At Island's End

At the end of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, there is a bird sanctuary.   It's a state park where the birds are free to roam without any human interruption.

During the summer, it is closed off just a few feet down from where the houses end, so that the birds have their privacy.

But, during the fall, many parts of it are open to the public.

The coast line seems to stretch on forever in the distance, broken only by the trees and beach grasses that make up the dunes.

People and their pets were all over the area, enjoying the sunny October afternoon.

A vast number of the people out were fishing.  I almost ran into wire a few times!

Tide pools littered the beach, full of interesting shells and deceased wildlife.

The ocean wrapped around hills on the beach in curves, creating peninsulas where you could walk fifty feet or so out into the middle of the water without getting even your feet wet in the sand.  Couples were all over the place, holding hands, staring warmly at each other.  It was lovely.

The best part though, was when my feet did get wet.  It was almost 65 degrees Farenheit outside- warm for a late fall day, but the water was even warmer!  The cold came when the wind hit my wet ankles.

Seagulls, terns, and sandpipers were everywhere!  But they were much more skittish than on most other beaches, since they weren't accustomed to humans.  It was really hard to get a photograph of them at any kind of close range where they weren't attempting to fly away!

Some of the little tidepools were surrounded by large rocks, which had probably, at one time, been part of jetties.  These rocks had obviously been on the beach for some time.  Barnacles, moss and other sea life coated them, making them green and slimy.

There were shells everywhere too!  Hundreds of them, untouched all summer long.  Shell collecting is really popular on Long Beach Island, and finding shells like moonsnails is really unusual.  I picked up more than thirty just that afternoon!  It was magical.

Even some of the types of shells more commonly seen in the bay were on this beach.

This puppy ran up to me out of seemingly nowhere and jumped into my arms!  It was so cute and sweet, yipping playfully and licking at my face.  I love dogs, and I have never had one, so I cherish moments like that.  Unfortunately, it did have a family who were about one hundred feet away on the other side of the hill.  For a moment there, I thought I had been sent a new friend.

 

All in all, it was a perfect adventure.

Holgate, New Jersey, USA

Roll the Dice

On our last night in Austin, a bunch of us got together and played a late night game of Illuminati in the gazebo by the pool.  Danny and I had gone for a late night swim in the pool a few nights before, but were rudely interrupted by the sounds of a pack of coyotes killing a deer about twenty feet away, in the woods.  When that happened, we prompty ran away.  Coyotes don't generally attack people, especially in groups... but I am pretty little, and it was much safer to just leave.  This night, we had six people, and lots of lights on, so we weren't particularly concerned.  That's Danny, with the dive and the instructions, in the very dim light of a single 60w lamp.

Austin, Texas, USA

Shamu

I turned 21 a little over a week ago.  For my birthday, Danny took me to SeaWorld in San Antonio.  This was an experience unlike any I had ever had before.  Though most of the eager viewers surrounding me at Believe, the Shamu killer whale show, were about a quarter of my age, I was beaming with excitement

And boy, was it merited.  The killer whales/ orcas were incredible!  They were doing flips, beaching themselves on the side and smiling at the audience.  I was floored.  Unfortunately, some of them had a little bit of a floppy fin, meaning that they were depressed.  In this photograph, however, you can't tell.  This guy looks like he's having a whale of a time.  Get it?  A whale... uh, yeah...

San Antonio, Texas, USA

Watergazing

A Segment of the Roman Wall of Londinuim in the Tower of London

London, England

Now for the selfish, shameless ploy.

One of my favourite blogs to read is Pics by Polka Dot.  Photography and travel are only two of my interests.  Fashion has always been a major one for me (with acting, of course, being number one).  Before I came to London, I started searching for some good London Street Style blogs, to know what the general trends were here.  I tend to choose my outfits based on what I like and find to be attractive, not just current trends, but I would be lying if I said that the work of major designers and the street trends of the moment don't influence what I do.  

Anyways... There is a contest to win "May Day Princess" or something like that.  I sent in a photo of me, wearing one of my favourite outfits, in a pose that I think helps to express who I am.  Someone artistic, maybe a tad bit gothic at times, but who is sassy and fun.  Winner of this competition gets a photo shoot.  Dream come true.

SO.  Here's how to help me.  If you have a facebook, and think that I deserve to win this contest, go  HERE and click "like" at the bottom of the photo.  Whoever has the most people like their photo, wins the contest.  I would be unbelievably excited to win this.  Honestly, it would make my life.

Here's the photo I posted:

No need to let me know if you voted or not.  And, if you don't think I deserve it, don't vote for me.  Vote for someone else.  This is no dictatorship.

Thanks and keep enjoying the posts :)