Life on our fjord

A few views from our daily boat ride to the one grocery shop in the village.

A photo is worth a thousand words.

Carmel beach and a poem by William Stafford

We would climb the highest dune,

from there to gaze and come down:

the ocean was performing;

we contributed our climb.

Waves leapfrogged and came

straight out of the storm.

What should our gaze mean?

Kit waited for me to decide.

Standing on such a hill,

what would you tell your child?

That was an absolute vista.

Those waves raced far, and cold.

'How far could you swim, Daddy,

in such a storm?'

'As far as was needed,' I said,

and as I talked, I swam.

- With Kit, age 7, at the beach

- William Stafford

London in August

 This summer I visited London's gem of a museum, the Courtauld. The inner courtyard, taken from inside the gallery.

 The lobby, from behind a screen showing Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.

Open-air bookstalls along the river.

Taken from the Tate Modern.

Beach in Black and white

Newport Beach a few weeks ago. I love seeing the beach in black and white.

Playtime in Nice

I never get tired of seeing the boule (petanque) players. Why should I? Some of them have probably been playing the game for 40 + years and they aren't stopping any time soon.

And, an early morning swim club ~ just below the Promenade des Anglais in the incomparable Nice ...

Law students in Nice, France

We happened onto a graduation celebration in the middle of Nice, just as most of thee students were slinging their textbook into the air. The cobblestone street was covered in thick, annotated books ~ you can see one of them in the bottom photo. And, note how many of the students are women!

One day this summer

Stepping into
opaque pools of water

a soft hand beckoned
come and enjoy
the flow

gentle waters splashed
around my ankles

I was stirred by their
energies captivated
by the movement

as we began to swim
strong arms encircled me

I was held breathless

carried into seventh
heaven never having been
there before

as pools of water
engulfed me I was taught
to swim.
   
          ~ Heather Burns

Art in Cornwall

 September - a trip to this lovely ancient town - St. Ives, in Cornwall, England. I happened upon this artist in his studio - John Emanuel. "Come in!" he shouted. And I did. I asked if I could come back later to take some photos in his whirlwind of a studio - art and colors and imagination everywhere.
He works in an enviable artists' building (see the view?) that was renovated renovated, thanks to a bevy of angels and a fund-raising group.

An Engaged Couple

 It may be the beautiful beach or the time of day...

 Or maybe it's just the good old fashioned love that makes them so ready for the future.

 Even the dips along the way.