These clouds are works of art.
I like what Bob Ross said about painting clouds: “Let’s build us a happy, little cloud that floats around the sky.”
(Photo credit to Enchanted Seashells)
Cloud Art
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Category Archives: Beaches, Mostly Carlsbad
New Year Greetings With a Fling of Sandpipers 𓅪
And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.
Rainer Maria Rilke
We’re getting ready for another storm but yesterday it still was sunny and warm. Check out these south-facing sandpipers, all looking in the same direction. I wonder what they’re thinking about…
Maybe they’re hoping 2026 will bring peace and harmony and love to the world. That’s my wish, too.
Do you know what a group of sandpipers is called?
There are many recognized collective nouns for a group of sandpipers:
𓅪 a bind
𓅪 a cluster
𓅪 a contradiction
𓅪 a fling
𓅪 a hill
𓅪 a time-step
My personal favorite is a “fling” of sandpipers.
𓅪 Happy 2026!
Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou
Is It Rude To Dispose of Your Dog’s Poop in Someone Else’s Trash Can?
Yes. It’s rude. It’s disgusting and stinky and gross and can be left behind when the trash is emptied.
Somebody keeps throwing their dog poop bags in my trash can. It occurs after I put the cans out before our regular pick up day.
THIS time I saw who did it only they ran away and I wasn’t able to follow them, but that proves they were obviously aware of their stupid action. I didn’t recognize the neighbor OR his dog, so I don’t know who it is.
I fished the VERY FULL bag of poop out of my trash can and left it on the curb.
I can’t understand why it’s so hard for someone to just take THEIR poop home. It’s not mine and I don’t want it. Don’t get a dog if you can’t handle carrying a poop bag. It’s poor etiquette as well as being lazy and RUDE, perhaps illegal.
While not explicitly a separate criminal offense in all cases, putting dog poop in someone else’s private residential bin in Carlsbad without their permission is a form of unauthorized dumping or theft of services, and it could lead to legal fines or civil action.
- Unauthorized Use: Trash collection is a paid private service to the homeowner, so using their bin without consent is essentially using their property and services without permission. This can cause issues for the homeowner, such as the bin reaching maximum weight limits, which could result in extra fees.
- Carlsbad Municipal Code: Carlsbad, like many California cities, requires dog owners to immediately clean up and properly dispose of their pet’s waste in a trash receptacle. The law emphasizes that disposal must be done appropriately.
- Illegal Dumping Statutes: Under California Penal Code § 374.3 PC, it is a crime to dump “waste matter” on private property without the owner’s consent. While this is usually an infraction with a fine, repeated offenses or significant amounts of waste can escalate the penalties.
- Nuisance and Trespassing: The act of walking onto a private driveway or property to deposit waste without permission can also be considered trespassing or a public nuisance.
In short, it is considered inconsiderate and can be illegal. The proper disposal method is to use your own trash bin or a public pet waste station.
It’s not just about me. This behavior tells me you don’t care about our public workers at all. You’re fine with the trash folks having to handle bins that are lined with excrement.
In the summer time it turns into a shit soup that reeks to high heaven. It disgusts me that some of my neighbors have no respect for ME or the people who literally do your dirty work.
A little Googling reveals that this seems to be a frustrating and RUDE problem everywhere, not just in my community, as it’s essentially illegal dumping and disrespectful.
Here are some solutions that are offered online:
Simple and Non-Confrontational:
- Signs: Place a clear sign on the lid saying “No Dog Poop” or “Not a Public Bin”.
- Relocate Bin: Keep your bin in a garage or fenced yard until collection day to make it less accessible.
- Physical Barriers: Use a heavy brick on the lid or a bungee cord/strap to keep it shut.
More Direct Solutions:
- Talk to Neighbors: Politely explain the issue; they may not realize how bothersome it is.
- Bin Locks: Invest in a lockable strap or padlock for your bin.
- Security Camera: A camera can deter offenders and provide evidence if needed.
Last Resort:
- Check Local Laws: Some areas have ordinances against using private bins for public waste; contact your local council.
- Document & Report: If it continues, you can document it and report it as illegal dumping to local authorities.
