Like this one. Last week while returning from a client meeting in Los Angeles, I stopped at Solimar and Faria Beaches to take these pictures. Here are several more of these "hootches."
And this one was the most elaborate I saw, with an attached dry-laid stone fire pit.
This is very well done and really took several hours of work for someone. I see little impromtu buildings like these all over the beaches here.
I suppose part of the reason that these fascinate me is that I have absolutely NO compulsion to do this myself. Depending on your theory as to what determines human behavior, I either wasn't enculturated by the construction people or inherited the lazy gene. I would like to invite others opinions on what the root of this behavior pattern may be.
I will close with this beach view on a beautiful day west along The Rincon - Libby Bodio's old stomping grounds. For those of you in areas where the weather is gray and cold, enjoy, think warm, and have a nice Thanksgiving weekend.
4 comments:
This is an absolutely poetic post, Reid! I've made little hootches like this many times. ever since childhood. I think of them when I read about chimps making little quick nests for naps or for the night. The beach is a good place for building because the sand will take a framework of sticks pushed into it an there are lots of sticks around that are nice to handle -- smoothed and bleached. There's an element of sculpture to it, like a Butterfield horse. Then, the impulse often comes from a breeze springing up or the sun becoming too warm -- one feels the need for a bit of protection. Or maybe there are other people on the beach and you'd just as soon be private for talking or smooching. Or maybe you've got a little fire going and you're eating -- taking nice things out of a basket to roast on sticks. One wants to create a little booth -- like Succoth.
In a way it's a version of the cairn: a thing to do in a broad space where one can see far and wants to stay, but feels a bit restless. There's a story to building like this -- a little construction narrative.
Prairie Mary
This is an absolutely poetic post, Reid! I've made little hootches like this many times. ever since childhood. I think of them when I read about chimps making little quick nests for naps or for the night. The beach is a good place for building because the sand will take a framework of sticks pushed into it an there are lots of sticks around that are nice to handle -- smoothed and bleached. There's an element of sculpture to it, like a Butterfield horse. Then, the impulse often comes from a breeze springing up or the sun becoming too warm -- one feels the need for a bit of protection. Or maybe there are other people on the beach and you'd just as soon be private for talking or smooching. Or maybe you've got a little fire going and you're eating -- taking nice things out of a basket to roast on sticks. One wants to create a little booth -- like Succoth.
In a way it's a version of the cairn: a thing to do in a broad space where one can see far and wants to stay, but feels a bit restless. There's a story to building like this -- a little construction narrative.
Prairie Mary
I'm glad you liked it, Mary. Frankly, your comment was MUCH better written than my post!
The photos are what's wonderful -- really the essence.
Sorry about the double post -- I don't know how to fix it or even what I did to create it.
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