'Tis the Season 2

Here is part two of my trip to Roger's Garden Christmas Shop.

I love Olde Worlde Santas.

Loved these Santas.

There are ornaments for every themed tree you can think of.

Due to being injured in a car accident last month, my movements have become limited for the time being. So I may not be able to get out in search of more southern Californian Christmas cheer in the time between now and Christmas Day.

Therefore I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Board Meeting

A couple of weeks ago Hubby and I went to visit the Surfing Heritage and Cultural Center in San Clemente. 

The centre has a very large collection of boards lined up with labels that trace the various developments in surfboard design and innovation.

These two boards are reproductions of the early Koa wood boards used by Hawaiian surfers.

This board was made in 1907.

Those below are other early boards which are very heavy.

Duke Kahanamoku was an Olympic swimmer who is credited with popularizing surfing.

Here is the very board from the photograph above.

The size and shape of boards changed as did the type of wood used.

This tail end of a board was used by a friend, Barrie, and her surfing partner, Pete, as champion tandem surfers.

Snarks and surfers often share the same water and not always in a friendly way.

Eventually, lighter-weight materials for surfboards were developed and they became more colourful.

The Weber Performer design is still widely ridden by surfers.

A mock-up of a board shaping workshop.

Barrie and her next surfing partner, Steve, (whom she married) continued to win surfing championships. Their surfboard shop Infinity Surfboard Co has been a fixture in Dana Point for many years and is the home of continuous innovation in surfboards, stand-up paddle boards, and other boards. Steve (aka Master Boehne) made me a custom board, part wave ski, part stand-up board especially for paddling sitting down on flat water.

Morning at the Beach

August in Southern California was a lot cooler and less sunny than normal so it was lovely to see a bright sunny and warm September which lasted all month.

One Monday morning I decided to go to the beach with hubby. While he surfed, I wandered around seeing what was going on up and down the beach.

With most people back at school and work after the summer break, the beach was mostly empty.

There weren't many birds to spot. Perhaps they were back at work somewhere else as well? 

A lack of rain means that the basin at the end of the creek was seriously lacking in water.

Workmen are working on a portion of San Juan Creek's wall in anticipation of future heavy rains. In the past run-off has literally run over the wall and flooded the cycle track that runs beside the creek.

After heavy rain the run off water breaks through the sand to empty out into the ocean.

Currently this sign is redundant.

The starting point of the cycle track off limits for months and months until the current work is completed.

Another shoreline bird keeping busy looking for food.

I love the colours here: blue, green, blue-violet, purple, yellow ochre.

A pretty shell. Doheny Beach is a nature preserve as well as a State Beach so you can look but not collect.

A Snowy Egret checking out the surf.

And doing whatever it is doing here.