Sand and Water

On the small beach of the Port of Lastres in Asturias. These masterpieces were strewn about the beach, but only at low tide. In a few hours the canvas would be reset by the rising tides.

Ericeira, Portugal

This winter, we had the opportunity to visit Ericeira, Portugal.  We stayed in the beautiful Vila Gale hotel right on the water.  The sea was beautiful and the waves crashing against the rocks were incredible.  Here are a few pictures.  This is definitely worth a visit.

After the Rains

Piles of trash and a general haze 

Admittedly, this may be the ugliest set of pictures I will post (intentionally).  We recently had a week of strong storms in Barcelona that swept away much of the sand at the Barcelona beach.  That wasn't the only problem, though.  We got a glimpse at just how polluted our water is here.  It was disgusting.  I feel like mother nature was trying to purge the ocean of all the garbage we dump into it.  The adjuntamiento has their work cut out for them.

Most of the time, this is a large paved sidewalk.

The water is choppy and murky, but this guy has the right idea. 

Piles of garbage everywhere, I should have turned this into an 'I-Spy' picture.

Playa Santa Ana

Mini Windmills as you enter town.

We took a short trip to visit friends and stayed in Benalmádena, close to Malaga.  Our flight left Barcelona at 6 AM, which meant we had to get up at 3 AM to catch a 4 AM bus.  We arrived to the hotel exhausted, took a short nap, then headed down to the beach to soak up the sun and enjoy the warmth of Málaga.

Tracy hunting for shells.

The steps where I sat.

A few of Tracy's Finds

An old painted tile worn away by the water.

A brick in the sand.

I Dream of Dogs

We were taking a walk on the waterfront a few days ago and watched as this dog sprinted along the walkway while its owner ran behind.  I wanted to grab a picture, but the settings on my camera were still set for very low light.  I snapped a photo anyway.  When Tracy saw it, she said it looked like a dream.  We still miss our dog, Sadie, and this is our first Christmas without her.  This reminded us of those fun days with our boo bear.

The Early Bird

I remember how my dad and my older brother loved to fish.  I liked it, but I was never in love with fishing.  I would tag along because I knew how important it was to them, and I didn't want to miss out. We would go camping or go to Mammoth and get up before the sunrise to get the best spot on the lake.  I wish now that I had the eyes I do now to take in the peace and the tranquility of the sunrise over the water, because I saw a lot of them.  They were some of the best times with my dad and brother, out in nature, away from the pressures of normal life.  As I got older, I remember intentionally trying to fish next to one of them, whichever one would be easier to distract, and have a long conversation.  The conversations, and the silences, were different on those days.

Sunrise

I got up early this morning and walked out to the water with my friend Ben.  This is one of my favorite shots of the morning and matches my mood.