An Evening on the Beach

This evening down on the beach felt more like October than July and we were thankful for our sweaters as soon as we neared the water. The sun tried peeking through occasionally but was mostly hidden by the clouds that have hung around all month.

We passed several beach goers who weren't deterred by the briskness and spent most of the time crossing patches of cobble stones washed in by the tide.

A determined beetle took a brief break on his journey just long enough to pose for a picture.

We also passed several castles, the one below being the most elaborate with careful landscaping and bridges.

Another had pebble paving and a thoughtful bridge.


As the sun dipped lower, it grew chillier under thickening clouds and, calling it a day, we headed for home.

Shadow Shot Sunday

We've had a seemingly endless stretch of storms here in Southern California: rain, hail, high winds, high surf, the works! Good for getting lots of work done, not so good for outdoor activities or shooting shadows. So... here is one of my favorite shots from last summer. My boyfriend and I like to switch off taking pictures of each other surfing. I shot this one of him in the golden afternoon light at the end of a long beach day many months ago.

Be sure to click below to check out all the other shadows over at Hey Harriet!

Mosaic Monday

Christmas Day and the 26th my mom and I took advantage of the phenomenal weather with a walk along the beach and a local hike on trails through Torrey Pines State Park leading down to the beach. Here's a glimpse of what we saw, from left to right....

1. A view of the Pacific Ocean through the Torrey Pine trees.
2. Pretty seaweed at low tide.
3. Wispy clouds and backlit trees.
4. Recent rains have prompted a few wildflowers to bloom.
5. A building swell.
6. Two campers get into Christmas Day.
7. Hikers enjoying the perfect weather.
8. The lifeguards keep an eye on things from their beach-mobile.
9. Looking north.

Be sure to stop by Little Red House to enjoy all the wonderful mosaics!

Shadow Shot Sunday

This is actually a shadow shot of Golden West taking her shadow shot!

Shadow Shot Sunday

On the move! This beach squirrel lives in the rip rap lining the bluff and makes an appearance each time we're there. He's quite fearless and doesn't usually back down unless he gets a small treat. So far blueberries have been a big hit!

Summer into Fall

Summer passed in a whirl of beach days, gardening and, of course, creating new pieces for the upcoming Christmas season. As ocean temperatures begin to slowly drop and nights grow chilly, I'll fondly remember the summer this way: