by beachraven | Nov 18, 2022
Asilomar State Beach, Pacific Grove, Califonia It was all sun and storm on the beach. Which one would win didn’t seem to matter as I walked along the coast with the constant crashing of waves and its mist-filled breeze whipping in from the sea. There’s no use...
by beachraven | Nov 11, 2022
Asilomar State Beach, Pacific Grove, California In front of me is the Pacific Ocean, dark and brooding, churning hard from the storm that passed through yesterday, the first big storm of the season. And exactly why I’m up at 4:30 in the morning, again, two days...
by beachraven | Nov 4, 2022
Nepenthe, Big Sur, California I arrived at the scenic overlook just before noon. A low-hanging cloud left the view a bright emptiness, a deep pillow of infinite white, a scene of nothing. I imagined the expansive view I’d seen numerous times, but for some...
by beachraven | Oct 7, 2022
Point Reyes, California It’s five a.m., but it feels like three. There’s a small fire in the heater glowing in the room, and outside the open window, geese honk with concern as Donna sleeps in the next room, possibly listening to me click away. I...
by beachraven | Sep 17, 2022
Wind-Ripped Maple, Monterey Peninsula The plum was perfectly ripe, sweet, and bursting with juice and flavor. Rays of the sun warmed the deck and soaked into my bones, leaving nothing to desire but more of the same warm, bright liveliness. Luscious drops of...
by beachraven | Sep 2, 2022
Asilomar Beach, Pacific Grove, California I sat on the side of the bed and gazed into the full-length mirror, but instead of seeing myself looking back, I saw an aging primate. The eyes looked like those of an ape with pain and wisdom, and concern. The body folded...
by beachraven | Aug 27, 2022
Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California I rolled into the graveyard shortly after dawn, the grass color just appearing through the dissolving dark grays and blacks of night and the damp chill of thick dripping air before the haze pulled out to sea. I’ve...
by beachraven | Aug 19, 2022
Del Monte Forest, Monterey, California As I walked along, the sea haze began to roll in and cover the forest in a dripping, white cloud. I’ve had it all wrong, I thought. It’s not that I have to give up my thoughts to be in the moment; when...
by beachraven | Aug 12, 2022
August 17th, 1977, I was on my way to work, driving down La Brea Boulevard in Hollywood, listening to my favorite radio station, and as I crossed Santa Monica Boulevard, they announced Elvis Presley’s death. The news appeared out of nowhere. The air felt thin, and as...
by beachraven | Jul 29, 2022
Sunset Manzanita, California Native What makes a garden feel at ease with itself? I love different garden styles: Chinese, German, and Zen. They all have an attraction and calm aesthetic when done right. But while some feel calm and relaxed, others seem...
