Over the weekend, our friend Elise let us all know there was a negative tide (I guess thanks to the Wolf Moon) which makes for exceptional low tide pooling. Tom and the kids went on Saturday afternoon and had an amazing time prowling around the rocks for starfish and sea anemones.
I missed out on that adventure, as I was cooking the beets. (That sure sounds thankless, but I loved those beets later on in the evening, even if they did take an inordinately long time to cook.) However, I got my chance at the shore on Sunday. We started the day out with a beautiful long hike with Sherri and Rik and the kids along the hills on the south side of town. Mill Valley is chock full of cool paths and steps that cut along the side of the mountain. Most are short cuts from one street to another, although that’s a bit of a misnomer as some are insanely steep and challenging, particularly when one of your hikers is 5. At least the views are breathtaking. (sorry. couldn’t resist.)
After the hike we hit the beach again for more tide pools and playing around in the sand. Joan and the girls joined us, as did our California goddaughter. Fabulous afternoon.
We made it there just about an hour before the light got sentimental.
That’s our gang, heading back towards the cars. The whole beach was packed with dogs and families and beachcombers when we arrived. One of the girls from across the street is 10, and as we walked back along the sand I said something about beachcombers, and she’d never heard the word before. She asked, “Are there any other kinds of combers?” Anyone?
It was one of those beautiful, lucky, elemental days, and at the end of it, we were all feeling like this:
