March small stones

Another month of small stones, and I'm still going strong. We called March: Mad March A gorgeous day in La La Land with temperatures near 70 degrees. However, more rain yes yet      again is on the horizon. Do you think I'll have to get a rain check at the car wash? It's all about the color of paint and that March is maddening. My husband doesn't know much about colors, and as a result our downstairs bathroom got painted an off-white creamy color instead of a pure unadulterated white. I can wait until it's fixed. A weekend off and after that one or two more days left of my consulting job. It's time for catching up on sleep and a celebration. We saw an important movie tonight: I Am Not Your Negro, a documentary about James Baldwin, a black activist in the 1940s to 1960s. Unfortunately, the treatment of blacks in America has not changed much for the better since then. Finally the rain came as predicted. And before we knew it a full-blown sun came out. I love the … [Read more...]

Sunday morning walk

Every Sunday morning I take a long walk from my home down to our beach and then walk the length of the Strand - a walkway that parallels the Pacific Ocean - and to the end of the pier, before walking back up the hill toward home. Today I walked about five miles since I met my husband for breakfast, and he drove me home from there. Otherwise from my house and back, it's almost a six-mile walk. It was an especially beautiful walk today, so I thought I'd share with you some of the places and things I pass along the way. Grandview grade school where my boys attended Two views of Sand Dune park - where hordes of people come to work out - it's a long climb up Looking down toward the ocean from Rosecrans Boulevard after a long hike up The north end of Manhattan beach where the bike path veers toward El Segundo One of the old classic homes on the Strand, complete with stained glass and sculptures One of my favorite succulent gardens on the … [Read more...]

Thank you, Keith Alan Hamilton, for your beautiful photo and words

My dear friend and poetry and photography buddy Keith Alan Hamilton has created a blog to, as he says, independently publish online the art of its author ~Keith Alan Hamilton~ and other Artists. The blog's primary goal is to make available a freely accessible and affordable medium which will provide the creative spirit greater recognition, distribution & readership over the internet." Keith has also created The Hamilton Gallery where he showcases the work of other artists as well (including me). He has just surprised me with the most touching poem to accompany the photo he took when he visited my husband and me in Manhattan Beach . Thank you my dear friend Keith for your wonderful and kind words and spectacular photograph. I couldn't help sharing work with my readers.   when you have the realization you are experiencing the essence of greatness no matter how momentary the happening a sense of the spiritual emerges¦¦all in the cosmos appears … [Read more...]

Sunday sunset

Since my skin has stopped liking the sun, I've had to find ways to either exercise indoors or stay on the shady side of the street. So, I decided to take my big long walk to our beach late yesterday afternoon, and I was rewarded with some beautiful sunset views. Opposite was a full moon. It was dark by the time I got home, but no worries. I know I'll venture out at that time of day again. I was also amazed at how many people were out watching the sunset from our walking strand and the Manhattan Beach pier. Besides I got to try out my new cell phone's camera. What do you think? … [Read more...]

November sunset

As the sun sets on November I'll share a wonderful sunset photo my husband took from the end of the Manhattan Beach pier and a twitter-length poem for autumn. Autumn Isolation I like that as the trees rustle outside, stripping in the sunlight, I can't hear their sway I can't hear their song. [Published on Twitter and at unFold Magazine on September 21, 2011] … [Read more...]

Heat wave reprieve

Today is the hottest day we've had this year, and it's way beyond the end of summer. Though I'm staying inside our well-insulated house and keeping quite cool, I still can't help longing for a nice long walk along the ocean. As a substitute I've picked out a few photos I took of our beautiful Manhattan Beach shoreline this past year, and I plan to revisit it tomorrow morning before the sun comes up. View of the pier from The Strand The rocks at the north end On The Strand before full light Ready for the game … [Read more...]