Not high fashion…but I wear my practical beach “hiking” shoes all winter. Â Especially handy today.
It was nerve wracking to walk in the street – more ice than snow. Â Much easier once I was on the beach.
The sun is out and no wind. Â Low temperatures…but it’s still a pretty day!
On a warmer note…I’m in the office all weekend, and ready to help with your 2014 beach plans 🙂
If you want to see more snow/storm pictures from yesterday, check out my Twitter page
The most impressive sight? Â Huge ocean waves held up by the strong north wind. Â The surfers were happy!
The snow storm is receiving all of the attention, but shore property owners should be more concerned about the forecasted temperatures.
Cold wind can freeze pipes in the crawl space (open crawl space vents are often the cause). Â If outside faucets/showers aren’t drained, Â pipes will freeze, and then crack.
Inside your home, open the cabinet doors under the kitchen and bathroom sinks (allows heat to flow around the pipes). Turn up the thermostat a few degrees just to be safe.
Always worthwhile to ride down to check doors and windows, and make sure all household items are secure.
Stay warm!
Yesterday, I was off from work and able to walk mid-day. Â Low tide and plenty of hard sand by the water allowed for an extra long walk.
I posted my modified “polar bear plunge” picture on Twitter…but will share it again here 😉
This morning, the tide was high, so I had to walk near the dunes. Â If I had been closer to the ocean, I would have missed the Snowy Owl!
There have been newspaper articles about local sightings of the owls, and I hoped to catch a glimpse, too.
The owl stayed still for a few pictures before retreating to another section of Stone Harbor Point.
Thank you for following along in 2013. Â I’m grateful for your business and friendship.
Wishing you health, happiness…and relaxing beach days in 2014!
Winters by the beach tend to be monochromatic: the sky, sand, and ocean in various shades of gray.
So a colorful sunrise (or sunset) is especially appreciated. Â This morning, the view was beautiful as I walked down the path to the beach. Â An hour later, clouds moved in and the gray returned. Temperatures are fairly mild…so I can’t complain 😉
We had 2 days off after Christmas, and wanted to take a quick get away. Â Thought about venturing into Philadelphia or New York City to see a show…but that seemed like too much effort.
So we decided on a comfortable and easy escape- Rehoboth Beach. Â A quick ferry ride from Cape May, and an off season beach town atmosphere.
Their downtown reminds me of a mix of JFK Boulevard in Sea Isle City, and 96th Street in Stone Harbor. Â And like Cape May, Â Rehoboth Beach is able to draw a crowd, allowing most shops and restaurants to thrive even in December.
Oh, and did I mention the outlets? Â 😉
Now back in our sleepy beach town…which suits us perfectly fine!
Santa– the life size painted, cut out version- has been an important part of Christmas for as long as I can remember.
Santa began his life of service in the early 1960’s at my parents’ first house in Avalon. He was surrounded by big, multi-colored bulbs on the newly planted shrubs. Inside that modest Golden Home rancher, 4 little girls hung their stockings on a cardboard fireplace with a plug in red bulb that magically turned the metal wheel to create “fire†.
In the 1970’s, Santa moved with our family 5 blocks south in Avalon to a larger, 2 story home with a real wood fireplace. The colorful exterior lights were eventually replaced with more subtle white bulbs, but the spot light literally remained on Santa.
In the off season, Santa hung proudly on the garage wall- watching us all come and go. Those little girls grew up and moved out, bringing back grandchildren for days on the beach. In the 1980’s, my young sons were fascinated by Santa, and maybe a bit intimidated based on our attempts to use him for improved behavior!
When my parents downsized to a townhouse in the early 1990’s, my father asked if I wanted Santa for our home. Of course, I was thrilled- and Santa didn’t complain as he was forced to leave Avalon and move “off shoreâ€.
Santa loyally followed us on each move- knowing that he would be given a prominent position (with a flood light) at Christmas.   Several years ago, he gratefully moved back to the island to become a Stone Harbor resident!
Now approaching 50 years old, Santa is showing some signs of wear (aren’t we all). I thought about asking an artist to do a “touch upâ€, but it just doesn’t seem right.  It’s good to remember that so much time has passed- it helps us to celebrate the journey.
There have always been rumors about famous people owning vacation homes in Avalon and Stone Harbor. Â And while it’s not far fetched (who wouldn’t want to live here??), most rumors turn out to be false.
Our “celebrity” owners are more commonly Philadelphia sports team athletes (in fact I work for one!)
So, when I heard that an ocean front house was supposedly built for a popular singer…I dismissed the news. Â But of course, I started looking for clues, and thought…well maybe.
Unfortunately, the builder confirmed that the rumor is false…and that the actual owner is amused by the discussion.
Darn. Â Thought it would be fun to share my beach walks with a new neighbor 😉
Thank you!
I especially enjoy the picture greeting cards- although they are a dose of reality.
Weren’t the children babies when you purchased your beach house? Â How can they be in college already? Â Or worse, married and starting their own family!
I am grateful to be involved…and maintain friendships, with so many families over the years.
Buying a home at the shore is a dream, and I have the privilege to help.
Thank you!