What is a grandma to do with all her grand-kids on the ranch for many days of summer? Well the answer is simple: Make it a Summer Staycation and go outside and explore God’s wonderful and fascinating world. Grieb Ranch provides an endless array of things to explore. Plus exploring the ins-and-outs of our beautiful locale simply add to the fun.
Summer Staycation Activities
A Summer Staycation at Grieb Ranch means . . . almost daily trips to the creek or rope swing when it’s hot, exploring places on the ranch we’ve rarely seen, watching a monarch caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly which we released, checking livestock water daily due to the drought, helping host Ag Adventure Day Camp at Thousand Hills Ranch for two weeks (much more time was taken for setup and putting things away), following bear tracks while having fun singing “Going on a Bear Hunt” (shucks we never found the bear), climbing trees, making guacamole, keeping the stop-by Fruit Stand full, prayer walking the property with friends, and playing follow the leader on horseback.
Setting up the tent for camping 
Monarch Butterfly 
Evening Sky 
Following Bear Tracks
Exploring the Local Offerings
One fine day we packed up our picnic lunch and left the ranch to explore the beautiful central coast.
First stop, Shell Beach and caves. After descending the long flight of stairs to the rocky beach below, we set off exploring the rocky caves and tide pools. Here we discovered many sea creatures like crabs, hermit crabs, limpets (conical shell snail), turban snails and sea anemones.
Next, we climbed the rocks, then built roads and castles out of the gravel type sand. We all enjoyed our picnic lunch and the amazing weather.
Our adventure continued to Avila Beach Aquarium to see things we missed at Shell Beach. Here we were fascinated with little jelly fish, shrimp brine, crabs, the touch tank and watching the crab and other fish be fed. We learned limpets and turban snails are gastropods which means their stomach is in their “foot” or pod.
Creating such wonderful memories together, while experiencing first-hand the wisdom and creativity of God on display is a wonderful way to spend a Summer Staycation.
Getaway For a Celebration
We did enjoy one getaway to Margie (Grieb) and Scott Runels’s 50th wedding anniversary in Oregon. Our stay was at their home. Carl (92) and Barbara (89) endured the 15-hour trip driven by Connie with flying colors.