Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Life List Day 218 - Stare at the Strangest Ocean I've Ever Seen

Today, I was driving home from an errand at about 6 p.m.- thinking how I hadn't yet done anything for my life list - when I came up over a hill, and in front of me - because of the effects of the wildfires - was the strangest ocean view I've seen in the 20-some years I've lived in California. I was actually in a rush to get home, but I stopped, pulled into a parking lot, and walked to the shore, utterly mesmerized.

I don't even know how to describe it, but I'll try.

The sun was the first thing I noticed - you couldn't miss it - this blazing red ball suspended in the sky.

But EVERYTHING was strange. The sky and ocean seemed to blend together in this crazy puttyish hue with streaks of red - soot, I know, but muted so it didn't seem like pollution but, rather, that the world was wearing a different color for the day. And the water was so still. It looked like a flat expanse of mud, where I could just walk out to the two big tankers floating in the distance. Dolphins jumped from the water, and pterodactyl-sized pelicans were dive-bombing for fish.

The whole thing was so surreal and sort of "land before time."

Anyway, it got me to thinking how just a few miles up the coast and inland from me, fires were still burning, people were losing their homes, and some really pretty areas were being destroyed. I didn't have to turn on the TV to see it because - in an odd way - I was witnessing it right here.

Of course, then I started blubbering.

What can I say? I'm a big ol' crybaby.

3 comments:

Livingsword said...

Jill;

Wonderfully described, bravo!

My prayers go out for the people of California….

Graham Ettridge said...

You have a big heart Jill, and that makes you who you are.

We have been gripped by the news articles on the TV here in England, it sounds awful. My heart goes out to all those who have lost their homes and belongings - and my deepest respect goes to the firefighters who are still risking their lives to control the blaze.

On a lighter note, your words desribe the sun perfectly, no need for a photo. It sounds spectacular, it is just a shame about the circumstances.

Best wishes ~ Graham

Anonymous said...

To the owner of this blog, how far youve come?