I am eager to share photos of some absolutely beautiful and open agricultural land, all part of the exquisite Santa Barbara County wine country. I’ll tease with one photo and share more soon.
I also have yet to finish my story about John Muir’s connection to Pasadena. And there are probably another half-dozen or so stories I opened up and never finished.
I’ll get there. My focus does seem to have disappeared. But right now I’m just thinking about heading into the weekend, and I’m remembering our family get-away.
For now I’ll share a few photos of some of the animals we visited–and of course, more from our beach-beauty Zena.
If you missed the last post with more Zena-at-the-beach photos, look HERE.
And to round out my happiness gift to you, I’ve included a link to 24 hours of happy! This video makes me want to get up on my feet! if it doesn’t boost your endorphin load, I’m suspecting you might want to change your vitamins.
The video features dancers lip-synching to Pharrell Williams’ Academy Award Nominated “Happy” as they dance their way through the course of a day in Los Angeles. The four-minute happy song is played in a loop with different dancers and locations every time the song queues up for repeat!
I presume you won’t be able to watch the full 24 hours, so just fast-forward or move backward using the clock and you can look for some of the more iconic locations and perhaps find a celebrity or two. To access the video, click this link: 24 Hours of Happy
Now, go and have a wonderful weekend, my friends. Exhale, and be happy!
breathelighter 
Looks a lot like my ranch… minus the goats (we have cattle, but the neighbor has goats) & the alpacas (at least I think that’s what they are). But don’t you just love all that sky? I never tire of it. Have a magnificent weekend.
The sky, yes, and actually being able to see the horizon! We really enjoyed all that wide open space. I could get used to that! Are they alpacas or llamas? We weren’t sure. I haven’t looked up the different characteristics, but they were were sure fun. They were at the neighboring ranch. As you well know, Virginia, these animals are good company. I think there’s a ranch hand in me somewhere just waiting to be let loose! 🙂 (Except in bad weather, than I’m a city girl. LOL!)
I thought for sure we’d see some of those gorgeous yellow “bell flowers (?)” Zena is sure having fun! I loved the dog prints left the sand…
I’m drawing a blank on the yellow flowers, Koji. I’ll have to think about that! Of course, the whole area up there was SO dry! Lots of brown!! But the area is gorgeous. And the one off-leash beach will be a good excuse for us to go up there more often. 🙂
You had posted a photo of gorgeous hello flowers showed like an elongated bell like this:
Am I forgetful in my old age? 🙂
🙂 Happy weekend! I’m going back to that happy video! 😀
I hope you had a good weekend, Colleen. I was MIA again this weekend, and now I’m playing catch up! The happy video is now bookmarked and ready to go any time I need a quick burst of energy! It really lifts my spirits. 🙂
IT was lovely! 🙂 Glad you’re back and happy!
Hmmm, locking myself in my room with the curtains closed for 24 hours, watching people dance through streetscapes devoid of four-letter words beginning with s-n and ending with w, sounds really, really, really tempting. Thanks for the good wishes!
I hope you got your “happy” fix this weekend, my friend. Someone needs to make a 24-hour video of “happy” in a snowy, wintry landscape, just to showcase your emotional resiliency! I think most of us in California, unless we’ve lived elsewhere in winter, really have NO idea about winter blues. I’m reading blog posts with comments that say “I can’t take it any more,” and I don’t think they’re kidding! I am not sure that a “happy” video is helping much, but it does make me smile. Maybe if you practiced your recorder right along with the scenes from Los Angeles, you’d feel warmer! I hope this is a good week for you. 🙂
You have a good weekend too…
The weekend sped right on by, Rob, but it was a good one. I hope it was for you, too. And now we’re on to the last week of February. That is somehow just amazing to me! Let’s make it a good one!
beautiful!
I hope you had a good weekend, Lori! Keep that 24-hours of happy close…you never know when you’ll need a little extra boost of energy! 🙂
I loved all the animals, the donkey pictures is lovely. Zena at the beach is pure joy.
