Sometimes when you need a distraction, you have to do something different.

It’s been a difficult year for us, so we decided a change of scenery for the holiday was in order.

We thought some beach wildlife was just the thing… and we knew just the place. Only 30 miles south of Paso Robles is a wonderful stretch of beach rich with sealife.

We camped out for nearly 2 weeks and took in the sea otters along Morro Bay.

When we got our fill of that, we moved on to Pismo Beach to check out the butterfly migration.

We took in blue heron fishing in a stream.

And were lucky enough to watch them catch supper.

It rained much of the time, but we managed to get some pix nonetheless.

If you are patient enough and persistent, one can capture beautiful moments.

It was a wonderful break. We are ready for a New Year full of positivity and promise.