Sensory delights...

This morning we met my niece, her husband,their baby daughter and my sister at a favorite breakfast spot. They were in town for a wedding, and kindly made time for us before they headed home. The baby is 8 months old now. Her parents don't want her picture spread all over the 'net, so let me describe her for you. She is a study in curves, as babies are. All soft, sweet and cuddly, with no sharp edges. Her eye lashes precede her by a mile, and she has shiny new teeth when she smiles. And she smiles a lot. This baby is the image of glowing good health,is clearly bright, and is one of the happiest little spirits I have ever known. And you know what? She smells like BABY! I am completely smitten with her. Her parents very sweetly let me hold her lots when I get to see her, and I try to take advantage of every precious moment.

After breakfast we came home and checked on the critters, then, because it was a perfect day,and there are not many summers days left, we headed for the beach. Daughter Rachel joined us. It is frosting on my proverbial cake when we are all together for a time.



Sometimes I take a book to the beach and lose myself in words. Today I just sat let the place work its magic on my senses.



I listened to the incomparable sound of the waves greeting the shore, smelled the indescribable scent of the sea...



I waded in waist deep for a few moments, then walked the beach from one end to the other,letting the water wash over my feet and legs. The water was pretty chilly, but not painfully so. I picked up tiny, scuttling hermit crabs, then let them go and watched them as they danced across the ocean floor. I tried my hand at skipping stones, but clearly need more practice. It's been a while.



There was some time spent sitting in the sun, watching kids play at the waters edge, gulls swooping, boats skimming by with snow white sails full of wind. I drank it all in, storing the memory to sustain me when the winter winds blow. A day full of family, sweet baby snuggles and the sea. What could be better?