Mountain Lakes

Over the weekend we went up into the mountains to enjoy nature. We went fishing and just enjoyed being outside. A few weeks ago we visited one of the lake that we went to this weekend but it was so beautiful we had to go back. We love climbing all over the rocks and being on the fishing boat. I personally love take photos while exploring the lake not so much fishing. I love looking for wildlife and trying to photograph it. This weekend we spent time at two mountain lakes and will have to go back to do more exploring at both.

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Trip to Bass Lake

It doesn’t matter if a trip is several weeks long or just a day trip we long checking things out. We could go to the same place a million times and always a new adventure. We recently spend a few days at Bass Lake, a place we have been countless times. It is so beautiful and it is even more beautiful because the lake is full. Bass Lake has been extremely low for the past several years but after getting a good amount of rain this last winter the docks are back in the water. This year is going to be a great year for boating, kayaking and just spending time at the lake. We spent sometime playing in the water and watching all the birds go by. On our trip to Bass Lake, we got to see enjoyed seeing some wildlife and spending a little time on the water.

When we arrived at the lake and we were walking down to the beach we saw the coolest thing. A bold eagle flew by with a large mouth bass in his talons I wish I was able to get my camera out faster so I could have a picture of it. The sight of the bold eagle was like something seen in a movie or a picture in a magazine. A few minutes after the bold eagle flew off, another eagle flew over and landed in the tree right next to us. The kids and I were jumping up and down yelling at my husband, “LOOK!!!!” I think this eagle is a Golden Eagle but I am not sure on that. I am definitely not a bird expert.

While the one eagle sat in the tree, our kids played in the water. I don’t know what it is about water but it seems to entertain kids for a long time. The kids like splashing in the water and throwing rocks into the lake. This is a free activity that we can do with the kids and it is a guarantee my kids to have a great time. Our kids always have so much fun playing in the water they are never ready to leave.

A few days after the eagle sighting we went back to Bass Lake to go kayaking. I was hoping to see the eagles again but no luck. This was our first kayaking trip of the season and have many more trip planned for the summer. My kids love being out on the water and our dog even goes too. The kids loving looking into the water for fish, being splashed by the waves, and going exploring. The water was so nice and the weather was perfect. The sky was so blue and there was a nice breeze. As the water level is higher than previous years it was like kayaking in a different lake. We could see streams flowing into the lake that we had never seen before.

The eagle sighting was so exciting and made the trip that much more memorable. Going to Bass Lake was a last minute decision and if we hadn’t gone we would have never seen it. The only way to see these awesome sights is by getting outside. We are planning on going back to see if we can see the eagle again and next time I will have my camera ready. We love kayaking. We move through the water slower and can take in all the lake has to offer. We can feel the water, stop and see the bird, and kayak into a little cove we could have never gotten to with a boat. I am excited to back to Bass Lake later on this year and see what we can find.

 

Monterey

Traveling is an amazing adventure to do with family. Discovering new things and seeing

Thanks to my sister in law for taking this picture.

the unexpected is one of the best parts of going somewhere. I tent to travel with a plan but the unplanned things are the most exciting. The ocean is a great place to visit and Monterey is such a beautiful place. Monterey is a great place to see with kids.  Monterey Aquarium is always fun and Cannery Row has some good shopping but my kids like playing on the beach. Playing at the ocean, being in the sand, and seeing all the animals is just as fun for the my kids.

 

Driving along the coast is so pretty and there are so many places to take pictures. I just love driving along the water and the rock formations are so beautiful. One place that provides some great photo opportunities is Asilomar.  The weekend we were in Monterey it was very windy which made it hard for playing in the ocean and the sand but the kids did love climbing on the rocks and looking at the water. Next time I hope to be able to take a long walk on the beach and climb on as many rocks as we can find.

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Even though it was very windy we were not going to let that stop our adventure. We drove along the ocean and found a small beach. This was the place to do the typical beach activity, look for seashells. The ocean looked so pretty and we found some awesome seashells. There were so many little seashells and pretty rocks to look at. The kids love to look for treasures in the sand so we will have to plan on coming back to this beach. Next time we are in Monterey we will be stopping here and bring a picnic to this little beach and spend more time looking for treasures.

We planned to go for a walk but we were pleasantly surprised along the way. We went for a walk on the bike trail and as we went along the trail there was a section of beach that a fenced off. As we walked closer to the fence we saw why the beach was blocked. The seals had babies. There were mommies and their pups on the beach sunning themselves. My children stood there for a long time just taking it all in. The pups were so cute and it was amazing to watch. We got to see the seals go swimming, scoot around on the beach, and we even go to see a seal mom protect her baby from another baby seal. It was so interesting. It was as if the mom was telling the other baby to go away her little one did not want to play. My kids didn’t want to leave the seals when we did. They truly enjoyed seeing the animals in the wild.

The ocean is an amazing place and is a wonderful place to take a family. It is a natural playground with all the rocks to climb on, sand to play in, and animals can be seen all over the place. We are hoping to go back to the Monterey area within the next few months to hike around Point Lobos and there are some other areas near there that I would like to visit also. I think there will be many more trips to the Monterey area in our future.

 

Pismo Beach

One of my families favorite it things to do together is to travel. We love making memories as a family doing things, going places, and seeing new things. My family and I recently took a trip to Pismo Beach. If you have never been there, is a beautiful place with a long beach and other so many other things to do. The town is small with nice shops and great restaurants. My family and I have been to Pismo many times but this most recent trip seemed to be one of the most memorable trips. We got to see somethings that we have never seen before and got to see somethings that we have wanted to see but had never made it during the right time of year.

Butterfly Trail

There is a great walk that goes through a eucalyptus grove. This stand of trees is between Grover Beach and Pismo Beach. This stand of eucalyptus trees is a place where the monarch butterflies stop to mate. During a certain time of the year the trees are full of butterflies. It is so amazing to see that many butterflies in one place. The branches were completely covered with the butterflies and when we looked into the sky the butterflies were everywhere. My children loved seeing the butterflies and went back to see these creatures several times. It was almost like a treasure hunt trying to find the spots that the butterflies were hiding. One cool thing about this walk is it can be a short one just in the loop going through the grove or you could make it into a long walk going down to the beach.

Coast/Sunset

Walking on Pismo beach is such a great place to be. During the busy time of year the beach has many people walking down the beach. The joy can be felt with all the children play and the smiles as people are walking down the beach. It if fun to see all the families enjoying the day. As the sun is going down it is so peaceful. There are not as many people walking down the beach. One evening when my husband and I were walking down the beach we were able to see different creatures. We saw a sand dollar that was washed up to shore. We could see the trail while it was reburying itself. There are birds everywhere.  It was nice to see my children enjoying the simple pleasures in life, playing in the sand and running through the water. It warms my heart to see my children enjoying nature.

Pier

The pier is another part of Pismo that is pretty neat. There are fishermen everywhere trying to catch their limit. Everyone just stands silently waiting for a fish to bit. It is amazing how comfortable the wild life is with people. The pelicans and seagulls don’t seem to mind humans being around. They wait for the fishermen to clean the catch of the day hoping to get some scraps. While we waited and watched the ocean we did get to see a few pelicans dive into the water for a fish. It is always interesting to nature in action and it is even more fun when my kids get to see it.

While we were in Pismo we did many more things. We walked around town, went to the outlets, went to the thrift stores, and antique shops. There are many little towns around Pismo that are nice to visit too. We truly enjoyed every moment of our trip and enjoy Pismo every time we go. I hope you will be inspired to go and see what you can find when you go on vacation and see what nature has to offer.