Father's Day at Sunset Beach, CA

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.

 ~Johann Schiller

(l-r) Craig Morris and Gerry Plunk. 

These two men are role models. They married and stayed married to the  mothers of their children. They love their respective child's spouse as though their own.

Kenny with his Dad, Gerry 

Our son Kenny, one of the founders of Bass Knuckles clothing is just back from fishing at Cedros Island. I'll try to let you all know when the trip is televised. The island off Ensenada was part of the story-line mentioned in the movie Act of Valor, but its real claim to fame is wide-open bass fishing.

Kenny's wife Shannon with her dad, Craig

Shannon is as beautiful on her days off without makeup as she is working as a stylist in Beverly Hills at  José Eber . Success hasn't spoiled our Shannon because her real beauty radiates from the inside out.

One advantage to living in the age of cell phones is we can coordinate when to meet at the beach. Scanning for where on Sunset Beach the families might be- they were right behind us. When the phone rang, they loaded up the Bass Knuckles cart from where they live across the way in Huntington Harbor and sent Craig to pick up the fabulous sandwiches from a local eatery. 

Only 5' above sea level,  the beachfront community was established in 1905- with sandy home sites developed as a result of the 1920 discovery of oil. In 2011, the 971 resident town was was annexed by the neighboring city of Huntington Beach.  If the giant agave and sparse  ice plant on the dune seam sparse- there isn't much that can grow in blowing sand.  Still there is much to enjoy on my day off horticulture

Birds flying

 Kites sailing

 Boats cruising

Windsurfers conquering wind and waves

An oil derrick in the background, a man-made reef that took my thoughts to our older son who works in oil and gas exploration in the great Rocky Mountains.  

As the mother of an oil worker I have something to say to the celebrities who think they do "the planet" a favor with sit ins on platforms- go home. Don't put these men in danger with your good intentions. Maybe someday it will be different, but for now our lives are powered by oil and gas. Interfering with very serious safety precautions taken is foolish.

In much of the country, trees are windbreaks. But at the sea, it is a double row of houses planted in the sand that is all that is required. Cross Pacific Coast Highway- the wind and water of Huntington Harbor is calm.