Tag Archives: sailing

Surfing in Austin, Texas

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Our son Surfing in Austin
Surfing in Austin Texas? Our son was raised in Southern California and grew up surfing. He also authored the book,Surf Stories by Ryen Phillips. A fun read, especially if you enjoy surfing tales. For those of you that enjoy outdoor cooking, he has also written Let’s Talk Outdoor Cooking. It has some great recipes and I especially like his stews. It is available for Kindle at Amazon.
He and his wife moved to Austin, Texas several years ago. They wanted to stay near the water, so they bought a sailboat and began  sailing on beautiful Lake Travis. The photo below was taken from their boat. Continue reading →

Photography Field Trip to Dana Point Harbor

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Boat2
Last week my photography class took a field trip to Dana Point Harbor. The class was scheduled to meet at 12:00, but I arrived early so I could enjoy a little extra time. The instructor had suggested we wear jackets because it was forecasted to be in the 60s, but it turned out to be t-shirt weather, with a gentle breeze perfect for sailing.

Sail-Boats-Dana-Point

Westwind Sailing has been part of the Harbor for many years and here you see a class out for a lesson. Their boats are easily spotted with their bright yellow sails.

Coincidentally, I’d been to Dana Point the night before, to meet friends for dinner and a walk around the harbor. I hadn’t been to Dana Point since the Christmas boat parade, and suddenly I was there two days in a row.

Classmate
A few of my photography classmates looking for the perfect photo opportunity. Later, some of us enjoyed a cup of coffee with our instructor. It was a fun way to end a wonderful day.

 

 

California or Texas?

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Looking at these photos I have to ask myself is this California or Texas? I’ve lived in California most of my life, and think it  is one of the most beautiful states, if not the most beautiful. This is a state of mountains, ocean, and desert. Our son and daughter-in-law moved to Austin Texas a few years ago, and recently purchased a sail boat which they sail on Lake Travis. I always thought of Texas as a state made of desert and prairie. When I traveled to Austin for the first time, I learned I was very wrong. The Austin area is quite hilly and green, with clear rivers and blue lakes.
Our son learned to sail here in California, and has now taken his love for this sport to Texas.
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amber-sailing
We are so happy that our daughter-in-law has learned to enjoy being on the water as well.
Ted-sailing
Our son enjoying the view as they return to the harbor.Texas-sunset
Can this really be Texas? This has certainly taught me not to assume anything about the other 49 states. I’m certainly looking forward to a future visit, and a day of sailing.

 

Away From the Heat and the Smoke

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water ripples

One of our favorite scooter destinations is Silverado Canyon, and that was the plan, until yesterday, around 10:00 A.M., when a wild fire started in Silverado Canyon. I spotted the tell tale cloud of smoke around 1:00 P.M., as I headed off to a  class, and by the time I arrived home at 4:30 the fire had obviously grown in size. There was no wind thank goodness, so the fire was not being pushed along as so often happens here in Southern California.

This morning when we woke we could smell smoke, and according to the weather report we were in for another scorcher. We made the decision to ride our scooters to the coast and see if we could find some cool, smoke free air. We weren’t the only ones looking.

yellow sails

As I write this we are home, about ten miles from the fire, which is still burning. The canyon has been evacuated and brave firefighters work to save homes. We are sending them good thoughts, and wishing the residents of Silverado Canyon a quick and safe return to their homes.