the statue game with me.

we are totally awesome!!!

And so many wonderful museums.

The Zeum (below) where you can make your own claymation movie or music video, the California Academy of Sciences has an aquarium and a living roof, the Exploratorium is every little scientist's dream, or the de Young Fine Arts Museum.

There's still more but you'll have to wait for the next post.

In the meantime, give us a call, tell us when you're coming so we can put you on the calendar! 

New Film {eating alabama}

Eat locally.
Eat seasonally.
They even do it in Alabama!

Andy Grace was one of Jono's roommates in college.  He is the director of the new film Eating Alabama that will have it's world premiere at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, TX.  Pretty big stuff.  Watch the trailer above and learn more at the website, www.eatingalabama.com.

Their other roommate, Joey Thompson, scored the music for the film.  You can catch a glimpse of it in the video here.  Listen to more of the Archibalds at their website, www.thearchibaldsmusic.com.

Are you going to have a back(or front)yard garden this year?  It's so much fun and you don't get much more local than that.  Come on!  Let's get back to playing in the dirt.

Come Visit Cali (home sweet home)

If you are coming to Cali, we would love to have you stay in our cozy little home.

Remember we live at an adventure camp.

You can try blobbing or swinging or sliding or hiking.

Do you have little ones?

We have a wonderful toddler training program here at the house.

We teach two very important lessons.

#1

How To Make the Most of Bathtime

#2

How To Wrestle

(aka Defend Yourself or Be Thrown into the Couch)

They can also learn about eating locally.

We have blackberries.  And green beans.  And more.

We also offer electives like...

 How To Wash Dishes

and

The Best Way To Wear a Fake Mustache

These are really just the tip of the iceberg, folks.

You are going to have to see it for yourself.

Come visit!