Flowers and Victorians

I'm on the road heading north up the coast. The weather has been dry but frequently gray. This makes for good photo ops in serenity mode. One thing I miss in Monterey is driftwood on the beach...there isn''t much. Here, north of Eureka, literally tons of it lie on the sand, as the winter surf washes huge trees into the ocean from the edge of the forest. More wood comes from flooding rivers washing trees into the sea.

This is a closeup of the Carson mansion in Eureka. It's a famous Victorian gingerbread estate, constructed by William Carson, a local lumber baron, around 1885. It's now a very private club, so unfortunately there are no tours. But you can enjoy the ornate facade. Are there even people who can do this kind of woodwork anymore?

Across the street from the Carson mansion sits another fancy Victorian, with a fine cupola.

February is bloom month in California. These flowers were at the I-5 rest area near Dunnigan.

At Clear Lake, I stopped at a county park and was immediately accosted by legions of bludging ducks. No goodies for them...I had no food!