waves

Be Like Freckles

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

Summer’s end: a meditation and celebration

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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Art Challenge: Stars at Laguna Beach

The stars aligned for me yet again, in that this week’s Challenge Word enticed me away from my computer and into yet another outdoor adventure.  I grabbed a picnic lunch, my camera, and a couple of  books, and sped down PCH steered my roadster toward Laguna, which is where I photographed this constellation of stars.

There’s so much to love about Cynthia Lord’s upcoming release, A Handful of Stars. I’m reminded of my junior high school friend, Luz, the daughter of a migrant farm worker who takes a lead role in my contribution to the YA anthology, Dear Bully.

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Bibliophiles, don’t you fret! There’s a waxed paper barrier between this sweet little book & the wet sand.

Lucky me, I’ve also got an advanced review copy of Jeannine Atkins’ newest novel, Little Woman in Blue! At a time when women assumed subservient roles on the whole, artist May Alcott steps out from behind her famous sister Louisa’s shadows and becomes the star of her own life. *applauds wildly*

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Little Woman in Blue, sitting pretty on a lifeguard’s rescue watercraft

There’s a shortage of starfish in our local tide pools, so I brought one of my own, for the purpose of this challenge. Funny story: When I was snapping this picture, a cluster of Aussies gathered ’round, talking with animated gestures about what they’d assumed was a gift from the sea, washed ashore by these waves. We laughed about it afterwards, and they joked that they’d brought with them the whales that were breaching off shore before I got there.

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No, he’s not a star. But when this seagull kept wandering into the frame, I decided to give him his moment in the sun.

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This bright yellow bloom is a reflection of the sun itself,  which everyone knows is a star.

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Blue on blue, what a stellar day! I’d rate it five starfish out of five!

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Linkfest! If you want to see other bloggers’ responses to this week’s challenge, click here.

My photographic response to last week’s challenge, coats, is here.