The Last.

The First.

Happy Hanukkah

Mid-December.

The tourists were nowhere to be seen on the beach today. The icy wind greeted the locals who were drawn to the beach by the clear, sunny weather.

I was fascinated with the winter surf. The waves were glorious with the bitter wind pulling their very surface into itself. I'm sure I heard the wind laughing with its effort.

I cannot seem to ever watch the waves crashing with any lack of interest. Each one is unique in formation and termination. And as the cycle of waves builds and eddies from smaller to robust, I am thrilled again at the power and drive with which the water is flung upon the shore. The sound makes my heart swell. The light revealing the water's character as each wave is helplessly drawn skyward will repeatedly draw my close attention.

I am compelled to try, once again, to capture its essence - the essence of a moment that will never be exactly repeated, only enacted time and time again.

The sneaker waves were mighty sneaky on Damon Point this weekend. The mean winter tide has again taken what it felt it was owed from the land. Sand had washed up on what was left of a paved entrance used years ago and long since given up as a sacrifice. There was once a Snowy Plover nesting ground in this area, too, but no more. One more winter and the bordering campground will have to admit defeat of a portion what it thought was safe.

It makes me wonder why the city, or even state, doesn't find priority with saving property by building seawalls, similar to other threatened shoreline (like Seaside, Oregon). The cost surely could be justified, especially when resorts are facing great loss and a public highway will have to, once again, be rerouted to higher ground. It would seem that there are fixes that actually work; however, simply dumping large rocks and debris in the tides way only seems to be a challenge instead of a hindrance to the destructive tide.

But, I suppose those issues are not for me to concern myself - I will leave it to those far smarter than myself.

the snow-covered Olympics in the distance

For now, I need to concentrate on finishing my research final for religion class...

...as the birds play in the wind and dodge the spray.

Lucky them.

A Chilly December Stroll at the Jetty

photo-bombed!

Cormorants off in the distance

Sanderlings

A Sweet Re-acquaintance (aka So Glad to be Home)

“To be or not to be that is the question. 

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, 

or take arms against a sea of troubles, 

and by opposing, end them.”

 ~William Shakespeare

“My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. 

So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M's 

and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.” 

 ~Dave Barry

Even a fool knows you can't touch the stars, 

but it doesn't stop the wise from trying.

"Endurance is nobler than strength and patience than beauty.” 

 ~John Ruskin

“How could drops of water know themselves to be a river? 

Yet the river flows on” 

 ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you will never see the shadow.” 

 ~Helen Keller

“Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.” 

~Rabindranath Tagore

“If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.” 

~John Maxwell

“The destroyer of weeds, thistles, and thorns 

is a benefactor whether he soweth grain or not” 

~Robert Green Ingersoll

The sea is as near as we come to another world. 

 ~Anne Stevenson

He that will learn to pray, let him go to sea. 

 ~George Herbert