Saturday, January 02, 2010

New Year Day's Gifts To Simple Joys in Simple Life

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Walking @ the Tidepool Area, Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego
New Year's Day, the first year of the decade of the teens. After waking up, I looked outside from our bedroom window for signs of beautiful day. I saw the very intense color of the sky which promises for a very good sunrise. I got up and took my camera, but then, as I stepped outside, I saw the pink sky looking West. Pink, being my favorite color, always draw me. I decided to walk towards the front of the house ( which is looking West) instead of walking to the back ( which is looking East for the sunrise that woke me up).

Moon Over Pink Sky
I thought of changing my lens to a zoom one so I can zoom the moon, however, after I stepped inside and changed my lens, the pink sky was gone and the moon was in a very pale color. I then remembered the sunrise at the back, but when I went to check it out, the sun was already high! How quick the changes in the sky happened. Determined to find good things for the first day of the year, I checked for low tide conditions. It said: -1.6 ft at 3:53 pm! This was what I wanted, negative low tide! It is time for tide pools! Though San Diego has a lot of sandy beaches, but it also has a lot of rocky shores which are ideal for tide pool. Whenever we go tide pooling in San Diego, I always think of Cabrillo National Monument.

Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego, CA ( 3:30 pm )
The picture above was taken at 3:30 pm yesterday. During high tide, from this same angle, it is hard to take a picture with the rocks below. Looking down, and looking up, there were two things that made me excited: 1. the low tide. 2. the clouds, which means the sunset will be special, New Year's Day special.
What is special with the tide pools at low tide? At low tide, people can view the ocean's intertidal zone ecosystem up close.

Man's Shoes Almost on Star Fish
Exploring the tide pools at low tide is called tide pooling. Many plants and creature live in the tidepool area. Tide pools are a unique yet brutal habitat in the rocky shores where the ocean meets the land. It is interesting to observe the life species at this area when the tide is low. Take a look at the picture above for example, I took that since a man knelt down to have a better angle of the creature he wanted to take picture of. Unknowingly, his shoes almost kicked the starfish, but of course, he did not and the starfish was safe :) . One thing for sure, I know he must be wet after kneeling down on wet sea weeds with some trapped sea water in the pool.

Red Crab
Maybe the man in the above picture had a very good picture of the red crab above that I was also taking a picture of before him, but I did not kneel since I did not want to get wet. That crab was huge, perhaps the largest I ever saw even compared to the big crabs I saw in the sea food market. 
Here are some more tide pool pictures from yesterday:

California lobster
(we saw this lobster brought by the pounding wave, we helped him go back to the water )

 Star Fish

Another Star Fish

I'll let you guess what this is, clue: I only capture its arms
Though it was still fun tide pooling, and though I have not reached the cave yet, but the it was getting darker and the tide pool area closes at 4:30 pm, so we had to head back to the parking lot. As we hiked up the cliffs, the setting sun was changing the colors of the sky everywhere!

Setting Sun, New Year's Day 2010 ( 4: 43 pm )

Looking Back to the Tide Pool Area Below ( 4: 56 pm )
( you can compare the colors with the 3rd picture above when we arrived at the park )

Looking Back to the Tide Pool Area Below ( 5: 03 pm )

Yuccas Showered by Clouds ( 4:43 pm)

Yuccas at Sunset ( 4:47 pm )

Badlands and Yuccas ( 4:57 pm)

Looking Down at The Tide Pool Area ( 5: 02 pm )

The Ocean After Sun Set ( 5:00 pm )

The Ocean After Sun Set ( 5:06 pm )
Did we do anything special to witness this beauty? We just simply took the moment to enjoy the simple things in life such as exploring the tide pools and stopping for sunset. As the decade moves on, I hope to be able to continue to enjoy the simple things in life. Life is like a wonderful and meaningful hike, there are lots of ups and downs, trail crossings, switchbacks, and beautiful scenic turns which we see only when we learn to slow down.
Hope everyone had a great start of the New Year!! My holiday vacation is over ( back to reality now for me on Monday ), though I may be seen less in blogging world again, but it does not mean I have stopped from enjoying the simple beauty around us.
♥♥
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30 comments:

  1. i count you as one of my simple yet grand blessings in life. you have inspired me tremendously with your simple lifestyle and awe-inspiring passion in nature photography! no doubt, you are simply the BEST!

    HAPPY NEW YEAR, BETH! who knows someday i can go tidepooling and sunset watching with you. meantime, i'll never cease sharing your simple joys in simple (yet grand) life. ;)

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  2. Ooh..a starfish! :) I would like to photograph one someday.

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  3. Whoah! Look at those colors in the sky, I've never seen the sky so amazing! Also,how nice of you to save the poor lobster.Your pictures of several colorful starfish brought me fun memories of my high school days.

    As to the mystery creature, was it an octopus?

