Posts in category California & USA


State Street Santa Barbara, California, USA
California & USAExploreOther Places in California

Santa Barbara – Europe in California

“We decided not to go to Europe this year but come to Santa Barbara instead” Oucch! Just the type of comment that the cynical Brit loves to ‘munch on’ when grumbling about their sheltered maybe somewhat less travelled American cousins……………. But having …

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Palm Desert, California, USA
California & USAExploreOther Places in California

Agua Caliente – Palm Springs/Palm Desert, a place to escape?!

This tiny house in Belmont Shore is where our life in California began nearly 30 years ago! When we arrived in Los Angeles in July 1985 it was my first visit to North America, my husband had seen a great deal …

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A Southern California Beach
California & USAExploreOther Places in California

The 405 San Diego Freeway – where our Californian love affair began

Why would anyone be reduced to tears in the hazy, virtually standstill, 6 lanes of gas guzzling  405, San Diego Freeway? A Los Angeles freeway that I always think of as ‘mine’. A road full of so many memories and …

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California & USADanvilleExploreThe Bay Area

A Saturday morning in Danville, California

Another Saturday, another farmer’s market in the vibrant but somewhat sleepy suburb which we call home, Danville, 30 miles east of San Francisco. In the shadows of the old railway station, market holders have gathered. More sunflowers, lavender, olive oil …

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James ready to go in 1968 Lotus Cortina at Sonoma Raceway
California & USAExploreNapa & Sonoma Wine Country

’24 minutes du Mazda Miata’ at Sonoma Raceway, California; – zoom, zoom!

Cars, speed, racing and male testosterone………those same components that consumed the atmosphere at ’24 Heures du Mans’. Such sentiments were just as effervescent when I watched my lovely son, James, racing in the Sports Club of America, (SCCA), Mazda Spec …

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California & USAExploreSan FranciscoThe Bay Area

Market day at San Francisco’s Ferry Building

People across the globe love an outdoor market, especially when in a beautiful world famous city like San Francisco which holds a Farmers Market several times a week right beside the Bay. There is something special about purchasing hand grown, …

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Napa Valley vineyards, California, USA
California & USAExploreNapa & Sonoma Wine Country

The Napa Valley – ‘Provence’ in California?

I called my blog ‘sunflowers and shutters’ because they are a few of the images embedded in my heart when I think of southern France. In my 6 months there I actually never saw any sunflowers but I did yesterday, …

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Danville, California on the 4th of July Parade
California & USADanvilleExploreThe Bay Area

Happy 4th of July!

This is the day that Americans remember gaining their independence from the British in 1776. Had history unfolded differently maybe today they would still be more officially joined to us as part of the Commonwealth. There are many Americans who, …

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