8 Photos Happiness is...Hope, Love, and

I don't know what goes through Hope's mind when she walks with us. As dog owners we sometimes think we know what goes through our pets minds, we respond accordingly and we tend to "humanize" them so we can "connect" with them. I don't claim to be a dog expert but it just seems to me that every time Debora and I take Hope for a walk she always finds an excellent spot to sit down and enjoy the sunset as if she knew what time the sun sets and where it sets. It's uncanny.

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12 Photos of Bixby Bridge. Weekend Trip

Bixby Bridge is a must stop on California's Highway 1. We left 17-Mile-Drive Loop after 3pm and arrived at the Bridge around 4pm, still early in the afternoon and with plenty of time for another stop on our way to Morro Bay. The Bridge is one of the most photographed spots on HW-1 because of its scenic location, it's the perfect spot for a sunset, and wherever you look you can see the beautifully rugged California coast displaying multiple layers of hills fading into the horizon the further you look.

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9 Photos 17-Mile-Drive and Pacific's Fur

I call this set of photos a "variation on a theme", the rugged, brutal, and always beautiful Pacific Coast theme. On our way out of the 17-Mile-Drive Loop we stopped once more to delight in the fury of the Pacific Ocean and how it hits the California coast with disregard for any man-made structures, be it homes, highways, or storm-walls.

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9 Photos of the Lone Cypress, Pebble Bea

The Lone Cypress is a major tourist attraction part of the 17-Mile-Drive, one of many tourist attractions starting in Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel and onwards south on Cabrillo Highway (California's HW-1). The Lone Cypress was the third stop on our weekend trip to Morro Bay after a short stop in Pebble Beach. Debora had never been here so I was more than glad to drive us to marker 16 on the 17-Mile-Drive map provided at the toll booth after paying the mandatory $9.50!

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6 Beautiful Photo Panoramas of Mountain

Today's raining in Mountain House but yesterday we had a fantastic day with an even more fantastic evening as you can see by the photos below. I actually told Debora that it would be difficult to believe the colors we were seeing in the sky without a few touch-ups in Lightroom. And by that I mean I would have to tone down the purples and strong oranges cast by he sun setting behind the clouds to the right of where we were standing.

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7 Photos of Pebble Beach. Second Stop in

The second stop on our way to Morro Bay was in Pebble Beach, more specifically where couples usually get married on the lawn near the Inn at Spanish Bay. Debora had never been to Pebble Beach so she didn't know what to expect and it was a delight for me to lead her through the atrium at the Inn and to the lawn where you can see the expansive (and expensive) golf courses facing Spanish Bay.

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8 Photos of Weekend Trip to Morro Bay. F

On our two day trip to Morro Bay we stopped by Monterey for lunch. It's not the first time we go to Monterey and I'm sure it won't be the last but usually it's our destination not a waypoint. Instead this weekend we were just passing by on our way to Morro Bay driving south on Cabrillo Highway (also known as Pacific Coast Highway, or California Highway 1). The weather was fantastic which is a rare occurrence in Monterey this time of the year but when we arrived there were still traces of morning fog and dew everywhere and as you can imagine we had to quickly find parking, run to the beach and capture whatever was left of the morning fog.

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12 Photos of Wild Wheat, Sunsets and Sid

The other day we found this small patch of wild wheat on the outskirts of Mountain House while walking to explore new areas around town. So, last night I had this idea to go there and try to combine in the same frame the wheat against the sunset and the hills in the back to see what the result would be. I managed to capture a few good shots with the wheat silhouetted against the Altamont Hills and the strong sunset light providing all the necessary light.

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18 Photos of The Skies Over My Head at M

I look forward to looking up to the sky every day since I moved to Mountain House early this year. Anywhere you go around town will offer you open expanses with unhindered views of the Altamont Hills, the sun setting behind the hills and the clear blue skies painted with wisps of cloud formations every day a different shape. Your event horizon is usually unimpeded since there are no tall buildings and you can just walk a few blocks to found yourself in the middle of expansive farm land.

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50 Photos Autumn Festival at Filoli Gard

Autumn if my favorite season at Filoli because of the Autumn Festival but mostly because of the fruit tasting, pie tasting and family entertainment. I have to confess that this is one of the few times we go to Filoli not to visit the gardens but because of the extra activities. Filoli volunteers setup tables in the middle of the visitors center hall and for several hours while the gardens are open they peel and cut fruit for us to taste! At one point I counted more than 30 types of apples and 45 types of pears, not to mention the countless plates with white, red, and black grapes.

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8 Photos Sunset and Flowers in the Early

Yesterday we decided to go out for a walk after a long day at work. The AC couldn't keep the house cool enough and it was warmer inside than it was outside.

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50 Photos Spring Fling at Filoli Gardens

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5 Photos of "Stormtrooper" Hope Coping W

The weather is crazy! I don't have to tell you that. Weather patters all over the world are changing the way we live our lives. This year we didn't have a proper winter, spring or summer and we haven't even reached mid-year.

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39 Photos of Hope Exploring Half Moon Ba

Half Moon Bay is located between San Francisco and Monterey on the Pacific Coast Highway (also known as HW-1 or Cabrillo Highway). The city itself doesn't have much to offer but what it lacks compared to bigger coastal cities it makes up for in small restaurants like Barbara's Fish Trap and Half Moon Bay Brewing Company. The latter even has an area specifically dedicated for dog owners and their furry friends.

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Filoli Gardens - Part III

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