marine blue

One day I found this beautiful but deceased butterfly on the patio. It urns out to be a marine blue (Lepotes marina). The striped black and white antennae are especially striking.

Soultrane

A John Coltrane CD that I tried to like, but in the end I gave away.

birthday month collage

A lovely and inspired birthday month collage by my lovely and inspired wife.

Bono

The olives, not the singer. 

Furikake

As is often the case with the Trader Joe's "snacks of the moment", they are here one day and gone the next. As I recall this one was pretty good. 

Mrs. tacos

more Bananagrams

Highly Likely outside

Under the shade of their big lacebark elm we enjoyed lunch and coffee.

Singing Sun on a stool

It was a different experience, but one I was willing to try.

Chi Check revival

birds, helicopters and surfers

Although they appear like little black dots, the flurry of activity adds life to this peaceful image.

deviled eggs and coleslaw

The Birthday Month fanfare continued with a delightful lunch of deviled eggs and coleslaw, a combination popular in the South (according to NOLA.com).

Birthday Month '25

We kicked off Birthday Month '25 with an appropriate amount of fanfare, the first piece of which was this Lovewell date.

Pinyon Ventura revisited

Same place, same meal, but this time we sat inside.

Brakey breakdown

Brakey Road probably got its name from being steep. It also functions as a fire break. Presently it is in a beautiful state of neglect. As Imogen Heap put it, "there's beauty in the breakdown".

California buckwheat

To the best of my knowledge these flowers seen at the Ventura Botanical Gardens are California buckwheat.

voucher Scrabble

spicy noodles

The day I learned that spicy noodles on their own from Hip VGN are too spicy. They need to be balanced with a salad.

Aloha Steakhouse

Our first time here in a very long time. We wanted to try their salmon caesar salad and it did not disappoint. It's also one of the few places you can dine with a view of the ocean.

Corazon Carp revisited

Dart Carp

Our first visit to the new Dart Coffee at Linden Square in Carpinteria.

VBG repeat button

Big Boggle

kangaroo paw

At least I am 99% certain that this is kangaroo paw.

Rasoi repeat button

Little Dom's repeat button

boiled peanuts (California version)

Boiled peanuts were found at Dang Burger in Carpinteria.

the tenacious moth

The moth that clung onto the hose, regardless of how much I moved it. Most winged critters would have flown away, but this one was seemingly "super glued" to the hose.

Kaapicat repeat button

Clean Planet Smog

A great place to get your car smog checked.

Finney's repeat button

surfin' USA

It's probably easier to watch surfers than to surf.