Ebb and Flow

All of these photos were taken on a Saturday morning walk at Huntington Beach, California on January 24th. One of my sisters lives a few blocks from this beach. It was great to walk along the beach and out to the end of the pier with my sister and sister in law this nice windy morning. Not to shabby to walk and talk with scenes like these…

Ebb and Flow:

1: the alternate ebb and flood of the tide

2: a condition or rhythm of alternate forward and backward movement or of alternate decline and renewed advance

Since we’re on E for ABC Wednesday I decided to call this Ebb and Flow. Thank you Denise Nesbitt and the ABC Team!

Inside the National Cathedral

For InSPIREd Sunday I promised a couple weeks past that I’d share some inside shots from the Washington National Cathedral.

We searched the crypt for this very nook because we own a painting by a friend of ours that was inspired by this very spot in the cathedral. The next photo is of our painting that hangs in our home.

These photos I’ve shared today are just a very small sample of the amazing architecture and beauty of our National Cathedral. You can spend a day touring the Cathedral and Close and still miss some beautiful details. If you ever find your way to Washington D.C. take a Tour Trolley out to the Cathedral!

Hope your weekend has been inspired in some way.

Fences ~ Huntington Beach

This yard of oil memorabilia and other memorabilia in Huntington Beach is being transformed into a museum.

John A. Thomas Oil Museum

Huntington Beach used to be known as Oil City. We lived in Huntington Beach when our first 2 children were born. Our boys called these oil pumps “up and downs”. I can still hear their little boy voices saying “Mommy, Up and Downs!”

Linking up to Good Fences with thanks to TexWisGirl at Run*A*Round Ranch Report.

Return to Downton Abbey

D is for Downton Abbey for ABC Wednesday this week. Thank you Denise Nesbitt and the ABC team!

The village of Bampton was used for filming outdoor scenes, most notably St. Mary’s Church and the library, which serves as the entrance to the cottage hospital. On our trip to England with our son and daughter in law in September of 2013 we stopped at this Oxfordshire Village.

The village was nice to walk through. It’s been fun to see the places we strolled by and through when we watch Downton.

Just to the right of this photo where you can see the bench is where they erected the War Monument during this season.

My Daughter and I had a marathon day of watching season 5 of Downton Abbey last week and now I don’t have to wait till Sunday nights to see one episode at a time. I was a lot more pleased with the ending of this season. Are you a fan of Downton Abbey?

Signs of Huntington Beach

Hope y’all aren’t getting tired of Huntington Beach. Some of these shots are conventional signs and the others are things that are “signs” that let you know you are definitely at the beach.

The Huntington Beach Pier was full of signs advertising their upcoming Surf City Marathon and Half Marathon.

It’s good to know the beach rules!

Glad he didn’t stop…

Pelicans are a good sign that you are close to the seashore.

Oil rigs and surfers are another sign that you are at Huntington Beach.

I’m linking to Signs, Signs with Lesley. Click over to see more signs from around the world.

Beach Fences…

I was in Southern California last week. My sister lives a few blocks from Huntington Beach. On our way back to her house from our walk on the promenade I captured these shots of some waves through the fence while we waited for the light to change so we could cross PCH. (Pacific Coast Highway)

I’m not a fan of sitting on the beach but I do enjoy walking along the shore.

Winter is my favorite time to enjoy California Beaches.

I’m linking up to Good Fences #45 with TexWisGirl at Run*A*Round Ranch.

It’s great to travel but I think I picked up a bug on the airplane and I’m a little under the weather. I hope it stays at the “little” stage and doesn’t go into anything full blown. How are you feeling?

Walking at the Beach

Last Friday I had a wonderful walk on the beach. My sister Vera lives a few blocks from Huntington Beach in Southern California and we always enjoy walking down and taking in the sea air. On this day we walked down with my brother Leonard, SIL Mandy, niece Hope, new nephew Andrew, and my sister Vera.

We were wondering how Andrew would react to the ocean waves.

Hope went in with no fear and Andrew watched from the sand.

We left my brother to enjoy watching the kids while the three of us walked along the tide line for an hour.

We walked up the beach and then down again to the pier.

Andrew kept quite busy building in the sand.

Do you live anywhere near an ocean shore? We live close to the shores of Lake Washington and a short drive to the Puget Sound but we have to travel a few hours to get to the Pacific Ocean.

California

California here I come, right back where I started from.

Where bowers of flowers bloom in the sun.

Each morning at dawning birdies sing and everything.

Sun kissed Miss says don’t be late.

That’s why I can hardly wait, Open up your golden gate, California here I come.

I was born in California so this is a song I easily claim. I’m happy for my growing up days and my early married days in California but I’m very content to be living in the Seattle area now. I do look forward to my trips back to visit. The top photo is from the plane on our descent into John Wayne Airport. We turned inland at Catalina Island and this is the first time I’ve seen it so clearly from a plane. The beach photos are all from Huntington Beach where one of my sister’s lives.

It’s time for ABC Wednesday and we are on the letter C so I’m sharing some photos from my trip to Southern California last week and a photo of the bougainvillea from my archives. Thank you to Denise Nesbitt and the ABC Wednesday team.

What A Day…

Last Thursday I left our home at 4 AM to get to SeaTac Airport in time for my early 6:15 AM flight to John Wayne Airport in Orange County. The initial purpose of my trip was to meet my new nephew who was adopted from the Ukraine. My brother’s family was traveling from Dallas to Southern California to celebrate their daughter Hope’s 7th birthday at Disneyland and to have their new son Andrew meet his grandfather and aunts, uncles, cousins and our family friends. It’s easier to fly to Southern California then to fly to Dallas so I took this opportunity. It was wonderful to spend some time with some of our family and friends who live in Southern California, too.

My first stop from the airport was in the city of Orange to meet up with my good friend Heidi and my Sister-in-law Christina for breakfast and a little catch up on what is going on in our lives. The top left photo is of Heidi’s view from her back yard. Everything was so clear and it was great to see the green hills. We ate at the Pancake House.

I said goodbye to Christina and Heidi and headed to my Pop’s apartment to wait on Leonard, Mandy, Hope and Andrew who were arriving from Dallas a couple hours after my flight. Even though Andrew had talked with our pop using facetime he was shy at first but soon warmed up to all of us.

Miss Hope with her cousin Melissa.

My brother with Andrew and our Pop.

We had a nice lunch together at the apartment that my sister Kathy prepared and then we decided to go to Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor and believe it or not after ice cream some of us went out to dinner to celebrate my brother Tim’s birthday.

We all were in the mood for something savory after the ice cream from Farrell’s. From dinner I drove my brother to my sister’s in Huntington Beach where his family was staying and I headed to my niece’s in Huntington Beach where I was staying. We are fortunate to have hospitable family for our trips to Southern California. A plan to go to the beach on Friday was already in the works.

I am quite tired from all the sea air and fun family times we enjoyed. Looking forward to getting caught up now that I’m home again.

Here we go into the last week of January. What’s going on in your world?

Waving Hello…

…from sunny Huntington Beach, California.

This was a wonderful way to start the day. Walking along the tide line in the sand was a good workout this morning with my sister Vera and my SIL Mandy. This is my second day in Southern California and I’ll have lots to share when I get back home.

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage

Category Archives: Travel