Sights for Sore Eyes *Part Two*

Have I mentioned I've been busy lately? Let me put it this way...the day before the Jamestown trip (see post below) the fam bam and I drove to Santa Cruz to help The Pesty Older Brother Who Is All Levels Of Cool Without Trying move out of his beachfront apartment into another apartment that's further from the sand, but still all kinds of awesome. While the munchkins and I were waiting for Husband and Brother to off load some furniture in the new place before the rain poured down, we took a walk.

The rain had just cleared, but not for long. Dark clouds lumbered across the sky. Winds picked up. Local beach goers walked home.

We walked out.

I'm not afraid of the rain in the least. If it had poured while we stood in the sand, and we got drenched to our socks, I wouldn't have cared. I wouldn't have ran in. I probably would've been the Crazy Lady on the beach who stood there, face and palms up to the crying sky.



How could I turn away from this?



Or this? Princess and Tank threw driftwood into the sea, laughing as it got tugged out by the tide.



When we finally reached the waters edge, rain began to fall, dusting our coats. It was then that I noticed the little fellow above. See him there standing so still? (No, he's not only standing still because it's a snapshot. He stood still enough for me to get CLOSE to him. I think he was as mesmerized by the beautiful sights as I was.) He was so tiny and small up against the backdrop of the sea and it made me think of how small we all are in the grand scheme. *I'm trying really hard here not to use the "Dear God, make me a bird, so I can fly far, far far away" line from Forrest Gump.

But really, me and that still bird and the swelling ocean and the falling rain and my laughing kids had a moment that day.

It was beautiful for more reasons than the scenery.

After moving was done and we met back up again with the whole family, we took a walk on the wharf. (I think you can see its shadow on the horizon in one of the above photos.) I noticed something as I flipped through my pictures from this trip. I took zero pictures of the wharf. I've been there countless times. I know its subtle turns and open-faced crab shacks. I know the sweet-smelling candy stores and bawling sea lions. But every single time I go, I'm amazed by the sea. I ALWAYS come home with pictures of the ocean taken from the far end of the wharf.

Here's the picture from this trip:



Stunning, isn't it?

Do you feel rested from your Nano flurries yet? How'd you fare? Are you a Nano Winner? A Nano 2011 Hopeful? What have you done to rest your mind from all that wonderful writing?