The favorite times of my day are my walks along the beach. My morning begins with a walk shortly after sunrise. It is a sensory experience that demands more of a stroll than a walk. The day is young and I am filled with anticipation. I feel the heat from the sun and soak in its warmth. The light ocean breeze gently blows on my face and the smell of the sea salt is refreshing. The shoreline contains so many different treasures. This morning I was little more than an arms length away from an elegant blue herring. I watched as seagulls flew overhead and listened to their squeals. Perhaps they were looking for a juicy meal of crab that may have washed up on the shore. I crossed paths with a very large crab as I strolled along the shore. I helped him back in the ocean water but it may have been too late. The shore is filled with thousands of shells. Shells of all different sizes, shapes, colors, and designs. I cannot just walk past these treasures. Being a retired teacher I find myself thinking of how I could use these in a classroom and how I could share these miraculous gifts of nature with the children. Both of my daughters are teachers so of course I wanted to create something for the children in their kindergarten and third grade classrooms. Walking is a great time to think of creative ideas. Here is what I came up with.
I collected Eastern Oysters and glued a pearl in each. The Disk Dosnia shells have little eyes glued on with a poem inside, and lastly are cockle shells with a gummy worm (pretend mollusk) wrapped in saran wrap. Yes, an edible treat!
Most evenings I take a sunset walk. The sun setting over the ocean is gorgeous. Tonight as I walked the path to get to the beach I had a special surprise. I encountered a boxer turtle looking for his next meal. He was a friendly fellow and stood still so I could take his picture. The beach is always full of surprises. Some even stand right up to greet you like this sand dollar. It is miraculous that it is able to keep from breaking apart with the waves churning and crashing as they toss debris upon the shore.
Whether my walk is at sunrise or sunset the beach is both soothing and exhilarating. I will never tire of the beautiful sights, sounds, smells, and treasures of the ocean shore. Thank you God for your beautiful and wonderful creation and the opportunity to enjoy it.
