Calm after the Storm

All the rain and overcast skies we’ve had lately declare that winter is most certainly here. However, this is southern California so there are plenty of warm sunny days to enjoy at the beach.

One such day was Christmas Eve. Hubby and I and some friends went to Doheny to check out how the beach was doing.

There was still a lot of debris on the beach although people are helping park staff (part of Doheny Beach is a State Park) clean up by beginning to take away some of the wood for themselves.

It was a beautiful day with both local human and animal life checking out the changes to the beach.

Hubby is very happy about the sandbar that has formed in the river mouth which means really good surf from a south swell come spring. We couldn’t get onto the sandbar as the water in the creek, which is now running on either side of the sandbar, was still flowing too strongly to wade over to it.

The waves took some of the sand away leaving a larger, flatter area than normal.

Seagulls on the look out for food hiding amid the seaweed and debris.

Patterns in the sand made by man and nature.

'Tis the Season: Rain

Well it is raining here in southern California again. After six days of almost constant rain, we got two whole days of dry weather before the heaven's opened again this evening.

This is San Juan Creek which feeds out to the ocean at Dana Point. I don't have a before picture of this scene as it is usually a small trickle at this spot - not particularly worthy of a photograph.

On Wednesday, when this picture was taken, it had become a raging river, carrying whole trees, among other debris, at great speed.

Where it was deposited along Doheny Beach.

This is how the river mouth usually looks with calm water confined by a sandbar.

On Wednesday it was a very different story.

One of the locals checking out the situation.

Hubby was part of the annual beach clean-up event in September. Looks like another one will have to be held before next year's event.

The usual blue and white waves turned brown due to all the dirt and slit that came down the creek into the ocean.

An egret finding worms for lunch at one of the flooded picnic areas.

'Tis the Season: For Sharing

The talented Miss B shared one of my photographs from France on her blog. If you love style, interior design, fashion, and colour The House That Lars Built is a place to go.

http://thehousethatlarsbuilt.blogspot.com/2010/12/door-of-week-aix-en-provence.html#links

'Tis the Season: Dana Point Boat Parade

I’m not really a parade person but I do love the Dana Point Boat Parade in the Dana Point Harbour. It involves Christmas decorations and lights – it just happens that the decorated and lighted objects move past me as I look at them rather than the other way around.

I really missed seeing it after we moved away so I was very excited when we moved back before last year’s parade. However, the weather was awful. It was pouring with rain and very windy.

I tried sitting in the car but I couldn’t see anything. So I stood outside getting soaking wet and freezing cold as I watched every single decorated and lighted boat go by (luckily there weren’t that many due to the inclement weather).

This year it was dry, not too cold and there were a lot of boats. The boats travel in a line along the channel that leads into the ocean round to the channel where the boat are moored. Then they do it again. People line up at vantage points along both channels waving and cheering.

 Some owners take a lot of trouble to decorate creatively. One boat had a live band playing onboard although one of the biggest cheers went to the plucky kayakers who were paddling under their own steam with a six-foot high string of lights protruding from the kayak. I didn’t get a good picture as the lights were waving around too much with the kayak looking like it was going to capsize at any minute.

But I don’t like parades. Just so you know.

'Tis the Season: Gift Wrapping

One of my favourite things to do at Christmas is to wrap presents. For me it's another opportunity to be creative and to make the thought and time taken part of the gift.

I usually just use wrapping paper from Costco but this year I also used tissue paper and patterned cello wrap.

Starting in October, I start looking for ribbon and small decorations to attach to the presents. I get most of them from Michaels, Wal-Mart, and dollar shops. I love dollar shops. Some of the stuff sold there is junky but if you shop carefully you can find decorations that don't look cheap. Plus, in November Michaels discount their decorations 50-75% so you can wait to buy them and get enough for the following year.

I buy decorative picks (as they are called) and fake flower stems which I then take apart. You will need wire cutters for this as there is usually wire underneath the plastic coating. I also like to buy those small decorations meant for small table-top trees as they have a cord attached to tie around the ribbon.

Sometimes I will stick the decoration onto the paper. I usually use Aleene's Tacky Glue although, in my experience, it has limitations. It works best for flatter, lighter items.

When cutting up the flower stems I make sure there is a long enough length to slip into the ribbon bow which is tight enough to hold it.

These ideas are easy yet make an impact far beyond their small additional cost.

'Tis the Season: Local Nurseries

As we plan our new garden, hubby and moi have been visiting some of the local nurseries to look for ideas and to see what plants are available.

More of that in future posts.

Since all the nurseries sell Christmas decorations and poinsettias at this time of year today’s post is just an excuse to publish some of the pictures I took.

The previous two pictures are from Armstrong Nursery in San Juan Capistrano.

The following three are from Laguna Beach Nursery, a place we have fallen in love with.

Lastly, I have to admit to not being a fan of nylon inflatable Christmas characters but it’s not every day you see one this big.

I'm going to check back on Christmas Eve evening to see if he has left to help Father Christmas.

'Tis the Season: Sawdust Winter Fantasy

My unrelenting search for decorations and lights continues unabated.

Today we’re in Laguna Beach at the Sawdust Winter Fantasy. This is the Christmas version of the summer arts festival, which runs for two months in July and August. The winter show is held over four weekends in November and December.

Most booth were selling crafts such as glassware, jewellery rather than fine art (such as painting) which is more prevalent in the summer.

Just beyond the entrance was the Town Square, which had several fairy tale-style buildings (one housing father Christmas).

This reminds me of the palette of some of my paintings.

I went a little crazy with the photographs but believe me this is the pared down version.

I don’t have any photographs of the booths because it isn’t kosher to take pictures of other people’s art without their permission and/or to put those pictures online (because it violates their copyright).

There were also several Christmas trees decorated by local organizations.

This was my favourite because of the the colours scheme used.

I love the idea of topping a tree with an umbrella. Since it was lightly raining as we arrived, the brolly was both wise and creative.

Snow in Southern California? How unusual. But then around Christmas anything is possible.