Remains Of The Day

12-05-12 12:05pm

I enjoy coming across what remains after a day of visitors playing on the beach. There is surprisingly little litter. Perhaps a wrapper or drinking container now and then but for the most part the sand is clean of human debris.

Sometimes I find a stray shovel or a flip flop that will most likely require the owner to return and collect it. But mostly I find what is happily left behind.

The sand castles.

They are left after a day of sunning and dipping and digging. You can feel the spirit of the day in these well made piles.

Close your eyes and you can here the laughter and the cries of "oh no" when a big wave comes along before the builder is finished.

Happy little kids (and big kids too) enjoying each others company and creative abilities. Care free and soaking up the sun.

The remnants of a successful day at the beach.

My Little Friend

11-28-12 9:28am

There are a lot of things living right outside the back door. Many, in fact maybe most of them, I never see but I hear them ruslting in the bushes.

One thing I have been consistantly seeing the last several nights is a cat. I believe it is ferrel. Very skittish and stealth. I would show a picture of it but it's always in the shadows at night.

But here is a guy that I see many of his kind running around. They usually duck into or under something when I approach but this guy didn't seem care one bit that I was coming. He just gave me this look like "so, you passing me or what"?

Just one more thing to keep an eye out for.

Single Beauty

11-24-12 4:07pm

Sometimes when I'm surrounded by beauty I am startled by the impact of something so simple yet so perfect.

I walk along the shore of this vast body of water. It is breathtaking. The sun glistens and kisses it's surface while the small curl of the waves gently lap on the sand.

The birds plunge their bills onto the the wet sand looking for sustanence and the breeze gently caresses my face and body.

But the thing that draws me in as I'm surrounded by so many of God's creations is one single shell. Simple in shape. Simple in color. Simple in size. Gently wrapped in a single strand of sea weed. Perfectly placed alone to be noticed by those who are paying enough attention.

I'm so glad I was paying attention.

Fish Bowl

11-20-12 4:13pm

The Mr and The Mrs have a beautiful home. There will be no pictures posted here because this is their home and not mine. I will keep thier privacy. But I will say this-

It is unusual - in the respect that in every room there is a wall of windows that goes from floor to cieling and corner to corner. The entire wall is glass. (cielings are also 10 feet high)

As I said, this happens in every room so it creats the feeling of living in a fish bowl.

I'm just sayin - it's both wonderful and a bit disturbing at the same time.

PS I think it is facinating that my fear of heights has been 100% gone here. Any other time I have been in a room or building this high with big windows it has been heart pounding terrifying. Certainly a blessing here. Am so curious to see if it is a permanant fix of just for this situation?

So Blessed

11-19-12 7:48am


Life has a way of moving us around. Not that life is it's own entity that moves us, but things present themselves and as a result of the choices we make we are moved through life.

I am blessed.

I am blessed beyond measure with every thing in which I am in need.

Each day here hands me the opportunity to be still, to be introspective, to be creative and to be of service.

I am learning things about myself. Some are enteresting and satisfying. Others give me pause. I have confirmed things that I have felt in my heart to be true and I have realized that some things I fear and that make me sad continue to be so.

I have yet to have any full out epiphony or revelation but there is a lot of whispering going on. I love whispering because it demands I pay close attention if I want to really understand it.

I am blessed.

I am blessed abundantly.

Chomping At The Bitt

11-17-12 4:04pm

I know that there are those people who really love Christmas. I love Christmas but I like to start easing into it about mid December. Then I can really dive in with both feet the week before. For me it just makes it more special and I feel it more intensely.

When I was walking the other night I looked up and saw this.

Some one is really chomping at the bit. Two trees in farie lights and a string of colored icicle lights. It's a little hard to catch the mood with the soft warm breeze on my cheeks and the waves gently lapping on the shore.

Sorry, but this is waaaay too early.

Treasure Lost

11-16-12 1:04pm

I mentioned earlier that there is never a shortage of shells for shelling. I lied. Well at the very least I was mistaken. I am learning that the beach changes every day and yes, you can count on there always being shells but sometimes the motherload gets burried.

This was the beautiful pile of shells right at the bottom of the stairs that goes onto the beach outside my back door. It was there for the first week I was here and then Sandy moved in.

She was on the other side of the state and moving north but we still had some effect of her on our side too in the form of wind and waves. Waves that came pushing sand from the gulf all the way into the vegetation along the shore.

Covering up, or sweeping away this treasure trove of beautiful shells and other sea deposits of interest. I keep thinking when I go out that sooner or later there will again be these abundant piles fo loose shells to carefully pick through.

Well it seems to be later rather tnat sooner for in the last two weeks we just have the much smaller scattering of shells throughout the sand. They are all beautiful and I am content to eye them and find the few keepers to bring home, but I can't help but be a bit sad that I took the abundance for granted.

Even here on the beach in the world of shell collecting we must never take the abundant blessings for granted for it can all be swept away tomorrow. And then we must be patient until the abundance returns.