Meaning within arm’s reach of beach blanket

Stacking my thoughts

I made Monday a Sunday.
Slept in. Dawdled. Worked only one hour.

Then I went to the beach by myself plus my soul and my snapshot machine. And beach blanket.

High tide was on its way in. So much for exploring.

My self said lets sit. No need to explore. We can see what we see from this spot on the rocks.

She was right. Our eyesight grew sharper with a short-sighted focus. What could we see in the sand and the gravel and driftwood from here? A lot it turns out.

Like flat rocks to stack, like thoughts on a shelf.

And blue mussel halves of size large and medium. Then lo and behold, a super small two-halves still-intact whole!

mussels-nested-DSC_0510 (600 x 399)

Add a half ancient shell with hole for a string to add to my collection back home, then a super small shell of the same kind, sans string hole.

Clear sandblasted glass then a green shard.

My eyes were having so much fun noticing, I mostly took pics with my mind.

I noticed how high tide comes in with so much stuff in the swells. It matches the muck in my mind that’s needing releasing.

The waves serenaded. The sun played hide and seek. The sand bugs jumped up and down in delight or delirium; it was hard to know what they meant in their popcorn-like frenzy.

Time slowed. Time passed. Sea slowed and did a 180 sans fanfare.

By the time dinner called I noticed the waves were clear of all stuff. So was my mind.

On the beach blanket

Going With the Flow

{Spoiler alert: There’s a movie at the end.}

The first step of an adventure…

The first step of an adventure

combines peril with pause
and a push…

And a push

Your heart pounds a bit
like the waves rolling in

The waves rolling in

You must remember to breathe.

Remember to breathe

Lean in, use your legs
and don’t mind the spectators
sitting like the rocks that they are
wishing they had your verve and your nerve.

7-praying-for-strength

Pray for strength and strong rope.

5-pushing-waves

Hope your ballast means balance

Whirlpools

Wish on the whirlpools
and wait for the waves…

And plunge into the waves
Push! Kick! Jump!
Off you go!

The clouds part

Clouds part.
Sun comes out.

You’re now on your way.

Add some friends.

Pick up some buddies,
Take turns being guide.

Set your course

Set your course
See the sights

Salute the seaweed and mermaids below.

See seaweed    More seaweed

 Enjoy sailing

Engage your reflection
in fun conversation

Who knows what she sees from her side.

Enjoy being afloat

Enjoy being afloat.
Race the clouds.
Race the whales.
Raise your sails, in spirit at least.

Go ashore

Ahoy there!
There’s land.
An uncharted island.

Let's go explore.

Let’s go explore.
Stow your boat.

Say farewell

Say farewell to the shells
who began to get seasick
and are glad to land back on the sand.

So long for now

So long for now.

16-bye-bye

It’s time for adventure on land
(after Old Driftwood tells me a story).

See you next time!

I’ll send a postcard!


P.S. Here’s a glimpse of our ocean adventure in motion.

The next day they all piled in for some fun

It was still sunny the next day

when my friends showed up on the steps

to play with our new pal.

On the steps in the sunshine

 

I began introductions.

First the 3 wish rocks

First, meet the 3 wish rocks.

The brothers Cairnmotzov.

The Brothers Cairnmotzov
whose dream is to be a balancing act in the circus.

seaweed

Seaweed Sam.
Who couldn’t stay long because of the sun.
He didn’t want to dry out so we threw him back in the sea in a sec.

Ripple-shelltskin

Rumpleshelltskin,
a shard of his former self but whole nonetheless,
with a great sense of humor.

The Claw

And “The Claw”
a retired world-class wrestler who still likes to tease the kids.

All in good fun, of course.

shell meets stones

Shy shell said hello.

Nice to meet you.

The Cairnmotzov Brothers were too polite to mention
the shred of seaweed stuck to his lip.

what to do?

We sat and talked awhile. Mostly small talk. Getting to know you kind of stuff.
Then I asked,

What should we do?

I did not expect what happened next.

They wanted to play the “clowns in a Volkswagen game”
and I couldn’t stop them.

The three little stones piled inside first.

what happened next

The waves applauded.

Suddenly it seems I had met a whole new creature.

Friends for Life.

It was astounding how they formed themselves a troupe.

The Brothers Cairnmotzov called their agent to see if together
all six of them might apply for the circus.

I haven’t heard from them since.

Keep an eye out for them, will you?

A playful day at Cedarbrook Stables

Curious equine

A curious equine
leans down to sniff

Hey horse, come over hereHey, horsey
Come see me

What's your name?

What’s your name?

He tried to eat my hand

A second later, this one bit my hand!
I’m done.

I'm gonna explore

I’m gonna explore

Hi little mushrooms

Hi little mushrooms

Do you see the four-leaf clover?

Can you see spot a four-leaf clover?

Silly rooster

Rooster wants to play lookout

He's comin to get me

He’s comin’ to get me
Tough little bugger

Pretty feathers

Pretty preener
(Kristie, this one’s for you!)

Out back of the barn

Out back of the barn there’s this
old worn down lean-to

I have to go see

I have to go see

Magical blossoms

Magical blossoms
A moth a’lit there a moment ago

Balance beam angles

Balance beam angles

Blue beams

I love these blue beams

Walking toward the barn

Wobbley balance beam to the barn

Emerald green pastures

Emerald green pastures
sploch splish splooooch

Another pasture fence

Can I balance around the bend?

The answer to the previous question.

No.

Guess it’s time to go home.

Encounter at the Islandwood Suspension Bridge

Chapter One. Crossing to the Other Side.

Taking my first steps onto the suspension bridge at islandwood

Step one. Step onto the bridge. Don’t look down.

Move toward the light.Step two. Move toward the light. Don’t look down.

Half way there.Step three. Half way. Look up.

keep goingStep four. Dancing now. Step ball change.

Chapter Two. The Other Side.

Like a signpost.

The signpost isn’t the only one who can stand on one leg.

Left leg leaping.Left leg leap (a wise woman once said “left is the spiritual side”).

Stump jumping.Stump jumping.

Light drips off my feet.Light drips from my feet.

Light drops.Magical forest… light really is dripping from my feet.

Chapter 3. Leaf Goddess Appears

I sprout leaf wings

Ta da! I sprout leaf wings.

I am a leaf peacock.I am a leaf peacock.

Thank you, AutumnSummer ends.

Thank you, Autumn.

Brought to you by Sahale, LLC suspension bridges company.This blog brought to you by the lure of the Sahale bridge at Islandwood.

Slippery Driftwood: a cautionary tale told by an Emotikin

Fallen

Just before she fell, she remembered seeing her feet…

and the salty moss…

and hearing the crunch of the tiny barnacles…

and the waves lapping below paused a second longer than they should have…

and the sun glinted, changing angles just so…

and she thought she heard the ferry horn rumble…

she looked up

the sun in her eyes

and she

sneezed

and she

fell.

so

much

for

balance…