Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #104: Summer at the Beach
This week Amy’s theme for Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #104 is Summer.
“Summer is singing with joy, and the beaches are inviting you with dancing waves.” – Debasish Mridha
There are three beaches where we enjoy our summer in normal circumstances. All these beaches are about thirty-five minutes’ drive from our home. These beaches have different features for the beach goers. It’s a wonderful way to spend half a day on weekends.
“Friends, sun, sand and sea. That sounds like a summer to me.” – Unknown
The women’s group had an annual outing either at the Newport Beach or Huntington Beach. We could carpool or drive there by ourselves and get there around 10:00 a.m. Most of us would take a leisure stroll on the beach or walked to the end of the pier. The trip concluded with a lunch at a seafood restaurant. It was an enjoyable outing to watch the high tide coming in to splash the shore and watch the sunbathers and swimmers having a relaxing time in the sun. It was also wonderful taking time to catch up with friends without rushing home.
“At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun.” – Sandy Gingras
Laguna Beach is a small city. It is known for the scenic coves and an artist community. It has an art museum. The city holds an annual art festival. Its geography has rolling hills and vertical climbs for hiking. The shopping offers one-of-a-kind retail shops, bath salts and oil, jewelry, clothing, to art galleries. When there was a low tide, we often walked through the rocks between pots of water to look for tiny sea creatures.
“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.” – Robert Wyland
Newport Beach offers many activities and rentals for paddle boarding, body boarding, kayaking, and surfing. For individual or family biking, there are adult’s and children’s bikes, electric bikes, and multi-passenger paddle surreys. There are trips for cruises, whale watching, Sports fishing, and charter boat fishing. We had taken the pleasure to enjoy many of these activities and trips in the summer.
Thank you for your visit. What is your favorite summer activity?
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #104: Summer at the Beach
The Showers of Blessings 
You got some great shots of the waves. I could hear them! 😊
Pat
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Yeah, Pat, thank you. It must be one of those days with 10-foot high waves. 😊
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I knew I’d find some blue-skied beaches in your post, Miriam, as well as some lovely quotes. I would love to be on a sunny beach right now. We’re still waiting on summer in Oregon’s mountains. Lol. Thanks for the smiles, my friend. 😀
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Yeah, Diana, I needed a virtual trip to the beach. When I do the photo challenges, they take my mind to revisit those places, sometimes find something I hadn’t notice before.
My daughter’s family went to the beaches a couple times. From their photos, it looked like they were the only ones being there.
They love hiking and cross country skiing but haven’t done it yet. 🙂
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I like going to those places too, Miriam. Your photos are as close as I’m getting for a while. 🙂
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Oregon beaches and California beaches are very different. I think Cannon Beach is my favorite. 🙂
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It’s a pretty one, but so cold – brrr. I don’t go in past my knees. 🙂
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I don’t know which beach my daughter went a few weeks ago. Autumn went naked in the water. She is a brave little girl. 🙂
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I think little kids can handle the cold water better than us old folks. Lol.
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I know, when she first started eating real food, she sucked a wedge of lemon with a straight face!
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Hi Miriam, lovely photos, how I miss the sea! I’m going to see my family soon in Scotland. They live quite near the sea so looking forward to seeing them and the sea too!
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It’s wonderful to hear that, Marje! I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time with your family. I wish to go to Scotland one day. My daughter was there when she went to University of St. Andrew for summer school.
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That’s lovely Miriam. My eldest daughter is going to Scotland to study in late August. Secondary teacher training. 🙂
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That’s wonderful, Marje. I hope she’ll have some fun during the weekends while studying in Scotland. 🙂
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Miriam, Your photos are exceptionally stunning! The blue colours of the water and the sky are breathtaking. Beautiful quotes. “…mood to moment…” Newport Beach looks like a wonderful area for day trips and to go on vacation. We are all looking forward to places opening up in a safe manner. I hope you and family are well. xx ❤️
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Erica, blue color is one of the attractions to me as the sky meets the ocean. We’re close to Los Angeles with smog and hazy sky. Going to the beach to see the blue sky 💙 is pleasant scene to the mind and the eyes. I too so look forward to places opening up.