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  4. Uhmm..I think that crab and lobster looks so yummy. LOL

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  5. Never seen star fish on shores.

    Fascinating shots. love those sunset pictures!

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  6. Stunning photos, betchai! I love all the different colors of the sky, and the tide pool area is very interesting with beautiful star fish, and lobster..

    May the New Year brings you even more simple joys of life, love, luck, and happiness.

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  7. Betchai, u r blessed to experience these simple joys of nature

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  8. You are one of the best. I 100% agree.

    I am inspired every moment I read your posts and follow your photos to all the places you have visited.

    Life is not only simple when it is simple enough, it can be so beautiful and enjoyable.

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  9. Beth... your simple joys in life give me amazing joys in life. keep it up.

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  10. Happy New Year Bets! One of the simple blessings is enjoying what nature could offer. Your photos show that you are a great admirer of the outdoors. I wish I was that close to the beach. The tide pools have provided the best underwater creatures, so happy to see them.
    You always inspire me on your posts.

    P.S. The calendar was very simple to do in Photoshop.

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  11. I love the tidepools at Cabrillo, but haven't been in years. Think I will try to do that very soon.

    Happy New Year, my friend. Thanks for always being there for me and cheering me up.

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  12. Oh betchai, it is always so exciting to see your photos. That pink sky is amazing and the starfish really cool. You always find such beauty in the simple things and that is what makes you so special :)

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  13. I agree with your comment about Icy. She is very knowledgable and a great help. She really tries to open up a lot of options, and at the same time making sure that you are comfortable doing it.
    On your post, you're just so good at photography. I can't believe I keep seeing different stuff all the time and they are all exceptional.

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  14. That's a very beautiful range of ocean life betchai! I love the sky shoot per timing :D

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  15. You got some great pictures, especially of the sea life. I don't think I've ever seen some of them in the blogging world.

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  16. Your pictures bring me such joy and happiness betchai!! Thank you for this last year of them and I hope another! Happy New Year!

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  17. Betchai,

    I came back to wish you a good week at schools, and saw the changes on your blog! Love the header and the sun flowers background!

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  18. i love the new header Bethchai :) so nice girlash ;)

    Happy new Year Kimchai! and i wish you and Khai more wonderful travels together... and thanks for the wonderful friendship...

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  19. Wow! Goodness, you stumbled upon so many beautiful fauna and floras. :D

    It was an octopus right? :p

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  20. Happy 2010 to you Betchai!!

    You have beautiful skies there, from pink to fiery red!

    It was too nice of you to help the lobster back to the water, maybe I will take it home for a nice fresh lobster dish! ahahaha

    That's an octopus right?

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  21. Betchai your pictures are amazing. My kids so love to visit your blog, and what new things you share. Happy New Year!

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  22. The tide pool photos are awesome! How amazing to see so much wildlife. I hope you have a very happy new year!

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  23. Those are some extraordinary pictures of sea life and sunset! My one and only visit to Cabrillo was cold and overcast so your photos have a happier memory. :)

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  24. So many wonderful photos, too little time. Hope you have an awesome 2010.

    peace,
    mike
    livelife365

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  25. your nature photography is of a standard above most other blogs. you make good pics appear so effortlessly.

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  26. You really do have a great blog here. I'm picking out a few of them that I like and introducing myself and my blog, TheWISDOMWALL.com. I want it to be a top resource for those looking for inspiration and motivation. Life is hard enough, you know? I was wondering if we could exchange links and help spread some traffic around between each other. It's a win/win for both of us.

    Please let me know if this is possible.

    Jason
    TheWISDOMWALL.com

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  27. So thought provoking and yes life however simple it is and no matter how simple we live in it and through it, we can still make the most of it. Like for instance, the way you compiled all what you have appreciated from the joys of nature you saw.

    Betchai, this can be published as an Inspirational Book. I am not joking!

    Keep compiling and maintain those beautiful simple words.

    thanks for the visit and Happy New Year!

    Oh by the way, the guessing part where you reach out the "hand only" - it is a turtle if my vision did not fail.

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  28. Goodness, Betchai, how did I ever miss these incredible photographs! And how did I stumble on them now, January 8th. Thankfully, I did! I would not have wanted to miss them for the world. They are treasures to behold. The sky, morning and night, the sea life, all of it. What a special day you had. And mine is ending that way, thanks to you.

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  29. Hi Bets, I love your new layout! Thanks for all the visits,nice comments, and hopefully we can meet in person, either here or in SD. We will be going back to the Flower Fields, preferable in the middle Spring. Thanks also for visiting Mely's food blog. She used to do a lot of Filipino food recipes but has been hampered because of her cataracts. I met her on line too, one fine lady.
    I hope you have more time to share your wonderful photos. I feel that I do not have enough time to post and reciprocate visits, wish there's more than 24 hours in a day.

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THANK YOU SO MUCH!!