Monday, January 11, 2010

for renee and one fine day

here it is. my dear friend renee asked to see this photo again, the photo that won someones heart. and now i have a new printer. i hope you like it renee.
thank you again, photo judges, i ♥ you. (image is lake kariba, zimbabwe).
now, lets go to the beach!


rincon, a world class surf spot, is in our own backyard. chuck was on "dawn patrol" sunday morning and asked if i'd like to come along. yes! but i opted to meet him since his idea of dawn differs a bit from mine, he left in the dark...



here is part of this gorgeous beach. it's a point break with a big sweeping cove. it's winter now so most of the sand is gone. the sun is just starting to come up over rincon hill...there are a lot of surfers, watchers and photographers out this morning.



oh! i have an idea, let's peek into my friends house, it's right here at the shore. it's too early to take photos anyway just yet, and we'll never be able to spot chuck without more light..


my friend lives here and manages this house. it is a kind of retreat. you can stay here if you like. it's a very spiritual place, magical even...



one of the rooms...the waves are lapping (well, more like crashing at the moment) right outside the door....



we could eat here or better yet lets dine alfresco in the garden...




here we go, out the back door, it's getting light out now...see the ocean?



oh! look, it's chuck, he's coming up for a quick kiss and hello. when you catch a wave here you can sometimes ride so far it's easier to get out and run back up the beach to where you started. or you could paddle and have your arms fall off like mine would....




here is someone catching a beautiful wave. my photos of chuck are in my film camera, waiting to be developed. these pictures are from my well loved little leica, but it has a tiny lens, not good for distance. so this is kind of a sample of how the waves looked...



here i was sitting and watching (i mean, here we are ) when i hear "mom!" it's my son, my youngest. he's driven up from santa monica to surf rincon. everyone comes from everywhere to surf the queen. i am so happy to see him. i kissed him a lot while he was patiently trying to get into his wetsuit. he is so cute.




there he goes, running away. he'll paddle out above the river mouth, where the two surfers in the distance are. it's hard to tell, my timing was bad in this photo, but the waves were so big...




here is my girl. she came with me to watch. she surfs too. she would now, but she's grown out of her wetsuit and it's too cold to "trunk" it. or in her case bikini it. today, she sang instead, sang to me funny and sweet songs that she made up.




fast forward several waves and many fantastic moments to this. my youngest son and my husband meet up on the beach. i loved watching and listening to them describe their waves, laughing at how great today is.



over the weekend we made the trip back and forth to rincon at least four times. each visit was different, my daughter came once, i saw my son in another, we searched for sea glass one late afternoon and we went to breakfast after one early morning session. one time i saw a dolphin jump over a surfer at the top of a wave ( a big wave) which would have made a one in a million billion photo, if i'd have gotten it. but i didn't of course. at least not in my camera. but its with me , right here in my minds eye, captured forever.




have a brilliant day wherever you are,


♥ lori



41 comments:

  1. All these adventures and mind- as well as actual-pictures and meetings and songs and all the happiness would be enough for a MONTH! Or more. Really Lori, what kind of a life are you leading! SurfĂ­ng is something that always has me drop my mouth open anyway, and to think that all your family (and the dolphin) are actually DOING it! And what was this story about YOU being the "Surfer Girl"?
    I`d love to have sat in your pocket again, and you would have felt me vibrating and laughing like a cell phone (don`t they always feel like that, silently in your pocket?). Have more happy days like that, and I will too, here on my cold cost. But me throwing snowballs and singing my own home-made songs. Yes, I stop now!
    (but find it hard) Cheers from Geli

    ReplyDelete
  2. You take the loveliest photos Lori.
    And your friend's house looks very welcoming and beautiful.

    I can feel the love in your photos... such a precious thing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow that photo is truly incredible.

    How beautiful... I wish I surfed, I lived in surfers paradise for 4 years and always swore I'd learn, I never did.

    Your friends house is a retreat you say? Is there a website? I'm looking at holiday ideas...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your photograph is awesome. I can see why it was chosen. Great subject matter for photos. Love the family shots especially the hubby and son laughing together.

    ReplyDelete
  5. As always you took beautiful pictures and tell beautiful stories.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lori, I felt like I was right there with you at the beach! Your photos are so wonderful!! I could smell the air and hear the waves...it might help that we live close to the beach as well... We don't get the big waves here though unless there's a big storm coming and I think the water is much warmer here in general!

