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on the beach,
clad only in sunshine
feeling the world
is truly mine
the warmth of the sun
on my skin
breathing in the moment
taking it all in

each stone stacked,
marks my presence
and the beauty
of life’s sweet embrace
the sound of the waves
create a symphony
while I build my tower
with stones in my hand

the ocean’s vastness
beside me, behind me
the endless horizon
a canvas reminding me
of life’s wondrousness

feeling the breeze
blowing through my hair
a feeling of freedom
with nothing but
the sun on my skin

stacking each stone
thinking of all I hold dear
of the people I love
and the moments
that brought me here
with each stone
I mark this moment in time
and celebrate being alive

on the beach
clad only in sunshine
grateful for this moment

The month began quietly. We were able to enjoy being outdoors in the evening as there were no mosquitos to deal with. Unlike our time spent on the Caribbean coast of Mexico where the approach of evening meant being swarmed with biting insects, were we retreated into our suite to get a bit of relief, here in Sayulita, being on the deck in pleasant temperatures meant we got to appreciate the deck even more.

We lived on the deck when we were awake and not away from the apartment on one of our innumerable outings to hike or to walk the beach or enjoy pueblo life. Because of the short wall around the deck and the fact that we were on the top floor of the three-storey building, I didn’t wear clothing. There was no chance to offend anyone. Naturally, I did my writing and editing on the deck as much as possible though I did do some writing inside the apartment when it was too sunny outside for my laptop. I was busy putting posts on my Medium site and getting Nightshade Publishing Company ready for publishing.

In February we walked / hiked 200 kilometres through the jungle and along six beaches. My favourite beaches were Playa Patzcuarito and Playa Malpasos as they were the longer beaches with the exception of the more than two kilometre long beach fronting Sayulita. It wasn’t the fact that the beaches were longer but because of their distance from the town, there was always an opportunity to spend some time on the beach without the need for a swimsuit.

Strolling on a beach,
Wearing only sunshine,
Feeling the sand beneath my feet,
Hearing the sound of the surf,
A simple pleasure of life.

The warmth of the sun on my skin,
The salt of the sea in the air,
The beauty of nature all around,
It’s a moment to cherish and remember.

I feel the rhythm of the waves,
As they crash onto the shore,
And I am filled with gratitude,
For this moment in the sun.

I am alive, and I am blessed,
To experience this beauty and serenity,
To be surrounded by the elements,
That fill my soul with love and buoy.

So I will continue to stroll,
Wearing only sunshine on my skin,
Taking in the beauty around me,
And feeling the pure joy.

For life is a gift to be savored,
And every moment is a treasure,
And in this moment on the beach,
I celebrate being alive.

We have been back in Canada for a week, a very busy week. Taxes had to be done, another trip to be outlined, and a book to publish all happened during the week. Of course, we also went for walks everyday and did other normal, every day tasks such as turning over the rain barrels to catch the snow melting off the roof of our garage. Yes, it’s spring and there is sunshine making it inviting to be outdoors as much as possible while clothed or nude. This morning while turning over the barrels it was +4 Celsius, a far cry from the +26 we experienced last week at this time of day.

Yesterday, I got to BBQ for the first time in 2023. Thick porkchops which had been marinaded for a day were accompanied by potato wedged, both cooked on my Traeger. I love the “smoke” flavour that is added though I have to admit that sometimes I still use my propane BBQ from time to time. Different meats have different needs.

As I mentioned above, taxes have been done as well. They were the first item on my list of “to-do” tasks. I had to pay a sizeable bill, but in my opinion it is worth it. I live well and have no unmet needs when it comes to buying things, doing things, and seeing things. Besides, the taxes pay for so much that we take for granted in the western world. Not paying taxes out of principal is all about greed. As humans we only need so much. I have a beautiful home, two vehicles, I travel to other countries and all around my own country and I am not starving. I don’t have any debt and I have never been a millionaire.

I also mentioned publishing a book. It is called Nightshade Publishing Company. My friend, Paul Z. Walker was the editor for the story and other friends were helpful readers who offered me a few challenges to make the story right. The book is now live on Amazon. If you are interested in buying a copy, here is the link.

As for the trip I am planning, a first draft of a trip to Spain and Portugal for the spring of 2023 has been completed. The plan is to spend 60 to 65 days in Europe with 14 days being spent walking from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. We will be walking the coastal route. Of course, I will need to keep on walking to be ready to walk another Camino.

