Days 51-52: Souls on the mend-o in Mendocino, CA (Day 2)

Back to Mendocino for another round of therapy

 

These stairs up to the loft bed (?) were almost completely vertical -- Winter couldn't use the handrails...  She jumped.

Today's destination?  That spot over there

More specifically, this spot.

Again, we really have to express our huge thanks to the Danhakls for letting us spend the day here.  This was by far one of the defining moments of the trip.  Thank you!!!

Welcome to the back yard.  At first we were thinking we'd just go by and see the view.  Then we saw it.  Then we decided to just sit there all day.  Like literally all day.

Generally awestruck

Our view for the day

Obvious caption for this picture, in the minds of those who were there:

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow [slight pause] ow ow ow ow ow ow owowowowowowo ow ow"

It was worth it though (except for a tied up Winter barking in frustration in the background)

See that cove?  Didn't take us long to start considering irresponsible questions like, how can we get over there?  Are we supposed to be there?  Can we swim it?

Tasks for the day: Buy groceries.  Buy food.  Prepare food.  Pour wine.  Eat.

Repeat.

She put them on herself.

Seriously.

So, we decided to go over to the cove.  We still don't know if we were supposed to...

This is an ideal fetch zone.  I'm not really sure why we didn't take video.  I guess it's because I probably felt bad giggling like a little kid watching Winter get tossed around by the waves as she hunted down a tennis ball (this is, by the way, the same tennis ball from the first day of the trip)

The sun looked incredible coming over the rock face there.  This is kind of what it looked like.

This is what it ACTUALLY looked like

Getting the hang of it...

Eventually the water trapped us here, but never quite reached all the way up to my spot

 This is the expression you get when you think you may be seconds from sending your dog to her death

A minute or two later, she's back.  There's a dog in there somewhere.

Deeply concerned.

Looking much more ragged this time

Deer don't need access codes to get past the gates (either that, or they just have high standards for real estate and have been living here all along)

We saw these two swimming by the house right when we arrived.  It didn't occur to us that they were actually swimming right next door.

Unfortunately there's no way to tell a harbor seal "No no no we're not going to hurt you, you can stay there!"  At least none that we've learned.

Apparently waving your hand in a "stopstopstop"-like fashion doesn't work either.

Does ANYONE know what this grass/vine/plant that grows on the California coast is called???  Google failed me.

Best backyard view ever

It's moments like these when you wonder why anyone doesn't live in California

We more or less did this for a whole day

Yes, I know, the strap.  I KNOW.

Well, the fun's over.  But nothing like some fresh T-bones courtesy of Mike (our host) -- who literally butchered the meat himself -- to round out the day.

Boomtown.