I just loved the farm animals, Inger. I would love to have more animals–I’ve threatened for years that I wanted a pig. LOL! My family is relieved that we have strict zoning laws! 🙂
Nice Photos 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed the animal photos! I would love to live on a farm and have animals for company all of the time! 🙂
The slides made me smile. The 24-hour of Happy is so cool! I want to watch part of it once a day everyday 🙂
I am so glad you enjoyed the 24-hours of happy, Amy. I am going to keep it close just to give me a smile when I need it. Or because I may need to pop up out of my desk/computer chair and move! 🙂 I hope you had a good weekend, and now we’re on to a whole new week!
The landscape really does look beautiful. Seems like from a different time and age as I am drenched in cold rain and the darkness of the winter. Love you photos of your animal friends. Have a nice weekend, Debra.
Santa Barbara wine country is really extraordinary, I think, Otto. You’d find much there that would be interesting. I hope to find time soon to share much more about it. Many Los Angeles locals don’t realize how beautiful and rural it is just two hours from home! I’m quite captivated at the possibilities for frequent day trips to that area–just to clear my head! 🙂
Cheers Debra – i shall!
That was one quick weekend–I think I blinked and it was over. But I hope you enjoyed yours and now we’re on to a whole new week–and the last one in February! Isn’t that something!
Spring nearly sprung. Yippee!
Here’s to a happy weekend all around Debra! 🙂
My weekend was a good one, Kristy, but I could use a refresher course on “time management.” Where did it go? 🙂 Now we’re on to the last week in February. Amazing, isn’t it? I hope you and your sweet family have a great week. ox
Love it this critter-rich post! Happy weekend to you, too.
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
I hope you had a wonderful weekend, Kathy. Mine was just fine, but moved all too quickly. They do that sometimes–for all of us! I loved those farm animals from our little trip…I really should live on a farm!
Thanks for my needed California fix…..not sure when business will bring me back but July I will vacation from Santa Barbara north to Morro Bay.
Are you familiar with the Lompoc area, Bishop? The Santa Barbara County wine country is just gorgeous, and quite a bit different from mid-state. I will be sharing more from our adventure soon. I hope you’ll catch the photos. If you aren’t familiar, you might want to take in those sights next time you’re in California. I’m happy to provide a little “fix” now and again. 🙂
Thanks for the boost! Have a great weekend!
I hope you had a good weekend. It went by entirely too quickly and I didn’t accomplish half of what I thought I would! LOL! That’s happening often enough I may need to revisit my priority list. 🙂 On to a good week. ox
A boost of ‘Happy’ is always welcome. Thank you.
I just love the 24-hour happy video, Marie. I am going to use it routinely when I need a little energy boost! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing Debra! I have a big smile on my face now – such a great start to the weekend! Wish you a wonderful weekend too! 😀
I hope you had a good weekend, Cathy. I did have a good weekend, but we had some unexpected company and visitors, all good, but I’m a little relieved to have the work week begin! I may have to revisit my “happy video” just to energize. 🙂
Beautiful pictures. I look forward to seeing more in the near future!
Thank you so much. I enjoy sharing the photos from my little adventures, and it pleases me that you enjoyed them. 🙂
That’s a great photo – I actually felt myself drawing in a deep breath just looking at it!
The Santa Barbara wine country is so incredibly peaceful and beautiful, and I’m already wondering how long before we can return! 🙂 I’ll be sharing more photos soon. I hope you’ll enjoy them. 🙂
What a tease you are, Debra, but, I am smiling and looking forward to hearing more about John Muir and have enjoyed your photos. I’ll save the link to 24 Hours of Happy for when I have a bit more of a breather. So, on that breath, I will wish you a very good weekend.
My goodness, Penny. I need a little more time to keep up with all the bits and pieces I put out there. I’m very scattered these days! I think my energy just isn’t all it could be, but we won’t mention I’m about to have another birthday in March. I refuse to admit that age has anything to do with it! LOL! Keep the “happy video” link somewhere close, and whenever you need a little boost, it will be there. I love it for just that reason. 🙂 I hope you have a good week, my friend. We are expecting rain by the end of this week. Yippee!
