month of loves: places

I like this idea of choosing my own topics. Then it's totally up to me how specific or general I want to be. Today's place, Huntington Beach, CA, is fairly small compared to a few others I have in mind.

My grandparents live in Huntington Beach so all my memories there involve that special "you-can-have-anything-you-want" luxury that only goes from grandparent to grandchild. I love Huntington Beach because no matter what time of year I go there, the weather always seems to be exactly the same, just a little warmer or cooler. But there's always moist, salty air, sunshine, and cool breezes.

I also love Huntington Beach because I get to play in the ocean. I've played on both sides of the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Caribbean, and though they may have been warmer or clearer, none provided as much non-stop wave entertainment as the Pacific. As a kid, I loved watching the surf roll out and seeing all the sand crabs burrow while the little sand piper birds would run back and forth trying to eat them. Once I got big enough to feel comfortable heading out farther, I learned how to boogie board and body surf. There is nothing like feeling you are always on the edge of a disastrous crash, and my best rides were always just ahead of a falling wave. I especially love body surfing when you catch a wave with your hands and feel your whole body being raced through the water.

I love just being on the beach. I love the feel of the sun on your back while you sit on hot sand. I love the incessant sound of the waves. I love the occasional dolphin sighting and watching the surfers. I love eating corn on the cob cooked in salty ocean water over a cracking fire. I love the sun setting over the waves and seeing to the very edge of the world.

Mmmm. I like thinking about the warm beach on this cold winter day. I can't wait to go back!