For Those Who Don't Believe I Live in Paradise

Here are some photos from our visit to Christmas Cove yesterday.
I call this one "Shades of Blue, Shades of Green." Click to enlarge.


Left: Martha was sketching.
Right: Surf on the rocks, viewed from the porch.


Left: Another view from the porch.
Below: Views of the porch itself.

Friday Five: Beach Trip

Mother Laura over at RevGalBlogPals reports:

The Grimes-Honkanen bunch is settling in after a challenging move, and bubbling with gratitude for our new "cozy cottage by the beach": a tiny rented condo on Pacific Coast Highway. We're five minutes on foot from Sunset Beach for my daily choppy-but-gorgeous swim or prayer walk, often with dolphin sightings. Ten minutes south by car is downtown Huntington with its pier and window shopping, and the same distance north is Seal Beach, much calmer for family swimming.
Nicholas is equipped with shorty wetsuit and boogie board, and game to learn mastering the local waves from Mom--though I need to get a big softy and learn to surf before he does to maintain my cool cred. But Katie is still learning to swim confidently in the pool, and Midwestern-raised Matt prefers something more like his beloved Great Lakes. "No waves, no salt?" "Yes, darling, and no worrisome wildlife." "Except for the water moccasins, dude." You get the idea...it's all a matter of taste.
So in honor of summer, please share your own beachy memories, plans, and dreams with a "Beach Trip" Friday Five.

1. Ocean rocks, lake limps? Vice versa? Or "it's all beautiful in its own way"?
It took me a while to figure that first sentence out. Finally I realized it's like "Ocean rules, lake drools." I guess that's because in Vacationland, "ocean rocks" = two nouns which usually go together. Anyway, I would definitely say "It's all beautiful in its own way." In my many years of living in Land of 10,000 Lakes, I did miss the ocean, but I enjoyed City of Lakes' lakes, Lake Ida where our church camp was, Big and Little Butternut in America's Dairyland which I'll be seeing in a couple of weeks, and of course Lake Superior. Then again I like rivers too. For someone who can't swim despite several tries at lessons, doesn't boat except as a passenger, hasn't fished in over 50 years ... I sure do love the water.
2. Year round beach living: Heaven...or the Other Place?
Heaven, if I had a chauffeur, because beachfront usually doesn't come with public transportation. But if there were a beach/shore front house within walking distance of groceries and the public library...I'd be there.
3. Any beach plans for this summer?
Probably just looking at the ocean, maybe a boat ride, and I will be taking my swimsuit along to the Midwest in case a lake opportunity arises.
4. Best beach memory ever?
So many beach memories shared with friends that it's hard to pick just one. So instead, the memory of my solitary explorations along Long Island Sound in Milford, Connecticut, ages 9-13. The shoreline there was a nice combination with some beach and some rocky shoreline, interesting seaweed to play with, a lot of scope for the imagination. One winter it got cold enough that the Sound actually froze a few feet out from shore. Yes, winter beaches can be fun too.
5. Fantasy beach trip?
You name it, I'm up for it. But I will confess that I've always wanted to experience one of those beaches that has different-colored sand -- I think there are pink sand ones, maybe in Bermuda? and black sand beaches somewhere else. Yup, I'd like to see that.
Bonus: Share a piece of music/poetry/film/book that expresses something about what the beach means to you.
I'm going to go overboard and have more than one. First this very nice video of John Masefield's poem,Sea Fever:


Book? it's a whole series: Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels, starting with Master and Commander. I actually haven't read the last two -- I'm saving them for a rainy day.
Film? The Secret of Roan Inish.
Music?

This isn't my favorite version, but the best I could find on YouTube. On iTunes, you can download a very nice version of "Rolling Home to Old New England" by Seamus Kennedy; my favorite is by the New Golden Ring Singers on their album "Five Days Singing, Vol. 2" available from Folk-Legacy.
I hope there's a beach in your future -- sandy or rocky, fresh water or salt.