Mothers Day at Point Reyes 5/9/10

For Mothers Day 2010, we all met at Stinson Beach, CA after a fun drive on windy California Highway 1. There were picnic tables next to the beach, and the nearby county park permitted pets on the beach (Maria liked that). After a picnic lunch, we went to Bolinas on Point Reyes to Larner's Nursery, a provider of seeds for California native plants. We returned to Stinson Beach for some Bocce Ball and walking on the beach. Finally Cory headed back to Sacramento and the rest of us went to the apartment in San Francisco to do some container gardening on the patio. The weather was OK, even though it was a rainy day elsewhere. We made the perfect choice for the day.

The road to the Point Reyes area is the famous Highway 1, the two-land California coastal road with the tight turns, frequent undulations, and great views. When we met midday at Stinson Beach, we set up our picnic at a convenient table. Tim, Jillian, and Cory brought the fixin's. The weather was a little cool but occasionally sunny.
The houses on the hills above the beach had a great view.
Clouds were rolling in all the time, just high enough to clear us but not the coastal mountains. On the other side of the mountains it was frequently raining.
After lunch we went north toward Point Reyes to the town of Bolinas. We visited the Larden's Nursery, a provider of seeds for California native plants.
Many of the plants in the demonstration garden were booming.
Different plants attract different pollinators, in this case, bees.
Tiny native bees preferred a different plant.
And larger bees preferred a third variety.
Seeds were sold by the packet in the store. Behind the store was the area where plants were managed and prepared.
This vine maple was of particular interest. It was the largest one we'd seen.
Vine maple leaves
Vine maple leaves
Cory was looking good with a great hat for the day.
The clouds continued to bump into the nearby mountains.
Stinson Beach was nearly empty, with a cool wind blowing
It was OK to take dogs on the county park north of the National Beach, so Maria got some beach time in.
Tim, Jillian, Janet, Cory, and Maria
Jillian and Janet
Some houses were more prepared for rough weather than others.
Cory and Maria liked running on the beach
There were a variety of beach houses, all looking like residences rather than vacation rentals.
The kids
George gets a new photo for FaceBook after our beach hike
Cory and Maria
Tim, looking warmer now
George and Janet
Tim and Jillian brought their Bocce Ball set, and we learned a little of how to play the game on the not-very-flat grassy area.
Maria got into the game, but didn't really seem to enjoy it.
After the beach, Janet and George went back to Tim and Jillian's place in San Francisco, where some patio gardening was next. These pots contain tomato and basil, two types of squash, and a variety of herbs
Some sweet pea seeds dropped into the facility planter really liked the location
The patio garden
A lettuce pot and some herbs completed the collection
Some basil and parsley went into the planter
A peek over the planter into the next patio revealed the competition in the tomato game.