Peaceful Valley Farm provides youngsters like Jaylen Leonard the opportunity to let loose. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel
Marielle Garman, right, and Catherine Spiers head into Peaceful Valley Farm's turkey coop under the watchful eye of Pam Carrica on Wednesday. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel
Playing around the chickens is just a normal afternoon activity for Marielle Garman and Jaylen Leonard at Peaceful Valley Farm. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel
Catherine Spiers and Marielle Garman count the turkey eggs that a hen warms during their afternoon at Pam Carrica's Peaceful Valley Farm on Wednesday. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel
Pam Carrica feeds Peaceful Valley Farm's goats with preschoolers James Spiers and Jaylen Leonard on Wednesday. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel
A surfer has a close encounter with a trio of dolphins at Manresa Beach on Monday morning. With the hoopla surrounding the recent local stay of a pod of Humpback Whales it is easy to forget that the Santa Cruz County coastline of the Monterey Bay is filled with a number of other small, yet no less majestic marine mammals. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
A small, but clean swell allows a family at Manresa State beach front row seats to watch surfers try their luck at the break in La Selva Beach on Monday. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
A surfer paddles out to the small, yet consistent and clean swell coming in to Manresa State Beach on Monday morning. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
Humpback whales draw a crowd of whale watchers in the Monterey Bay as seen from the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf on Monday morning October 31, 2011. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
A pair of sea otters enjoys a morning repast off of West Cliff including a sampling of the local shellfish. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel
Local photographer Paul Schraub, while on assignment for the Santa Cruz County Convention and Visitors Council, captured this photo of spy hopping whales in the Monterey Bay on Tuesday.
This photo was just submitted to our Pets on Parade photo contest, had to share it on the Photo Blog.
Posted from Santa Cruz, California, United States.
Ronan Madden chugs a goat milk sample. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
Mali McGee and friends lead goats across the street from Wednesday's downtown Santa Cruz Farmers Market where she proceeded to milk her Bonny Doon goats and pass out samples to protest the state's crackdown on dairy collectives. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
Mali McGee of Bonny Doon milks one of her goats next to the downtown Santa Cruz Farmers Market Wkednesday to protest the state's crackdown on unlicensed dairy collectives. Samples were passed around the growing crowd for those who wanted to take a taste. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
Stinky the whale surfaces on Aug. 19, 2011. The photos were taken by Captain Michael Sack, Sanctuary Cruises Whale Watching, about two miles off of West Cliff Drive / Steamer Lane.
Stinky surfaces.
Stinky waves to his fans.
Photos from Captain Michael Sack, Sanctuary Cruises Whale Watching
A buck with molting antlers lounges in a meadow off Hagar Drive on the UC Santa Cruz campus Tuesday morning. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
A dog owner tries to coax his pooch along Pacific Avenue Thursday, the first day dogs are allowed in downtown Santa Cruz in 35 years. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
Thursday was the first day in 35 years that dogs are welcome in downtown Santa Cruz. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
A man tries to keep track of his rambunctious rat terriers in the patio of Santa Cruz City Hall Thursday, the first day dogs have been allowed downtown in 35 years. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
A vagabond and his camo-garbed dog amble down Pacific Avenue Thursday, the first day dogs are officially allowed in downtown Santa Cruz in 35 years. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
