A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....05-02-06....A Walk on the Beach

GodBlessUSA

[GodBlessUSA]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

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~ Billie, Dutchess, Dolly Cali, GodBlessUSA, JustAmy ~

What do you look forward to spending your free time doing? I love to get out and visit the beach. I especially appreciate the beach before the crowds get here for the summer. Even on mild days during winter, we get out and take walks on the beach. I feel fortunate to live close enough to visit often. My kids, the dog and I enjoy taking long walks at the beach. We look for shells, watch surfers and view the sea birds.

Year round there are surfers out on the ocean. If a storm is coming, you can bet many surfers will be there to ride the big waves. It's exciting to watch them challenge the waves.

The below picture is from a day I took photos of surfers. It was a surprise to come across this one. Uh oh, is that what I think it is? LOL, Fortunately, no shark attacks were reported that day. I think, it's an optical illusion of a surfer.

Or was that just a surfer? :)

Below, on the left Seagulls, resting. The right, is a Spotted Piping Plover. (picture from websearch) They are always running at the shore line. They will run to the water and then away, as the tide comes in. In the spring, they block off parts of the beach so people do not disturb their nests. I get a kick seeing the little ones run about.

Above is The Great Egret. A gorgeous bird. I usually see them at the bay beaches and not as much at the ocean. (picture from a web search)

Above is the Great Blue Heron. We do have them on the beaches but I have yet to see one locally. I took this picture while I was visiting in DC last summer. The Great Blue Heron is a very impressive bird in person and much bigger than what I had imagined from viewing pictures.

03-28-06 ~ Hall of Fame #15

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 05-01-06 Military Monday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[La Enchiladita]

Aw, GeeBee, what a nice relaxing thread.

I've had many great walks on the beach in the past. I really enjoy watching the birds, seagulls and pelicans mostly. But we can also see sandpipers on the shore at times. Herons and grebes are seen in the wetlands.

It is most exciting to see dolphins. I also occasionally enjoy sailing.

Thanks for "A Walk on the Beach." :-)

[La Enchiladita]

Nice photo, Luv! Nice beach! {{{Hugs}}}

[EsmeraldaA]

Hello, I am sorry . Your name is hard to remember (correctly).

[GodBlessUSA]

Thank you so very much Billie,
It's great to be back :)

[Diver Dave]

Thanks for the walk on the beach. Wish I could go to the beach more often, but guess I'll have to settle for a walk to the "pool" for now.

Bailey and Jack pulling lifeguard duty this morning with grandson Logan...

[GodBlessUSA]

This is such a lovely picture. :)

[Diver Dave]

Saw this dolphin w scuba gear & immediatly thought of you to gif gift it to today! LOL

Perfect!!!

Waaaaay back in my Navy days, everytime we sailed across the Pacific, a school of porpoises would escort us for a while. Fascinating animals. They would swim to the bow of the ship as it cut through the water and then race the ship. Up and down, up and down they would go. A friend and I went up to the bow, leaned over the rail watching 'em. My friend was snapping pictures of them as they broke the surface, in mid-leap, and then re-entering the water. The OOD (Officer-of-the-Deck) ran us off after a while. Guess he thought we would fall overboard. Even if we did, I'm sure the porpoises would have saved us and played for a while. :) Wish I had some of John's pictures, but I still have a vivid memory of the beauty of those animals.

[GodBlessUSA]

Hi Diver Dave
That looks like great fun! :) Are the breeds; German Shepherd and Golden Retriever? We had a German Shepherd and Golden Retriever together, while I was growing up. :)

[GodBlessUSA]

Dita!
So good to see you! How are you?
I must take trips to local wetlands. I loved seeing the Herons on DC trip. I've been told they are here but I've have never seen them locally.

That must be so wonderful to see Dolphins. I'd be excited to see them also. When I was young, I'd visit Florida and saw them but only in captivity. What a smart, beautiful, sweet creature.

[Diver Dave]

Yep, Jack's part German Shepard and Bailey's a reg. Goldie - "Mollie's Bodacious Bailey". He's from a litter of 12 and he picked us when we visited, curling up at mrsdd's feet. From our visit in Feb 05...

Jack's pretty special too. He's a rescued dog. Former owners had put him in a harness as a pup and failed to take it off. The harness was imbedded into his chest and had to be cut out by the vet. Vet said he wouldn't have survived another two weeks in that condition. He's my constant companion - always has me in his sights.

[La Enchiladita]

We have mostly Pacific bottle-nosed dolphins, and some other species further north. I have even seen them body-surfing! LOL. That is the BEST!

I wouldn't get too close, but from the shore they seem sociable, to respond to me sometimes when I see them and appreciate them.

(((Hugs)))

[GodBlessUSA]

Diver
How cute Mollie looks. :)
I cannot believe what people do. Thankfully, Jack has your family now. Beautiful dogs.

My dog is a rescue also. Dachshund/Jack-Russell. We took her in at 5 months. What the previous owners did to this sweet girl, I could never understand, how deranged someone has to be to do such things to such innocent animals. She has some quirks because of this treatment. However, she is the sweetest, most loving dog.

[GodBlessUSA]

I'm so jealous. :) LOL
That's a fantastic experience. Someday, if you can, get pictures. :)
Hugs!

[LadyX]

"& oh so funny last sentence LOL!:)"

As it turned out, from that day I watched him heroically swim out to retrieve the little boy's big beach ball going out to sea, he had noticed me and thereafter used his binoculars to watch for sharks - and to see me up close..:))

Here is a photograph (shark bait?!) taken that summer of my two little guys and me...usually had my hair pinned up so it didn't look so bad after swimming - otherwise, was shoulder length.

By the way, that summer of 1960 was the very first time we saw
a woman wearing a.... GASP!! -
bikini in American public!
Positively scandalizing..:))

[Aquamarine]

Very creative Post about the beach GodBlessUSA and very well done.

Have spent alot of time at the beach in the past, my mom and her side of the family are from Florida and it was always fun to visit them.

[LadyX]

"That must be so wonderful to see Dolphins."

There of course were many in Florida waters when I lived in the state, but they reside farther north as well.

Four years ago, my daughter's husband's stepfather died, and his wish was for creamation, with the ashes scattered down on the South Carolina coast near Beaufort. He had often gone to that spot to fish.

His widow and family and friends made the trip there, and walked to the end of the pier.
Trying valiantly to keep her composure, Jan held the vessel and was about to let the ashes go, when up from the water rose seven dolphins to receive them!!

It was a beautiful comfort to her to imagine them *angels* dispatched for the occasion.

[DollyCali]

Nice pix & memories Eleanor. I think this is the best pix of bluebell I have seen. It seems some dogs are drawn to water & some are not. Oliver was a water pooch for sure. The first time he went into the ocean, he had a big shock! We were at Hilton Head & he did get used to it but the look on his face when he first hit the salty waves is one for the memory books. Groups would gather in the morning hours to walk their dogs, chat & drink coffee. I joined them. There was anywhere from 8 dogs & up. they all frolicked with each other & the water. Fun memories. I have some pix somewhere on one of the external hard drives.

[Supernatural]

Your dogs look like they are having a blast!

They are lucky to have you for their master.

[luvie]

Oh, Lady, I always love your stories. Even if I don't comment on them, I read them and enjoy them. You are a a great storyteller.

[luvie]

(((((hugs))))

Dita!!! Good to see you. The only time I saw a dolphin in the wild was driving from Merit Island to Cocoa in Florida. I just glanced out the window and there he was. Made my day!