Muir Woods and Stinson Beach

We spent last Saturday exploring the redwoods in Muir Woods. This is the remains of a tree you used to be able to drive through . There are so many wonderful facts about redwoods - like they have natural fire-retardants which enables them to withstand forest fires. The seeds of a redwood can only open after intense heat, so when a fire does occur, new growth naturally follows. And, because of the intricate root system, multiple trees are able to grow up from the same base.
. When Ella wasn't in the backpack, she was serenading us with opera ... that is if you could catch up with her. It is interesting to notice differences in upbringing, even from just one generation. At these information stops, Ella wanted to push the buttons to make it "talk." She thought it was pretty old fashioned that there were just color pictures and words.

After the redwoods we went to Stinson Beach. Who doesn't love driving on HWY 1?

This is what happens when you leave your picnic unattended .

The ocean is telling Ella that next time, it is probably a better idea to not wear fleece to the beach. The gentle grade and even waves makes Stinson beach ideal for little ocean lovers like Ella and Anne.