Strawberry Fields

Our second annual field trip to the strawberry farm was highly anticipated. We loaded up on tractor-pulled wagons and knew just what to expect from last year.

First came the distribution of all sorts of vegetables picked straight from the ground. Finn enjoyed some more than others and Crew wanted nothing to do with them at all.

We enjoyed more of the vibrant super bloom throughout the farm.

At last, we arrived at the patch with empty baskets to fill.

I think more strawberries ended up in our bellies than our baskets.

Finn was thrilled about pausing from his strawberry feast for a photo...

None of the preschool buddies were too interested in posing after their baskets were full. 

We loaded the wagon for the final stretch of the tour and devoured even more of our freshly-picked strawberries.

It's a good thing there was a tractor to distract them from their crankiness in the fields.

But the real highlight was the hay throwing that ensued.

Yes, the hay throwing trumped the strawberry picking in the end. 

Super Bloom

Southern California had an unusually rainy winter which was much needed because we've been in a drought for years. The best part about all the rain was how green everything turned. I was in awe every time I drove around. Every inch of the usually brown hills completely transformed into the greenest green. 

Then, because the drought-stricken landscape was soaked over the winter, it created the perfect condition for wildflowers to spread. The sudden burst of color has been referred to as a "super bloom."

We didn't make it to some of the locations with the brightest displays of the super bloom, but even our favorite bluff trail walk overlooking the ocean was more vibrant than we've ever seen. 

The boys always take their fishing poles on our hikes so they can collect magnetic ore.

The rainy season shut off pretty quickly and we can already see things drying up. But it was magnificent while it lasted.