Welcome May

May arrived on Sunday bringing with it blue skies, warm weather and no wind.

I mention wind because you can see from this photo that we have definitely had WIND for several days - the sand blew off the beach, onto our lane and almost covered the trash can.

We took advantage of the lovely day, left the garden behind and took Lulu for a walk to the pier which just reopened after heavy storm damage closed it for repairs.

I thought you might like to come along on our little 4 mile walk,

and remember to stop and smell the flowers along the way.

This quintessential beach cottage is on the corner of our lane and "the boulevard". 

We'll be walking on the boulevard until we get to the state beach.

Steve and I have a thing for poppies, but regretfully, they don't have a thing for us - I have no success growing poppies in our garden.

This is probably one of the oldest cottages at the beach and it sat neglected for years,

but recently a young couple rented it and they are lovingly bringing the cottage back to life.

This is another house that was a total eyesore and unfortunately the first house anyone saw when they turned onto the boulevard.

Fortunately, it has been brought back to life and I love the colors the owners chose for the house.

I am a sucker for picket fences and roses.

Steve and I looked at this house to buy when we moved to Ventura 39 years ago, but it was so expensive at $66,000 - it is valued at more than 10 times that now.

I love the boat in the yard at this house and the sunflowers - can you see the flip flops hanging on the picket fence?

The boulevard has a median running down the center and the median has been planted and is cared for by loving neighbors.

It's California - I have to show you at least one orange tree!

Let's cross the street and enter the state park where palm trees and Matilija poppies stand guard at the entrance.

Matilija poppies are one of my favorite flowers

and I am patiently waiting for ours to bloom.

Remember I told you we love poppies?

I climbed up the dune to get a close up of these.

I love this time of year when the path through the state beach is awash in yellow.

If you look closely in the pic, between the sea of yellow and the sea of blue, you will see rocks - the sand washed away from most of our beaches in the heavy rains this year, but by summer the sand should be back.

And here we are at the pier.

I hope you enjoyed our little walk.