🥑
Off we went, up the coast again to Carpinteria. This time we went to the Avocado Festival, which is held at this time each year. However this is the first time back since 2011! I have to admit that I was shocked to discover that it had been so long. Every time I wonder where the time has gone, I remind myself that the pandemic erased at least a couple years (or more) from our lives. For me it did anyway.
The Loc Dawgs were playing on the Main Stage when we arrived. They were loud. There was dancing.
We continued to meander down the main street, which is blocked off for the event. It was set up much the same as the last time we attended...3 stages, lots of food vendors, some booths selling a variety of typical Faire items (clothing, stuff handmade for your dog, trinkets etc.) I was amused with myself and how things have changed. I didn't need to spend time looking at anything to buy (the honey was $20 for a small jar!). The prices were just high. Period. I find that to be true nowadays, from my most recent experiences. A small paper dish of tortilla chips and a cup of guacamole = $10! Come on. Anyway, that's okay, we enjoyed ourselves anyway. J. had taquitos, which were very good according to him. We checked out two more of the bands. and headed back down the coast again.
The students were up to their creative tricks again. Little still life dioramas with avocados!
I only took one 'cute' photo in town and then we headed back down the coast. For some reason, I love these signs.
The ocean shimmered in the afternoon sun. We stoped a few times, getting out to smell the salty air, look for Power Sticks and take plenty of photos.
We watched the birds sit and fly off. We saw one yawn, which led to a conversation about animals that do or don't yawn and which ones we'd seen do so. Ha.
Today, I give you the sunshine on the sea...
There were so many driftwood houses down the coast. We stopped in a few places on the Rincon stretch of road. I left some of these photos big and messy. No close cropping, just a sense of what we saw. I photographed while looking through the open spaces and also the side by side of wood from the sea. There were groups of beachgoers, manmade belongings propped on the sand alongside those constructed from nature. It is very hard to see, but someone had built a log swing and a group with young children stood nearby as an adult blew lots and lots of bubbles.
I rolled down my window, happily trying to get a pic of those bubbles, only to have a few fly right in!
This was also a day for noticing all of the bridges. From the completely uncared for, rusty railroad bridge...to a bridge over a major freeway...to bridges to welcome folks to large neighborhoods.
We love bridges and these days I am once again seeing them as Places To Weave. The beautiful desert rust below is a screenshot from Sidetrack Adventures. All filled with openings, holes...places to weave. I've been remembering photos I took in the past as a part of this series. Maybe I'll dig 'em out.
We closed the day trip with more hawk sightings. We kinda lost count, but at least a handful were seen today.
Where does your imagination go for a day trip?
May you see the shimmer
May you see the flight
May you see the beauty everywhere
xo
#goodenough
Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2026
6 comments:
Thanks Nancy for taking me along toe the festival and to your favorite coastal places. Besides imagining day trips to the many special and wondrous places that I visited in Ireland,, my imagination takes me to many places for day trips, the ocean, being one of my favorites. I miss the ocean and hope to see the real deal when I travel to CA later this month to celebrate birthdays. .
I love that you and Jimi attended the Avocado Festival . Sounds just like something that Rich and I would have done. We loved to find quirky little festivals to attend. One of the quirkiest festivals that we attended was the Oatmeal Festival in Bertram, TX. It was a fun, charming down home gathering. ": Held every Labor Day weekend, this quirky small-town tradition features a parade, live music, and activities that traditionally start at 3 or 33 minutes past the hour in honor of its sponsor, Three Minutes Oats. It also features a giant oatmeal canister photo op."
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Marti~ Oh, that sounds so funny! We went to a Banana Festival in Port Hueneme, CA one year. I remember it as the first year they were doing it and a bit dull...but filled with banana things. haha Seems we've missed it for this year. We were never really compelled to go again. Sometimes once is fun & enough! lol You've got me wondering about other odd events around the country 🙂
https://bananaportfest.com/
Avocados with googly eyes in little houses! In a post full of amazing birds and seascapes and driftwood and bridges, those were my favorites. ~ Dee
What an absolute fun day you had .. looks like you had perfect weather. Thanks for sharing the drift wood sculptures .. so totally awesome. I’ve never seen anything like it. Today turned out to be a perfect day to visit here.
Dee~ Right?!! It was fun to see all of the different ideas the kids came up with! Those were my favorites too. Us two in nature far exceeds anything a manmade fair could give us!
Tina~ It was so good to get to the ocean again. Some of the driftwood houses were so involved! Folks work so hard on something that will end up being temporary - that always gives me pause.
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