Category Archives: Beaches, Mostly Carlsbad

Surf’s Up : Part Two

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Even though it rained last night, the waves were forecasted to be even BIGGER than yesterday, so I went down to the beach again. The sidewalk was packed with people and cameras and video equipment, all searching for the holy grail of the perfect shot.

I’m disappointed to report that the news was false; the waves weren’t any bigger than yesterday, at least not here. This was definitely not in the ten to twelve-plus range that I had anticipated.

The only surfer I was was one crazy teenager who was determined to surf the blown out waves. I walked out on the jetty to take this video, which wouldn’t have been a smart choice if the waves had been as giant as predicted.

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I did spy this giant log, a rare sight on our beach. I wish I could have dragged it home with me, but it was too heavy.

Even though the reality didn’t live up to the hype, it was still beautiful, and now it’s raining again.

This is what it was like down the coast at Swamis.

Happy almost 2024!

Surf’s Up!

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Photo credit to Enchanted Seashells
High Surf Warning, dangerously large breaking waves of 8 to 12 feet with sets to 15 + feet.

The larger waves are south of where I am –at Sunset Cliffs and La Jolla, but I went to my local beach to check it out, and the surf was impressive here, too. In Northern California, they’re reporting ginormous waves of 28 to 33 feet, up to possibly forty feet! I’d love to see waves like that from a safe distance, of course.

Photo credit to Enchanted Seashells

Again, there were dolphins, way out beyond the waves, and no way to get a decent photo.

Photo credit to Enchanted Seashells

These are two Imgur videos; some people can open them, and I’ve heard that a few can’t, so I’m sorry in advance. They’re pretty cool. It was a lovely morning.

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Video credit to Enchanted Seashells

There have been highly unusual sightings of orca whales in San Diego county but I didn’t see them either, I’m sad to report.

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Video credit to Enchanted Seashells

From TMZ, check out these videos of Santa Cruz and Ventura!
https://www.tmz.com/2023/12/29/massive-socal-waves-crash-street-onlookers-dangerous-flood-advisory-ventura/

What a way to end 2023!

‘Tis The Season | Holiday Fashion Statements

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It seems like giant holiday-themed inflatables are popping up everywhere. These are nutcrackers, but I’ve driven by streets with every house on the block participating, dressed up with gargantuan Santas and Frosty. I absolutely love it.

Street art.


After the plumbers left, I found a box of my sparkly trees when I cleaned the garage. I created a simple tabletop display that looks and feels so festive!

A forest of trees.

#WordlessWednesday

Ocean Magic

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Let her be
For her heart is filled with stardust
Her soul is as wild and free
As the wind

Have you ever witnessed something so exquisitely beautiful it almost made you cry?

I saw more dolphins yesterday! I watched three of them surf the big waves until they were too far away to see without binocs, and then I exhaled a big sigh. It was only then that I realized that I had been holding my breath.

How IwishIwishIwish I was a mermaid.

From Pinterest

A Little Poem written by Athey Thompson
Art unknown from Pinterest

The Joy of Karma

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There is truly no greater joy than to have my sweet yet scarily precocious Angels in their car seats as we drive down to the beach, windows down, all of us belting out Karma by Taylor Swift.

They pay no attention to the fact that I can’t carry a tune; we’re nodding our heads and singing along with Apple music. “Play it again, Grandma!”

“Karma is my boyfriend.”

“I keep my side of the street clean. You wouldn’t know what I mean…”
(Picture us mimic sweeping with our hands.)

“Karma is a cat…Purring in my lap ’cause it loves me.”

“Me and karma are like THAT.”

“Karma takes all my friends to the summit.”

“Karma’s gonna track you down Step by step from town to town.”

Like Taylor changed the lyrics to her bf’s name, I also change the words in this line…

“Karma is the guy on the screen coming straight home to me.”

to

“Karma is my two favorite kids coming straight home to me.”

Time spent with these Angel Kids is a neverending tapestry of shared joyful memories, including singing with tone deaf Grandma.

“Play it again, Grandma!” And I did.

Two Coyotes and Three Dolphins

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Coyotes were in the garden last night! I was awakened at midnight by at least two extremely conversational coyotes; yipping and howling for a few minutes. I went back to sleep with a smile on my face.

This morning I went on a beach walk (did NOT almost get run over by a crazy driver this time) and was lucky enough to see three dolphins! I’m sorry the photos aren’t great, but I only had my phone.

Here they are in the middle of the photo, to the right of the little boat. They’re moving south.

In this photo, the dolphins are directly to the left of the paddleboarders, who are actually watching them swim by.

Dolphins represent a bond between mankind and Mother Nature, in part due to their emotional connection with humans while they remain firmly part of the animal kingdom. Dolphins are representative of both the Air and Water elements as they are warm-blooded, air-breathing mammals, yet they reside in the depths of the ocean. 

For me, hearing coyotes last night and seeing dolphins this morning are two positive indicators that December is starting out to be an amazing way to end 2023!

Shades of Gratitude in Monochrome

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Late afternoon on a beautiful day after Thanksgiving, these are my favorite humans standing in the sun-sparkled ocean.

No filters or editing.
#Monochrome-Madness

Sunsets on Fire and Devil Winds

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Last night’s sunset was spectacular.

We’re in the middle of a moderate Santa Ana weather event with hot, windy, clear skies and such low humidity that my throat is scratchy and my curly hair turned straight-ISH.

It’s also fire season and there were a couple house and vegetation fires in the area, but none close enough for me to worry about evacuating.

When I went for a late afternoon walk, the sky colors were brilliant orange and red, like the world was on fire, and maybe it is.

According to legend, Native Americans associated the strong winds with an evil presence–something fiery and destructive. After Spanish colonization, missionaries altered the term Devil Winds to “Caliente Aliento de Satanas”–the hot breath of Satan. It was subsequently shortened and Americanized to Santa Ana winds.

Next week, the weather forecast calls for rain with a Pacific storm, the first time we’ll have seen sky water in months. Fingers crossed it’ll happen because my garden is PARCHED.

Happy Friday!

Ch-ch-changes | Autumn Colors

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Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
Ch-ch-changes…

Sing it, David Bowie!

We all fell back last night and gained an hour. For me, It’s always a bit of an unsettling feeling for about a week or so until I get used to it.

More ch-ch-changes…

Did you know that certain trees in Southern California DO change color and lose leaves in autumn?

This is my fruit-bearing mulberry.

The leaves morph into a sunny, vibrant yellow.

Green and yellow against a blue sky.

My garden doesn’t boast any maples that turn red, but these ch-ch-changes mark the hands of time; another autumn, another winter approaching, another year almost over and finished.

Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon you’re gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can’t trace time

More Vitamin Sea

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Glittery sparkles on the water like a million diamonds.

#Tamarack #PacificOcean #California #PhotoOfTheDay