Bushy Hair Days

Early morning sunrie!

This morning my walk was early due to the incoming storm.  It was windy and the Coast Guard had two red flags flying in the Harbor.  All the fishermen are hunkered in for the day.  The water in the Harbor is very choppy and active and I could feel the energy as the weather changed. 

Getting Ready to Rain Soon!

So when one knows the day is going to be a weather day, what is a person to do?  Go to the French Bakery before it all happens and buy some comfort food.  (This is way too simple, since it is on my way back home.)  That would be some cookies and a danish.  I will ration them.  I think!  I was only about a block from my motor home when it began to drizzle.  Thankfully, the bakery goods arrived home safely.


When people are out in the elements, such as today, with wind and dampness, hair can be an interesting phenomenon.  Some of us have hair that simply goes wild.  Totally uncontrollable.  And sometimes almost scary.  This morning was one of those days for me.  I finally pulled my hood up so people wouldn't be frightened and therefore kind of disguised myself at the same time.  I call these days my bush woman days.  Very similar to the few days just before my next hair cut.  


Bumper sticker in the window of a local shop:  "Destination Unknown"

Beautiful Geranium at Morro Dunes!

This morning was also a great dog fix day.  As one gentleman put it, "Getting your dog fix without all the other stuff."  Works for me.  For the moment at least.  It has been a long time since "Sunshine" passed on and I have been waiting for the next four footed friend to arrive.  So, for now, I enjoy all of the dogs that are with others.  Little ones, big ones, white ones, black ones, friendly ones, not so friendly ones and all the rest.  Maki and Annie were along my path this morning.  Awesome!!!

"Sail Away From The Safe Harbor

Catch The Trade Winds In Your Sail,

Explore, Dream, Discover....."

-  Mark Twain

This is a plaque on a park bench near the center of town which is in remembrance of someone who had lived and died here.  I think it is also a subtle message for me to venture forth from this beloved place and see what I see.  I have walked past this bench almost every day since I have been here and this morning is the first time I actually looked at what the plaque said.  Hmmmm!

Enjoy your Exploration!

Repaired

Jade plant with flowers.

Ah, it always feels so good when things that are broken or perhaps failing to function as designed or desired are restored to a better state.  Yesterday  I waited for the RV repair person to arrive and give me an assessment of what my issues actually were.  I discovered a small roof leak the last time it rained and felt this needed to be dealt with before the next rain which is due tomorrow.  

Beautiful rose

I also had him check the refrigerator door and a few other issues.  The good news is that they were all easy fixes without having to take the unit apart and put it back together again.  Minor expenses, more labor that anything else.  (I can now open the refrigerator door free of the fear of it falling off.)  Thank you, Universe.  

Lovely Fuschia

Since I ended up taking my motor home to the repair shop, afterwards I went ahead and drove to Cambria, stopping at the Main Street Cafe for one of their wonderful grilled salmon sandwiches.  I haven't had one in several years and it was just as good as I remember.  I then drove on up Highway 1 and checked out the elephant seal beach.  Pups that were born last year were there, along with a few large males who are waiting for the arrival of the the females who will come ashore sometime around Christmas to give birth.  

Orange and Maroon are a great combination

It was another beautiful day and the winds were calm.  A great day to view the seals as they simply just lay there.  However, within a month the entire scene will change and it will be crazy busy for them.  It is a great time to visit here and watch one of Mother Nature's most spectacular events,  at her best.  

Tomorrow is a full moon.  It is a clear sky at the present so I took this picture that shows the moom at the top.  There was a bit of a cloud at the bottom of it and had rainbow colors in it.  Very pretty.  I am curious to see if the storm will have cleared by the time the moon will be visible tomorrow evening.  We shall see.



All of the flower pictures in this post were taken today at the Morro Dunes RV Park and Service Center.  While Phillip was playing around on the roof of my motor home, making sure everything was sealed, I meandered around the flora.  

"When you long for blessings that you may not name,

and when you grieve knowing not the cause,

then indeed you are growing with all things that grow

and rising toward your greater self."

-  taken from the book

-  Sand and Foam

-by Kahlil Gibran

Enjoy your greater self!

Wine!

