Santa Cruz...part 2, The Lighthouse

The Santa Cruz Lighthouse has been through many difficulties, changes

and moves over the last 140+ years.

It's much smaller than the Monterey Lighthouse we toured last year.

But it still has a lot of interesting history.

It now serves as the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum 

The only part of the Lighthouse you can see in the main floor.

All else is closed off.

This lighthouse was built as a Memorial  when in 1965 eighteen-year-old Mark Abbott drowned while surfing near the point. His parents used the insurance money to build a brick lighthouse near the site of the old light. "Our family had always loved lighthouses, so we decided it was the best thing to do."  The lighthouse was completed in 1967.

It is crammed to the rafters and beyond with Surfing Memorabilia.

"Shark Attacks"

Old photos and signs

Surfing Champions

All types and sizes of surf boards.

''Surfing 1930's and '40's''

''The 1950's''

''The 1960's''

''The 1970's''

''The 1980's''

''The 1990's''

It has a beautiful area for sitting and watching the ocean.

Santa Cruz...part 1, The Boardwalk

The next thing we wanted to do was to go see the Santa Cruz Lighthouse.

Remember Dawn loves Lighthouses. 

We hit the famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk first.

Since it was Becci, Zander and Wrenee's first time to Cali

they had never seen the ocean before or felt the sand on the beach.

There's not much of that in Wyoming ;)

Their first experience with sand...

ewww!

I don't want to move Grandma!

Zander loved it...Wrenee not so much... 

Yay, we took a step!

They eventually made it to the water.

a view of the coast line

Coming back..

now she doesn't want to leave!

looking for shells...

Hi Zander!

Off to catch Zander!

Sorry no snacks for you today :(

Got'em both!

We walked along the Boardwalk,

which is mostly geared for older children.

But was still fun to experience.

Til next time Boardwalk ♥

Always Check Your Child's Homework

(Here's the reply the teacher received the following day)

Dear Mrs. Jones,

I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.


I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.


From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.


Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith

Casa de Fruta

On the way home from Monterey

another place we always stop is Casa de Fruta.

It was dark this trip so we didn't get to wander around the grounds

 but did check out the produce and gift shops.

Brussels Sprouts anyone?

Still on the stalk!

They've got the funniest magnets

Another reason I love to stop here...

all the old things they use to for display,

like these 2 old washers ♥♥ 

Lovin' this oven♥

and the faucet handles for the storage cabinets

 that have galvanized inserts

The doors are too sweet!

So are all the yummy candies they make!

It's such a fun place with many, many things to see and do.

So if your ever in the Pacheco Pass area be sure to drop in.

 It's located Two miles east of the junction of Highway 152 and Highway 156.