Paintbox colors

It wasn't until I downloaded the photos from my camera that I realized in the hour and 20 minutes I spent on the beach this morning the changing colors of the dawn spoke volumes. Paintbox colors. Need I say more? Nope, I'll just show you. In sequence...

PINK

BLUE

YELLOW

Paradise revisited

It doesn't take much to remind me how very lucky I am to be living right here in paradise. 

A sunrise like this one not only bring out a smile and an feeling of awe, but it goes a long way toward making me humbly thankful for my good fortune. Amen to that.

Little Cat Feet

Early this morning was incredibly foggy at the beach. (No, there was nothing wrong with my camera today.)

It was a wonderful and peaceful feeling as if you were being swaddled in a cozy gray blanket. 
People were hard to see until you were right up on them. Even the sound of the ocean was somehow muted. The feelings were very comforting and restful. I thought it particularly appropriate as I was attending the funeral of a friend later in the morning. This quiet time gave me peace.
I was also reminded of my days of living on the coast of Maine and of this wonderful little Carl Sandburg poem:

The fog comes

on little cat feet.

It sits looking 

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

Worlds longest green turtle crawl

This video is from the Flagler County Turtle Patrol, just north of here. This amazing turtle must have felt so relieved when she finally made it back out to sea. She made me tired just watching her tracks. 
Can you imagine doing this... if you weighed over 200 pounds, were crawling on you belly being propelled by short stubby legs, AFTER having just spent probably over an hour digging a nest about two feet deep, then laying upward of 100 eggs, covering the nest and then trying to find your way back to sea along this route. Amazing. 

P.S. I didn't mention she did all of this in the dark of night. What an ordeal!

Turtle Day 15 July 2013

As promised, here's the video I took this morning of the loggerhead turtle. I shot over 15 minutes of video but managed to condense it down to about 5 minutes.
The whole process took this giant sea turtle about 2 hours from when she came out of the ocean, dug her nest, laid her eggs, covered the clutch, then slowly made her way back to the welcoming coolness of the ocean. I was only there to witness her leaving the nest and her return to the sea. This I happily share with you.

Turtle Day!!!

Today at the beach I was greeted first thing by the tracks of a rare green turtle who, during the night, had laid her clutch of eggs. Then saw a friend who said there was a loggerhead farther south who had just come ashore. They usually come during the darkness of night so a 6:30 a.m. sighting is rare indeed. I headed south to see if she was still there. She was! Here are two photos. The second one she was finally finished — after about 2 hours — and headed back to sea. I took some video too and will post it later. Here's just an appetizer.

Couldn't ask for a better Monday morning beginning than this one.

Here it comes....

I missed a couple of days on the beach but was stunningly reminded of one of the reasons I enjoy my early beach mornings so much. Being tantalized by the prospect of a lovely sunrise, again... bliss.

Finally... new camera

Still trying to get used to my new camera and learning what it can do. 
Today I played around with its 12x zoom. Below is a stunning look at the sun behind a big ol' lump of cloud.

Here's a zoomed-in and even more splendid look at the sun up-close and almost personal.

Only drawback was standing at the edge of the surf wearing my good walking shoes. I was so engrossed in the camera's operations that I got a wet surprise as an incoming wave covered me to my ankles. Chilly too! Woo hoo!

Happy Independence Day!

I see this flag every morning on my way to the beach. Today it takes on a special and very poignant meaning. 

Happy Independence Day America. Let us all take a moment to remember what our founding fathers fought for and what a wonderful thing they created in the Constitution of the United States of America. We should also remember how lucky we are to be able to live in this great country. God BLESS America!