Some signs simply say it all.  This one is actually a hanging banner.  Notice how the rock is reflected, as well as the photographer, in the picture.  (That rock seems to wiggle its way into most of the pictures I take.)  I have walked past this store almost every day since I have been in Morro Bay (twenty five days) and today was the first morning I noticed this wall hanging.  It might go well with the bottle of wine I received a few weeks ago, though I have no space to display it.  I just thought it was clever.

I captured this sign during the past week.  A cleaver way to remind people to be considerate of others.  

The surf in the bay this morning was very rough.  I was there quite early and there were only a few surfers.  It was a bit windy, similar to yesterday, but a much different kind of surf.  It almost reminded me of when either a storm is coming or leaving with how the water was churning so.  It was very easy to feel the power and energy of the ocean.  

I have been periodically watching the woman in the motor home next to me as she is creating a an oil painting.  I love to watch people work on their paintings as they continue to add colors and shades to develop the desired effects.  They have such a talent which I lack.   (My talents lie elsewhere.)  She has many shades of green going on and soon will be adding the magenta flowers of the bougainvillea bushes which are growing profusely here at the RV park.  For whatever reason, these plants grow so easily here.  And the many colors are stunning.  Some are extremely intense though they all are beautiful.  

"I am forever walking upon these shores,

Betwixt the sand and the foam.

The high tide will erase my foot-prints,

And the wind will blow away the foam.

But the sea and the shore will remain

Forever."

-  taken from

Sand and Sea

by Kahlil Gibran

Enjoy your walking!

Too Many People!

The wind has calmed and the view of the rock from the back bay is very peaceful.  I have found though that I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the people in town.  They are everywhere.  My usual haunts where I have been able to sit and enjoy where I am, have been taken over by hundreds or maybe thousands of people.  The RV park is full, the streets are congested, and heaven help anyone trying to get into any of the little local shops.  They are all full with waiting lines.  For the most part, everyone has been well behaved and respectful of others.  But here is the really good news.  Most of them will go home tomorrow, which means Monday I am anticipating a more calm and peaceful environment. Thank goodness.  It exhausts me.

I wonder if any of them even noticed the painted, ceramic tile and otherwise decorated waste containers scattered throughout town.  Hopefully, they at least use them.  I wonder if any of them noticed the sea otter again lazing about in the harbor.  I wonder if any of them saw the pelicans basking in the sun on the rocks in the harbor.  I wonder if anyone feels the hunger of the pelicans.  I wonder if any of them paid any attention to the iridescent cormorant.  It is rather difficult to miss the seals since they seem to be everywhere and make such a racket with their barking and other loud noises.  And I'm most certain they see the rock.  I wonder if anyone feels the energy of the rock.  

I think that since I am working on increasing my awareness of what is around me and recognizing the various energies emanating from so many things, I have noticed how some people seem to simply coast through this most sacred area.  So this causes me to pay even closer attention.  To just stop and feel.  I am doing better.  Almost every day I have a greater sense of what I feel in different areas.  And having more compassion for life.

Today I am spending more time in my motor home and avoiding the commotion of all of the visitors.  I'll go for another short walk later, perhaps early evening.  Right now it is 69 degrees, clear, sunny and absolutely beautiful.  I think though that if I attempted to do laundry, it would either get foggy or start to rain.  Not really.  

"An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language."

-  Martin Buber

Enjoy the speaking of a great language!

Iridescence!

This is a real plant outside one of the shops on the Embarcadero!

Today seems to be all about iridescence.  It started at the bay side of the rock while I was watching the surfers catching waves.  The wind was blowing causing a spray of water on the back side of each wave.  The sun was shinning and the sprays of water had the most wonderful rainbow colors in them.  The water was deep blue with the white foam of the crashing wave and then the spray off the back  filled with iridescent rainbow colors.  Most spectacular.  I think this is the first time I have ever seen it this way.  I like it.

Another view of the same plant!

I sat with a nice young man who is just now relocating back to this area after being in Portland for the past eight years.  He said he had forgotten how beautiful it was here and was thrilled just to be able to be outside in the sunshine.  He was taking pictures of his brother surfing.  I wasn't clear on how he was able to tell which one was his brother since they are quite a distance from where we were sitting.  He obviously has better eyes than I.

