Always Prepared for Anything

Regular visitors to Northern California beaches know to be prepared for anything. Often, when we are in the midst of a heat wave in Santa Rosa the temperatures can be 30 degrees lower at the coast. Today, however, the weather at the beach was sparkling, sunny, and tee shirt warm with no wind.  My picture today is of the one person on the beach who was not accompanied by a wet dog and seemed to have a different agenda. I never saw a page turn, but I did see a hand come down to pat a visiting dog. 

Ozzie and Daisy were out of the car and running down the beach toward the waves before we even realized that most of the beach had disappeared beneath the water, a result of a high tide and a receding storm. Instead of walking a mile or two down the beach to the point of Tomales Bay where the snowy plovers nest on the ground in the spring and the beach widens out next to a still lagoon, we climbed the dunes (extra) and threw sticks in the water for the dogs.

As we were watching the waves advancing in their serried ranks onto the shore and retreating at an angle to create small eddies and riptides, a flock of birds flew low over the waves their wings flashing silver in the sun…it was stunning. 

We didn't really want to leave, but the wasps hovering around the picnic tables next to the parking lot finally chased us away. We repaired to the tiny town of Tomales with its Victorian frame houses and delicious bakery. We ate our sandwiches in the sun in the repurposed forecourt of the old gas station and watched the action at the post office attached to the general store across the street. Residents came by to pick up their mail and an exuberant group of boys  came out of the store, piled into a car and drove off toward the high school with their purchases.

We drove home past our old house in Sebastopol, even though we couldn't see a thing from the road.

Trips to the beach are always special…today was particularly special with perfect weather, good friends and two happy dogs crammed in the back of the little red car….