Awesome song! How can you not dance and clap and snap? Clearly, it’s the song that Zena was singing at the beach! 🙂
That’s right, Kevin. Zena was indeed one very happy dog! Now that I know she loves the water I’ll have a ready excuse to visit the beautiful Santa Barbara beaches more frequently. I have so many photos, I think these will reappear from time to time! And whenever you need a little boost to your spirits, just turn on that video! I’m going to keep it close.
You BIG tease! 😛 Gorgeous shot of the wine country! Thanks for the Happy!
I don’t know if you took the time to check out the “happy video,” Nancy, but it tickles me. I think I’m going to keep it handy for any time I need a little boost!
That is one happy video! Thanks Debra! Enjoy your weekend! John Muir who?
How can you not smile at 24-hours of happy, Tom? LOL! I love that silly video. Hope you had a good weekend. Ours was packed full, but with nothing in particular. Are you getting ready for the rain? 🙂
Dear Debra,
The animals look absolutely adorable.
Thank you so much for stopping by and saying “hello.” 🙂 The animals were so sweet. I’m a trapped city girl who would really like to live on a farm! 🙂
It’s obvious you feel refreshed, Debbie 🙂 Some of those animal shots are gorgeous. Love the donkey close up and the mother goat with the youngster, especially. Dance your way through the weekend, m’dear!
We had a very busy weekend, Jo, but a good one. I’m glad you enjoyed the animals…I really did. I have enough photos from that one weekend to keep me going for a long time. 🙂
Happy weekend to you too Debra! Love the pics!
I’m glad you enjoyed the photos, Nancy. I took so many…I presume I’ll be sharing many more. LOL!
I’m smiling at the thought of the sheer joy your granddaughters must have had when they saw these adorable animals, Debra. I do love going places with small children as they give me permission to enjoy myself like a child again. 🙂
You are so correct to have imagined the delight Sophia and Karina experienced with the animals, Perpetua. And yes, they assist me in tapping into a more playful “self” than I might otherwise entertain. Sometimes friends and even family forget that at heart I would love to live on a farm, so this was my perfect little retreat. I hope we can do it again sometime. 🙂
Debra, what a fab post. full of Happy. And now I have spent about 15 minutes investigating 24 hours of Happy….just wonderful. And just what I needed this Sunday evening. Thank you.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the “happy” loop, too, Kate. For some reason this just delighted me. It’s probably the song itself, which is cheerful, but I enjoyed the creativity of the 24-hour video. I’m really pleased you found it fun!
I love the photos of the goats! We have 8 of them and they always make me smile with their funny little antics 🙂
Thank you for commenting, Mudpie. I loved these goats! I am sure I’d be very entertained by them if I had regularly access. They seemed to talk to us every time we approached! I would have liked to approach the baby, but I’m sure mama, as well as the aunties and uncles, would have very strongly objected. 🙂
I love the image of the wine country. What a beautiful, serene and peaceful part of the world. I imagine it would be wonderful to live there. Love the happiness post! xx
I’m very partial to the wine country, Charlie. I’m not knowledgeable about wines, really, but I love the agricultural landscape, and the wineries themselves are always interesting. I hope to share more soon. We had such a lovely time. Thank you! ox
I like the landscape Debra, the rolling hills and shadows, the gentle colours … lovely!
It’s a particularly beautiful part of the state, Christine. I an very partial to the agricultural land, and in particular, the vineyards. I hope to share more about them, with some photos, soon. 🙂
Dear Debra, I so enjoyed the 12 minutes I watched the happy video. I bookmarked it so I could return. And that photograph of the burro just gladdened my heart. Such a gentle creature. Peace.
I’ve never seen wine country! Aaaahhhh must go… and not just for the wine, apparently!
Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures! They made my day!
I’m clapping along cos thats what I feel I want to do 🙂 Happy !
That was such a fun video.. we should video tape all of us bloggers dancing to that:D Made my day, thanks!