We got together with a couple in their backyard and brought our own lunch. This is the first time as far as being with friends. We got together with a small group of family two times.
Did you see any more of your family? Before we went to our friends this morning, I saw that you have a new post. I’ll read it soon.
Hope you’re doing well. 💖🙏
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Yes, my grandchildren. I am heading off to see my Mother, soon. She is frail and elderly and I will regret not seeing her during this window of opportunity. A bit of an excusion and we will take all the smart precautions.❤️
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Probably it’s a good time to see your mother when you can. We don’t know if the second wave will hit. The forecast seems to indicate it will come back in fall.
Enjoy you visit. ❤
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I think we are all bracing ourselves and preparing ourselves for the possibility of second wave. Hopefully, you will be able to see your family soon and in a safe manner. Hugs 💕
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California is getting worse than when it all started. I’m disappointed of the people who are not careful.
Take care, Erica.💖
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I wish I had a magic wand on this one. Stay safe. ❤️
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I know, Erica. How we wish to have one this time of the history. Be well. 💖
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The ocean fills me with joy. Beautiful photos, Miriam!
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I know, Jacquie! It makes us feel refreshing and expands our hearts and vision.
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Beautiful beach photos, Miriam! Growing up near a beach I guess automatically moldsts you into a beach person!
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Yes, AC, I live by the water anywhere I go, so far! It’s a natural attraction.
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It is.
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You are so blessed to live close to such beautiful beaches, Miriam. Wonderful images of the joys of summer. ❤
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Yes, I count it as a blessing, Olga. Thank you for your comment. ❤
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Beautiful spot and excellent photos, Miriam.
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Thank you so much, Mark!
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You really do live in a beautiful place, Miriam. Gorgeous photographs. Are your beaches closed?
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Robbie, they were open a few weeks ago and people were in groups with their families. Our cases surged again and the states are taking one step back, so I’m not sure if they’re closed again.
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Great photos. Beaches are such a wonderful place
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Yes, they are a wonderful place, Bella! Wish to go soon.
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I’ve been to Laguna Beach once ☺️☀️ beautiful photographs of summer time…hoping you get there soon Miriam 🙋♀️ smiles from the north ~ Hedy
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Yes, Hedy. Laguna Beach is beautiful. I surely hope to go again soon. 🙂 Hope it’s not too cold in Alberta right now.
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I didn’t realize we were neighbors, Miriam. I’m in Laguna Hills. Thank you for taking me on your beach trip. I haven’t been in far too long!
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Yes, Jacqui, you could go there and sit and write. We haven’t been there for many months either.
I used to live by The Huntington Library back in the days with no sold fencing. Students could walk in to do their studies!
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Captivating and gorgeous pictures of the beaches, Miriam and you and your friend are looking so beautiful. Thank you so much for your excellent share.
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Enjoyed the shoreline curve and foreground yellow roses. Well done!!
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Thank you, Michael. Laguna Beach has a shorter shoreline compared to the other two beaches.
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Hi Miriam. Beautiful, happy days on the beach. I hope they return soon. Wonderful photos. I love the quotes. Stay safe.
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Thank you, Kim. It’s my virtual reality right now! Hope you are well.
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We are all fine, thank you.
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Good to hear, Kim!
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Very well thank you. Hope you and your family are also safe and well.
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Yeah, Kim. We’re careful and doing well 😊.
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My favorite is Laguna Beach! So pretty, unique, and artsy.
Great beach pictures.
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Laguna Beach is a wealthy little city. A friend bought two houses there. The first one she bought has 270 degree ocean view. She bought it without seeing the house!!
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That view sounds marvelous! That’s pretty cool she can buy a house without seeing it. Lots of trust in the realtor and lots of money.
I hope you visit and enjoy the view with your friend.
