Journal With Me

Relax by the sea in the Oregon coastal town of Yachats for a workshop brought to you by Bloom. We will celebrate the everyday by designing and creating visual art journals. Not sure what a visual art journal is? Visit me on flickr to see some of the pages I have been creating. This workshop will be so much fun – Join me!

Seals on the Bluff

Having just returned from CA I had to post about the amazing Elephant Seals we saw at the ocean near Hearst Castle outside of Cambria, CA. The seals return to this same beach every year. The females arrive in January to birth their calves. We saw many, many mother nursing their babes. The parents are brown and the new pups are all black. Many of the males were bloody from their fighting because apparently as soon as the babes are born the males are ready to hit it again so they fight over the MILF’s. And these males can weigh up to 2 tons – impressive! The hand out shared that the action really heats up around Valentine’s Day – when the real mating season begins. We all really enjoyed seeing the moms curled up with their pups. All the seals look dead on the beach – but they were just lounging.

They look so gentle

A beach filled with the elephant seals

A nursing pup

A bloodied male - recovering from a fight

The head male - keeping an eye on his beach

a male making crazy noises that sounded like a motorcycle starting up

A mom nuzzling her pups

Cali Finds

Just a smattering of finds from the most recent California trip to share – some creepy, some pretty and some that made me long for fall. It was chilly there and made we want to pull out sweaters and boots. Then I returned home to 100 degrees. Damn Phoenix in September!

These bubble gum looking creatures were washed up all over the beach in Summerland, CA. The short one couldn't stop touching them.

These bubble gum looking creatures were washed up all over the beach in Summerland, CA. The short one couldn't stop touching them.

Another bubble gum looking creature

Another bubble gum looking creature

View from Mannhattan Beach

View from Mannhattan Beach

View from Manhattan Beach

View from Manhattan Beach

A gate in Rancho Mirage

A gate in Rancho Mirage

A tree in Grover Beach Park in the fog

A tree in Grover Beach Park in the fog

Grover Beach Flowers

Grover Beach Flowers

Longing for fall - a leaf in Grover Beach Park

Longing for fall - a leaf in Grover Beach Park

Grover Beach Flowers in the fog - it was only 59 degrees

Grover Beach Flowers in the fog - it was only 59 degrees

Grover Beach Flowers

Grover Beach Flowers

Grover Beach Flowers

Grover Beach Flowers

Natural Beach Sculpture - found

Natural Beach Sculpture - found