It’s quite amazing what a week or so away from your everyday life can do for
one’s perspective. I always return from my travels newly inspired, and oddly
even more in love with home, and the city I live in. I’ve always been the kind
of vagabond that likes knowing I have a bed, and a town and friends and
animals of my own to comeback to. Home-base. Headquarters. The idea
of not having that is extremely alarming to someone like me. Maybe if I had
a caravan, or a snail-shell on my back. Perhaps then. So, I’m back from my
trip to the Bay, with scads of pictures (and even some from my last adventure
there that I really ought to finally share!) but let’s start here, at the seaside:

My dearest darling Dana, walking along the strand – elegant as ever.

I hadn’t seen the ocean in a long time. Too long. I love the Pacific.
It’s so grand and ferocious! Far too chilly for swimming, but I took
off my shoes and stockings and walked into the surf, and climbed
up rocky cliffs. It felt good to breathe in clean brine and negative ions
swirling in the surf. Soft sand under my feet, and warm sun on my back.

I think this might be the first time I’d ever seen starfish in their
natural habitat. I wouldn’t mind being a starfish, or an anemone.
How I would love to see some anemones! I want to go to the
tidepools in Salt Point National Park next time, and St. Orres also!

When I walked past these, they all moved as if to grab me with
their little beaky pincers. I was reminded of the old belief that
this is where geese come from. You know, from barnacles:
“In the days before it was realised that birds migrate, it was thought that
Barnacle Geese, Branta leucopsis, developed from this crustacean,
since they were never seen to nest in temperate Europe, hence the
scientific and English names. The confusion was prompted by the
similarities in colour and shape. Because they were often found on
driftwood, it was assumed that the barnacles were attached to branches
before they fell in the water. The Welsh monk, Giraldus Cambrensis,
claimed to have seen goose barnacles in the process of turning into
barnacle geese in the twelfth century.”
– from Wikipedia

I really wanted to touch it! It looks so squishy. I did not, as that
would be very rude indeed. Restraint is key, when dealing with
aquatic denizens. They are very easily offended, or so I’ve heard.

We are sirens that beckon you toward our rocky lagoon.
So marvelous to see my lovely ladies, Miss Dana + Miss Courtney.
Later that day, we are oysters at my favorite spot, the Marshall Store,
and then trekked up into the hills to a magical house seemingly made
by Japanese woodcarver elves. More on that tomorrow, though…

Courtney Pocketmouse in her natural environment.
She is part selkie, or didn’t you know? I wonder where
she keeps her sealskin hat hidden? Shh! Don’t tell!