The Saturday PhotoHunt - sponsored by Sandi - Dusk - June 13, 2014

Sandi has chosen "dusk" as today's photohunter theme.  I have a few photos
to contribute to the title.

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India - the Arabian Sea

Looking out at the Pacific Ocean from Daly City, California

Sacramento, California as the sun sets at dusk

Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong, at dusk

Nassau, New Providence Island, the Bahamas, at dusk

I am participating in Sandi's 

Saturday PhotoHunt - "Dusk"

Add your "dusk" contribution 

to join in the fun!

Water World Wednesday, Episode 76, Year 1 - Sea and Sky - September 25, 2013

For most of my childhood and adolescence, I didn't live near an ocean - though summer vacations would often find us on the Gulf of Mexico at Panama City, Destin, and
Pensacola, Florida.  I grew up, literally, on the banks of the Chattahoochee River,
separating Georgia from Alabama in my birthplace of Columbus, Georgia.  Then,
I went away to nursing school at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, with another river
making its presence known - the mighty Mississippi.  

I have always loved the ocean, though, and, from time to time, I would visit Miami
and see the Atlantic.  My move to Boston gave me proximity to the New England
Atlantic coast.  I headed west and found my home on the Pacific, sometimes only
a couple of miles walking distance from my house.  I visited Hawaii and, then,
began cruising, seeing most of the major oceans and seas of the world.  Now,
during my six months in India, I look out my bedroom window and see the 
Arabian Sea.

Long ago, I wrote about about the sea:

The Sea

The sea has many faces,
And many different moods,
From violent raging tempests,
To lucid interludes.

It flows past frozen glaciers,
And laps on palm lined shores,
It touches the Antarctic,
And the Portuguese Azores.

In the depths beneath its surface,
Such beauty you can find,
Abundant wealth and bounty,
Sustenance for all mankind.

It shapes the land adjacent,
Taking years to leave its mark,
Sometimes gentle hills remain,
Or landscapes steep and stark.

The sound of the sea relaxes,
And it casts a magic spell,
It lulls and lures and soothes,
With each rolling, gentle swell.

With a vengeance, it can change,
And wreak destruction in its path,
As if Poseidon, angered,
Lets loose his fearful wrath!

Carmen Henesy

All rights reserved 

Copyright ©  2007 

I am participating in Kim's

WATER WORLD WEDNESDAY, Episode 76, Year 1

Join us!!

Orange You Glad It's Friday, #53 - Pacifica, California Sunset

On September 3rd, I'll be in India three months - with three more months to go.

So far, I haven't seen a sunset to rival this one back home in Pacifica, 

California.  Of course, we're finishing up a very rainy monsoon season so,

with the cloudy skies, I haven't seen many sunsets at all!

I am participating in 

Orange You Glad It's Friday, #53

for the first time.

Add your orange photo to join in the fun.

UE's Weekend Challenge - Seascape & Sundays in My City. May 19, 2013

This beautiful view is only about three miles from where I live, in Pacifica, 

California, next to - of all places - the Mussel Rock Transfer Station Disposal

Site ( the local dump ).  The daisies and wildflowers reseed themselves and,

every Spring and Summer, the hillside is a mass of spectacular blooms,  I 

think it is one of the prettiest spots I've ever seen.

I am participating in UE's Weekend Challenge: Seascape

and

Sundays in My City

Our World Tuesday Week 87 - Northern California Windsurfers - April 23, 2013

In these lovely sunny days, the northern California coast near Santa Cruz finds 
windsurfers and kitesurfers out by the dozens, enjoying the waves.  All, however,
are clad in wet suits for the water temperatures on our coasts are seldom higher
than 60 degrees, usually lower.  One wonders how accidents are avoided since large 
numbers of surfers are out at a time.

For information on windsurfing, check out the Wikipedia article at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsurfing.

I am participating in

Our World Tuesday Week 87

Share your picture to show us your world.

Outdoor Wednesday #212, The Hills of Pacifica and Daly City, California - January 30, 2013

It really is so beautiful where I live less, than 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean.  On
foggy days, sometimes you can't see more than a few feet in front of you but, when 
the sun is shining, the water glistens in the distance and the hills are amazing!

I am participating in Outdoor Wednesday, # 212 -

 add your picture and join in the fun!

