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A Joyful Noise

harbor seals

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

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

March 18, 2018 by Melodye Shore

“Top of the morning to ye, Irish blood or no!”

Here’s to finding that pot o’ gold at the end of your rainbow….and if you’re lucky, a bit o’ shenanigans, too.

#BeLikeFreckles

(Thanks, Donna, for giving our pinniped pal this dash of Irish charm.)

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Posted in: #BeLikeFreckles, pinniped, rainbow, St. Paddy's Day, St. Patrick's Day, writing Tagged: freckles, harbor seals, holiday, Irish, seals, st. patrick's day

#FrecklesFriday: Father and son, this is how it’s done

October 28, 2017 by Melodye Shore

Freckles Jr. is learning the ways of the harbor seal, thanks to the leader of our pinniped pod, Freckles Sr.

He guides his son onto the rocks, navigating choppy waves and smooth.  Lift your tail, tuck your fins! he seems to say,  Let me show you how it’s done.

They stick close to one another,  perfecting their synchronized swimming routines…

…and simultaneous snoozing.

Bull and pup, together in nature’s classroom.

Watching from afar? Pure joy! But I have to confess: I got a bit misty-eyed when I saw through my camera lens this moment of unguarded intimacy.

The circle of life, spindle-shaped and freckled, was playing out before my very eyes.

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Posted in: #FrecklesFriday, Freckles, Freckles Jr., Harbor Seal pups, Harbor Seals, writing Tagged: #FrecklesFriday, father, freckles, harbor seals

#FrecklesFriday: Good luck vibes for Friday the 13th

October 13, 2017 by Melodye Shore

A flock of crows circled overhead this morning –a sinister gathering of dark-winged forces that broke my backyard reverie.

“Nevermore,” they rasped.

“Nevermore,” the canyon echoed.

“No more,” I whispered, and hurried inside.

Friday the 13th. It’s a fretful date for many, steeped in a brew pot of superstitions and ominous warnings.

But not Freckles. I mean, c’mon! Sunny skies overhead and a bellyful of herring…who wouldn’t be reveling in their good fortune?

Life isn’t perfect, of course. Tsunamis hit and storm clouds threaten. But if anyone can teach us how to turn an inauspicious day toward the good, it’s Freckles. He just goes with the flow, our pinniped pal, and so can we.

 

#FrecklesFriday is a relatively new blog feature, here at Joyful Noise. Let me know what you think!  (If you want to see the first few entries, click here.)

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Posted in: Freckles, Friday the 13th, good luck, murder of crows Tagged: #FrecklesFriday, freckles, Friday the 13th, harbor seals, Murder of Crows, Nevermore

In the aftermath of the Las Vegas Shooting

October 3, 2017 by Melodye Shore

I met this sweet little harbor seal pup a year ago today.

Maverick showed up on my social media feed again this morning–

a gentle reminder of the goodness that exists in the world, within and all around us.

And loving kindness, which reveals itself in every single moment of every day.

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Posted in: Harbor Seal pups, Harbor Seals, Las Vegas, Maverick Tagged: harbor seal pup, harbor seals, Las Vegas, Las Vegas shooting, Maverick

Summer’s end: a meditation and celebration

September 4, 2017 by Melodye Shore

The tides are shifting, and there are subtle changes in the slant of light that shines through the sycamore trees at dawn. Summer’s waning, and here we are again, drifting slowly into autumn.

In Southern California, the changes are more subtle. And yet every season brings ashore its own treasures. This is just one of the secrets I learned by reading Ann Morrow Lindberg’s beautiful book, Gift from the Sea.  

I thumbed through my copy again last week…familiar passages, fresh insights. Like this one, which speaks to me of nature’s transitions, and to the more intimate changes in our own lives.

Perhaps this is the most important thing for me to take back from beach-living:

simply the memory that each cycle of the tide is valid;

each cycle of the wave is valid; 

each cycle of a relationship is valid.

And my shells? I can sweep them all into my pocket.

