Category Archives: beach

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Chiton friends

The tide was way out when I went to the beach the other day. I don’t know if the snails and barnacles are friends or foes of the chiton or who gets eaten.

And lots of birds were very happy with the tides so far out.

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: chiton.
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Winner

This tree was on the beach below Chezemoka park this week.

How can I say it is a winner? Someone had sawed through one end. This tree had a long life judging by the number of rings. Now it has fallen and probably gone down a river to land on the beach. It might be there tomorrow or the tide may carry it off again.

How do trees judge winning?

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: winner. https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2023/03/15/rdp-wednesday-winner/

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Agate again

I found this agate on Marrowstone Island yesterday. Very clear and just lying on the sand!

The weather was a bit threatening. I was not sure it would stay sunny and I was not sure I wouldn’t get rained on. I did get a spattering of rain on the way back, but not very much. Good thing too, because I was out without a hat and in my down jacket rather than rain gear. Silly me.

It was a beautiful beach walk.

And why do the seals lie tail up and head up? Are they doing yoga? Are they tired of cold water? Are they sea sick?

That is a second seal in the water. Wondering when there will be room for two? The tide is not out far enough yet!

There were very few other people. I saw four as I arrived and two as I left and that is all.

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Satirical

I am looking through photographs looking for a Satyr. Or Satyrs. I know that I have Fauns on a frieze in a very peculiar old repurposed Elks Club in Portland, but Fauns are not quite Satyrs. And satirical is from a different origin than Satyr.

Really, though, I am surprised that no one was dressed as a Satyr at the Great Port Townsend Kinetic Sculpture Race.

The costumes are always amazing.

Here is a sculpture with the rider. A Satyr or not?

This is the day before the race, with the parade and the brake test and the water test. The water is in the 40s or low 50s.

What do we call a female Satyr?

No, surely she is not one. Will the Judges permit Satyrs?

It does not appear that they will.

The cover picture is most satirical to me: the joyful silliness of the human powered race, on land, on sea and through mud, with a sailboat race in the background and Indian Island, with a crane and a military presence. Let’s have more more more joyful silliness.

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The Great Port Townsend Bay Kinetic Sculpture Race: https://www.ptkineticrace.org/

This is the 2018 Race.

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: Satyr.

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Shoulder that pain

Disarmed

unarmed

armless

without my right hand

unhandy

unable to shoulder much

diminished

injured

wounded

tendonitis

inflamed

irritated

limited

reduced range of motion

careful

out of reach

guarded dancing

sinister takes over

left fills in

ow

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I am going through physical therapy for a right biceps tendonitis. I have to pay attention not to make it worse, all that automatic reaching for things. I wrote this thinking about the word disarmed.

I am listening to Chess Blues vol. 4 1960-1967.

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Junction

Sometimes paths meet and we walk together for a while.

Still we are separate. Promises made, friends forever

and yet the path diverges, one person leaves. We

can’t see that in the future. I am wary of always and

never, I try not to use them. I will not promise friends

forever: addiction could drive me away or lies or betrayal.

I might still love. I might return to be present for death

but still, I will not say forever.

Because that is a lie.

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I took the photograph yesterday blind. We were on Marrowstone and could not see what was out in the water. It changed shape though. I took this zoomed all the way out and then still couldn’t see what was there until I downloaded the photographs. We thought it was a stick. Or a turtle. Then we wondered if there are turtles in the Salish Sea. I googled Salish Sea turtle and get this: https://www.epa.gov/salish-sea/marine-species-risk. That’s a bit sad. Read on down, though, because it lists seven things we can do to help.

No Salish Sea turtles though.

What about the Olympic Peninsula? Here: https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/amphibians-and-reptiles.htm. Not an ideal climate for reptiles, it says. Well, no, I agree. No turtles listed, but there are some other reptiles.

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: junction.

And still, people are being found under the rubble alive, though far more dead. Prayers and praise for the searchers and the victims and families. A song for them: