Joe and I spent the night last night in Sebastopol, CA with Wayne and Kim Simone, HCCA members.  The hot shower felt good, the dinner was excellent - the tri-tip expertly grilled by "Trees" and the Gravenstein apple crisp Kim made was out of this world.  Gravenstine apples grow in the Sebastopol area and have a very short season and are exceptional for baking with a sweet, spicy flavor.  The Simone's were gracious, enthusiastic and we left feeling like old friends.  We enjoyed listening to "Trees" music CD- original music he wrote and performed with with his band.  The music was reminiscent of the "Beach Boys".  

Today, we passed through some of the most beautiful scenery in Sonoma and Marin counties - quaint towns, very artsy, and perfumed by the scent of the ocean and stands of eucalyptus trees.  Eucalyptus trees are tall, have really shaggy bark that shreds to reveal the trunk in splotches of color, and have a fresh minty, pine scent that some have described as having a honey-like overtone.  Once you have experienced the smell, it is one you will always remember.

I have always liked the CA Plein Air paintings of the early 20th century and many of them show eucalyptus trees. I can well appreciate the early Plein Air artist's fascination with this area of CA.  Plein Air painting was a movement of CA artists who worked out of doors (en plein air) and typically was impressionist and caught the "feel" and the "light" of a scene.  When you view of one their paintings, you can "smell the salt air and the eucalyptus.  

Wildlife update for the day:  more wild turkey, more deer, more quail, more harbor seals sunbathing on the sand, pelicans, water birds of several types and a fair number of surf boarders. (Since they were surfing in wet suits, the water must have been cold - therefore, I am considering them a bit on the "wild" and crazy side and eligible for my "wildlife" update).     

We will be in Monterey tomorrow night and in Cambria the next night.