They are only there to remind me that the sea recedes and returns eternally.

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Posted in: Anne Murrow Lindbergh, autumn, Gifts from the sea, Harbor Seals, Labor Day Weekend, pelican, Seashells, seasons, tides, writing Tagged: Ann Morrow Lindbergh, autumn, gifts from the sea, harbor seals, labor day, pelicans, seashells, Tides, turban shells, waves

Thankful Thursday: Molting Season

June 8, 2017 by Melodye Shore

She raked her fingers along her scalp, stopped abruptly when hair came away in her hands.

We stared at our cell phone screens, eyebrows lifted. Close friends from opposite coasts, facing together a new truth.

“Well, that’s not good,” she said, “I was hoping to keep this hairstyle for at least a couple of weeks.”

I can’t say that I blame her. It’s a super-short, sassy ‘do, well-suited to someone for whom every day’s a physical struggle.

A recent photo, but her hair is clipped much shorter.

“Must be molting season.” I teased.

“Shutttttt uppppp!”

I flinched, just a little. Whenever I used that phrase as a child, hellfire rained hard upon my head. Even as an adult, it evokes the faintest hint of sulphur.  But my outspoken Irish Catholic friend isn’t one for censoring her thoughts. She exemplifies the lessons I’m (re)learning: that conformity is a destructive influence, and speaking your truth is a healing balm, with mostly positive side effects.

Our video chats are lighthearted. Aside from that sobering moment, this one was no different. We extolled the virtues of salt water taffy, and discussed the “catastrophic molt” that harbor seals undergo every spring. Her favorite pinniped was shedding his winter outerwear, and would soon be sporting a sleek new coat.

“Oh hey, you’re just like Freckles!” I said.

The phone went silent for a moment.  She wiped the falling strands from her face, swept the hair tufts from her pillow. “My spirit animal,” she eventually said.

“Yes,” I answered softly. “Your spirit animal.”

She was hooked up to an IV when Hillary Clinton called to wish her well. Imagine, if you will, talking to a presidential candidate while you’re undergoing chemo!  But she quickly turned the spotlight back to Hillary. “Let yourself be great!” she said to the former Secretary of State. A simple affirmation, served without any fanfare during a hard-fought campaign. That’s the unique brand of compassion my friend is known for.

Chemo, radiation, chemo, radiation–my friend has battled the ravaging effects of cancer for the better part of a year, now. She’s managed to stave off the inevitable hair loss, but given her increasingly aggressive treatments, it came as no surprise to either of us that molting season had finally arrived–for my friend and her pinniped pal, Freckles.

“No way am I going to wear a wig,” she said.

“Of course not.” She’s a bare-faced beauty, 100% natural.  Synthetic hair? Don’t be silly.

“I’ll still be me,” she said. “If someone doesn’t want to see my bald head, not a problem. They don’t have to look at me!”

“Yep,” I said. “But hey! You could decorate your scalp with temporary tattoos…”

Red Sox logos, we agreed, would be just the ticket.

That was the last I heard of her hair loss, until our phone chat on Wednesday morning. She mentioned, with no small measure of pride, that she was able to stomach real food at dinner time—roast beef, potatoes and cooked carrots.

She was dressed, same as always, in what I’d call casual chic: black pants and a turtleneck, and a FDNY hooded sweatshirt  that helped protect her from bracing winds and rain. Her hair was bristle-short but tidy. It was her first real outing in over a month, the first meal she’d kept down in weeks.

Comfort food. Fresh air and warm hugs, shared among long-time friends at a neighborhood diner. Everything she needed, to help stave off the worst side effects of chemo.  Small but important victories, cut short by losers.

Two delivery men hunched over their plates at the next table, shoveling food into their mouths as if they were afraid someone might steal their food. They wore uniforms that identified them as employees of a home improvement store. They were loud and coarse, with unkempt hair that fell below their shoulders.

One workman caught his partner’s eye, hitched his thumb in the direction of my friend. “What is that?” he asked.

