A Bold Escape

One of my former students came into town for a couple of nights. I suggested a day trip to the Pacific while she was here. I mean drive all the way from Wisconsin and not see the Mighty Blue? We headed out early and got there for low tide, grabbed a quick lunch, and went back to the Ocean for more. I could have stayed on the beach all day.

I love the Ocean. I love how refreshed I feel after being in the sun and sand of the beach. Morro Bay is one of my favorites because if you get there during low tide, you might see marine life before it gets eaten by the seagulls. We got there about half an hour after the official start and within a short time, the waves were rolling in. Signs are posted about not getting caught in the undertows, and the motion of the ocean is real. It can suck you off your feet and out in a flash.

There are two sides to this huge rock in the bay, one with a pounding surf and one that is a lot more tame. One of the episodes on 'Taste of China' showed a man harvesting kelp from their shores. I never noticed that it grows here too and, don't really like the taste of it so have never bothered to harvest it, let alone do I know if this is the edible kind. Its shows up on all the rocks here in the bay during low tides. Its the dark looking part on these rocks....kelp, not shadows.

I think I am too spoiled to harvest and eat a food that is unfamiliar.

Maybe I am similarly spoiled about trying new fabric arts in quilting. It's possible that I have a fear of failure about that because, unlike eating an unknown food, I am not going to get sick or die from it. Nothing to fear.

I am thinking more about next year's quilts. I know, this year's haven't been finished as of yet. However, envisioning possibilities are always fun. I am familiar with how long it takes me to create a quilt done with standard methods, but not one where I go a little wild and crazy.

Today was a bit of a bold escape from the quiet little valley town. In just three and a half hours on the road, the ecosystem changed and changed and changed until there we were. Breezes. Children laughing. Sunshine. Sand. A perfect day.