This has been such a fun project! Only one more day to go, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop blogging. Photography and writing feed my soul.
This particular image was taken when I was with my BFF, Patricia, when we were on one of our adventures, this time in southern CA at Venice Beach. As I look at this, I’m aware once again of the power of the ocean to make me feel humble, peaceful and serene. And the value of friendship.
Don’t you just love looking at a photograph and being instantly transported back to that time and place?
I could write volumes about the ocean and how I feel when I’m there, but I won’t.
I’ll just offer this image that I took last week. It was amazing watching the sun start its descent over the Pacific. I didn’t use any filters, so this is 100% organic.
It reminded me of the George Strait song “Stars on the Water.”
My daughter spends her days off from work exploring the Oregon coast. Today’s image is one she took near Cape Meares. I took the liberty of putting some mystical touches on it using Pixlr (which by now should be obvious that I am having fun using).
She told me that this place, among many along the coast, gives her peace and a respite from this crazy world we find ourselves in these days. We both hope you enjoy this image and that it gives you a feeling of peace, too. Namaste’
A famous rock … no, not Alcatraz. That’s called the Rock, too, but this one is much more beautiful. It’s called Haystack, found not far out to sea from Pacific City.
The little girl gazing at it really gave me pause. I found myself looking at her and pretending to be my younger self. My younger self would be thinking how huge it is. My older self is thinking how grateful I am to be alive to see this wonder of nature.
This is my daughter and my dog, Daisy, running on the beach at Pacific City, Oregon. It was the first time Daisy had ever experienced the ocean. She didn’t know quite what to make of it but soon adapted to running freely. It was amazing to watch. But what was even more amazing that I noticed when I uploaded this image is the look on Michele’s face. Free to just “be.”
The ocean has a way of calling to us, beckoning us to give our cares and worries over to it. I did … and I plan to go there often to just “be.” Namaste’
This weeks photo challenge is the Sea. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like the sea. Some of my best days and nights have been at the beaches of northern California.
I remember one time when I had to go to Bodega Bay to make sales calls. It happened to be one of those grey, overcast days and I didn’t really feel like driving out there but I had to get the calls out of the way. On the way back to my office, I pulled over at one of the beaches near Bodega and simply sat and watched the sea. It was spectacular to watch the power of the mighty surf as she rolled in, wave after wave.
Because of the weather, there was no one else there but me and God. Magical time; just magical.
This image is the beach in Marina Del Rey (southern CA). The sun had already set, so all I could get was the last vestiges of light on the waves, while watching this man and his child. I added a nostalgic effect because that’s how it felt to me. Namaste’
“Sit in reverie and watch the changing color of the waves that break upon the idle seashore of the mind.”Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Many years ago when I lived in northern CA, I managed a temp service, putting people to work on various assignments. Sometimes that meant answering the phones, cleaning up, interviewing temporary employees, etc., whatever needed to be done. One day the incoming lines were ringing non-stop because we had run an ad and were getting a huge response. I answered one of the lines and there was this very upbeat, vivacious voice on the other end. She said, “My name is Jeanne. Your ex-husband recommended that I call you. I just got here from New Jersey, don’t know anyone and I need a job. Can you help me?”
As it turned out, she had driven alone from New Jersey to California for a brand new start on life after surviving breast cancer. I will spare the details of all she told me during the subsequent weeks, months and years that we knew each other. Actually, we didn’t just know each other – we became the best of friends.
Back to my story … I did find a temporary job for Jeanne that turned into a permanent one, but until she got hired on at that company on a permanent basis, she stayed with me and my teenage daughter, Michele … and we were glad to have her. She was a wonderful cook, had a fabulous sense of humor, became a bright light in our lives, and she loved to grind coffee beans early in the morning so we’d have fresh coffee. That habit used to make Michele groan. “Jeanne,” she would say, “do you have to do that so early in the morning?” Jeanne’s reply was, “Yes, and it’s time to get your butt out of bed. There’s a day out there just waiting to be lived.”
We went to San Francisco quite often in those early days of our friendship just to hang out at Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39, eating and drinking our way through restaurants up and down the wharf. We didn’t have much money but would find what we liked best, usually some kind of seafood, and splurge on that. Jeanne liked good wine and good food. So did I. Seafood, wine and cheesecake … we were in heaven.
Among the many things I learned from Jeanne was her belief that we get what we focus on. And that we should expect the best. One example of that was her desire to live in a house close to the Pacific Ocean. So we went to a house that was for sale, walked around it and took pictures. She asked me to snap one of her on the deck of the house looking out at the ocean. She had it developed, posted it on my refrigerator, looked at it every day and told us that she would live in that house. Within a few weeks she met a real estate agent who mentioned to her that the bank had foreclosed on a house out by the ocean and needed someone to live in it while it had some slight renovations done. I guess I don’t need to tell you about the goose bumps we had when we drove out to the house … the very same house that was on my fridge! And guess who got to live there for the next six months? Jeanne.
Fast forward to now. I learned just last week that Jeanne passed away in 2007. I had searched for her for a number of years and never found her. Her son just happened to be on Facebook, told my daughter, and now I know for sure that Jeanne is “sparkling” somewhere … everywhere.
So what does the picture of the shoes have to do with Jeanne? She loved boat shoes and when she got her first paycheck from that job I got her years ago, she bought me a pair. I fell in love with them, too, but haven’t had any in a long time until last week. There I was shopping and saw these shoes. Jeanne spoke to me. “Buy the shoes, Gina.”
Everything is synchronized … on this side of the veil as well as the other. Every time I wear these shoes now, I smile.
When we lived in Ventura, CA (sure miss that place), we were always going to the local craft fairs down by the beach. Sure miss that place. Did I say that already?
I remember specifically buying this sign on a beautiful, sunny, warm day and it has traveled with us to each place we’ve lived since then. No matter where the laundry room is, DROP YOUR PANTS HERE hangs over it and has continued to be quite a conversation piece.
Fortunately, no one has taken the message literally. Ok, guess I’d better get back to that laundry, because as we all know, it doesn’t get done by itself.
Why doesn’t someone invent a machine that will wash, dry, fold and/or iron the clothes, then put them away? Maybe it has been invented . . . Robo-Maid. Where is she when I need her?
This is a picture of the sign on our patio. The Beach House … a place where we want to retire someday. We already have a vision board about it. If you aren’t familiar with a vision board, it’s a place where you put pictures or photos or drawings (whatever works for you) of the things you would like to experience in your life. Some call it a bucket list. I have one of those, too, but this is different. My vision board is a piece of poster board with pictures of various items, like the beach house. And just for good measure, I put the sign up. I look at it every day and imagine being in the beach house, looking out the window at the ocean, sipping my coffee and witnessing another spectacular sunrise.
The beach house is a place that provides complimentary sunsets and ocean views. It’s a place where I can feel the sand between my toes and build a sand castle if I want to. It’s a place where our dogs can run on the beach, chase sandpipers, or dig a hole to cool off the belly when they need to. It’s a place where the grandkids can come and stay as long as they like and spend the day surfing, skim boarding, swimming, clamming, or whatever else they want to do. It’s a place that’s the epitome of relaxation, closing my eyes and meditating while listening to the waves lap the shore.
It doesn’t matter to me which ocean, but I would prefer warm water. Do you hear me, Universe? Hint. Hint. Life is good; dreams are free.
Eyes to See 