Lost in America - Finding Your Place by Alison Henderson

I've never considered myself lost. I've traveled all over the world, from Ireland to Japan, and lived in 5 U.S. cities, coast-to-coast. I've found something to like about nearly every locale (except Bizerta, Tunisia. It's a hellhole). But only in the last few years have I felt I've truly found my place. 

misty hills

About five years ago, my husband and I took our first trip together to Carmel, California. I had been once before at age seventeen when my parents brought me and my sister to the West Coast to look at colleges. My strongest memories of that visit were the "scenic" motel with no TV and the famous French restaurant where we were encouraged to eat escargot (my sister acquiesced; I refused). 

After more than twenty years in Minnesota, OG and I were looking for a place that had it all: beautiful scenery, things to do, great restaurants, and above all, mild weather. Carmel fit the bill in every way. The minute we arrived, I was smitten. With every succeeding visit, I became more and more convinced that this was where I was meant to be. Eighteen months ago, fantasy became reality when we moved here full time.

Carmel Valley

The first time we drove inland from Carmel-by-the-Sea and beheld the magic of Carmel Valley, I thought I had reached Shangri-La. A deep sense of peace overwhelmed me, and I knew exactly what the poet Robinson Jeffers meant when he described his first sight of his "inevitable place". I'd like to share a few pictures to whet your appetite for a visit to my little slice of paradise.

Point Lobos

Point Lobos

Big Sur 

View from my deck

Alison
www.alisonhenderson.com
http://alisonhenderson.blogspot.com