Laguna Beach is en expensive town. One of my professors live there and I visited him and his wife a few years ago. The ocean breeze and trees were marvelous. The art galleries are lovely too!
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I was at her house when she and her husband fixed it up. She uses it as rental now.
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Gotta love the passive income!
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You don’t have a menu on your blog. Do you know how to create one?
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Omg, I don’t think so. I have categories.
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On the left top corner, click My Site, click customize, menu, you can add any number of items display on your header such home, about, and different categories.
After creating the menu, you may want to create a sidebar. Go to left top corner, drop down and highlight appearance, then click widgets. If your theme has sidebar on the left or right, drag the buttons on the left and drop them to the side bar on the right. You could have Gravatar (your profile photo and bio), follow button, recent posts, recent comments, and your community.
Try it and see if it works. Make sure to save changes.
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Thank you so much!! It must’ve taken you a while to explain the instructions. I will try it!
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No, it didn’t. I made a PowerPoint presentation of step by step on how to set up a website using WordPress, but my computer lost it, saying I might have renamed it or deleted it, but I didn’t. I still have a physical copy. Well, I don’t need it now.
So, it didn’t take me long to give you a few steps. I thought you could go from there to create something fancy if you choose to do so.
My menu is on the Header. Do you have a choice of doing it? Is it the feature of the theme you picked? No big deal, what you have is very good.
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Your instructions were very helpful! I’ve always meant to add more stuff on my blog and make it more reader friendly, but it’s overwhelming. One step at a time…
Have a wonderful night and stay well.
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Miriam, I think I did it! Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I was kind of clueless about this. Really appreciate it. If you have time, would love it if you checked it out.
Finally got the Gravatar up. I had it in my other theme, but with a new one I didn’t know how to do it. yay!
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Very good! You did it. You can always play with it to add more widgets. I do it all the time!
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😃😃👍 THank you!!
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🙂 🙂
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It is a funny coincidence that I live at Newport and although we don’t have a designated beach yet, we have a lake and the beach is close by. I imagine you get as much joy out of it as I do.
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It’s wonderful that you live at Newport. The last time we were there was at Christmas and we took the Christmas boat parade cruise. It was our second time. We went on whale watching, cruise around the harbor… Hopefully the Covid is over soon so we could enjoy the fun again!
We have a lake less than a mile away. My husband used to run to the lake and run around the lake three times. We drive there in the summer.
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Thank you, Miriam. I neglected to say my Newport is in Australia!
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Oh, thank you. We went to Australia 15 years ago. We went to Sydney, Blue Mountain, Brisbane, Cairne, Port Douglas, Cape Tribulations. and my husband went diving at Great Barrier Reef. He was born in Walla Walla, NSW. But the family left Australia when he was 10.
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Wow! You have travelled far in Australia. Do you mean Wagga Wagga?
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It’s Walla Walla, about 95km south of Wagga Wagga, NSW.
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Haha. That is funny. Gotta love Aussie names.
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I wonder if names like these originated from the native.
We have some names originated from the Native American.
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Absolutely correct, Miriam. They sound very indigenous in origin, to me. Although the history of the town relates to German settlement originally and interestingly, there is also another Walla Wall in America which means “Many waters,”
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The lake close to our home is Laguna Lake, but laguna means lake in Spanish, So Laguna Lake is Lake Lake!
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Haha. That is funny! Wagga Wagga, Walla Walla, Lake Lake….
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Now you made me laugh!!
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😄
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🙂
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California got more than it’s share of ocean Miriam – but then again it’s awfully cold for those of us with southern blood! Your images are beautiful. I saw they had closed the beaches on July 4. So sad.
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Well done, Miriam! You captured the beauty of the area.
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Thank you, Pete! That’s my virtual getaway! How are things with you?
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Two weeks back with my writing group. We wear masks for the whole meeting, but it’s good to be back with them.
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Do you read aloud your piece to be critique?