    I LOVED your friends little retreat - could have moved in immediately!

    And that photo from Zimbabwe is beyond stunning. It's one of those photos that stirs the soul!!

    Have a wonderful day! Love, Silke

    ReplyDelete
  7. AAAAHHHHHH..........sigh.
    Your friends house is a beauty! I love it so much. I love the colour especially, it is the same as our 'sea' bedroom. ;)
    I see that you are surrounded with sexy wetsuits, and gorgeous kids, topped off with friends and dinner and wine..... I'll catch ya later! xx♥

    ReplyDelete
  8. Absolutely STUNNING, Lori!Congrats on your photographic achievements...

    Loved the surfing pictures, and lovely atmosphere you have created here, as ever :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love the journeys I cna travel just by visiting your blog. Thanks for taking pictures all along the way and bringing us with you, its really very generous of you. What a wonderful New Year you had. Wow. I hope the rest of it is as good.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a wonderous place you live Lori. The photos are lovely. It sounds like you had a lovely and unexpected family time with your son turning up.

    I love beach combing for glass, only usually find green glass, and am excited if I find a bit of blue glass.

    xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lori, your posts are always so soothing, and I feel like I've had a little getaway. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love the pics, all of them! But I love the first one the most. I loved your friend's house as well. It reminds me of cottages I used to read in stories when I was young

    ReplyDelete
  13. hurray Geli, you are number one! i'm so glad you enjoyed our weekend. the only thing that would have made it even more perfect is if my other sons would have made it up too. Yes, everyone surfs. I'll email you about my highschool surfer days...♥
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Meagan,
    beautiful redhead, thank you. i love that house, we'd love to have it. it's really special.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Sammi,
    it's through word of mouth, they want to keep it quiet. but i could email you details. thank you for the kind words, always.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Thank you Coco, i think thats my favorite too. ☺
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Thank you 3yearshouse wife,
    my favorite photos are the ones with my family in them, they are always beautiful to me.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Dear Silke,
    thank you so much! I know you have much warmer water (lucky) than we do, although another el nino is coming (maybe) so the water may warm up. i am so glad you enjoyed these photos, that makes me really happy.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Natsy,
    haha, yes, all good things. just wait till all yours grow up, you'll be doing the same as me, tryin to get those kisses in!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Thank you Karen,
    i really appreciate it. i love winter surf, everyone is SO happy. you can feel it in the air.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Thank you Tam, i'm glad you enjoyed. i'm really very selfish though, i please me with these photos and it's really pretty thrilling that they please others too.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Thank you Mandy,
    we are grateful to live here, i've thanked my parents and now my kids thank me.
    blue sea glass is enough to make me jump up and down! i love it.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Diana,
    i'm so glad you enjoyed the beach!

    ReplyDelete
  14. oops, hi Chaitra! thank you very much, that is so kind of you to say. i love that little house too, i wanted to show the outside, but i thought it might be tmi (too much information).

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love wehn you take us on a trip! Im at lunch and that was jsut the ticket I needed! Now I can go back to my boring data entry and dream of the surf, the dolpin, and the sun! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  16. opps! typed too fast..."when" & "just" & "dolphin". Gosh!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Beautiful photos! We love the beach, beach glass, and surfing. The waves here in N. Peru are perfect, the beach uncrowded, and the weather...HOT!

    Submit your beach story to the FUN page at www.OdysseySeaGlass.com and share with hundreds of other beach fans!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lori, you are the envy of everyone out there: the ocean, the waves, the surfing, the surfing. You live the life most people just fantasize about.

    Thanks for sharing this bit of paradise.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Shaun Thomson - SA's best ever surfer, Bruces/Supertubes - Jeffreys Bay a.k.a J-Bay(near my home town) - SA's best waves.
    Country Feeling - SA's first surfing clothing label

    OMW!! the surfing pics bring back some memories of my misspent youth.

    I don't know if you ever heard of any of those names

    love the pics
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a beautiful place and a beautiful family. They all sound wonderful.
    The prize winning photo is spectacular.
    Thank you for taking us along; it's a nice little break from reality.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Man oh man how I love you. You are so beautiful Lori and so is your whole family.

    You are incredible and the picture, the winning picture. It is pure zen.