I realise that I have not been very present. I hope to change that. For three months, I used my Medium account as a blog site for my naturist posts. After three months, I realised that it hadn’t been a very good idea. Most of those who came to read my writing on Medium didn’t come to read those naturist posts. So, I am bringing my stories back here, back home. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until the next time . . .

With the first of three months now experienced it’s time to give a report. The first thing I have to tell you is that there has been sunshine everyday.

Our top-level apartment, the only apartment at this level, has a deck that is approximately 20 feet by 20 feet. There is a sort of privacy screen between our deck and the new four-storey condo building immediately across the street that is still undergoing development.

We have found a number of beaches within walking distance. By walking distance, I include hiking through the jungle for about seven kilometres to reach a beach. Some are closer. But one has to remember that there is always a return hike to make when done with a beach.

So far, we have walked to La Playa de los Muertos, Playa Carricitos, Playa Patzcuarito, Playa de las Cuevas, and Playa Malpasos. I have only been able to have a few naturist moments at Playa Malpasos and Playa Patzcuarito. The other beaches which are closer to Sayulita, have more people on them.

But my life here in Sayulita isn’t all about beaches. Life in the town is very interesting, and our apartment is perfect in so many ways as I am able to be clothing free almost all the time – weather permitting.

I will return with more to tell you, hopefully not so many weeks from now.

Hasta luego mi amigos y amigas!

Destination — sunshine and warm temperatures.

Well, another journey has already started, the first journey since fleeing Ecuador at the beginning of the Covid19 pandemic. In a few days, a different journey will begin, a journey to the west coast of Mexico where I will be spending three months staying warm and enjoying sunshine. 

The bags are packed and arrangements have been made with regards to the care of our home during our absence. Someone will keep our sidewalk cleared of snow, another person will take care of checking and emptying our mailbox at the post office. 

And the community will be vigilant to ensure no strangers are lurking nearby. This is all part of being in a small town on the prairies.

The physical journey is the easiest one for me to take. The much more difficult journey is the one that challenges me to risk changing and growing. At my age, one would think that I had arrived at a comfortable place where I could bask and enjoy the fruits of all my past heroic/psychological journeys. 

I am not as strong as I once was. My health is okay, not perfect, but my body is definitely seventy-plus years old. By my spirit? My soul? They just don’t accept age as an excuse. So, where is this new journey of soul going to take me?

That is the real hero’s journey, that of going deep inside what appears to be a chaotic minefield of powerful figures — some benevolent and many malevolent. What is known is placed on a pyre as a sacrificial offering. We rail against the loss of our old truths as they turn into charcoal. 

Yet, with the loss, we have made room for a new truth. Grasping for this golden treasure, we arise out of the ashes of the past self into a more present self like some phoenix.

This journey doesn’t get easier with age. However, at least in my case, there is a pleasant anticipation. Having taken this journey, repeatedly in the past, I know that my inner self is well aware of what I can and can’t handle.

Now, back to the physical journey. Plane tickets have been purchased and a route and transportation has been charted from the airport in Puerto Vallarta to a small seaside town called Sayulita. 

An apartment on the top floor of a three storey building has been rented for the three months.

There is no way that I will venture outdoors this morning without wearing clothing. I woke up to -25 Celsius, a temperature that was made significantly colder because of wind. The “feels like” number is -34 Celsius. Thank goodness for central heating and a fireplace and a house that insulates us from the deadly weather that is waiting for us to be foolish.

The title for today’s post comes from a Game of Thrones: “The cold winds are rising, and the dead rise with them.” I didn’t watch any of the series, but I have read a few of the first books in the series, good stories in my opinion. Yes, winter weather can be a deadly affair – here and in George R.R. Martin’s novels.

Since I have to go to a dentist appointment this afternoon, I made sure to put in a shovel and a quilt in the car. I am all about being prepared, just in case.

This morning I am back writing my NaNoWriMo story which now sits at over 23,000 words this 9th day of 30 days of writing to try and reach 50,000 words. My writing buddy, Paul is breathing hard down my neck as we jockey back and forth with our numbers. He is working full time and I am retired full time so it shouldn’t be a close contest. Yet, I have this sinking feeling that he will reach that magic number before me.

