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A Joyful Noise

Ocean waves

Be Like Freckles

January 31, 2020 by Melodye Shore

On this idyllic afternoon, our friend Freckles was lounging on Treasure Island–flanked, as usual, by his harem and seal pups of all ages. Easy living for his pinniped pod. Until, that is, the tides rolled in. 

The waves churned and slammed against the rocks, scooping pinnipeds from their resting place and tossing them into the sea. Whoosh, the surf grass vanished. Saltwater swirled and frothed, and then submerged the tidal pools. Large portions of the island disappeared underwater.

But good ol’ Freckles, he remained as nonplussed as ever. Instinct, no doubt, enjoined by learned wisdom.

In a series of calm, deliberate moves, he nudged his offspring to higher ground. “Tuck your fins,” he seemed to say, “Lift your chin and move that tail! We’ll ride out this storm together, and when the waters recede again, we can rest.” 

 #BeLikeFreckles

Posted in: #BeLikeFreckles, #FrecklesFriday, #Resist, Freckles, Freckles Jr., Harbor Seals, Ocean waves, seals, storm, waves Tagged: #BeLikeFreckles, freckles, harbor seal pup, harbor seals, waves

Autumn by the Ocean

October 17, 2018 by Melodye Shore

It’s autumn here, absolutely. But if you’re expecting cool, crisp mornings and chilly nights, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Here in Southern California, autumn is an extension of summer, with longer shadows and shorter days. There are fewer tourists, but it’s still warm enough for picnic lunches by the beach. Here, for example, ants are sipping nectar from a honeysuckle vine, which has twisted itself around the thorny bougainvillea bush that clings to the limestone cliff with an oceanside view.

And this is the bougainvillea around which the honeysuckle wraps its arms.

Our Mediterranean climate is far different from leafy New England, where farm stands are piled high with crunchy apples and colorful foliage forms a thick, kaleidoscope carpet over suburban lawns and forests.  It’s warm here, and sunny, but equally beautiful in its own way.

I love our cozy autumn mornings, when the marine layer blankets the hills and the sunrise sets the tile roofs aglow.

The sun slants lower in the afternoon sky, casting a warm glow over the wildflowers and spotlighting the iridescent hummingbirds that flit through our backyard gardens. And just before nightfall, the sun transforms itself into a shimmering ball that scatters diamonds over the ocean. As Victoria Erickson once said, “If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour.”

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Posted in: autumn, garden, Ocean waves, Orange County California, quote, Quotes, writing Tagged: autumn, bougainvillea, fall, foliage, honeysuckle, Mediterranean climate, ocean, Victoria Ericcson

Wordless Wednesday: Optimism and Persistence

May 17, 2017 by Melodye Shore

Posted in: Freckles, Harbor Seal pups, Harbor Seals, Laguna Beach, Ocean waves, perseverance, Persistence, pinnipeds, seals, she persisted, Wordless Wednesday Tagged: determination, harbor seals, persistence, seal pup, Treasure Island

Wordless Wednesday: Weathering the Storm

May 3, 2017 by Melodye Shore

Posted in: aliso creek beach, aliso park beach, beach, birds, courage, elegant tern, Ocean waves, Wordless Wednesday Tagged: aliso creek beach, aliso park beach, birds, elegant terns, laguna beat, ocean waves, storm, wordless wednesday

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