Her cheeks blazed.

His partner shrugged. “Can’t tell if it’s a man or a woman,” he said.

They slapped their thighs with glee.

She met their smugness with a steady gaze, rose slowly from her chair, and sauntered over to their table.  With surgical precision–think Edward Scissorhands, shaping a topiary from an unruly hedgerow—she then stripped those bullies of their power.

“Are you really making fun of my hair?” she asked. “Well, let me tell something. It’s short because I have cancer. It’s patchy because of chemo. I’m enjoying my first real meal in a very long time. If that’s not okay with you, I suggest you leave, right now!”

The manager scurried over. She engaged both workers in a stare-down, maintaining her resolute posture as she gave him the Reader’s Digest Condensed Version of her story.

Didn’t matter that he was a friend; the facts spoke for themselves. “It’s best that you get out of here.” the manager told them.

They beat a hasty exit.

My intrepid friend? She tucked into her meal again, as if nothing had ever happened.

“I’m so proud of you,” I said, although I wasn’t the least bit surprised. It’s the type of behavior I’ve come to expect from my friend. But I’m still thinking about it today, with no small measure of awe and gratitude. When she rose to her feet, she lifted the rest of us onto her shoulders.  When she said her piece, she spoke for everyone who’ve suffered abuse in silence.  When she stood her ground, she built a solid footing for the rest of us.

Random recollections, maybe, but they paint a beautiful portrait of my friend. I’m featuring it on this page, where she can’t easily slough it off. She’s a good egg(head), and we’d do well to learn from her example.

Posted in: cancer, Catastrophic Molting, Donna, Election 2016, Freckles, gratitude, Harbor Seals, Hillary Clinton, Molting Season, Thankful Thursday, writing Tagged: bald, chemo, Donna, harbor seals, laguna beach, thankful thursday

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

April Art Challenge: Earth Day

April 22, 2017 by Melodye Shore

I’m settled into my backyard glider, watching the hummingbirds sip nectar from native wildflowers and then zip across the sky.

Earth Day is tomorrow, I just remembered, and I’m hosting our Art Challenge on this blog.

But first, I will watch the sun slant through the palm trees, and listen to the sparrow’s lullaby. I am a child again, sitting in my Nana’s porch swing and blowing dandelion wishes into a rainbow-sherbet sky.

We’re so easily distracted, all of us. We lose sight of what’s important, ignore our inner longings. Hence, these monthly Art Challenges!

I like best that they invite me outdoors–playful spirit at the ready, all senses engaged.

Like tiny seedlings, our prompts are rooted in the things that matter most.  Our environment, for instance, and the beautiful creatures with whom we co-exist.

We’re a diverse group, amateurs and pros who express ourselves in different ways.  Using a monthly prompt as our muse, we come together in the name of “art.”

These challenges aren’t a competition, by any means. Participation is our goal, not perfection. It’s all about capturing a fleeting memory, exploring our passions, renewing our childlike sense of wonder, and yes! making a joyful noise.

It’s about storytelling, in words and pictures–being transported to another time and place, or finding our way home.

For this art challenge, we’re showcasing our beautiful home, in all its glory.

Let’s get this party started, shall we?  Some artists will lag behind, but no worries: That’s what comes of being members of a global community. Take the tour when you’re able, and then return for another visit!

Gallery of Artists (with links to their Earth Day entries):

Veronica

Tammie

Eric

Nadine

Carole

Christy

Posted in: art challenge, backyard, birds, Carlsbad, Flower Fields, flowers, garden, Goff Beach, goff cove, goff Island cove, Harbor Seal pups, Harbor Seals, Home, mindfulness, Ranunculus Tagged: carlsbad, egret, flower fields, flowers, garden, goff island cove, harbor seals, hummingbird, ranunculus

Seal Pups at Children’s Pool Beach in La Jolla

April 8, 2017 by Melodye Shore

Before I built a wall I’d ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offense. (Robert Frost, Mending Wall)

I visited Children’s Pool Beach in La Jolla this past Tuesday–what an eye-opening, heart-expanding trip!

