A quiet coastal day

...visiting the mute swans (ducks too!)

My dreams for today were targeted at the coast, absorbing ocean views - but before I headed to New Hampshire, I satisfied my bike's (my?) desire for a morning ride. Sunshine and quiet air beckoned. Rolling down the road, 21 miles met today's riding requirement.

It was time to head to the ocean's edge for some afternoon walking. The ocean was quiet, gentle waves lapping the shore at what appeared to be low tide. Walking, sharing the path with a few other people, watching patterns in wet sand, sun flying relatively low in the sky... It was an out-and-back walk, with my turnaround planned for the spot that the mute swans call their own, sharing it with other water birds (sea gulls and ducks). I've been on an alternating swan visit schedule; sometimes they are there, sometimes they are hiding. Today the pair was waiting for me and my camera.

Driving home, the sun was starting to aim for the horizon. Daylight, wisps of clouds highlighting a sometimes hiding sun... And then I saw a colored reflection in the clouds. It was almost like a reflection from a piece of crystal, a piece of a rainbow, a beautiful image to keep as a memory.

It's funny how long my legs look in these walking shadow shots

Mute swan scratching, sea gull watching...

A cloud painting

Interested in more pictures from my wandering today? You can see them starting on page 7 of my photo gallery Glimpses of water - coastal New Hampshire, 2006.