Happy Friday on the Road

We had such a good time yesterday,  just wandering with no clear direction. Today we  have plans to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. but little else is planned.  We have been using the Yelp site to help us select home cooking and it has not failed us yet.  Lee posts there, too.

Yesterday, we had a rough start after sharing a motel wall with a rap enthusiast that liked to bang on the wall if you get my drift.  But that is a budget conscious life on the road..  This is the first time this has ever happened so all and all not so bad.  The kids slept right through it.


The rest of the day flowed perfectly.  We had breakfast at First Awakenings in downtown Salinas. Yummy with flawless service and  a spotlessly clean atomsphere.  Clean restaurants rank at the top with us.  There is nothing as unsettling as having a good meal and then discovering a filthy restroom.  It always makes me wonder.

 
There is plenty to explore in downtown Salinas.  We just thought this was funny but it was really Raining Men.

The shop that inspired our visit to Salinas.  La Belle Epoque. 

Musings on Main Street.

Browsing at the Halltree Antique Mall located at 202 Main Street.  A quick trip around downtown in search of cute cottages.  Here is one of our favorites.

After visiting Main Street we were back on the road for a short trip to The Farm.

I have to have a fountain.  A project for another day.

The Farm allowed us to run around a bit and pick up the sweetest farm fresh strawberries.  There were baby bunnies and chickens. Summer Happiness.

We stumbled on this goodness:

Fried artichoke hearts...so fresh.

The next leg of our drive was amazing.  Back to a memory I had.  Years ago we spent Mother's Day on a Victoria magazine sponsored adventure.  A day of wine and roses.  One of the nurseries we visited that day was Roses of Yesterday and Today.  The road to reach the nursery winds through lush greenery, amazing trees and over creeks. 

In truth I miss my mother everyday but as we near the one year anniversary of her passing it seems to get more difficult not easier.  So this visit was very special to me.  We were the only visitors.

The photo doesn't due justice to the beautifully perfumed air and all the roses still in bloom.   Bellle of Portugal went home with us. 

The get-along was now really hungry. This is where we found yummy linguica sandwiches made with fresh french bread.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing our adventure.  Yolanda if you are out there.  We are thinking of you and wishing you good health.