seals and pelicans

These pelicans show up to eat leftover bait, or so it seems.

The lump on the pier, just behind the blue/green boat, is a seal. There were several seals trying to nap, then another seal came along and an argument began, with a lot of barking or honking noises.

More pelicans, watching for some bait.

This pelican strutted up and down before jumping into the water and swimming away.

local sights/sites

This is a local highway, looking dramatic before sunset.

This church is only a couple of blocks away,. Its bells ring every hour, something we haven't heard on the East Coast in decades.

plants and animals

Here's one lonely tree, losing its leaves, just like the trees on the East Coast.I haven't seen another.

 There are no pigeons, but the town fountain is visited by seagulls, who use it for a lounge and birdbath.

 A Bird-of-Paradise in a local garden, if not in the wild. It seems to thrive here, and grows to be a large shrub when planted outdoors. It looks much better planted naturally than stuck in a vase as a one-flower arrangement.

truck lag

 I was 12 years old the first time I went on a long trip in a car. We drove from our home near Philadelphia to Nova Scotia, Canada, stopping at what might have been every "Howard Johnson's" diner along US Route 1 and Interstate 95. The time is one hour later than Philadelphia in Nova Scotia--Atlantic Time--but I don't remember having a problem with it.  Here in California, we're on Pacific Time. Whatever time we're on, I can't seem to stop getting up at 5 am. I didn't know this would happen after a car trip. I don't have a name for it--we've all heard of jet lag, but Budget Rental lag? It's been more than 2 weeks, and I still feel time disoriented. It gets dark before 5, which seems out of place to an easterner, since it's warm. But not because there's more daylight. It seems very late by about 9 ( midnight Eastern Time ) and by 5 am, when it's still quite dark, it seems time to get up.

California sun

California looks balmy most of the time, and it's famous for its warm sun--but I find it damp and chilly, with no central heating. The days are sometimes still warm, but only if you're actually in the sun. Everywhere else, including indoors, is chilly, with a breeze that may come right through a closed window. There's a heater in our living room and hall, but nothing in the bedrooms. Restaurants with decks have heaters or fires, and a bonfire on the beach is a popular local activity. The east would be cold now, but the heat would be on.

sea gulls

The gull at the top is a west coast sea gull. The gull at the bottom is an east coast sea gull. I don't really see any difference. The west coast sea gulls pretty much live only at the beach. We don't see them even a block or two inland. The east coast sea gulls move farther inland all the time. They can now be seen at suburban parking lots 60 miles from the Atlantic--this became fairly common about 20 years ago.
East coast sea gulls will walk right up to people and steal food. In densely populated areas, like Atlantic City, they have learned how to dive at people--to make them drop their food--and then eat their pizza. 

trees

Nov. 2nd, 12 pm. Here's the view from our front walk. It looks like a brontosaurus should be munching on the palm tree in the back. I wonder how long it takes to get used to this.