Hermosa Beach Truck

So, it's a lifeguard thing and I became fascinated with this Escape?

I was dying to take it for a spin. 

Snow Chairs

Yes, Myrtle Beach had snow! SC doesn't know what to do with it. February snow storm and we cannot use the porch at the beach! It must have lasted a day. To say the least - it's been an unusual winter and early Spring! We'll forget this day come July and maybe hope for it back??? 

Hermosa Beach

Long, long story behind this painting and I won't go into it - 

suffice it to say - we made it to Cali in December and we were a little beat up by the road.

NAPA!

Napa and we did a little tasting! Just a quick one before I make some moves here, Venezia Winery.
Excellent. Like most of the places out there - incredible lay out. The back porch is a great spot for lunch!

Island View

Just a spot Looking back towards Portland.

Jacoby!!

2014 - Jacoby will look good in pinstripes - Yuck!! 

Jacoby and his buddies were officially eliminated last night

with a Yankee win  and a Sox loss. Typically, the Sox had the lead

and lost it in the 8th and 9th innings.

The night before they had the lead and Papelbon coughed it up.

So goes the season. Loads of things went into it and

there's not enough space here to go into it -

it's well documented elsewhere.

Jacoby has had his replacements and Kalish

seems like a keeper.  2 Grand Slams - not too bad.

Nava Is hanging in there and doesn't look too bad 

with the bat. Josh Reddick who has had every chance

looks loads more confident at the plate. Just the way he

looked the other night - I knew he was going to get a 

hit. But, the season is winding down and I'm afraid we are

out of it. Pitching just now is coming around. Beckett, Buchholtz

and Lester had 3 good outings. We just couldn't fit

all the pieces together fast enough or long enough.

Jacaby has taken a beating this year in more ways than one

The first question was - why move him from 

CF  for an over the hill player like Mike Cameron?  

That should never have happened. LF at Fenway 

is a confined space! You don't want Ellsbury in a confined space!

Then he gets his ribs crushed by colliding with Beltre, then he gets

misdiagnosed, then he comes back too soon and he takes more

time off and gets a second opinion and takes more time off,

takes rehab assignments, starts in again slowly and gets hurt again.

The fans are not exactly on his side questioning his mental and physical toughness.

His popularity index has taken a huge hit. Plus he's a Boras guy which

definitely doesn't help. I have no idea how many CFers the Sox ran out there this 

year - 8-10? Somewhere in there -  that's for sure. His season was a complete

washout. And coincides with the success of the Red Sox. Wild Card this year? I don't think so.

Way too many holes to fill. Petey's just coming back, Youkilis is gone for the year.Papi is not

bankable. Drew? C'mon. Lowell is a shadow of what he was, Varitek is hurt. Martinez and Beltre

is where it's at - and that's just not enough. The list of injuries is well documented. It was just so hard to keep filling the roster with the Nava's of the world.

Jacoby Ellsbury should be the Red Sox MVP thus year.

There are so many things to like about him. I guess his

signature moment  this year came against the Yankees

when he stole home. He caught everyone by surprise

even Francona in the dugout where Ellsbury may

never have had to return if he was thrown out. His

Batting Ave. hovered around .300 all year

and he led the league in steals as well as breaking

Tommy Harper's season stolen base record for Boston.

His defense was superb and plays like this were almost

routine.

If he had only made that catch the other night! Mays like!

We may have had a different ending. 2011 was not good

teamwise! Had to go to 162 games to decide Wild Card!

Pap blew save! However, Jacoby had a terrific season and he is in

consideration for a ton of awards. MVP for one! Competition is

tough with Verlander and Granderson and not making postseason

doesn't help!

Now what are we going to do? Tito was let go and he said he

could not reach the players as he used to. What players? Who

reached Ells? Who reached Petey? The only regular player

who really fell off in September was Ortiz! Couldn't reach David?

Hmmm.  Youkilis? He kind of disappeared with numerous injuries

and really wasn't around for the September Collaspe. Aviles played.

Lourie played. Scutoro was very consistent and had a really good year.

At least 5 players had outstanding years. Ortiz, until the final month

was the best DH in the AL - Pitching was one huge problem.

No one could go 5 innings minimum on a consistent basis.

Lackey, Lester, Beckett. Wakefield? Ok, Timmy, by the way,

see you - we love you now go away. 

Cape Hedge Beach

This Cape Hedge Beach was painted from a photo. I wasn't exactly up on the rocks getting soaked! Although, I've been there and done that. It's Cape Hedge Beach in Rockport, MA. If you spend enough time down there, you get to experience just about whatever weather and surf you can imagine. This is towards Land's End which is reportedly to be one of the closest points in the US to GB. Thatcher's Island and Twin Lights are off to the right. Thatcher's has a very interesting history that reaches back as far as Plymouth. Supposedly Marconi put his transcontinental wire down here as well.
Loads of history here which includes Early 20th century Rockport to Gloucester Trolley car pilings. But. that's another story.