Driving up the Northern California was a journey into both my past and my heart… the giant redwoods, as majestic as ever, seemed to welcome me home. I’ve been making that drive since childhood, and memories rolled over me like the misty clouds that so often cast an air of Mystery over the landscape. A brief stop in Mendocino yielded a bag of yarn and an interesting only-in-California pattern, then it was on to Fort Bragg, past familar buildings and places I’ve visited on my many visits over the years. I came to see a close friend, and we spent hours talking, cooking, beading, and just enjoying a sense of rekindling an important relationship. This morning we took the dogs out to the beach, hoping to find a bit of sea glass that I could take with me to incorporate into my beadweaving and other art.

Here’s what we took home with us:

And here’s what we left: