We’ve returned to our home sweet home. It feels wonderful to be back in my own home. One of the surprises was Red was waiting for me singing for my return. This vacation he didn’t hide and avoid me for weeks on end. I’m sure that had something to do with my neighbor making sure the birdseed was out every day. But Red did not look like himself. I’ll post photos later this week.
My trip highlights besides beach walks with my husband enjoying the ocean breeze would be spending time with our friends we don’t see often enough. Plus having my son and daughter-in-law with us for part of our vacation.
Here are some photos I took with my Nikon and 105mm lens on the beach. I was worried about getting sand in the camera or on the lens, but finally decided I could do it!
A man sitting and reading on the beach. I figured out to make photos black and white.
I found a piece of sea glass which is rare at this beach.
In the evenings, the misty fog comes ashore.
A sunbather enjoying a beautiful day at the beach.
Sunlight reflections on sand and water.
A Long-billed Curlew foraging in the sea.
View of where we walk looking south.
Almost sunset and time to go home.
Beach vacation has ended until next summer. It reminded me of a Madonna song “Holiday.”
Are you ready for fall? Or do you miss summertime?
This is the view from our airbnb living room. The little cottage we have rented for nine summers has the feel of a tree house. The living room is upstairs at tree level overlooking the ocean. This is the one photo I took in this grouping with my Nikon and telephoto lens. The rest of the photos were taken with my iphone walking on the beach. I hope you enjoy a taste of California beach life.
This is our favorite beach to take walks and sit and watch the waves. This view is looking north.
There’s a canal along the walk and I caught this gull relaxing on a piece of drftwood.
This is the glimpse of the beach from the walkway that takes us to the beach. Ellen Degeneres used to own the house to the right of the fence, but sold it to have more privacy. It’s a gorgeous house by the way and sold last year for $35 million. Click on the link for a news story and photos.
The white house at the end of the beach is Kevin Costner’s estate. The tide gives him plenty of privacy because the beach is under water near his property.
We went out to dinner with friends and came back to our cottage to see this sunset out the side window.
I caught a Snowy Egret in action
A southward view of the beach.
I believe these are Willets but not quite sure. There are so many similar looking shore birds.
Father and son walking and talking.
I made them stop and pose. It’s such a joy to have our son and daughter-in-law join us for some relaxing beach time.
Which photos do you like the best? What are your plans for the weekend?
The photos were taken with my iphone on our first beach walk. I haven’t taken my Nikon to the beach yet, but will soon! This bird is a Willet and part of the Sandpiper family.
We finally made it to the beach! It was a long drive and we stopped along the way to visit our old home town and friends from my husband’s childhood and earlier days of married life. We hadn’t seen them in years, so it was a nice way to break up a long drive.
This is a Snowy Egret known for their golden slippers.
This beauty is a juvenile Gull. The specific type of gull will be known in a couple years when it loses its brown colors and turns white with markings and features of its species.
Another photo of a Willet. They were gathered along the shore catching a bite to eat between waves.
We walked on our favorite beach early in the morning before the sun broke through the clouds and fog. I can’t tell you how good it feels to take beach walks. Next, our son and daughter-in-law will be joining us. They met in college at UC Santa Barbara and love to visit and stay with us when we’re here. Our DIL surfs, so it will be a delight to sit at the beach with a book and watch her in the waves.
Evening Photos:
What a change from the morning to the afternoon. The sun is out. People are on the beach, but it’s not crowded at all. It never is.
Look at the American flags. Love it!
Is that a gorgeous view or what? All I need is a few dolphins leaping through the surf.
This is my favorite hotel to stay in when we visit our kids. It’s the Claremont in Berkeley. I was walking to the most amazing bakery across the street when I stopped to take this picture of the tower and flag.
They don’t make hotels like this anymore! This is the backside of the hotel.
The Claremont Resort & Club opened in 1915 as a grand 22-acre Tudor Revival landmark overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Known as the “White Castle on the Hill”, its origins trace back to a late-19th-century private estate that burned down in 1901 before being developed into the iconic hotel. — The San Francisco Standard
Isn’t it gorgeous? I took this photo from inside the health club with a gym, pool, tennis courts and spa. I was on an elliptical machine and you can see the window reflection across the photo.
I zoomed in on the city view from the strategically placed outdoor sofas and chairs where I enjoy peaceful quiet time outside.
The Golden Gate Bridge is part of the view. The main restaurant has a deck where you can sit outside and enjoy these same views. Inside there is a wall of windows facing the bay.
The hotel’s prices vary from reasonable to too expensive. It all depends on what is going on at nearby UC Berkeley. If it’s parents weekend or a football game — forget about it. This past week, there was nothing going on, so the hotel was no more expensive than any other hotel like a Marriott Courtyard.
