Loblolly Pine
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Cascarones
In California’s Spanish and Mexican days, no one was safe from ambush or attack from about Christmas to the first day of Lent. Eggshells (cascarones) filled with confetti or cologne were dashed on the heads of unsuspecting friends and foreigners alike. Imported from Spain to Mexico, this custom was described as, the season for breaking egg shells having arrived, the young men and women procure as many of them as they can, and woe betide the young fellow who breaks an egg on a female’s head where there are four or five young women, they will be sure to take ample revenge by breaking us many on his head as they can possibly find an opportunity for, generally drenching him from head to foot with cologne water.
Egrets
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Fisherman’s Wharf
Jay, Anne and I spent yesterday at Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey. We toured the customs house that was established after California was taken over. The Spanish had no need for one, because they prohibited international trade, mercantilism. We had lunch on the wharf, Italian seafood. Most of the restaurants in the area are Italian, reflecting the large local Italian American immigrant population. Afterwards, we walked along the coast, looking at fauna.
Barrel Cactus
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A Day at the Beach
After an epic sixteen-hour solo drive down the left-coast, Jay arrived here, in Monterey. She had just dropped Carl, and his baseball buds off at the airport and launched them all on to spring training. She arrived on time and Anne and her began speaking with each other. They began talking that night and they are still talking now. All of the old stories have come out. Jay was suitably impressed with the house, which helps to enliven the conversation. Eventually, they get hungry and we go out to lunch. Yesterday, we took her to Pacific Grove. After lunch, we went down to the shoreline and walked along it until sundown.