Peaches and Spring

Happy First Day of Spring, also known as Spring Equinox or Vernal Equinox, a day when there is an equal amount of light and darkness on the entire planet. Everywhere on the globe gets 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness today. After today the Northern Hemisphere days start to get longer than the nights and vice versa in the Southern Hemisphere.

So it's the first day of spring, and all of the gardens in San Carlos are blooming nicely, including ours.



Even my lobelia are alive and well.

Betsy's friends Janice and Adele - who we went out to dinner with a few days ago - invited us to join them today for a boat ride on Janice's boat "Peaches." Peaches is a 55 foot three level boat. Janice and her husband Ron were Peach farmers, hence the name. Janice would provide breakfast. Betsy and I were in charge of bringing lunch.

So Friday was shopping day. Our food shopping trips always begin at a place called "Tony's."


Tony's began as a mobile vegetable stand many years ago. Tony would drive his truck around the neighborhood, selling fresh produce. His market has now evolved into a portable outdoor stand.


Tony's kind of reminds me of a produce stand called "Bud's" where Mom used to shop when we were kids. We go to Tony's first, and what we can't get there we get at the regular stores. Now that Tony is stationary he also carries items like eggs and dairy in a couple of small refrigerated cases. There are half a dozen large ice chests containing fresh shrimp, fish, meat and cold spinach and lettuce. A few bread items are also available and occasionally fresh flowers. A young female German Shepherd hangs out at Tony's. We've become good friends.

Another frequent shopping stop is at Sagitarria.


This shop is owned and run by Terry and Pilar - part of Betsy's extended family. This shop is for the fun things - clothing, candles and interior decor. It's the biggest and most fun shop in town.


Betsy and I enjoy visiting with Terri and Pilar as much as we do the shopping. They are always happy to answer our questions about local stores and events. In the photo below, Betsy and Pilar chat, laugh and catch up on news. Today we bought a couple of candles for the table.


Betsy and I went to lunch at Charlie's Rock. I had Marlin Tacos - which were okay. I was not yet brave enough to try the octopus tacos. Maybe later. Charlie's Rock is right on the waterfront and like many restaurants, only has three walls. The fourth, missing wall faces the beach. We sat at a bar looking out onto the water.


Oh yes. Dogs are welcome.


From there I went to Soldier's Estuary with Frances, where for the
third day in a row we met two female cattle dogs who were camping with their human on the beach. Frances has their number and likes to tease them when they are tied up.

On the way home from the beach I suddenly found myself in traffic that had come to a stop for a kindergarten parade celebrating the first day of spring. All of the children were dressed as flowers, bees and butterflies.


There were two children designated King and Queen of Spring and they road in the front car - a VW with a sun roof. The King and Queen stood with their crowned heads peaking out of the sun roof, waving to the crowd.


I spoke with a smiling policeman who was very happy to be doing Spring Equinox duties as opposed to his law enforcement brothers a couple of hundred miles north who are fighting the drug cartel wars. For those who expressed concern for my safety about the recent drug cartel violence, I will assure you that I have no plans to hangout at consulate offices. And while true, I must eventually cross the border to return to the USA, I have faced greater dangers when I worked in outdoor pet vaccination clinics in the parkings lots of South Stockton! But seriously folks, I'll bet there's been murders in your town this week too. As usual, it is much overblown by both the media and the state department. We use common sense and take moderate precautions and let it go at that.

On Friday night Betsy and I prepared all kinds of luncheon food for the boat ride. This morning we were at the marina for our 8:00am departure.


I took ginger and that is all. I decided no matter what, I was not going to take any motion sickness drugs. I did eat a bagle as per the FAA recommendation.

As I said previously, the boat Peaches is a 55 foot, three level boat. It is white with red trim.


We departed shortly after 8am, and cruised around the bay for the next four hours. I was able to see some new ocean and mountain scenery.


Janice served a breakfast of fruit, yogurt, pastry and coffee. Adele is a poet and writer and midway through the trip was inspired to write a new piece about the universal subject of Love. She graciously shared this lovely heartfelt piece of writing with us when it was completed. Betsy followed up by reading a humourous story she wrote earlier this week about "The Scaliwag Gang". The Scaliwag Gang is "based on a true event." It is an elaboration on a fight between her four male dogs a few nights ago. (Frances thought it all "oh so boring.")

The rest of the trip was spent enjoying the view whilst visiting and chatting, fishing,


or just putting our feet up and relaxing.


This boat ride was a very sentimental trip for Janice as it is likely her last trip on Peaches, the boat she and her late husband Ron owned together. She is selling it now so if you know anyone interested... I was honored to be invited to ride on Peaches on this finale voyage.


We ate so much food for breakfast that none of us were hungry for the lunch Betsy and I had prepared. So I think Betsy and I are now set with food for the next week. That's not such a bad thing! Less time in the kitchen - yay!

Obviously the fact that I ate so well indicates that I did not get seasick! Yay! After 3 hours I felt myself starting to yawn and feel a little out of sorts, so I went and sat in the sun on the back of the boat and let the ocean spray dampen my queasiness while I watched the birds and mountains go by. I arrived home feeling great. I was not able to go to the interior of the boat however, until it had docked. That would have done me in I think. But I consider the day a success as moving one step closer to eliminating this nuisance of a problem.

Back home, Betsy headed out for a family event, and I settled into my upstairs writing space to do some Blogging.



The Marina Terra Beach & Hotel below us commenced with the usual Saturday Night dance band until midnight. As we headed to bed on this first day of Spring, 2010, we were treated to a brief fireworks display from the beach hotel, bringing the Equinox celebration to a close.