Buds getting  ready to bloom!

As I was walking on the Embarcadero I saw this beautiful cormorant sitting on the rocks in the harbor.  He/she was black and glowing iridescent green, blue and purple.  There was a pigeon on one of the docks near the cormorant which was grey with an iridescent magenta neck.  And then a hummingbird with many iridescent colors flew by on his/her way to gather nectar from some blooming flower.  The temperatures are warm enough for the butterflies to be out and flying around.  Nature and mystical colors everywhere.  My kind of day.  

The log looking thing near the top is the sea otter.

There was even a sea otter lazing around in the harbor close to where several pelicans sit to dry themselves and clean their feathers.  There apparently wasn't any seaweed for him to wrap up in as he kept drifting with the movement of the water and so he had to continually reposition himself.  I think this is the first time I have ever seen a sea otter do this so close to the rocks of the harbor shore.  Maybe I just wasn't there when they did so.

Visitors are up and about everywhere.  Most of the stores open at 11:00 a.m., so there are only a few shops open to them.  That would be eateries, coffee places and the french bakery, of course.  It was very busy this morning.  Didn't I say I was going to avoid this wonderful shop?  Humm!

I have been seeing and loving on many dogs lately.  An awesome Golden Retriever this morning.  Maybe one is on it's way to me right now.  That would be lovely.  When it is time.  I am being patient.  

There are places on this earth where  I experience different feelings.  Morro Bay in one of the places where I seem to experience deep feelings of nature.  I get this overwhelming sense of joy, bliss, happiness, calm, peace and knowing.  St. Timothy's Catholic Church is also one of these places here.  I can simply walk up to the front doors and become emotional.  It almost feels as though it is sacred ground.  There are areas on the beach, on  the Embarcadero and along several streets that bring me this same sensation.  There is something so magical and mystical about this area.  I am certain this is why I want to stay.   At the moment, though, I think I will be heading to the Sacramento area early December for minor repairs to the motor home and to visit family and friends.  

"Keep your sense of proportion by regularly, preferable daily, visiting the natural world."

- Caitlin Matthews

Enjoy your sense of proportion!

Thankful!

Great Blue Heron in the harbor.

Yesterday was filled with all kinds of interesting and changing things.  While I was walking on the Embarcadero I came across a woman standing on the sidewalk, on her cell phone and crying so hard she could hardly breathe.  I walked past her and then was drawn to go back and offer comfort.  I gently touched and rubbed her back and a clerk in the nearby store came out with a box of tissues.  She accepted the comfort and after about a minute I could feel her start to relax.  And then I felt her energy change.  She looked at me and thanked me, and after a brief exchange, I went on my way, being grateful for the guidance of the Universe, again.  

The day had started out foggy and damp, however, by the time I arrived back at the RV park after my walk, the sun was out in full force.  I searched the sky for clouds or anything else that could possibly alter the spectacular moment.  Clear, sunny and beautiful.  So, I decided to do my laundry.  Once I had everything washed and out on the line, I went back to my motor home to catch up on a few other things and noticed the refrigerator door was about to have an issue.  I took the screw/bolt and walked to the RV supply place to see if they had a replacement.  No such luck.  Apparently I will need to special order the part.  I will also need some other refrigerator information.  

resting pelican

By the time I returned home the weather had changed.  Fog was developing.  As I looked around it was obvious that it was only going to increase.  There was only one thing I could do.  Take the clothes and sheets off the line and use the dryer.  Fortunately they had been on the line long enough that it only took half an hour to finish the deed.  You just never know what will happen around here.  This is kind of fun because planning can be tricky and sometimes completely useless.  

Today is Thanksgiving!  The Macy's Day Parade is thrilling those attending and those watching on TV.  Traffic seems to be a bit heavy with cars, truck and RV's.  And, based on what I saw in the grocery store yesterday, there is probably a lot of cooking and baking going on right now.  The City of Morro Bay provides a free Thanksgiving Day Feast at the Community Center.  Everyone is invited to attend, eat, and enjoy friends and family.  Donations are accepted by the Morro Bay Police Department for the event.  The Police Department also delivers meals to those who are unable to get out for the dinner.  This is their 15th year of bringing the community together to share a meal.  Pretty awesome.

