Faces of Winter

Skies and waves take on hues and textures inspiring awe

The sea creating an illusion of softness from

chill, raw power of coastal waters.

Harsh and ever changing, the winter winds 

scour the sandy shore...

Otter!

One of the neighbors came out for a snack this morning! I quickly grabbed my camera and managed a few snaps before he slipped back into the water. It's not often they show themselves, so this was a rare treat! 

For more about river otters, click HERE!

Agates

I am continually drawn to find agates whenever I walk at Damon Point. Why, and what are they exactly?

"Most agates occur as nodules in former cavities produced by "Volatiles" in the original molten mass, which were then filled, wholly or partially, by siliceous matter deposited in regular layers upon the walls. Agate has also been known to fill veins or cracks in volcanic or altered rock underlain by granitic intrusive masses." ~ Wiki

So, they're made from molten, gelatinous mineral that filled in empty spaces in volcanic rock.  The predominant mineral in them is chalcedony, a microcrystalline type of quartz. Wiki goe on to say that agates are often pitted on the outside due to the original outer layer being removed. For the full article, read HERE.

One source  spoke specifically about the AGATES common to the Damon Point area, here on the Washington coast.

Apparently agates have more properties than I realized... maybe those that I've collected are what caused the imminent 'storm of the century' to pass by us last month! Haha!

Prevents insomnia Promotes pleasant dreams Makes you more persuasive Helps you to be less disagreeable Helps cure skin diseases Protects from danger Promotes good agricultural crops Diverts dangerous storms Helps predict the future Keeps the blood healthy Relieves thirst Helps you to be truthful

Encourages a broader perspective Attracts good fortune Increases concentration Promotes good will Is an aid in overcoming flaws Helps eliminate bad luck Calms fear and stress Provides a sense of strength and courage Stimulates fertility Helps bone marrow Relieves allergies Enhances creativity

Phone Pics

Photos never quite capture what I see yet they still remind me of those instances when I am captivated by breathtaking beauty around me, moments when I am living completely in the present and feel fully alive. Though the colors are never quite true nor the essence quite captured, these still bring me pleasure at the remembrance of such times...

Sittin' in the swing on our deck, this sunset captivated me.

I like to stop at the Roosevelt Beach access on my way home from work on those rare days of sunlight, warmth, and not staying too far past my paycheck.

Love this feature on my phone, and walking at Damon Point on an early Fall evening.

Or, taking a shorter walk after work down to the bridge over the canal. The reflecting clouds were amazing that day!

Even though it's an invasive species, the milfoil off of our dock creates interesting patterns.

In between parent conferences last week, I went for a walk to the gazebo overlooking the beach near school. Where else could I experience such a view by walking only five minutes from my job?

And, a rare and glorious sunrise captivated me for quite a distance the other morning, so I had to pull off at the first opportunity to try to capture it.

And, finally, an unexpected sunny morning and a walk at Damon Point letting the foamy waves chase me back. Liz was able to take time away from her studies and join me - what a treat!

Autumn at the Beach

 A few snapshots of our  October weather at the beach...

Some feathered visitors took refuge on our canal on the stormiest day. It was supposed the be the storm of the century, but failed to live up to its name, fortunately.

This guy is representative of the many deer wandering around our area. One very like this rubbed branches off and broke two newly planted trees...

 

Another Beginning

This month starts a new chapter of my journey. I've officially moved to Ocean Shores and am settled in my 'happy place'. I've had a glorious Summer enjoying the beach, working with Liz in her beautiful, beach-friendly gardens, purchasing all I need (I hope), riding mopeds (Liz and Chuck were very patient with me!), crashing said moped, sharing much laughter and new ideas from our Summer reading, visiting with family. 

Now it's time to really feel like I live here as my new job officially begins tomorrow - a week's worth of meetings and training and getting the finishing touches completed in my classroom. I am really excited! I'll be teaching a 5/6th split class and am looking forward to meeting 'my kids' when they come next week!

So, as the Summer winds down, I've put together a few random pics of the last few days of vacation:

Random little ones running along the beach always make me smile.

My new miniature garden

Nearly Forgotten Splashies!

I forgot to post my favorite splashy pics from last weekend!

This cutie was fearless approaching the water - Dad was right behind her, so don't worry!

Ocean City Beach

I ventured further up the coast a couple of miles pulling out at Ocean City just for some place different than my usual rotation. 

From a distance, I saw this large group of birds that drew my attention - there must've been at least a hundred of them all together. It looks like we have a few black-bellied plover, some who still may have their winter plumage, and what I think are Western sandpipers, or maybe Rock sandpipers...

Personally, I think it's very hard to tell some of these birds apart when they change color according to the season and all hang out together.  They look so funny all standing on one leg, like little puffballs on sticks from a distance.

These gulls looked enormous after seeing the others. Again, I can never be sure what kind of gull I'm seeing as they seem to change color depending on their age.

This part of the coast was littered with literally hundreds of thousands if not millions of those velellas I saw further south earlier in the week. The provide food for the birds if nothing else. The smell of decay was pretty strong back from the current.

This one was much larger than any I had seen, measuring about 4 inches, the others I'd seen being around 2 inches or so - here they varied in size from this large one to many only a half inch or less. As you can see, I think they're really interesting!

Canal Stroll

It began as a very wet day

Grand Canal residents - they were especially bold and came within about three feet of me as I headed to the trail

One end of the Grand Canal - that's the hardware store roof way in the back

Seeds caught my interest

These two trilled across the trail to each other as I snapped - wrens maybe?

An American Coot

An Attempt at Relaxing

Today found me with the goal of filling the day with relaxation and purpose. I poked around online for awhile, then got myself out of the apartment to find some fresh air and shopping. At the North Jetty, this flock of sanderlings kept running away from and back towards the waves - it was pretty entertaining! The wind was cold and biting and the sand too soft for my liking, so I headed towards town and walked out along the main thoroughfare to the beach entrance there. After picking up a few items at the local grocery and hardware stores, and some freshly ground coffee from my new favorite coffee place, Ocean Beach Roasters, I headed home. Here's my favorite shots of the day:

wild strawberries

These velellas fascinate me!

My favorite shot of the day - he's protecting his velella snack.

The clouds were awesome this evening! See that tiny dot of light? I think it's a planet!