Respite

I love this picture.  The four pelicans were flying along the shoreside at Solana Beach, California in mid-February on a beautiful warm day kissed with a gentle ocean breeze.  With camera in hand, I was spending a nice day with my oldest brother, Brian, as we shared out time and lives with our beloved dad.

We had decided to take a respite from the rare snow of winter in Prescott (see below) and trade it for a week in southern California to visit relatives and spend a little time at the beach. We took our trusty Ford truck hauling the trailer behind us with the intent of leaving the trailer at Louise's parent's home.  Our plan is to use the trailer as a home-away-from-home if the need arises as a couple of our close relatives battle life-threatening illness.

 

This snow came a day before our departure but roads were clear the day of our trip having melted away quickly.  Departing from Prescott we soon found ourselves in the desert drving west toward the familiar Pacific Ocean.  The following pictures were captured at Solana Beach with Sandpipers feasting on baby sandcrabs and other acquatic life. 

Donned in a "wetsuit" this surfer enjoyed his time. 

 On the sound end of Solana Beach is a small unassuming park planted and cared for by local seaside residents.  Pines do grow along some of the coast of southern California, but these native pines known as Torrey Pine are protected and rare.  It is my understand that Torrey Pines only grown here and on one offshore island.  All trails and roads give way to these precious trees.

 

Floyd is in his element scanning for seashells and rocks.

 And yes, he did come back home with pockets full, a load that weighed his jacket down but lifed his spirits greatly!

 

We visited brother, David, and his spouse, Ramona, in Ocean Beach, further south enjoying a day with them.  We enjoyed about half of our week with Louise's parents, John and Charline, brother, Paul, his wife Patty and their two teenaged daughters.  We said our goodbyes and headed to my brother, Craig's home to spend time with Craig and Eileen.  They live in Hemet, a community nestled below some of southern California's most beautiful mountains, which experienced the same storm-front Prescott shared.

Vista view of Hemet and the mountains to the north.

 

Diamond Valley Lake, a man-made lake of recent years now known for it premier lake fishing.

On our way back to Prescott I stopped out in the middle of nowhere to take a few shots, both beautiful and entertaining.  Yes, someone painted a frog!

 

 

We arrived back to Prescott on a Saturday evening in time for church on Sunday and a Monday train ride to the Grand Canyon with our two daughters, four young grandsons and our resident son-in-law; but that is another story...