CSB - Pismo

Our first visit was part of a trip to San Diego to get Madden memorabilia when Grammy Madden moved to the Bay Area. 

It became a nice stop when we visited Andi at PCPA

Pismo State Beach  
Pismo Beach - Wikipedia  

Butterflies

Using up pink stash and trying out different quilting techniques.


This quilt recently found a home with a new baby girl!

Summertime

This is another construction of multiple pieces...the bird is the end result of my week at Asilomar, the three cross stitch pieces have been hanging around for over thirty years, they were framed and had various homes.  The paper-pieced leaf and star, were technique trials.

I finished a few days before the start of summer and as I walked around the house to stretch I found a surprise box from my sister on the porch a wonderful construction of cherry summer plants that so wonderfully filled the empty pot by the front steps!!

SMCP - Crystal Springs Regional Trail

Many a walk or run took place on this trail over the years. 

Most likely our most visited County Park, well maybe after Edgewood!  Actually I'm sure that Greg visited this one the most, especially after he realized running the Edgewood Trails could be dangerous.

Thus ... it seemed the logical choice for a memorial bench for Greg.







Unfortunately, we chose the new section of the trail that we had first walked with the SMC Parks Foundation in 2014.  It had been slated to open later that year, and then again by the end of 2015, but complications with the dam held up the opening until January of 2019.  

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CSP / CSHM - Hearst San Simeon

A Trip up the coast after dropping Andi off at PCPA in 1992 included a stop at Hearst Castle. We probably stopped in the Park at that time, but I don't remember.  We spent a fun night in Cambria.

The park pictures are nearly twenty years later on a visit to Cambria with Maura and William.

• Hearst San Simeon State Park
• Hearst San Simeon Historical Monument
• Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument- Wikipedia

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Trail Posts: A Literary Exploration of California's State Parks Read this description of Hearst's Ranch from Samantha Barbas' The First Lady of Hollywood. 

Experiments in Glass

About the same time I took up quilting I took a stained glass class.  I was never really good at it, somehow, I couldn't get the hang of soldering.....but with Greg's design help here are some results....

These living room windows are now gone, years of stress left mutiple cracks and old windows needed a more efficient alternative

This is the back door windbreak

Fused glass came a lot later when we took a class after Greg retired.  This is my only piece!

SMCP - Sanchez Adobe

A visit to the Sanchez Adobe was another San Mateo County Parks Foundation outing.  Today the adobe, which was built by Francisco Sanchez between 1842 and 1846 is a San Mateo County Park run by the San Mateo County History Association.





The site of the adobe was originally, the village of Pruristac, a settlement of the Ramaytush band of the Ohlone people.

 In 1786 the Spanish, Mission Dolores, in San Francisco, which had absorbed many of the Ohlone in the area, established  San Pedro y San Pablo Asistencia, to promote missionary work and by farming to provide food for the main mission. The farming effort was soon abandoned, however, cattle ranching continued until the demise of the mission system in 1834.

The Mexican Government granted the land to Francisco Sanchez the 8th Alcade of San Francisco.

The adobe was purchased by Edward Kirkpatrick in 1871.  He did extensive remodeling. Later lives included a time as the Adobe House, a hotel, and as a speakeasy during the depression.







The museum on the site today, offers a view of items from throughout its history.  A new nature center was being planned when I visited and I believe it has now been opened.

It's a great place for an afternoon outing

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Sanchez Adobe - SMCHA

Sanchez Adobe - SMCP

Sanchez Adobe - Wikipedia

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San Francisco National Cemetery

San Francisco National Cemetery

Not exactly a National Park, but a beautiful site...with a beautiful view

CSP - Big Basin Redwoods State Park

The family's first camping trip in 1978 allowed us to work out the kinks in preparation for a trip to Yosemite.

Somebody forgot a belt!   And somebody else had a little trouble crossing a log on the trail.  Daddy held her hand and walked her across and then back and made her do it again!!  

Other than that all went well!

Big Basin Redwoods State Park 
Big Basin - Wikipedia

A study in circles

Nicholas took one look at this quilt and adopted it for his own use.  It originally stayed at Grammy's but has now disappeared into his stash at home.  I think he has at least four!!!

SMCP-Edgewood

 Edgewood was probably the most visited of all the county parks.  It provided many a place to run and walk for exercise.

It has a great lawn for kids to play and shady tables to have a picnic.

 And it was Edgewood in 1992 that provided a venue for the Madden Family Reunion.

It offers a wealth of terrain types....trees, golden fields, magnificent wild flowers, deer, bunnies and the views!!!

Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve

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Madden Reunion - 1992

CSB - Pescadero

Never a destination but often a stop, Pescadero State Beach and Nature Preserve centers around the lagoon formed by Pescadero and Butano Creeks.  Today bird life abounds.

It is a perfect place to view the ocean on the way to visit the tiny town of Pescadero or when heading in to Butano State Park




Pescadero State Beach

Trail Posts: A Literary Exploration of California's State Parks  The poem "Steelhead" by Brother Antoninus, the "Beat Friar" poet [William Everson]

LH - Heceta Head

The hike to this cute little lighthouse led through lovely trees with great ocean views.  It was a perfect stop on the drive down the coast.

Construction of Heceta Head lighthouse becan after Congress appropriated $80,000 for it's cost in March of 1889. 





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Heceta Head - Lighthouse Friends

Heceta Head Lighthouse - Oregon State Parks

Hecta Head - Wikipedia