Road trip!

Aah, vacation.  I didn't need this vacation like I've needed vacation in the past, but I'd be lying if I said that having this past week off of work hasn't been a pleasure.  I get 5 days of vacation during my 8-month apprenticeship.  One could argue that using all 5 days during the third month of the program is perhaps not the smartest approach, but Alison had this week off, so it made sense to take our vacations at the same time.

We spent the first 3 days of vacation on the coast, which was a great escape from the heat of the Valley.  With overcast mornings and daytime highs in the 60's and 70's, the weather invited all kinds of outdoor activities and one last chance to wear a sweatshirt.  Cool spring weather is a favorite of Alison's, Dakota's, and mine.  Dakota loves being co-pilot on road trips, sitting in the front seat or sticking her head out the side window to watch and smell the world go by.  When she tires of standing and sitting, which happens pretty quickly on long trips, she sleeps.  My car (a Honda Fit) is the perfect car for a spoiled dog, with its magic seats that fold into several configurations, including one with the front seat opened flat.  Once padded with pillows, it makes a bed comfortable enough for our "princess and the pea" pup. 

Dakota, my 6-year-old lab, loves car trips

We stayed with Alison's brother just outside Pescadero, near Half Moon Bay, which meant we got to spend lots of quality time with Alison's 4-year-old niece, Natalie, and much of that time outdoors. Mornings on the beach, afternoon hikes in the redwoods, and strawberry picking were all on the list of activities.

Pistachio State Beach, a great dog beach

Alison, Natalie, and me rock climbing on the beach

The farmer part of me was particularly excited about picking organic strawberries at Swanton Berry Farm, petting the baby goats at Harley Goat Farm, and tasting local honey at a roadside stand. 

We picked organic strawberries at Swanton Berry Farm in Davenport

Our 1.54 pound strawberry harvest

Petting a friendly kid.  All the little ones tried to suckle my fingers.

Natalie kept trying to feed the baby goats straw.  I tried to explain the difference between hay and straw, but she didn't get it.  I myself just learned the difference last month.  In short, straw is bedding, hay is food.

An ingenious baby goat feeder.  I wish we had rigged up on of these instead of baby bottles for our piglets.  Way less bottle washing, and Bulgur wouldn't have to push his sisters out of the way to drink his fill.

Driving back from the coast was a brutal reintroduction to the heat of the Central Valley.  I fell asleep covered with a blanket in the Bay Area (in case you were worried, I wasn't driving), and woke up sweating somewhere inland.  How rude!  By the time we reached Sacramento's 90-degree heat, I was seriously considering turning around and heading right back to the coast.  I know the Valley's heat and sunshine make the crops grow, but I sure wish I could somehow work in a climate-controlled bubble while tending to those crops!