NaBloPoMo - Day 8 - Sunday Mornings

It's been a while since I've posted about my dogs...

Dixie and Dillon.

We've been going for the "Dog Walk" 

on Sunday mornings after breakfast...

The dogs look forward to it and are excited to jump

into the car and get going...

And going and going...

They love to run and they love playing in the water...

I can't get a lot pictures of them swimming because 

there's too much sand on my hands,

but they both love to do it...

Beach days lead to wet sloppy happy dogs...

Birthday Month Shuffle - 7th Edition, Day 8

Whenever I hear this song, I can close my eyes and I am immediately transported

back to that first summer after I started college.

Coming back home for those 2 months.

Working my first real job which sucked, but luckily was just for the summer.

Going out with my friends and not really having a curfew as such,

but more of a "courtesy" come home time.

And hanging out for the first time with that friend 

who was your first love 

and where feelings might still be involved

but you're hanging out as just friends

along with other friends

but sometimes it's just the two of you

and it's complicated.

Movies, and ice cream, and beaches,

and driving around on Harbor and Beach Boulevards

in an orange VW that once stalled and we had to jump out to push start,

or another time we accidentally popped it out of gear while parked and

he had to jump into the car and hit the brake before it crashed into another car.

Young and stupid and carefree.

Where nothing was more complicated than

which 21 year old friend was going to get us some beer,

or wondering if the parents would miss one if we snagged it

and drank it on the beach or

wherever the hang out might be that night.

Years later, I still remember that crazy summer...

I wonder if FL does too...

maybe...?

Dogs Make Everything Better

If you haven't been a follower of my blog,

you may not have met Dixie...

I chronicled her early years in the blog

Life in Dixie's Land

And, this is Dillon; Dixie's younger brother by 8 months.

He had his own blog too...

Dillon Dallyings

When the time constraints became too much to write

two different blogs I created

Livin' La Vida Dog

which I honestly haven't written in since April of 2016.

And, yes, these dogs have traveled to all of the places

listed on the side bar!

Most recently as part of my grief therapy, I took them

to one of their favorite places:  the beach....

To say I haven't been in a while is an understatement.

We live five miles from the beach, and I haven't been in over 6 months.

And, the only reason we went that time was because our guests

wanted to see the beach.

Another thing I haven't done in a while is 

go to the beach with my camera.

I love photographing tree trunks on the beach...

I like to shoot pictures of waves...

And, I almost forgot how much I love to shoot

pictures of my dogs in action...

Give them water to swim in and a place to run and they are so happy.

Maybe add another dog they can run around with and it adds to the fun...

What do you think, guys?

We need more beach days...

O is for Ocean

"They say the Pacific has no memory..."

That's a quote out of one of my favorite movies:

"The Shawshank Redemption."

I, on the other hand, have a lot of memories about the Pacific Ocean.

I grew up in SoCal, and some of my first memories are about

playing on the warm sands of Huntington Beach.

My uncle took me fishing off the coasts of Dana Point and Newport.

In high school, all the cool kids laid out on the beach between the Newport

and Balboa piers.

Then I went to college...

in San Diego...

and spent a whole LOT of time on the beach.

I learned to sail in the Pacific.

I did a grunion run.

I kissed a lot a few boys on those warm beaches.

I've flown kites, ridden bikes, and played volleyball.

I've seen a lot of sunsets, and a number of sunrises, over the Pacific.

I've seen the Pacific from the locks of the Panama Canal

as I sailed underneath the Bridge of the Americas,

and have sailed the coastline all the way north to the shores of Homer, Alaska.

Last year, we did the ultimate:

a 40 day cruise from Australia to San Diego.

There were so many sea days,

and we saw the Pacific in all of its moods - 

stormy, calm, sunny, gray, bright blue and deep black.

I have wondered in the whales who breached alongside my boat,

watched dolphins swim along in my wake.

I have swum with rays and sharks,

followed a turtle along the shore,

fed garibaldi and angel fish.

I have collected shells of all types.

It may not have a memory of me,

but I certainly have a lot of memories of it and all its wonders.

NaBloPoMo 2018 - Day 25

I had this commission done by a local artist.

It pretty much captures everything I love about my life right now:

we live in a beautiful environment

where you can literally walk on the beach

and may not see another person for hours,

I have 2 great dogs that we've raised and trained

who've brought us such joy,

and I have my wonderful DH with whom

I've shared the last 20 years of my life with.

This painting hangs in our bedroom and reminds me every

night of how blessed I am to have this life right now.

I hope and pray it always does.

#NaBloPoMo18

Nature Photo Challenge, Day 2

Day two of an online photo challenge on Facebook:

There's something about logs on the beach that I love to photograph. I like their texture. I like to imagine their story of how they traveled from some wooded area and fell into a river, then were carried downstream to the ocean where they might have floated a long distance before landing on the beach. They might even still float away at high tide to another destination.

November Notes, Day 28

I did another painting class...

The beer is for inspiration for this tropical scene which I am painting

in a place far removed from the tropics.

It all begins as a blank canvas covered in red paint,

then a sketch of the dark areas

Then you add in the ocean

Starting to add the wave element

The break point is developing

Add the beach, the trees, some movement in the water

Complete!

#272 - V is for Vacation

What's your idea of the perfect vacation...?

Here are a few shots that show off some of my 

favorite vacation ideals...

Romantic

St. Maarten

Riviera Maya

Riviera Maya

Seattle

Refreshing

Chicago

Maui

St. Lucia

Antigua

St. Maarten

San Francisco

Big Sky, Montana

Tulum, Mexico

Refueling

Destin, FL

Cartagena, Columbia

Boston

Hood River, OR

San Francisco

Bodega Bay

New Orleans

Living the Dream

Gettysburg

Washington D.C.

Maui, HI

Everywhere we can...

#272 - U is for Ubiquitous

I've seen a lot of amazing and wonderful sights and sites during my travels...

And, today, while thinking of my "U" word for the Challenge,

I thought about ubiquitous which means

"existing or being everywhere at the same time."

 Which made me think of God.

Now, I am not a "wear my God on my sleeve" kind of person.

I have faith.  I pray.  And, I thank God every time I arrive

safely to another travel destination.

I also thank God for allowing me the time and resources

to be able to travel and see so much of His creation.

And, I do feel His presence as everywhere when I stand

at the top of a rise or on the edge of the beach or simply

when I experience the joy of my DH or dogs as we travel 

and explore together...

My simple prayer for travel is always:

Keep us, guide us, hold us,

bring us safely home.

And, it doesn't matter whether Home is back in Ferndale

or up in Heaven, I just pray for safe passage with no fear.

Cause I already feel as though I've seen a little bit

of Heaven on Earth... 

As long as there are rivers and mountains and beaches to enjoy...

You'll find me there...