Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Coastal bits of nature

These images and everything in them
1.
2. clusters of tall, graceful palms
3. pink, wispy brush-stroked clouds
4. the patch of crystal blue sky
5. a friend who is talented enough to paint this scene (if only I could talk her into it)
6. hues of twilight
7. long stretches of sandy beach
8. the sounds and smells of coastal city night life
9. the taste of bbq chicken pizza by the beach
10. this sunset and every other I've taken a moment to enjoy
11.
12. the peace of the ocean on this day
13. the only time I cannot recall hearing surf sounds
14. or feeling a breeze
15. realizing what a gift it is to hear and feel those things
16. the rays of the sun
17. it's path reflected on the water
18. the warm sand on top
19. and the cooler, damp sand underneath
20. the pleasure of digging my toes into each
21.
22. watching others take in the same beauty
23. the sun glinting off the water
24. walking hand in hand along the hard, wet sand
25. stepping quickly to avoid the incoming waves
26. but also standing there waiting for one to come in
27. and feeling the ocean reclaim the sand under my feet
28. anchoring myself to the earth with my toes
29. the beach dotted with bits of shell, rocks and driftwood
30. sand (and not snow) flipping up, dusting my legs as we wade through the soft sand
31.
32. a husband who plans fun adventures
33. and can navigate his way anywhere
34. the dear, dear woman I met on this boat and with whom I shared a seat
35. her lovely tradition of making whale-watching a weekly appointment
36. and who shared the very best time of year to see Blue whales feeding - I'm adding this to my 40 before 40 list
37. the camera that made recording these memories possible
38. the grace, speed and playfulness of dolphin
39. the misty spouting of gray whale
40. a perfect, calm day at sea
41.
42. the pristine view of Catalina Island
43. a long ago memory of riding a golf cart around said island
44. and visiting the Wrigley garden there
45. lifeguard towers (even without a lifeguard present)
46. 10 foot swells and the surfers who make it look easy
47. beach chair rentals
48. reading a fluff book, toes in sand
49. people watching
50. dusky, golden skies
51.
52. the spray kicked up by the skimboarders
53. wetsuits
54. the verve of youth
55. who take even more pictures than I
56.
57. visiting a piece of history
58. art deco style
59. appreciating the workings of a ship firsthand
60. so many photographic opportunities
61.
62. the tribal sounds of the bongo jam session happening next to the pier
63. an woman dancing Elaine-style
64. the tambourine shaker, who at 60+ still had amazing legs and a pixie haircut
65. the African drummer in the shirred, green velvet shift
66. a three year old dancing with abandon - as only three year olds can
67. rhythms that took me back to my luau days
68. that I do not drink alcohol (which, despite opinions to the contrary, impairs dancing ability)
69. the drummer who let it all out, African style
70. the mural in the background
71.
72. seeing dolphin in the wild, up close
73. the light playing off their backs
74. the sun on my face
75. snuggling on the prow, feeling on top of the world
76.
77. footwear sans socks
78. nail polish
79. lotion
80. carrying flip flops while strolling hand in hand
81.
82. glassy ribbons of ocean
83. sailboats
84. the color white
85. and marine blue
86. reflections
87. feeling small in the vastness
88. and yet also very big in my little corner of the world
89. not needing my sea legs
90. the stillness of the group, waiting breathlessly for the whales to surface
91.
92. the interesting things you see along the harbor
93. like dogs in sunglasses
94. the long line outside the psychic reader's shop
95. and a man with no fingers crafting waffle cones
96.
97. this bride and her wedding party
98. in their bright purple dresses
99. with their infectious giddiness
100. the impromptu high-five run though they performed on the boardwalk
101. And have I mentioned? This man:

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