"Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They're about to announce the lottery numbers." - Homer Simpson

I hate it when work interrupts my beach combing. It seriously hurts me to miss a good low tide or to hear about the shells rolling up on the new Redfish Pass sand bar and dang it...I have to go make a living. But I have my ways to circumvent the circumstances. It requires timing, mental toughness, & a St. Arbuck's Caramel Brulee Latte.

 As I lay in bed Sunday night listening to the wind howl all I could think about was -It's blowing NW. I'm checking my tide app and it is looking good for an early low tide. I was due to work at 8am...ratz! Not enough time to hit the beach before work. My work is 2 miles from Venice Beach - just over a bridge really - sooooo..... I skip eating lunch &  skeedaddle out to Venice Beach to take a peek at what the winds blew in.

Venice Beach Monday afternoon

A line of shells streched about 100 yards

See the Lion's Paw up front - it's my first

So many nice tulips

Scotch Bonnet, Lion's Paw, & ABC Cone

I love Horse Conch's

Lordy, it was cold. I had on a hooded sweatshirt over my nice dress shirt. Then I had my lined winter coat over that. I had to tie a scarf around my neck to keep my hood from filling with wind and blowing back. It was so cold my eyes were stinging - my nose was running but no pain no gain.  I didn't even bring a bucket because I was just going out to take a look.  I wasn't planning on filling every pocket in my coat & sweatshirt  with shells and coral.  I know it sounds crazy - no lunch - freezing cold - go back to work smelling like the beach with wet shoes. Some how, it just make perfect sense to me. 

More Junonia pieces