    Love Renee xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  22. Great little journey through your lens. I was just there in your back yard with my husband New Years week-end, so all those shots of the coast and water brought back the memory of what a great time we had. I was there to look for Sea Glass but the pickings were slim. Any tips for better locations in that area? The rides are so incredible for the surfers...Rincon Rocks! Your friends cottage is adorable, wish I could of sat with you for a spot of tea. Happy Journeys! Fair Winds and Calm Seas, Deborah Leon www.mermaidspurseseaglass.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Whoa, excellent photos as always

    ReplyDelete
  24. Glorious, Just glorious! Awesome photos and love your writeup. I would love to rent that little cottage. It is so pretty! Your pics of the beach make me yearn for a beach vacation!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Dear Janis,
    I'm glad you had a good break here! stay warm!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Thanks David and Lin,
    Oh Peru is a beautiful place! i've not been but my son has.
    I'd love to do that, thanks for the offer, i'll see if i can figure it out.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Rosaria, thank you and your welcome. Maybe it's because we're one of the few places in the US not snowed in. That sounds exciting to me too though.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Janet,
    Shaun and his wife and newly adopted baby live minutes from us. Chuck and Shaun surfed in heats against each other many years ago and are still good friends. He is one of the best surfers on the planet (Shaun). And Jefferys Bay is one of the best surf spots on earth. Chuck's been there twice. I've heard it's changed a bit, since he was there. I'm glad it brought back memories, but misspent? did you surf too?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Whitney Lee,
    thank you, i really appreciate your kind words. are you snowed in as well?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    dearest renee, coming from one beautiful family to another, thank you.
    the moment was just like the picture. we were sitting in a small boat, just the 5 of us, drink in hand, not a sound but the call of an african fish eagle in the distance. yes, zen. and f****ing awesome.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Deborah,
    i'm sorry you didn't have better luck. rincon is a great place to look for sea glass, but it's best after a storm or big surf. I hope you'll come back and try again!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Des, thank you most sincerly ☺

    ReplyDelete
  26. I love your ability to capture love and happiness and then share it with us...
    Your friends home reflects a lot of beauty. I understand why you would want to live there.

    What a fantastic weekend... here's wishing you a lifetime of wonderful weekends beautiful Lori:)

    xx Ribbon

    PS... that first photo is soft, beautiful and still.... so still I feel that I can hear it x
    it's magical.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Beautiful, beautiful photos... especially that first one!

    And I want a house by the beach so badly...where apparently I won't be surfing...

    ReplyDelete
  28. what a small world!!!!
    Chuck might remember Nahoon beach (East London) and the Gunston 500 (our biggest surfing event for many years) I used to go and watch that.
    No I didn't surf although I did own a 4th or 5th-hand board for a while when I tried to surf, but I was useless!!!! I also lost enough skin trying to rollerskate and skateboard.
    Conclusion: I can't balance
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  29. happiness love laughter and surfing - sigh - just beautiful Lori; and your friends spot looks so calm and inviting :-) wow that dolphin and the surfer - what a sight!!! i just love coming here - thank you. that winning shot is awesome!! sigh again, xxxV

    ReplyDelete
  30. oh lori, where do i start?

    renee's picture. pure zen. how peaceful the world is supposed to be...

    your friend's cottage: oh dear god, lori, i LOVE it. i want to move in for a while and write, walk the beach, ring up a friend (guess who) and invite her to dinner. your friend has created a sanctuary of the highest order there. i love the blues. in a perfect world the little bedroom should be mine... ♥

    your surfers, what a wonderful way to spend time. your husband and son together in the picture--i loved it.

    your photos, you are amazing, not because you are so talented with your camera, which you are, but because you SEE. that is one of the huge reasons why i love you so much. that shot with the green moss rock--it looks monocrome and then there is all that life in that rock.

    do you know how much i love your blog, lori? i hope you do!

    &hearts kj

    ReplyDelete
  31. Just curious as to why the sand goes away in the winter.

    The first picture is drop dead gorgeous.

    Must say, the place is sure magical, the sunlight pouring in, the setting. What a nice place to stay at.

    ReplyDelete
  32. dear ribbon,
    i always say this, but that you love. i agree about the photo, it really was.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    tracy,
    hahaha, yes you will. you'll do both, a house by the beach and surfing...someday...
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Janet,
    i know! it's amazing! chuck laughed when i told him about shaun.i'll ask him about those other places, sounds familiar. ha, the skateboard, i did that too! so much fun.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    thanks val,
    i love it all so much too. makes me happy. i'm so glad you like the photo!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    kj,
    i am blushing through and through. thank you dearfriend for the really kind words and hearts! i'm so glad you enjoyed this post.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Anil P,
    Thank you very much for the kind words!
    the sand goes away every winter, always returning the following summer. storms, big surf and tides take it off the beaches. sometimes so much goes away i wonder if it'll be the same, but it always comes back.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I feel relaxed just looking at the pictures of that house. Wow.