Why? Well, tomorrow morning we drive to my son’s home, a six-hour drive in good driving conditions, for a long weekend of visiting with grandchildren. Writing will be on pause, well mostly. Since I usually get up an hour before everyone else, I should be able to add a few hundred words here and there. One of the reasons for making this trip in November rather than in October, is the fact that the book, Space Cadet Academy 2 wasn’t in hand in time. It’s grandson #6s birthday gift.

Now, it’s time for me to get back to the story that is impatiently waiting for my attention.

It’s one of those days when it is a wise idea to stay indoors. Wisdom aside, I went for a walk this morning and ended up with frost-bitten fingers. Yes, it is that cold. Air temperature is -11 Celsius with a wind of 43 kilometres per hour out of the northeast which makes it feel like -21. It is definitely not a good day for being nude outside. Having a writing project to keep me occupied helps relieve that itch for testing my determination and fortitude. The fingers had taught me that wearing winter mitts and still freezing was the only lesson I needed. But then again, sometimes I am a slow learner.

As I write from a comfortable spot in the living room, with a view of the blowing snow, the words for my NaNoWriMo are piling up. So far almost 19,000 words have been saved to a new document. But the itch was still there. What if? . . . And of course, I don’t have good resistance power. I slipped out the garage door into the back yard for a photo opportunity. I mean, why not? After all, the door back into the garage wasn’t very far away. It wasn’t like I was going to have a picnic or go free-hiking in a blizzard, was it?

While waiting for the time to count down the ten seconds, my feet protested. I could have at least worn slippers or socks or winter boots. The telltale click of the shutter released me and I calmly retrieved the cellphone and proudly walked back into the house. I did check behind me to see if anything had fallen off. Nope! It’s all okay.

Now, it’s back to the story. Until the next time, stay warm. Your body will thank you for it.

It is chilly this morning here on the Canadian prairies. As usual, I got up early, perhaps too early as the world was wrapped in darkness. It wasn’t until almost seven-thirty before there was enough light outside for me to take a decent photo. It was only 4 Celsius with a breeze that made it feel like only 1 degree. By week’s end, mornings will become consistently below zero.

It has been two weeks since my last post here. To say that I have been busy is an understatement. Today marks day 15 of my participation on Medium with my posts there now earning money. I write something for that platform every day. I encourage you to visit my page there. It doesn’t cost any money to get a membership to read. However, for $5 a month you get to read anything and everything behind the paywall. I hope you read my poetry and stories that are being published, and click on the clapping hands [please clap to reach the 50 mark as that will help me earn money]. Other naturist writers are putting up posts there as well including Dan Carlson the Meandering Naturist.

First, I can now announce that my second kid’s literature novel Space Cadet Academy 2, is published and available for sale at Amazon. The cover art was done by my friend, Fabien Barabé. I guess you could call it a chapter book for middle grades, but that would miss the fact that the story is not really age limited. Still, if you have any children or grandchildren that love books, I encourage you to get the first two books in the Space Cadet Academy series. I will be beginning to write book three in two weeks time for my National Novel Writing Month project.

Editing work is continuing with my upcoming novel, Nightshade Publishing Company. This novel is a naturist novel that focuses on the what can go wrong when one’s workplace becomes aware of one’s private life as a naturist. I won’t say more than that for now.

What else is in my future plans? More writing, going to dances with my wife, going for long country walks wearing clothes, working on committees with the Canadian Author Association, and attending the occasional live theatre productions that come to a city near me.

In so many ways, autumn is the most beautiful seasons. The colours are a wild and vivid protest against the shifting to the barren greys and muted colours of winter in temperate climates. Thankfully, the past few days here on the Canadian prairies has warmed up to make being clothing free outdoors very pleasant.

All the garden ornaments have been taken in for the coming winter with the exception of bird baths and fountains. Birds are making good use of these due to the extended drought. It is dusty and there are no puddles to be found, nor water in most of the dust bowls that used to hold ponds.

Yesterday, I got out for a three mile hike on the prairies, a free-hike. Earlier in the day, I had walked seven miles with my wife, a walk while it was cooler where we both wore shorts. The plan for today is to go out again for another hike while the wind is down, the temperature is up, and the sun is out.

Tomorrow, it is supposed to rain. If it does rain, it will mean an unscheduled day off as the dust would too easily turn into mud. Rather than moan about a lost opportunity to walk the prairie wearing nothing but hiking footwear and a cap, I will be celebrating, hoping for the streets in town to have the potholes filled and the gutters running. We need the moisture.