Love Affair with my Sperry Topsider Boots

I know, kind of silly.  Here I sit, having been a beach comber girl all of my life, and I have not owned a pair of rubber beach boots - EVER.  Until a month ago.

I first saw these in November when I was in Seattle shopping with my daughter in downtown for Black Friday. Really against my shopping credo - not my favorite day for shopping, I don't care what the "deals" are.  Honestly, we just went down to Westlake Center and Pike Place Market to do a little people watching, have some lunch and maybe shop for some special seafood gourmet tools at Sur la table.  Tom had put some kind of fancy salmon-boner tool thing on his Christmas list... (more on that "thing" later!)

It wasn't our fault that we just had to walk by Nordstrom's Rack, and well, we didn't want to pass up a good sale, did we?    Here's the funny thing - I had flown up on Alaskan Airlines, and had not checked a bag, so wasn't sure how I was going to get them home, so I didn't buy them. (I did take a picture though, so that I could remember what they looked like)

Then about a month ago, I was desperate for a new pair of tennis shoes - and there they were. The Sperry Topsider boots that I had been craving - just waiting for me to take them home from our local Nordstrom Rack!  And they were on sale - only $29.95!

Now look at what I can do with my new boots - I can actually climb all over the rocks and get some awesome tidepool photos.  Very excited - feel like a little kid when I can splash all over the place and not worry about getting my feet soaked. Or worry about sliding off of the rocks - much bigger danger for me, as I am a total klutz.

Here's a few of my other favorite Sperry boots - what do you think?

Blue and White Stripes - totally nautical! (looks like these might be on sale too - $49.99)

Grey and Black Cheetah print - for more than just the beach!

Pretty in Pink - Kingbird Rainboot $51.99

Love these bright orange ones!  Nordstrom Rack has several colors, magenta, green, orange, purple -

(Here's a link to the Sperry page at the Rack - Sperry Topsiders)












Do you have a pair of rubber rain boots?  There are so many pretty ones available!

Earth Day at Caron's Beach House - Part 2

I have good news to report!  My big project of going to the beach at  Half Moon Bay to scoop up plastic and debris from the sand netted very little to pick up, only some tiny pieces, a knife handle, one rusty tin can bottom, and a magnetic plastic blue letter "R".   Here's my dad, my mom and Tom leading the way down the shore in front of the Ritz Carlton (isn't it beautiful??!!!) -

Fabulous sunny day for a beach walk and to look for tiny washed worn pieces of sea glass and pocketfuls of tiny periwinkle shells and delicate olive shells.

My mom and dad have been down visiting all this week, and staying at an RV resort right next to the Ritz. There is a great path that wanders down to the beach through the golf course, cement walkway and cement stairs down to the sand.  BTW, I am not a golfer, but could definitely learn how to be one on this incredible course that meanders all along the cliff and in front of the hotel. (or better yet, Tom could golf, and I could drink beer and drive the golf cart?)  You do not need to be a guest of the hotel, or a guest at the RV park to enjoy the beach, there is a free public parking lot at the top of the path for anyone to use.

If you go at low tide, or near low tide, there are tidepools galore to explore! Full of starfish, sea anemones, hermit crabs, live periwinkles, mussels and shells.

Big Green Anenome - they are all covered in gritty sand, it was hard to find one that was not!

Tons of Periwinkles (Black Turban Shells)!  These shells make great little houses for hermit crabs too!

 We managed to find some pretty (empty) shells lying in the tide line that did not have any live animals inside, and slipped them into our pockets.... 

Big orange starfish crunched into a crevice in the rocks - he's (she's?) probably feasting 

on anemones, mussels or the periwinkles.

Such a glorious dark shade of purple on this leather starfish.... we had such a great time scrambling all over the rocks to scout out the best pictures!

A sample of my stash! 

I think this describes perfectly our day on the beach!  I found this 18" diameter flat bamboo bowl at Ikea last week, it is a perfect display piece on my new dining room table for my favorite beach treasures......

Enjoy your Sunday - we are off on another adventure to take a walk in the sun 

on the Great Highway near the Cliff House in San Francisco! 

(PS  I found the "Happiness" rock in a cute boutique in Half Moon Bay... more on that later!)