What this day can bring is time to reflect on all that we are aware of in our life that has meaning for us.  Each of us has something to be thankful for.  Even if it is our breath.  And today is providing us this time.

For me, I am thankful that I have the opportunity to do all of the things I choose to do.  I am thankful for all those who I consider friends and those who consider me a friend.  I am thankful for my family even though we are physically apart because of distance.  I am thankful for all those I comfort and those who comfort me.  I am thankful for all of nature that causes me to be humble in its presence.  I am thankful for all of those who give us the arts that touch me so deeply with their creativity and soul.  And music to feed my spirit.  

A Thank You To The Universe

Thank You for the Blessing of This Day!

Thank You for the Blessing of My Now!

Thank You for the Blessing of My Breath!

Thank You for the Blessing of Your Guidance!

Thank You for Increasing My Awareness of Your Guidance!

Thank You for Helping Me have the Courage to Act on Your Guidance!

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!  Wishing you Love, Hugs and Blessings.

Enjoy your feelings of gratitude!

A Group Hug

A few days ago I was walking down Main Street in the early morning hours (before 7:30 a.m.) and was watching as four lovely young women were coming toward me.  They appeared to be in their early to mid twenties and were chatting and laughing with each other.  It was very sweet to watch.  Since the sidewalk is only wide enough to handle the four of them, I was curious how we would pass each other.  And then they split in the middle so I could continue.

Then I did a very odd thing.  I extended out my arms and said something similar to, "We all need a group hug."  Well, they jumped at this opportunity and we were all hugging each other in a circle of five in the middle of the sidewalk.  I looked at each of their stunning, shining and vibrant faces and felt as though I was hugging my niece who is in England.  (Love you, Jen!)  Each of them was kind of sighing "Ahh!"  It was one of those spontaneous moments that I chose to seize.  I am so glad I did and I feel they were grateful as well.  I told them how beautiful they all are and wished them well for their day.  All I can is, "Wow!"  Very moving and powerful.  I felt so blessed.  I am so blessed.



So, today I walked out to the rock and sat on my bench watching the surfers catching waves, and the tourists running and playing on the beach.  And I felt that same wonderful feeling as I did with those four wonderful women.  It is so difficult for me to put it in words because words fail when it comes to feeling Spirit within and sharing it with others.  As I am trying to type this, tears of great gratitude are all over everywhere.  I have so much to be grateful for and it will take me the rest of my life to speak it all.  I may have to continue on into the after life.

So I will continue to increase my awareness of what I am feeling and the thoughts that run or walk through my head.  I will pay attention to what I see in others and the beauty of nature all around me here.  Last night the air was moving on shore so the fog horn could be heard very clearly and so could the waves on the shore.  It all sounded so close, almost as though I was camping right on the beach.  I woke up this morning to fog and high overcast, only to have it all clear away by 9 a.m.   Now it is beautiful, sunny and warm.  



The small town of Morro Bay is being filled up now with the Thanksgiving Day visitors.  I will make my morning walks much earlier so it can be in relative peace.  The Embarcadero and Main Streets will be full and congested with cars and pedestrians and many with their four legged friends.  This part is good for me because then I get my dog fixes which I love.  There are several here in the RV park that have befriended me and so I get to love all over them.  Awesome.

The Four Agreements

by don Miguel Ruiz

Excerpt from the back cover of this book.

"In The Four Agreements don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering.  Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, The Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness and love."



"In the tradition of Castaneda, Ruiz distills essential Toltec wisdom, expressing with clarity and impeccability what is means for men and women to live as peaceful warriors in the modern world."

-  Dan Millman, Author

Way of the Peaceful Warrior

Happy Birthday, Megan!
Prayers to you and your family.










Love, Hugs and Blessings to all of my family and my dear friends.


Enjoy your seized moments!

Ohio Visitors

Today I was blessed with a visit from Bruce and Sharon.  Bruce is my brother's wife's brother and Sharon is his wife.  We were unable to determine if that made us any kind of in-laws, but who cares.  We had a great time.  We walked, talked, ate, laughed, checked out the harbor, bay and ocean, stopped in the french bakery, drank some great iced drinks from the local coffee shop and took pictures.   