This is one of many hallways on the main level. It’s easy to get lost trying to find your room because there are hallways taking off in many directions. By the time we are ready to return home (like today) I have it all figurerd out.
An early morning view. I’ll share more highlights of our trip later this week including a visit to Sonoma and the Marin Country Civic Center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Have a wonderful week! What are your plans for the rest of July?
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Aloha to everyone! We spent the week under one roof with our grown kids and daughter in law. This was the backyard of where we stayed on the Big Island. It was a magical week together making memories and mostly enjoying the sights and sounds of staying in a rain forest with Rainbow Falls in the backyard. We were serenaded by the peaceful sound of the waterfall, birds and what I thought were the noisiest birds I’d ever heard — but they turned out to be an invasive species of frogs!
I kept thinking there was a sound machine on — the kind people use to fall asleep — with the waterfall and frog noises! Someone could make a fortune with those sounds.
This is the invasive species of frog I mentioned. It’s very tiny and we found a couple frogs inside the house. I found this photo from a website called Horizon Guest House:
About the coqui (frog)
Originally from Puerto Rico, the coqui arrived in nursery plants and quickly became established, in particular on the Big Island. The coqui makes a distinctive whistling sound at night that sounds almost identical to its name (‘ko-kee’). This sound can be quite loud, reaching up to 95 decibels.
I honestly didn’t need to leave the property, but we managed to explore beaches, the active volcano in Hawaii named Kīlauea, a farmer’s market and went out a few times out to eat.
Our daughter, DIL and my husband did a nighttime snorkel trip with manta rays. I should have gone but I was not excited about swimming in the ocean in the dark, so I missed what they called a most amazing experience. But I did get an evening one-on-one to hang out with our son. He’s the one who did the research and found this house to rent!
Our son and DIL viewing Rainbow Falls from the backyard.
Here are some photos of the unique house we stayed in:
A view of the house from halfway to the waterfall in the backyard. I love the lava stone walls used in landscaping the backyard and also lining the driveway. Below are a few interior shots.
Because the home is in a rain forest, the three main parts of the house (bedrooms, living room and kitchen) are connected with lanais.
The kitchen was gorgeous — as were the views from every single window.
Below is a waterfall video:
Here’s a video of Rainbow Falls with a person standing on the edge to give you perspective of size. Rainbow Falls State Park is above the falls, where this person must have come from. Turn on your volume to enjoy waterfall sounds. I’m posting a crazy video of the falls Wednesday with this guy and a friend!
My husband can be seen (photo below) going for a walk around the property. He’s a tiny dot in the background on the lawn.
Why did I call this post “Safe in My Garden?”
Because it’s one of my favorite songs from childhood. Also, I had several very stressful weeks before we went on vacation. I felt so safe and relaxed in our rain forest (and almost) treehouse with a waterfall!
What did you do this past week to celebrate holidays or spend time with family?
This gorgeous blue-eyed Siamese-mix was on leash in my old park.
We’re back home in Arizona for a bit. Christmas in my old life and Movie Colony of Palm Springs neighborhood was not as stressful as I worried about in advance. We spent two nights at my 90-year-old dad’s house and then met part of the extended family at a VRBO the kids selected — five blocks from our family home of 28 plus years.
I had mixed emotions about the entire trip. Then I saw my favorite checker from Ralphs’ grocery store my first night there. I saw a fellow swim parent in the parking lot. It made me cry and smile.
We (me, my daughter and son’s fiancee) got pedicures at the place we used to go to. We got hugs and a huge welcome. They wondered where we’ve been for two years — while they were closed for COVID and we moved. Thank goodness they are still in business!
As for getting all the food we missed from our favorite restaurants? That was one of my goals. We cooked most meals with people taking turns. Every meal was delicious. I never ate out.
My daughter went to one of our old favorites with a friend and said it was an insult to Italian food.
We took turns with cooking and cleaning. I think this was a very good family time! Loved every second. Although they didn’t want me to replay “Funky Town” too many times…Or dance~!
How was your Christmas and holidays? What are our plans for the New Year?
This photo is from last year’s Christmas in Santa Barbara.
This afternoon we check into our Palm Springs VRBO to celebrate Christmas with our two kids and our son’s girlfriend’s family. Also, my dad who is turning 91 in a few weeks lives close by. We’re going to be a smaller group this year due to two sisters in Europe and the mother not well enough to make the trip from the Bay Area. One daughter is staying home with her. All in all, with those not coming, we’re down five people. So our party of 12 is now seven.
Merry Christmas!
Who are you spending Christmas or Hanukkah with this year?
