I just got in from northern California.

It is about 15 minutes past 11 p.m.

Spent the past three days
doing rigorous "conditioning" exercises
in the form of seven mile
walks on the beach,
once each day,
faster each time.

I use a pair of tubular metal walking sticks,
which act like cross-country ski poles,
so that one can get upper torso
in on the action.

Is especially useful
when climbing up hills or embankments,
or crossing boulder fields.

Takes a lot of pressure off of the knees.

Of course that doesn't last long,
as you now become more agressive,
when realizing how much more you can do
with the assistance of two hiking sticks
properly used.

I like to go to fairly remote beaches
which are favorites
of colonies
of various different types of birds,
some local,
and others migratory.

As an example,
a flock of about 100 Canadian Geese
just happened to be passing through
two days ago.

They, weirdly enough,
apparently were enjoying
body surfing
on the waves.

Six footers were dropping down
directly onto their heads
as all would disappear for about twenty seconds
and then begin to reappear,
first one by one,
then two by two,
and suddenly many by many.

You or I would have been slammed hard
into the bottom
and probably would be half-drowned,
and certainly not ready for yet another.

But, not so, with these Geese.

Next thing I know they are actually
catching and riding
these same waves
into the shore
and then coming up onto the beach
in order to finish their ride.

I have seen ducks, in Hallstatt (Germany),
ride on the little rivers entering into that lake,
at high speed,
with the utmost glee,
as they then fly back up stream
to do it all over again,
with others doing the same in between.

But Geese in salt water?

And riding the waves?

And being smashed into the bottom,
repeatedly,
with no apparent ill effects?

Wow!




And I cannot remember
ever seeing
so many Sandpipers
and baby Sandpipers.

I stood in numerous clouds
of little white babies
flying at high speed,
with literally hundreds,
flying, merrily, all around me.

And that
with my obligatory flock of gulls,
who decided
that I am so much fun to be with
that they stayed with me
throughout the entire
length of my walks.

I do not know
whether they were having a better time,
or I was?

I do know that ALL had a good time.

And, Yes,
I did get video and stills of the surfing action.

(Although
I haven't gotten to look at them,
myself,
just yet.)



Got to get to bed now

and then to go down
into "the belly of the beast"
for a corporate meeting
first thing in the morning.




Hope this finds all well
with all of my loved ones.

I think of you all very much,
all of the time.

As I have said before,
you are in my prayers 24/7.

Literally.


w/profound and steadfast love

vw

2-4-13
11:30 p.m.
Monday
Ventura, California, USA