One thing I learned (and I think Sharon did too) was that Bruce has been doing his own research into the world of RV's.  We continually heard him say, "I want one."  Of course having a beautiful day here in Morro Bay was, I think, a great influence on him, to this wonderful roaming way of life.  

They live in the Cleveland, Ohio area and are visiting friends in Southern California for the Thanksgiving holiday week.  When they contacted me about the possibility of coming up to visit for the day, I immediately said, "Absolutely!"  I had a great day and I am so glad they came.  Thanks again Bruce and Sharon for an awesome day.  Thanks too for lunch, treats and coffee.  Yum!  Bruce also got me set up with Skype.  Thanks most for the visit.  A very sweet surprise.  And thank you for coming and sharing this mystical, magical and spiritual place with me.  So, if I don't see you sooner, I am looking forward to the Alaskan caravan the summer of 2014.  Happy Thanksgiving and have a very special Christmas with the family in Virginia.

It amazes me how the Universe works.  I would never have thought that Bruce and Sharon would have been in Southern California while I was staying on the Central Coast.  By being closer to where they are staying, it made our visiting with each other possible.   I am very grateful for this gift.  Thank you, Universe!

The Four Agreements

by Don Miguel Ruiz

Agreement #4

"Always Do Your Best"

"Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick.  Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse and regret."

Enjoy your special visitors!

Walking in the Rain

Morro Rock, bay side.  There is moss growing on some of the sides and
dark green vegetation at the bottom.  At the base of the rock on the left, the light colored
box shaped images are the cars and truck of visitors and surfers.

A great walk in the rain this morning and I was much more prepared.  There were fewer people out walking though more in the restaurants.  The usual thirty some surfers in the bay and the sea otters were scattered about in the harbor having breakfast.  All the sea birds were busy doing their birding thing.  It must be difficult for the pelicans because they get completely wet when they are diving for food.  Then they have to dry and clean their feathers afterwards so they can fly out and dive for food again.  When it is raining I am unclear how they actually get dry.  Actually this is true for all the birds.  They seem to be out in the elements continually, as I have never seen them under any sort of shelter.  For me, a mystery.

Morro Rock, bay side and it is raining.

There is also a great blue heron that I have noticed hanging out in different areas of the harbor.  He/she looked pretty soaked this morning.  Everything was pretty soaked this morning.  Since the Embarcadero is at sea level and the town is up on the hillside, when it rains all the water works its way downhill.  So there are many gutters flowing full and forceful when it rains continually or particularly with large amounts.  Nature and its creatures simply continue to do their thing regardless of what the weather is doing.  They trust and follow their instincts and hence appear to take most things in stride.  I think we humans could take some lessons from nature and her creatures.  I am currently working on this, which is part of what this Adventure is all about for me.

Morro Bay, bay side and the light has changed

I have been experiencing  odd sleep issues recently.  Friday afternoon, I absolutely had to lay down and take a nap.  And when I went to bed at my usual time,I slept all night.  Then I was awake until 2 a.m. this morning.  And woke up at my usual time.  My sleep patterns have been fairly regular for a long time, so when I experience this recent kind of thing, for me it is knowing something is going on somewhere.  Many times it is a change in the weather, an earthquake or volcanic eruption.  Unsure what it is this time.  My daughter-in-law said she had the same experience with needing a nap Friday afternoon.  We'll see.  








OK, after today, the french bakery is off my list of places to visit.  Their treats are way too yummy.  If I continue as I have been, I will need to walk at least half of the day in order to work off what I have eaten.   These creations are real bread,













And these are some of what they make for the holidays.  Again, all bread.  And all wonderful.  

The Four Agreements

by  Don Miguel Ruiz

Agreement #3

"Don't Make Assumptions"

"Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want.  Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama.  With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life."

For me, this Agreement has great significance.  Courage and communication.  I really like how this particular Agreement is so fully explained in his book.  

Happy Birthday, Laura!









Enjoy your courage and expression!

Rain Drops

Sunset the Previous Night

Yesterday was a rather nice day with a few sprinkles.  The walk to the boat launch area provided another dead pelican near the fish cleaning station.  Reported it to the Harbor Patrol Office.  It had been removed by this morning.  

