Summer 2014- a film.

It has been many moons since my last post. There has been a lot of sadness in the world and much joy in my heart. It seems like many of us are checking out, leaving the body, leaving those of us left  stunned and devastated. The message I got early this summer is to make the most of each day. Allow for the expansion and appreciate it all. I am going to throw together a little film to show the results. Take stock. If you left your life today, would you be satisfied with the completeness of it?

the first version, HERE, is for iphone or small devices.

Summer 2014- for iphone etc.   *

watch this version on a computer.

SUMMER 2014- for the big screen



I would like to thank the stars of this film: Kieran, Aidan, Kalin, Jena, Morgan, Sofia, Amanda, Grace, Chris, Nick, Claire, Evan, Kara, Alex, Indie, Ari, Kevin, Grandma Kitty, Ted, Steph, Alabama alligators, frogs, snakes,  a rogue great white shark from instagram, Lara and Tina in a frame, a rhino from facebook, Tom, Gia, myself in my new shark-kini, Stacy, Jacob, Eric, Meredith in her turnouts and the atlas 5 rocket launched from Vandenberg in August.





Peace, love and joy to you, every day.


*(A note on why this version did not originally  play for you---- GREED. It contains a song that when played anywhere on the internet, ads pop up. The ads can't pop up on your phone or ipad, so they claim, so you cant see this little film and I know the anticipation is killing you. I will switch out "Sweet Home Alabama" for something else for this version)

A New Beach Every Day

The tides, storms, swells and waves change the beaches every day. March brought in a new moon tide with storms and washed all the sand away. Each day after brought in more sand or less and revealed fossils or covered them up. I believe there will be discoveries for eons and that I will NOT be the only one romanced by the remnants of life that we have here on Santa Barbara beaches.

The BATFOSSIL!

Half submerged.

Frequently seen formation.

Skull cross section?

Interesting small details. Measured in inches- 2 x 3.5"

The beach is always changing and SO Magical!

Small bony fossils

Brief exposure

This specimen was very large, most likely a skull. It comprised the entire rock. 

Fine bones. Very thin.

Having the Best Body

At the end of your life, you won't be rewarded for having the "best" body; the most defined, the least wrinkled, the most well-preserved. You will be rewarded for the ways you used your body to to live your BEST possible life.

More Vertebrate Fossils in Santa Barbara

I have found so many new vertebrate fossil specimens in the last two weeks that I have stopped photographing them all. My curiosity is truly piqued and I look forward to a day when I can gain confirmation about the animals I am seeing here. These specimens are from Mesa Lane in Santa Barbara, moving east. The sand covers and then reveals them based on swells and tides. They are absolutely everywhere.  If nothing else, I feel so honored to be able to bear witness to their existence and touch the fossilized remains of creatures from SO long ago.

For scale, I have been placing my feet in the shots. Sorry about my mangled right foot. It will tell a great story as a fossil someday.

The fossil beds are SO rich during a low tide. They are beautiful, mysterious and highly inviting.

Compression adds to the mystery of what these bones are.

Beautiful fossil exposed through erosion.

An interesting cross section of a vertebrae perhaps?

This is possible teeth or stomach contents. The dark spots were dense like teeth might be.

This specimen is interesting in that the joint tissue has fossilized differently.

These are either teeth or small bones like ribs.

Possible teeth 

This and the following two are the same specimen

The side view offers a view of a very large bone

This and the following three pictures represent the same specimen.

This specimen may have been captured previously but is now partially buried.

As always, Thank you for reading and sharing my finds with me. I believe this bed of fossil pieces would make a great PhD thesis project for some eager vertebrate paleontology student. There are so many questions that can be answered here. I would love to partake in such a study! Until then, I will keep photographing the specimens I find and continue to learn about the morphology of large miocene vertebrates from the Pacific Coast of North America.