Ojai Meadows in November

I like the feel of this preserve - an oasis of nature surrounded by Ojai on all sides. These photos captured the mood of that quiet, post-Thanksgiving Monday afternoon.

Thanksgiving 2024

 

With a little help from Whole Foods.

November starfish

...and other low tide encounters. 

the Chiquita bowl

An ancient artifact, uncovered from my storage. It was the early 70's and plastic was king. While plastic is still everywhere, it's no longer king. It's more like Prince Harry: uncertain royal status, capable of good or bad things, no one is sure but everyone has an opinion.

Apple Valley Starbucks

 

I did not mind the design of this Starbucks in Apple Valley. 

driving home through the desert

 

That snowy thing would be Mount San Gorgonio seen in the vicinity of Desert Hot Springs.

Adobe Rose Bed and Breakfast

The good: this is great place to stay and the breakfasts were top notch. The bad: I became sick, making for a strange stay and a strange end to our extended road trip. The good, part 2: the manager could not have been kinder and more patient under such unfortunate circumstances. Also, the strolls in the Sam Hughes neighborhood were curative and pleasant.

Sam Hughes neighborhood

This charming neighborhood next to the University of Arizona is full of tree-lined streets and pleasant homes dating from the 1920s to the 1950s. It's named for Samual C. Hughes (1829-1917), a Welsh born businessman who became one of the most prominent citizens of Tucson. He held several important posts over the years including city councilman, county sheriff and county treasurer. He could have been mayor, but declined. 

Tumerico

Upon arriving in Tucson, we had a late lunch at Tumerico, an interesting restaurant serving healthy Mexican food. Among other things I had nopales and Turkish coffee.

the amazing clouds west of Van Horn, part 2

the amazing clouds west of Van Horn

home of the oatmeal fiasco

 

Only this time Mrs. came prepared with a bag of grain-free granola.

Charolais cow picture revisited

Still mooing after all these years.

Hotel El Capitan revisited

An oasis of comfort in remote West Texas.

Van Horn, TX revisited

There's not a whole lot in Van Horn TX, but what there is we made full use of. This time I noticed that from outside the Hotel El Capitan you could see a cliff formation (below) that resembled El Capitan in nearby Guadeloupe Mountains National Park. Could that be possible? The front desk clerk said it was, but further research suggested that the park was simply too far away (63 miles). It's a shame because the idea of seeing El Capitan from the Hotel El Capitan is a nice one.

 

Gristmill Restaurant

Like Gruene Hall, the Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar also dates to 1878 and is also a Texas institution. The wooden parts of the building burned down in 1922, but the brick portion survived. It was then turned into a restaurant in 1977. The expansive, open air seating area makes for a unique dining experience. I peeked over the railing where we ate and saw a fox! That doesn't happen every day.