    And hey CONGRATULATIONS on winning all those awards and getting all those affirmations that your photographs are fabulous. Well done, you!!

    It's sweet that you turned off the comments on the 1,2,3 day. But this is no time to be modest!! BRAVA!!!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Beoooooootiful beootiful pictures (from last post too! BIG FAT congratulations!) Just lurve to look of the place. Sigh.

    ReplyDelete
  35. What a house!!! I love the blue and white zen atmosphere I could stay for weeks , reading a book and drinking a big cup of coffee...

    The "surf family" , I admire you all, the pictures show the happiness of the days you´ve spent together!

    And the dolphin... I can imagine your feelings, wow, amazing!!!!

    Have a blessed day, Lori!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi, you wonderful woman!! I've got an award waiting for you. Feel free to pass it on or simply enjoy it on my blog! Hugs, Silke

    ReplyDelete
  37. I loved this post, Lori! Just exactly what I needed today. I'm in the snow and a bit caged in - watching your family surf was just splendid.

    I would love to stay in the beach house sometime! We are heading to Monterey for an aquarium fix this month - but maybe some other time.

    Thanks again for lightening my mood!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Thank you so much Reya,
    haha, at least i've begun to conquer modesty submitting, but here...well, we'll see. :)
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Miranda, big hug and kiss to you, thanks very much.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Thank you dear Mina,
    there are alot of happy people in my family these days thanks to all surf and weather! so glad you liked the photos.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    hi Silke!,
    thank you! i'll be over, it is such a pleasure to visit you.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Nancy,
    snow bound sounds so romantic to me, i'm sure it's like anything else though, too much of a good thing! the aquarium is going to work wonders, i love it there!
    we'll be in touch about the house for that someday...

    ReplyDelete
  39. Lori I keep coming back to rest my eyes in that beautiful home.
    It feels good to sit there.

    x Ribbon

    ReplyDelete
  40. I like this place! I love the idea and wish there was a place like this in Astoria, Queens. I am a surfer and found a "real surfer bar" in Point Break NYC. I am kinda jealous ;0PIts filled with surfers, people who like surfers, people who like the beach and people who don't want to live close to town. I really like this place. You know what they have these real Proctor and Channel One surfboards on the wall. It's nice for coming any day of the week and eating a late brunch. The food was outstanding. The brunch and sides were prefect and tasty. It is a perfect "escape" from city living. It is probably one of the only places where you can get a nice frozen pina colada or margarita. The service was on hit. They came up and checked on us so many times and made sure everything was up to par. It gets very active and the bartenders keep everybody having a good time. The bartender was very accommodating. He was nice enough to make a drink, that wasn't on the menu, for me :0) Did I mention the bartenders are nice eye candy. It was amazing to see their “das boot” which is shaped like a boot filled with beer. Don’t get me wrong, I am not drunk…it’s an actual boot shaped beer container ready to be emptied. Try it ..You will love it!! Oh. How can I forget, they even have a wheel o' shots where you just have to spin it and have to drink whatever shot it lands on!! Now call that bar creativity at its best!!! And when I spill a tray full of shots on myself, the bartender so kindly remakes them for me? Good music, too, and the decor helped us weather an otherwise overcast and rainy day. You know that old song "Brandy"? It goes, "Brandy, you're a fine girl, what a good wife you would be. But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea." I believe Brandy works here. No reason, I just do. And that song happens to be a guilty pleasure of mine, so that's a plus in my book. You can simply waltz over to this colorful and warm establishment, enjoy some drinks with friends, and walk home. The bar is right at the center, so you can walk to either side for drinks, and the bartenders are friendly and at your service. There is a variety of seating, good music, and friendly neighborhood people to make your time more enjoyable. Not pretentious, very cozy, I think Point Break is a fabulous place to spend some time with friends.

    ReplyDelete
  41. The little house is soooo sweet.

    Thanks for sharing the morning at the beach. It brought a bright spot into my windowless office.

    Gosh, where has the time gone? I haven't stopped by here is quite a while. Your blog is very special and makes me smile, a lot. Glad you and your family are doing well.
    LL

    ReplyDelete

xoxo lori