Sunsets

These sunsets at Atlantic Beach are absolutely stunning.  On a clear night, 4X4 pickup trucks begin to arrive late in the afternoon - you can get permits to drive on the beach this time of year - and park facing west in anticipation of the show.  Those of us who are fortunate enough to be able to stay here oceanfront go out on our walkways, balconies, and decks, or go out on the beach, cameras in hand.  This afternoon, I did the same.  This sandpiper was briskly walking up and down the beach at surf's edge, dining on the small creatures the tide brings in.

Several times, he dug so energetically that his entire head would disappear in the sand (I could not seem to capture this on my camera).

In the background, the sky was beginning to look glorious.  In the mountains, living in a valley, we do not have such an unimpeded view of this daily display as we do here.  Beautiful!  

Amos Mosquito Restaurant, just down the road, posted a photo of the same sky on Facebook.  It reminded us that we have reservation there for dinner tomorrow night and are looking forward to it eagerly, the first time we will have eaten dinner out in a restaurant since we arrived here nearly six weeks ago.  The restaurant only takes reservations on New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day, and I think this will be our third year.