Rachel's Birthday Party

Mileage: 4,261

Photos taken at Rachel's Birthday Party. Received an invite to attend my book club friend Rachel's birthday party at Shell Cafe in Pismo Beach. We had some good food and some dancing and drinks. Great time!

Visit Monarch Butterfly Grove

Mileage: 3741

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Visited the Monarch butterfly Grove with my friend, Steve, the sign said there was about 28,000 butterflies in the grove today, about 5,000 more than last year's count. (They counted on January 21, 2013)

Cool Panorama Photo

Mileage: 3471

Visited Eagle Castle Winery, on the rooftop I was able to take nice photos of the clouds that day and turn into a panorama shot.

More about Eagle Castle Winery

Website : Eagle Castle Winery

Eagle Castle Winery, one of the most unique Paso Robles winery and wedding venue. They make award winning wines and they have an amazing view from otheir  aerie terraces overlooking the Santa Lucia Mountains of Paso Robles.  They specialize in red  Bordeaux and Rhone varietals and blends. Even With their modest production, expansive vineyard acreage, and state-of-the-art gravity flow winery, they still manage to produce amazing wines.

Day Trip to Cambria and San Simeon

Mileage: 3471

Took a Day Trip to Cambria and San Simeon to take a look at the Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas, Sunday, January 27th, went with a friend, Steve. We also did some wine tasting along the way, too.

More about the Elephant Seals

Beginning in late November and continuing into December the juveniles here for the fall haul-out depart for about five months at sea and the large sub-adult and adult males arrive. These large animals contest for primacy on an area of the beach, with battles that can be dramatic and bloody although almost never with serious damage. A local hierarchy develops with a dominant, alpha, male and two to four beta males. The alpha is usually located well in from the waterline while the betas typically are arrayed nearer the ocean.

In mid- to late-December the first pregnant females arrive. Experienced females will choose a location near the alpha both for protection from harassment and, ultimately, to increase the likelihood of being bred by the strongest male. The first pup us usually born about a week before Christmas. Females continue to arrive, the great majority arriving in January. They typically give birth a few days after arrival, most of those births occurring at night.

The new pups weigh between 60 – 80 pounds (25 – 35 kilograms). They are ready to go immediately (see two birthing videos on our Slide Show page). The mother and pup bond very shortly after the birth, developing a familiarity with both sound and smell which will help them stay close during the four-week nursing period. The birth is often attended by many gulls that come for the afterbirth or placenta – a visit not to the mother’s liking.

The mother is very protective of the pup, aggressively guarding the pup and the area around the two of them from intruders of any size. Nursing begins anywhere from a few hours to a day after birth. It is important to realize that the mother (as are all seals except nursing pups) is fasting during her stay in the rookery – no food and no water for the duration. That makes the pups growth over the four weeks of nursing – quadrupling its weight – even more remarkable. The mother loses 30% – 40% of the weight she had when she arrived.

During the final week of nursing, the mother goes into estrous and is bred, most likely by the alpha male but quite possibly by one of the betas. Shortly thereafter she weans her pup and heads for the ocean, often running a gauntlet of beta males. Family life is over. The pup, now called a weaner, is on its own and will seek the company of other weaners away from the areas of the beach used by the remaining mothers who would not welcome its presence.

The pups remain in the rookery for two to two and one-half months after weaning, spending time in the shallow tide pools off-shore to build muscle and skill before they embark on their first ocean voyage, returning during the fall haul-out in October and November.

Oscars - Best Movie Nominations

Mileage: 3245

Went to see the movie Argo, I loved the clothes in the 70's, NOT!  I loved all the glasses in the movie, too. I wore over-sized glasses. I remember this story, didn't know all the details, but really enjoyed the movie thoroughly.

Movies Nominated for Best Picture in 2012

I have seen so far:

Argo
Les Misérables
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Life of Pi

Planned to see:

Django Unchained

Silver Linings Playbook 

Not sure if I get a chance to see:

Amour

Movie Night @ Cynthia's Place

Mileage: 3138

Had a fun get together at my house today. We had good food, clam chowder, green salad, and apple cobbler. I had a great time with Rita, Rachel, Susan and Terrel. We watched the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's   wonderful movie. It premiered in 1961, over 50 years old, hard to believe.

The table is all set!

Yum, Apple Cobbler!

Downton Abbey Returns - Season 3

Mileage: 3024

Last Sunday my favorite TV show has returned.  Downton Abbey. Season 3

Downton Abbey has weathered the war, and the prospect of an impending wedding for Mary and Matthew brings great anticipation, as well as Cora’s mother from America, Martha Levinson. New World and Old World are about to clash as Martha tests tradition at Downton, and the patience of the formidable Lady Violet.

Aside from the sparks upstairs, a very real crisis threatens the foundation and future of Downton. Great houses have been crippled psychologically and financially in the wake of World War I, and Downton may not be exempt. In response, Robert clings decisively to his duty to maintain the home at all costs. But in this changing landscape, nothing is assured, and even the Crawleys may be faced with a new battle to safeguard their beloved Downton.

Amidst sweeping social change, budding romances and surprising betrayals, Downton Abbey returns with a riveting third season starring Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Shirley MacLaine and the rest of stellar cast in the award-winning series from Julian Fellowes.