Is this a problem where you live? How do you deal with it? I’d love to hear any suggestions…
The Banana Man
That’s what we call him because we don’t know his real name. All we know is that one day there were a whole lot of bananas perched on a picnic table at the beach.
I asked the gentleman who was sitting nearby if he knew who they belonged to and if we could have one. He said he had brought them and he had an organic farm nearby where bananas grew like weeds so he always brought them to share. He also grew cherries and peaches and loads of other yummy things, but we were fascinated by the bananas.
They looked exactly like this photo. They were the BEST bananas we had ever eaten. As we were packing up the car to go home, Banana Man (never got his name) told us to take some with us, so we thanked him and did just that.
Here at Casa de Enchanted Seashells, I have two banana plants that have never borne any fruit since they were planted, so I wish I knew what he was doing right..
I’ve been learning a lot about bananas. They’re an amazing creation by Mother Nature.
Bananas grow in a formation called a “bunch.” Each bunch contains multiple “hands,” and each hand consists of a line of bananas referred to as “fingers.”
The cluster of bananas we buy at the store is technically a “hand”. A full bunch—what grows on a single stem in banana plantations—can weigh more than a hundred pounds and contains several hands.
Most people have a total aversion to the white stringy things on a banana and meticulously pick them off, but not me, mostly because I’m too lazy to remove them.
They’re called phloem bundles, the plant’s internal plumbing system that transports nutrients (sugars, water, minerals) from the leaves to the developing fruit as it grows, acting like tiny veins. They’re completely edible, nutritious, packed with fiber, and safe to eat, often containing more complex fibers than the rest of the fruit, making them a bonus source of goodness, not to be discarded.
Can you eat banana peels? You shouldn’t eat a raw banana peel because it’s tough, bitter, and often coated in pesticides; however, it’s actually edible and nutritious (high in fiber/potassium) if thoroughly washed, preferably organic, and cooked to be blended in smoothies, baked into breads, or used in curries.
If totally organic, try boiling banana peels to drink as a nutritious tea.
Another use for banana peels is as a fertilizer, which I’ve done. Sometimes I save a bunch of banana peels, soak them in a gallon of water for a few days, strain, and use on the plants in the veggie garden.
Is there anyone who does NOT like bananas? I don’t think so, or at least I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t. It’s one of the universal first foods for babies; mashed and smashed.
Bananas are packed with essential nutrients: potassium, vitamins B6 and C, fiber, and magnesium, providing quick energy from natural sugars, low in fat and protein.
We all know what to do with overly ripe bananas, right? Banana bread never gets old. Check out my Recipes Category for several recipe ideas that incorporate ripe bananas.
🍌
Holiday Wishes 🕎 🎄🎅🏻 🌺
Hanukkah started last night at sundown and ends on December 22, so don’t forget to light your menorah and remember to honor the Bondi and Brown victims.
May the lights of Hanukkah usher in a better world for all of us.
This photo was taken from the top of my street where I’m able to see the setting sun AND a hint of the Pacific ocean. It’s one of my favorite spots.
🕎 🎄🎅🏻 🌺
Ode To Our Ocean
This photo was taken at the beach on a spectacularly warm December afternoon. The sky was blue and the Pacific Ocean was full of sparkles; a magnificent day.
Ode To Our Ocean
The sea sings out to its many saviors:
Teenagers with fists thrust into the air at climate strikes,
Scientists converging around their data,
A child who stoops to scoop up a piece of trash.
The sea sings out for its singular subjects:
Arching whales that wave from their waves,
Turtles that teeter down their shining shores,
Coral reefs shining brightly as cities.
The sea sings out its suffering,
Knowing too much of waste, screeching sounds
And pernicious poison, its depths bruised by
Atrocities in the Atlantic,
Misery in the Mediterranean,
Its tides the preservers of time past.
The story of the ocean and the story of humanity
Are one and the same, a Great River that
Knows no borders and notes no lines,
Only ripples.
While we might call it the Seven Seas,
Today we sing out your true name:
The one ocean.
For no matter how we try to separate your waters,
You are the colossus that connects us.
