My quilting group is fortunate to be able to cut and stitch for a week twice a year at an oceanfront beach cottage in Cayucos, CA. It is a time to sew, relax, eat out and revisit a number of must drop into Central Coast sites and shops. We are equal opportunity road trippers and include quilt stores, the apple farm, garden centers, the farmer’s market and anything that looks like fun. Late October coastal weather is generally cool and moist with foggy mornings and pleasant afternoons. Wonderful weather to open the windows for a cool breeze and walk leisurely on the sand from the cottage to downtown Cayucos. This year we enjoyed (??) record high temperatures for three days with highs hovering at 100 degrees–even more incentive to wander up and down the coast in search of businesses with air conditioning!

The next village up the coast is Cambria–renown as the site of one of only 3 native Monterey pine forests on the US mainland.  A special pottery store, a wonderful needlepoint/yarn store and a very fun store called Home Arts are always on the go to list. The Garden Shed is also worthy of a visit and I will dedicate another post to introducing you to this cluster of quirky garden and gift storefronts.

This year we found ourselves right in the middle of the Cambria Scarecrow Festival. Here are a few of the MANY scarecrows sponsored and constructed by both business and organizations.

This bevy of stick beauties clothed in knitted and crocheted outfits reminiscent of the 1960s were fabulous!

A painterly offering in front of one of many art galleries

The Queen of Hearts

Guardian of the Garden

Popeye, Olive Oil and Sweet Pea

Old Happy Herb at Ephraim Pottery

The Love Courier

Groot from the movie Guardians of the Galaxy–this one won a ribbon for innovative use of materials. It is made of cardboard and the split foam tube you use to cover pipes in cold areas.

In front of a gift shop called Bumblebees

The Photo Crow-Today Everything Exists to End in a Photograph

How could you not love this fishing frog and his skeletal mermaid lady friend?

Linn’s Restaurant and Pie Shop has their delivery girl working overtime.

A little more traditional

The Cambria New Wave Riders-the bicycle wheels were motorized and they looked as though they were really riding!

Knit 1, Purl 2

The Old Woman Who lived in a Shoe and some of her many children

Dakota the dog

Tree Bob-the Ent of the East Village handles all the needed tools of the realtor trade on his multiple arms and no, I don’t have a clue what ‘Ent’ means. Any help out there?

Doing Our Part to Conserve Water

Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman

This one says it all!

More posts from the Central Coast in the next week.