Skywatch Friday: Season 6, Episode 25 - Sunny Skies over Pacifica, California

At last, for the moment anyway, the rains have ceased over the

Pacific, just south of San Francisco.  Let's hope the weather  holds

for a dry New Year's Eve celebration.

I am participating in Skywatch Friday: Season 6, Episode 25

Point your camera to the skies and join in the fun!

Nice Surprises - May 2, 2012

Recently, in Facebook, I was contacted by an adolescent boy I had mentored when
I first arrived in San Francisco over 36 years ago!  He wanted to thank me for being
so kind to him and for my patience and tolerance.  He went on to become a respected
engineer, not that I had a thing to do with that.  It is always nice, though...when
someone says thank you, after a quarter of a century.

This young man ( well, now about 50 ) is in the Bay area for a few weeks, visiting
from his home in Hawaii and we met for lunch at my favorite Thai restaurant in
San Francisco, Manivanh.  We sat there and talked for nearly four hours!  His
memory is so much better than mine, that's for sure.  He was able to recall all of the
folks that worked in the mentoring program and all the other kids that participated.
For a short while, all the years fell away and I was just starting life in this city by
the Bay!!  What a fun day it was.

I had another nice surprise, too.  Years ago, when I was eating at Manivanh, I told
the owners that I wanted to have a special dish with green beans, eggplant, and a few
other ingredients...but there wasn't one specifically like it on the menu.  "No problem,
we'll fix that for you!" Next time, I came in, Sam asked, "Do you want your
Carmen's special?"  I've eaten it so many times over the years as have other people
with me, then it spread to friends of friends, medical folks from San Francisco General
until today, I looked at the menu and, lo and behold:

This was my view as I headed out today from my temporary residence at my

friend, Silvia's house:

With that view, it's hard to remember there is misery and anguish in much of the

world.  I offered a prayer for world peace and an end to hunger and suffering

and thanked God for my fortune in life.  

It is always so soothing and serene at Manivanh.  Since their post-Thanksgiving

fire several years ago after Thanksgiving, they rebuilt and redecorated and I love

the special touches that bring the feel of Thailand to the Mission.

Except that she is Thai, I almost feel I should be saying "Namaste"

Here I am with my friend, Jeff, for the first time in over 35 years,

thanks to Facebook.

Camera Critters #182- Seagull Soiree - October 1, 2011

I've been to see all my physicians as I prepare for my six month sojourn
in India.  My arthritis in my left shoulder and left knee have gotten so bad
that I finally decided to have my wonderful ( and most handsome )
orthopedist, Dr. John Belzer, give me a steroid injection in both areas in
hopes of gaining some relief from the pain.  My right shoulder and right
knee bother me as well but not nearly as bad as the other side.

Neither injection was really uncomfortable and I am so happy to feel
some relief already.  Dr. Belzer cautioned me not to overdo use of either
joint, however, as the pathology is still there.

On the way home, I went down Great Highway and stopped for an hour
to look at the Pacific.  I have so much missed cruising since the loss of my
job nearly three years ago.  Thankfully, I've had the Pacific Ocean only
three miles from my home and a huge coastline for many miles in close
proximity.  Yesterday, there seemed to be a huge convention of seagulls!
As always, I had my camera with me and I got quite a few pictures, even
some of birds in flight which usually elude me.  I was helped by a good
headwind which kept them at practically a standstill in front of me!

I am participating in that fun Saturday meme,

Camera Critters, #182 -

check out the site and contribute to join in the fun!

Pacifica, California Sunrise - July 27, 2011

I am participating in Watery Wednesday #150 and Wordless Wednesday.

Check out the sites and add your own photos to join in the fun!

Watery Wednesday #130 & Wordless Wednesday, More of Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA, March 9, 2011

I  am participating in Watery Wednesday and Wordless Wednesday!

Check out the sites and join in the fun!

Camera Critters, #149, and Pet Pride, Beach Dogs, February 12, 2011

Last Sunday, when my son and I were at the Pacifica beach, I enjoyed seeing all
dogs that were out enjoying the sunny day.  Many of them raced into the surf,
fetching sticks and balls, mindless of the waves and seemed to do much better
than their human counterparts who were a little further out, trying to surf.  The
only problem was, when they came out of the water and began shaking vigorously,
spraying water all over the sunbathers!



I am participating in Camera Critters & Pet Pride!

Check out the links and join in the fun!