Water makes up 70% of Earth,
70% of the human heart,
And 70% of the human being,
All of us, bodies of water,
For we, too are oceans,
Or at least beings bobbing in the same boat.
To stand up for for our ocean
Is to stand up for our own ship
The sea is a restless, strong collective of many pieces.
So are we.
The ocean can recover.
And so will we.
Let us not divide the tides,
But discover all they have to teach us–
Green meadows of sea grass that survive pathogens,
Blue-bloodied marine snails that can fight off viruses.
There are more lessons to learn,
Still more work to be done.
So we lift our faces to the sun.
May the seas help us see healing and hope,
May we sing out the ocean’s survival and revival.
Being the people of this blue planet is our most
Profound privilege and power,
For if we be the ocean’s saviors,
Then it is surely ours.
Written by Amanda Gorman for World Oceans Day. Harvard graduate Gorman is an American poet, activist, and model. Her work focuses on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as the African diaspora. Gorman was the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate.
Another Hello Kitty Pink Sunrise
Let the beauty of the sunrise keep your heart warm.
Lailah Gifty Akita
To fall asleep under the glow of a super moon and wake up to this gorgeous view is the embodiment of a joyful life.
For a few seconds, the sky was really this vibrant and intense before fading. It literally took my breath away. What a lovely way to start a new day!
#grateful #gratitude
December’s Full Moon, Seven Sisters, and a King Tide
Thursday’s full moon is not just bright, it’s rare. The December 4th Cold supermoon is the last time we’ll see one like this until 2042. If the sky is clear, step outside and look up. It will hang low, look huge, and glow brighter than usual.
In the sign of Gemini, this Super Full Moon offers us an opportunity to see with more clarity the impact of the stories we tell ourselves and the narratives that shape our perception of reality.
This heightened lunar ascent symbolizes a lifting of perspective, a culmination that invites us to see our lives from a broader vantage point, to connect the dots and recognize the meaning behind the journey we’ve walked throughout the year.
Tonight will also reveal a powerful moment in the sky as the Moon meets the Seven Sisters, the bright cluster known as the Pleiades.
The Moon slowly passes over each star, hiding them one by one, and this motion creates a sequence that opens a clear channel for our intentions, emotions, and the wishes we carried during the year.
The Universe pays close attention during this alignment and the connection works like a direct line between our heart and the future we want.
Each time the Moon covers a star, the energy around us resets and clears space for something new, and the return of the star sends fresh light into our life with strong forward movement.
Many people feel a shift during this time, such as a burst of hope, a clear idea, or a sense that something important will approach with steady momentum.
These feelings hold meaning because this alignment supports our dreams in a focused way that removes blocks from our path and pushes our story forward.
Choose the manifested desire with strong confidence.
The Universe will arrange the right people, the right moments, and the right opportunities to support the next phase of our path. Alex Myles
Also, in my SoCal area, King Tides return December 4–6. These are some of the highest and lowest tides of the year and create dramatic coastal changes.
Spiritually, a King Tide can symbolize a time of amplified energy, new beginnings and abundance, but it can also represent a force that tests existing structures and compels us to confront powerful emotions and cycles beyond our control. It can signify a period of emotional and spiritual renewal or growth, challenging us to release old ways to embrace a new life flow.
There’s a lot going on…as above, so below, and a perfect time to charge our crystals.
Seven Sisters image from Wiki
Winter Sunset
No green flash, but a gorgeous sunset after a sunny, warm day in SoCal.
A “green flash” is a rare optical phenomenon seen briefly at sunrise or sunset, where the sun’s upper edge appears to flash green due to atmospheric refraction. This optical effect is caused by the Earth’s atmosphere acting like a prism, separating the sun’s light into different colors, with the green light being the last to be visible as the sun sets or the first as it rises
Colors of The Cosmos
The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Between rainstorms, the sky around here has been especially lovely.
The rain stopped for a bit and I went for a walk before it got too dark. If I could paint, this is what it would look like.
This morning after an unexpectedly heavy shower, I was able to spot a rainbow before it completely disappeared.
“I’d rather see the world as a rainbow than endless shade of gray.” Amani Abbas
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Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 