Wandering Browns

One of our last full days in California, Landon and I escaped to the coast to enjoy the Montana de Oro tidepools. I have fond memories of coming here often growing up, and again wanted Landon to experience them. In Atascadero, it was foggy and cold. As we drove over the coastal range, it actually got more sunny and warm! It was a beautiful drive and day down on the coast. Landon decided after about two minutes of walking on the trail that he wanted to be carried. My exercise for the day was trying to take some pictures while balancing a heavy boy on my shoulders. Once we got to the tidepools, Landon was a little freaked out by the waves coming right up to the tidepool rocks. I carried him out as far as I dared go and was able to set him down and show him a few things. There weren't as many creatures as I've seen before, but we were still able to see sea urchins, lots of hermit crabs, anemones and sea snails. One of my favorite things that I've done since I w...

Having lived outside of California and San Luis Obispo county for the past 10 years, I have learned how to describe and explain where I grew up to people I meet. I used to start with "Atascadero" which worked when I spoke to people from California. Too many blank stares.  Now I start with "San Luis Obispo county" and then most people answer, "Where is that?" Then comes the drawn out explanation about being halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the coast, and then some people say, "Like Fresno?" and I exclaim, "NOTHING LIKE FRESNO!" Sometimes they ask how far away from Santa Barbara, or Fresno, or Bakersfield, or San Jose. Turns out it is between 2-3 hours away from all of those places. When I graduated high school, I didn't just leave my small town, I left the state. I was so excited to move as far away as I could think of (to Utah) and begin life on my own. So why did growing up here ruin my life? Here's why: ...