Getting My Fortune from Zoltar

 When I visited Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara last week, I found good ol' Zoltar hanging out in a shop on the pier. For fun I decided to get my fortune read.  After feeding him a dollar this card came out.

 My Fortune:

 "You've been wondering what to do with all those benefits you have or are about to receive.  Just remember as the branches of a tree return their sap to the root, from where it comes, as a river pours its streams to the sea, where its spring was supplied.  The heart of the grateful man is delighted to return a benefit received.  You are basically a kind and good person.  You may be pleased to know that there is many a good man to be found under a shabby hat."

So . . . a glorified fortune cookie, mixing fortune with good advice.

I'm going to receive a great benefit.  Be grateful.  Give back.  I'm a good person.

Not a shabby fortune.

And here's the shabby hat I was wearing when I read it.  Proof that good people wear shabby hats?  Just wearing my Cambria love.

So Many Little Things To Be Thankful

“There is so much in the world for us if we only have the eyes to see it, and the heart to love it, and the hand to gather it ourselves- so much in men and women, so much in art and literature, so much everywhere in which to delight, and for which to be thankful for.” 

~ Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of the Island

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

At our house it was more of a quiet affair with some of my siblings, parents, grandparents, and a baby niece.  Michael and his fam joined up with Krista's family.  Enough text messages were passed back and forth to bring us all together.

There is so much to be thankful.

And now the Christmas season is upon us!

It's been warmer than normal, which I'm not complaining.  Wish the nice 60's temperature can last, but we do live in the mountain west, so it's a matter of time.  I love the snow, don't get me wrong, it's the driving in it that scares me.  So I'm dreaming of beautiful beaches this upcoming Winter season.  Though, the World is so beautiful draped in white snow, on a Sunday morning when no one is out driving, and everything is quiet.  Surreal and magical.  Hopefully we'll have one such day.

Exploring the San Salvador Ship in Santa Barbara

On May 19th, a Friday, our quick trip to California was coming to an end.

Instead of driving from Atascadero to home through California's Central Valley, which would have been quicker, we choose the longer drive along the coast for scenic and sentimental reasons.

Around lunchtime my Mom, Grandma, Grandpa, and I decided to eat at the Santa Barbara Harbor.  We have so many memories here, and this just might be my Grandfathers last trip.  As soon as we drove up to the harbor we saw a giant, old fashioned ship tower above all the other boats.

There was no way my Mom and I weren't going to explore this ship!

My Grandparents had no interest.

So off my Mom and I went.

What was supposed to be a quick stop became a couple hours.

But it was so worth it!

 We explored the San Salvador, which is apart of the Maritime Museum in San Diego.  This ship isn't original, though it's been painstakingly recreated with acute detail.

The San Salvador was captained by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo who arrived in San Diego on September 28, 1542 before traveling up the coast, all this taking place nearly 80 years before the Mayflower sailed to America.  Really incredible.

The ship is steered by this rod, which turns the rudder, while the captain's view is that of the main deck.

On the San Diego Maritime Museum website you can download this poster.

This ship is no longer docked at the Santa Barbara Harbor, though it looks like it will be sailing around.  The San Salvador just finished a week cruise from Santa Barbara to the Channel Islands and then to Sand Diego.  And there's a special Father's Day sail with the ship in San Diego.

Photos by Robin and Sarah Stufflebeam