Independence Day...

We had a quiet morning at home, sleeping in and enjoying our place in the world. Then we drove to Reid State park. The day was fine- sunny and warm. The beach was wide and sprawling and dotted with sand frosted children. Gulls wheeled in the clear sky and a family of ducks surfed the waves near the shore.

The sandy beach was long and curved, the tide was coming in. You may note that there are no people in the water. Well... there were a few, but they were hardy souls. The water was bone chilling. The three of us held hands and waded in about to our waists. We wanted to dive right in, but every splashing wave took our breaths away.

We walked and waded and sprawled in the sun. I took pictures, of course, and listened to the magical sound of the surf on sand and granite. The day wrapped around us, scented with wild roses and salt air, a gift.

Dreams and reality...

Today is the 26Th anniversary of my marriage.
I began the day having a long chat with a woman in her early 20's. Her boyfriend is in the Air Force, currently stationed in Iraq. She was starry eyed, head over heels, first blush in LOVE. And I could remember that sensation as if it were yesterday.

My husband and I took the day off today. We did one of the things we love to do best; we went exploring. We drove and chatted. We drove and were silent. We took in the scenery, we found a new spot to eat and had a favorite meal. We laughed.

At one point we stopped at a beach and went for a walk. The day had started out overcast and rainy. As the afternoon went on, the sun burst through the clouds. The sky was stunning. I took this photo of a wonderful rock wall, topped by an airy bank of clouds. It struck me, looking at it, that this image portrayed the the relationships of the girl I talked to this morning and her boy friend, and that of mine with my husband.

The clouds represent the airy, fantastic dreams of couples newly in love. Castles in the air... splendid to see, dreamy... but lacking in substance.

The rock wall represents the solid foundation that long term couples build after many years together. The hard times dovetail the good times to build something of substance... to withstand the storms and offer shelter along the way.

It was magical to see the clouds looking as if they were perched right on top of that solid wall. A majestic illustration of our past and present.