winifredcreamer

What’s Next: Nova Scotia?

After my previous post, we would have gotten off the ferry at the north end of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. One of the first things we’d see is the “World’s Largest Fiddle” (60 ft. high), along the Sydney, NS harbor where the ferry lands. From there, if we don’t decide to stay locally, we’dContinue reading “What’s Next: Nova Scotia?”

What’s next? How about Newfoundland.

I have shared a lot of photos of the California coast this year, where we continue to find trails and beaches that we haven’t visited before. We are gradually getting nearer to our goal of walking as much of the shore as possible between Big Sur and Santa Cruz. As more and more people getContinue reading “What’s next? How about Newfoundland.”

Keys to Exploring California

If you’re going to explore, you need maps. The map on your phone is indispensable, but it’s not enough. There are places both inland and along the coast of California where cell phone signals disappear, but there’s a solution for that: Paper resources. Two in particular have helped us out, the DeLorme Atlas and GazetteerContinue reading “Keys to Exploring California”

If you’re gonna make a mistake…

Go Big or Go Home! That’s one way to look at it. In our case, the error wasn’t intentional, just a momentary lack of judgement that turned out really, really badly. It rained for two solid days this past week, and when the sun came out on Friday, we wanted to go somewhere interesting. WeContinue reading “If you’re gonna make a mistake…”

Ode to Birdwatching

It’s been a long year, and bird watching has helps us get through the months of isolation. On January 13, 2021, we went to Jacks Peak county park to look around. Walking through the woodland of pine and oak reminded me of birding in Brunswick Heads, NSW, Australia. We found the group through our delightfulContinue reading “Ode to Birdwatching”

Point Lobos, and other points

We are living in California because we have family here and we like the weather, but we didn’t expect this area to become the National Covid Hotspot. We do our best to resist strolling downtown areas, shopping in stores, and any other activity that involves people. We get outdoors for a few hours almost everyContinue reading “Point Lobos, and other points”

Into the New Year, 2021

There is a Christmas carol that will appeal to all travelers: ….bearing gifts, we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star…. Whether it’s Kazakhstan or the entrance to the mall, we all have our star, somewhere we’d like to go in 2021. Though we still have no sense of when localContinue reading “Into the New Year, 2021”

Ft. Ord Public Lands: Dec. 29, 2020

I have one picture from today, a live oak tree with trailing Spanish moss. There are so many impressive trees in this area, we decided there could be a calendar “Live Oaks of Ft. Ord.” December weather doesn’t get much better than sunny and 60o.

Two Suitcases: A traveling retirement. Our new book is out!

Today is the launch of our new ebook, Two Suitcases: A Traveling Retirement. I’ve taken the first five years of this blog, distilled the most important travel-related advice and stories from it, and turned it into a book. Jonathan is my co-author, adding in the nuts and bolts of finding our homes via Airbnb orContinue reading “Two Suitcases: A traveling retirement. Our new book is out!”

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Set aside for a moment your wait for Covid vaccine, anxiety about the future, job security, and world peace, and let’s talk about the holidays. My vote for the best time of year are the two weeks leading up to Christmas. Especially this year, when we’ll be alone for our holiday feast, the festivities haveContinue reading “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”