As we know, the best laid plans can easily go astray. So I try (not always successfully) to not hold on too tightly to my plans. The annual August trip with the DGDs went all the way to Plan C due to a) a fire in San Luis Obispo County that threatened Hearst Castle and b) two changes to a doctor appointment that Makayla had to go to before school starts.
This trip was built around a visit to Hearst Castle. Makayla is beginning middle school at Julia Morgan School for Girls next week and she was very excited to see this incredible project that Julia Morgan had taken on. We added in a side trip on the way home to visit Sculpterra Winery where our dear friend Rob Bentley is the resident artist for all their iron work.
Well.......the Chimney Fire changed plans whether we liked it or not. The fire which started near Lake Nacimiento spread fast and furiously and was threatening Hearst Castle. This resulted in Hearst Castle cancelling all tours during the week of our reservations. We decided we would go anyway and enjoy the delights of Cambria. The doctor appointments pushed our trip to leaving on Thursday for our three-night adventure to the Central California coast.
The visitor center at Hearst Castle was open, so we were able to go there to see the excellent film about the building of the castle. Of course, it just made Makayla want to actually see it even more. We'll plan a trip for another time. Jim bought Makayla a book about Julia Morgan.
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| Fire up on them thar hills. |
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| Zebras relocated from Hearst Ranch for safety |
Despite smokey skies and overcast weather, we enjoyed our time in Cambria. We walked along the boardwalk and perused the little shops in town. And of course we enjoyed some Ollaliberry pie.
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| A sweet little hide-away under a tree for viewing the ocean |
On Saturday, we headed to Paso Robles to meet Mary Bentley for lunch at the historic Paso Robles Inn. Then we headed out to see Sculpterra Winery where Rob works and does his art. The girls were enthralled with all the lovely sculptures and they totally fell in love with Robert. He showed them all around his shop and gave them lots of bits and bobs of iron to take home to make a mobile of their own. They want to adopt him as their third grandfather. Robert has that affect on people. He is a dear friend and a blessing to our lives. He and Mary are, as Makayla said, "Good People".
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| The Bentley Gates............incredible |
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| Grapes ripening everywhere. Of course we tasted a few. |
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| All kinds of sculptures but of course, this one with a dog immediately caught their attention. |
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| The Classic Sign from when we first knew him in Valencia, CA |
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| You can't be an iron artist without getting dirty. |
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| Rob Bentley.........Good People! |
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