This charming little enclave was a well-intentioned, but perhaps shortsighted, gift to the people of San Diego, back in 1931. In funding this project, Ellen Browning Scripps brought a personal dream to fruition:  a protected beach for children, the elderly, and “those handicapped in life’s game.”

Ellen didn’t own the property, mind you. She just laid out the cash for the 330-foot, crescent-shaped concrete wall that hugs the rocky shoreline.

Then as now, visitors strolled the length of the breakwater, snapping photos of the sweeping panoramic views and peeking into the tide pools below [video].

Years passed. Slowly but surely, the once-pristine swimming hole was filled with drifting sand.

It eventually transformed itself into an idyllic hangout…for harbor seals.

The horseshoe-shaped inlet (also known as Casa Beach) is perfectly suited to the pinniped lifestyle.  They bask in year-round sunshine, mate, and give swimming lessons to their newborn pups.

Check out the scene, in this live-action video.

Seal pups are born in the sand,  nurse within minutes, and take their first swimming lessons within a few hours.

Over the next few weeks, they’ll lose their downy fur and gain their independence.

But in the meantime, the breakwater helps protect them from predators and turbulent seas.

In this peaceable kingdom, sea birds and marine mammals find ways to co-exist, with only an occasional squabble.

No surprise, the harbor seal pups are a major draw. In fact, they helped turn Children’s Beach into a major tourist attraction.

Just look at this mama seal being shadowed by her pup. Postcard material, don’t you think? Hashtag: #HarborSealsofInstagram

But not everyone sees these changes as a good thing. Locals pinch their noses and point to the mess. No, not the half-eaten sandwiches and disposable diapers, buried in the sand by thoughtless visitors. Seal poop, plopped on the rocks and in the water. “It leaves behind an ungodly stench,” business owners harrumph, especially in the summer.

Fishermen are afraid of losing out to the seals, who forage along this increasingly depleted coastline.

And swimmers complain that they’re coming face-to-muzzle with playful (or unhappy) pinnipeds. In a territorial battle, both parties can be aggressive and unpredictable.

Deep dive: Should the beach be permanently designated as a marine mammal sanctuary, or should it be returned to its pristine (if man-made) state?

The controversy has landed in the courts, many times over. Strongly held views sometimes lead to violent skirmishes. It’s hard to accommodate everyone, but thanks to a recent ordinance, the pocket beach is off-limits to humans from Dec. 15 to May 15 (aka pupping season)–mainly in response to documented cases of seal harassment.  

The Coastal Commission sided with city politicians, all of whom were mainly concerned that mama harbor seals might get frightened during pupping season and “flush” (stampede) into the water. Newborn seals get trampled, or separated in the shuffle. There’s perhaps nothing more wrenching than a frantic, hungry baby that’s crying for its mama.

Some people think humans and pinnipeds should be able to interact with one another in peace.  With respect to that viewpoint, the adjacent beach is open to the public, all year long. Since harbor seals also frequent this beach, warning signs are posted at the entrance and on the steps leading down to the water.

But “shared use” doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone.

(I’m told that this beach is staffed by park rangers and lifeguards. But I didn’t see anyone patrolling the area.)

Some people would be happier if the harbor seals never set their flippers on Children’s Pool Beach, ever again. But I have a feeling they’re swimming against the tide.

P.S. I took these photographs on the seawall and walkways that surround Children’s Pool, and (where noted) above the adjacent beach. I used a zoom lens, and at no time did I ever venture close to the harbor seals.

Posted in: beach, Children's Pool Beach, Ellen Browning Scripps, Harbor Seal pups, Harbor Seals, La Jolla, marine mammals, pinnipeds, San Diego, seagulls, seals, tide pools, writing Tagged: birds, Children's Pool Beach, harbor seals, La Jolla, san diego, seals
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