It’s a good time of year to think about new horizons. This is one of my familiar horizons; it’s from November 14, 2016. Morning horizons are great for thinking about a new day, a new year, or any new start. In this one, bright optimism peeks over Coast Range. On the other end of the horizon, as if to offer the opposing argument, a finger of ground fog infiltrates the space between the clouds above and the sea below.
Sweeping my eye across this scene I’m struck by the sequence of bands extending from from sea to the mountains on the left horizon. First, the gentle foamy swash, then the reflective surface we call the mirror, and a band of wet sand left behind by the falling tide. The drift line is a thin line of debris (here, clumps of eelgrass) separating wet sand from dry. Beyond the reach of tide, dry sand extends to the backshore shelf littered by drift wood. Behind the backshore rises the foredune, stabilized by a monoculture of beachgrass. Beyond the foredune, an unseen estuary, and finally, the ascent of the Coast Range. That’s a bunch of terms and ecosystems, and just the ones below the horizon. How many more could we name? They’re all connected. In the year ahead, my new horizon, I’ll be counting connections.
theoutershores 
I love the blue light and the reflections on the sand.
Thanks. It is pretty. That mirror isn’t the smoothest or widest I’ve seen but it did show off the sunrise and clouds a little. I’ve enjoyed following the photos and words you post, and learned a lot too. I loved your New Horizon post with the fog reference!
Beautiful picture, beautiful writing.
Thank you. I thought I’d let you know I read your wonderful The Only Beautiful Woman translation. Thanks for sending along the link; I enjoyed it a lot.
Oh wow, I always feel like my blog posts about translation are disappearing into the ether. It’s so good to know you read the story. Could you make a comment on the page of the blog post? I’d be very grateful.
Sure!
Beautiful Photo!! I love your beaches! 🙂
Thank you. On a side note, we got a little snow in Portland last night.
Are you getting the biting cold also??
My Hummingbird feeder was frozen solid this morn!,not a happy camper!! 🙂
That was a very thought provoking post Steve! It read like a poem to me.
Thanks Chris!
For me the second picture is full of hope and excitement, the first one makes me look back over my years. Love both!