it’s all so spacious

Tuesday — Writing here from downtown Carmel, CA. Out of Cayucos early, after another wondrous, freezing-bare-feet walk on the beach. We spotted three dolphin – Ann’s spirit animal – just off the Cayucos pier, and ducks swimming in the sea. A little later heading north, in Cambria, two deer on a residential lawn. Ann said it was the Three D’s – dolphin, deer and ducks. To myself I added “The Doors,” from an old-time wicked cool poster we saw in a Cambria antique shop window.

Long, interesting drives on the 46, the 101, and the 68. Through towns I kind of grew up with, while never setting a foot in, through college (which I also barely set foot in) – Soledad (E. Cleaver) and Salinas (C. Chavez). We passed through tens and tens and tens of miles of agro-business-farming, so many workers of a pleasing brown color, hunched over in back-bending, feed-the-country work. In the hot sun.

Cruising by Monterey and south into the lovely center of Carmel, into our spacious room — that’s us, lower left, three dreamy windows. From there a short stroll to the next bookstore – “Pilgrim’s Way Books” – singly owned and staffed by a nice man, who rejoiced in our journey when he heard of it. With a breathtaking garden out in the back. Truly magnificent.

My purchase – “Memories of a Lucky Man” by Phillips Wylly, a local, the owner told me. Memoir from the early days of television. Four dollars, used. And another free bookmark. The “Pilgrim’s Way Books” book mark with this quote on the back – “And still, I rise.” — Maya Angelou.