It’s always special to take advantage of a walk along the water’s edge at the beach. This day did not disappoint and was especially appreciated given the dismal deep freeze my friends in the Midwest and East coast are stuck with.

This is the Venice Pier, originally constructed in 1905, but a severe winter storm destroyed it before anyone got to enjoy it. 1000 laborers worked around the clock to have a rescheduled open on the 4th of July.

In 1920, a fire ripped through the Pier and destroyed it again. That wasn’t the only fire that wiped the pier out.  What a past!!! I’m happy to report; it functions very well as a pier as you can see, with the fishing poles lined up on the end.I had the best time checking out the sights on this President’s Day Holiday. I know what you’re thinking, but honestly, I had never seen someone lying on their own shoulders like that before. He sure wasn’t shy.When he went into his plank, I was tempted to join in!! Right!!But equally as entertaining was this little boy’s fort! I can’t remember the last time I saw a fort with army men at the beach! He was so proud!! But I must say, my brother’s army men were all green, these guys must be from a different branch of the military!The tide was really low allowing kelp and seaweed to wash up on the shoreline.

Here’s a big bunch of kelp.This strange kelp looked like a fish skeleton!The seaweed had a beauty, all its own. Rocks, oh yes there were lots of rocks.But of course when you start to make your own specialty collage, it takes on its own personality.Now I’m really getting into this…What the heck is this?  Of course I picked it up. It was either full of water or full of something dead, either way it was heavy and had barnacles attached.Barnacles on another weird thing and a sand dollar, because we know that’s not weird.This one was even weirder. Looks like a whale, sort of. Use your imagination.Speaking of using your imagination…Do you see the cow?How about a bird?You decide.And all of this and not one single bird or boat.  Guess this has turned into a 3 parter. I can guarantee you there were a ton of shorebirds and a sail boat or two.

Here’s just a little tease.