During the night it rained.  I describe the sound on the motor home roof as the sound one hears when listening to a native american rain stick.  A very pleasant sound to sleep by.  If you have never heard one, they are almost musical.  The semi  hollowed out tree branches are made with putting either small pebbles, beans or rice inside.  The ends are sealed and when it is turned on its end, the items inside slowly work their way to the bottom making a very magical sound (similar to rain).  A great item that can be handmade.  Check it out on Wikipedia.  

 

Sunset as it faded

I took a long walk this morning.  It was just sort of misting and so I wore my rain resistant jacket with a hood.  Well, needless to say, it rained for almost my entire walk.  My rain resistant jacket did the best job it could and then relented.   My jacket, shoes,  clothes and me were soaked by the time I got home.  Why is it though, that the back of my pants were still dry?  I wonder if I walked backwards if that would change anything.  I doubt I will attempt this.  I do good just walking forward.  When I got back home I retrieved by rain gear and boots from one of the outside storage compartments.  I am ready now!

Gull posing with my rock

This morning at the rock, on the harbor side, there were about nine sea otters wrapped in kelp and resting/sleeping.  Apparently they were either tired from their early morning breakfast, or patiently waiting out the rain.  I think neither.  Just hanging out.  On the bay side there were again about thirty surfers.  They are wet anyway, so rain matters very little to them.  As the tide was coming in, the surfers had some fairly good waves to catch.  Occasionally I could see a dolphin in the surf with them.  What a joyous thing to see.

While I was on my walk there were very few people out there joining me.  Though I am certain the holiday visiting tourists will be arriving soon.   I did come across the couple that assisted me with some motor home issues. They brought me a bottle of very nice red wine, which I have been enjoying. 

Now, since I finished showering and hung the wet clothes up to dry, the sun is playing hide and seek in between the off and on sprinkles.  So, I think I will either read or work on some of my projects.  I still have my mending to do, which apparently is not a priority or I would have gotten to it by now.  Eventually I will want to wear those pants.  

Pelican enjoying the sun before the fishermen come to clean their fish.

The Four Agreements

by Don Miguel Ruiz

Agreement #2

"Don't Take Anything Personally!"

"Nothing others do is because of you.  What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream.  When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering."

Enjoy your immunity!

Sunsets

Sunset at Morro Rock and Harbor

Last night we had an amazing sunset.  The clouds were perfectly positioned for this always awe inspiring event.  The wind was virtually nil so the water in the harbor was almost as smooth as glass.  I was thrilled that there were all these colors and especially the golden glow on the water.  And, as usual, there is my favorite rock.

Setting Sun at Morro Bay and Rock

I was walking down the street to the Embarcadero and had to catch this bright scene.

Sunset at Morro Rock and Harbor

And another view as the sun continued to set.

Sunset at Morro Rock and Harbor

And it continued to get more intense.  I love the bluish white spots in the sky.  Reminded me of angelic beings watching over all of us.

I was on the docks and piers for at least half of an hour just enjoying the continuing changing visual display.  There was a slight breeze coming off the ocean and I could hear the waves crashing on the other side of the sand spit.

Sunset at Morro Bay Harbor

There were gulls, pelicans and seals all being very active.  It was as though they too were reveling in the beauty of the sky and the reflections on the water.  It was very peaceful and calm and enfolding and somehow very active.

Sunset at Morro Rock

And, again, the mystical bluish white areas in the sky.  This was my final shot before heading back up the hill.  It was almost completely dark when I arrived home.  The temperature had dropped and yet I felt warm and energized from the experience.  I so love this closeness with nature that I feel here.  I feel so alive and connected with everything.  I am very fulfilled.



I have read the following book several times and I am sure I will read it several more times.  

The Four Agreements

by Don Miguel Ruiz

Agreement #1

"Be impeccable with your word!"

"Speak with integrity.  Speak only what you mean.

Avoid using the word to speak against yourself

or to gossip about others.  Use the power of your word

in the direction of truth and love."

Happy Birthday, Claudine!  

Birthday Cake from Google Images

Enjoy the impeccability of your word!