kelp, rocks and a walk

The ocean has been lake-like lately. That sentence feels hairballish, but it's the actual look and feel of the sea we see out there. Truly, with such calm waters, the kelp's rapid growth is becoming very obvious. It grows - according to scientists who actually take the time to measure that - about 2-3 feet per day. It gets growing pains like my brother did when he was 14 and grew a foot one summer.

So, now's the time to come rent a kayak at Lover's Point and venture out to see what you can see in the sea. I'm having fun with that, like the Owl and the Pussycat.

On my walk today, I saw a few houses being remodeled, refurbished and even one being built from scratch, so the economy does still have a pulse and cannot yet be considered dead on arrival. On a day like this when it's so quiet and the doldrums are upon us, weather-wise, you have a good chance of actually enjoying a walk, not being blasted off the recreation trail by the cold north wind. I strolled and reveled in it, felt vigorous and full of vim and vigor. I have a pretty good idea about vigor, but vim is still a vague concept to me. I'll take it though.

Harbor seals and sea lions choose the most uncomfortable rock outcroppings to haul out on and rest. I guess I'm assuming they're resting because they close their eyes, but they hold their hind flippers up and balance on their side on the tiniest pinnacles of the rocks in the most rakish and jaunty way. It emphasizes to me how much I love a good well-made bed that definitely does not have a large rock in the middle of it for me to balance on as I sleep.

So, the day is mild, gray but strangely warm. She's out there, I know the sun is, and she's keeping the wind in a straightjacket for now, which accounts for the warmth. It's the best we can do here in the Groove with June all around us. Whatever form of comfort we take in this season's offerings, be it balancing on precipitous rocks, walking breathlessly out in the almost sun or hitting top speed (15 mph) on Lighthouse Avenue in our 8-cylinder 450 horsepower Buick LeSabres, we are not to be denied even the tiniest bit of summer ease and luxury.