a day at the beach

is the name of a collection of poems by robert grenier.  it is also what we did yesterday.  the weather was too nice to be housebound.  we headed toward the coast but couldn't decide to visit muir beach or stinson beach.  both are across the bay from SF and both are pretty damn close to each other.  stinson beach is the larger of the two.  the road to both beaches is a perilous, windy, crazily narrow mountain road with seriously scary sharp turns and high cliffs.  the views from that road are priceless.

we dressed warm for the beach because it is early january.  the weather here is very like spring with high temperatures and sunny.  it is also very dry.  we haven't had any significant rain for a couple months now.  california is entering its third drought conditions year.  the reservoirs are almost mud puddles and the snowpack in the sierra nevadas are 19 percent of normal.  and yet, it is gorgeous weather. 

we dressed warm because we are used to the cold and damp at the coast which is particular for this time of year.  we brought sweaters and jackets.  we didn't need to for it was in the high 60s, low 70s.  we drove past muir beach and pointed the prius to stinson because it has large boulders nick could climb on and explore.  holy shit, the beach was crowded!  girls in bikinis, children in the surf, surfers out in the breakers, families on blankets and chairs under the sun.  astonishing and lovely.

below are couple of pics anna snapped on her iPhone.  you can see the clear blue sky and the people on the beach.  i did my best to practice gratitude and enjoy a beautiful day at the beach with anna and nick.

shoes + beach = sand in shoes

i thought i was smiling!