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Our format is you bring copies for everyone else (10 pages max). Everyone reads it silently and writes things down on their transcript. After each person finishes, you listen to everyone’s feedback before you finally get to respond at the end. It works well because you can’t speak until hearing everyone has had the chance to talk about it.
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That’s a good format and 10 pages is good. My local group asks people to read aloud. The thing is some people read slowly. Then some audience reads silently ahead of the reader.
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Wonderful photos, Miriam! The coast is my favorite getaway for a day…
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Isn’t that nice place for getaway, Bette? You’re very close to the coast. Hope you can go very soon.
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Gorgeous pictures Miriam. I am glad to see that the beaches were not crowded. I have a pool in my yard, to I love to sit outside, read, jump in the pool to cool down and then do it again. Of course I also love when my children and grandchildren come over as well.
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Thank you, Carla. I missed swimming at the gym. Water is always soothing to adults and children alike. It’s good you have a pool in your backyard. The homes in my area have pools every other homes and have large front yards for the others. We have a large front yard. I prefer to have a pool but didn’t quite think of it almost 30 years ago.
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I grew up with a pool in the yard, so when my husband and I were looking, that was the deciding factor. Of course, we had to replace it once, but I love it.
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I know a couple who had a pool in their backyard. When their children were grown, the husband didn’t want to maintain the pool and filled it to make a pudding golf feature. I was so surprised.
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Great captures Miriam, perfect for the challenge, have a nice week!!!
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Thank you, Paulo. I love to go to the beach right now, but, well have to wait. Have a wonderful week!!
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Those are beautiful photos! How nice 🙂
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Thank you very much for liking the photos. 🙂
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One of our daughters and her husband live in Pasadena, so they love the beach. He grew up near the ocean and surfs, so they would also enjoy these photos.
janet
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Hi Janet, my sister lives close to Pasadena. The beaches here are great for surfing because of the tides. We were at the beach once when the waves were 10 feet high. The guys love that for surfing.
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The beach also.
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Yay, we like the same.
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Look at all that blue!! My daughter and son-in-law live in San Diego, and Roberto is always in search of the perfect wave. My favorite summer activity? I’d have to say just being out in nature. It doesn’t matter whether it’s ocean, mountains, meadows, woods, or our own back yard. When it comes to summer, I’m not picky. And afterwards, ice cream must be involved.
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San Diego is very pretty and is not as hot as Orange County or LA. Do you come to visit them or they go visit you?
I had to choose among several themes to do the “summer” post. I was all prepared to do summer in my garden but I’m in the middle of a garden project, so changed to do one for the beaches.
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When my husband and I went out to San Diego Diego for our first visit, I understand why Sonia has no desire to return to the East Coast. We alternate our visits. With the current situation, I have no idea when the next visit will be. We stay in daily touch with texts and photos.
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Yes, I understand younger people would prefer living in San Diego, whereas my son-in-law prefers Oregon. My daughter moved to Oregon with her dad when she was in high school. She went to University of Portland where she met Will. They now love the outdoor life in Oregon.
We stay in touch with texts, photos and video chats also.
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Beautiful photo captures of these beaches! Great choices. Hope to see Laguna Beach again next summer. 🙂
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Thank you, Amy. I surely hope we’ll be okay in one year time. 🙂
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Oh, your photos are gorgeous, Mariam. I feel like I’ve taken a little trip to the beach, which is my favorite place to visit in the summer time. Thanks for sharing!❤️
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Thank you, Jill. Doing this post was a little therapeutic to me also. I’ll hang in there until going to a real beach. ❤
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Gorgeous photos, Miriam. I love the beach and water sports. I can’t wait until things normalize here. ❤ xo
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I surely hope we can go to the beach again, Vashti. Nothing is as soothing as the ocean. ❤
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I agree, my friend. ❤
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It’s just sad. I hope people take this monster seriously. ❤
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Me too. ❤
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Beautiful photos 💜💜
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Thank you so much, Willow. ❤ ❤
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