Here today, gone to Morro

As the blog says, I'm a wandering watercolorist. Sometimes I'm watercoloring, sometimes I'm wandering and sometimes I'm busy wondering when I can wander next. I have the wanderlust deep in my heart. I love to go places that are new to me and revisit favorite spots too. I often spot a road I have not been down before and take it, just to see where it goes. I prefer to get off the beaten track but more and more, the unbeaten path is harder to find, it seems.

Recently, I wandered briefly down beaten paths or at least freeways, and traveled with my mother up the central coast of California. Our plan was to end up in the area of Carmel. As sometimes happens, a serendipitous moment surprised us. We found a great place to stay in Morro Bay. There was a cancellation and we stayed longer yet. Although not from Arizona, my mom lives in a desert. We both relished the cool breezes and a view that ever pleases in Morro Bay.

  I sat on the sand at Morro Dunes and soaked up the richness of the views.  I smelled the sea and painted a sketch of Morro Rock.  I got about half of the way finished before my wiener doggie got too chilled by the breeze and had to crawl inside my sweatshirt.  (Ok, I was already wearing my sweatshirt, so in the second photo, you can see her head sticking out of the sweatshirt, just below my neck.)  Well, painting en plein aire is not without its hazards.