Be patient

I'm not entirely finished with gushing about Northern CA yet!

As someone whose only previous experience with CA

were visits to LA -

with its manicured beaches and lawns

plastic people and focus on fantasy,

I was unprepared for the natural beauty of Northern CA; 

it was literally a breath of fresh air.

There are proponents who believe they should be two completely separate states.

They surely represent two different states of being.

What surprised me the most 

was that the area contained elements 

of all the topographies 

that speak to my heart the most. 

I've already covered the ocean,

but can you really ever get too much of the sea?

There was also the rocky grazing lands of Scotland

 

 

 

 yes, those white spots are sheep on the top of the mountain!

There are also hints of the Black Hills of South Dakota

  reinforced by a local delicacy made from buffalo milk 

and powdered mushrooms

 

which sounds like it should be terrible

but which was, in fact,

the creamiest,

most delicious maple syrupy

version of butter pecan ice cream without the nuts

I've ever had.

There were rich green pastures and open skies of Iowa

even if some of the produce and livestock were different!

Add in some funky towns,

 local 'atmosphere'

 

 

unique architecture

 someone I love

  and this as a backyard view -

is it any wonder I'm smitten?