SUNDAY AT THE BEACH

I had a lovely afternoon at the beach yesterday, with my daughter. We walked for several miles watching the surfers out beyond the break. There was a kite surfer who was very entertaining as he would go flying off the tops of waves, lifted by the parachute he was holding onto.

There was quite a mix of outfits out and about the beach. Jess and I were somewhat bundled up as it was heading into late afternoon and we were expecting a drop in temperatures once the sun went down. But there were people out there in bikinis and bathing trunks playing soccer in the sand and even braving the water, though not for very long. 

I love that beach because it is so open to allowing people and dogs to show up and play. People rode by me on their bikes on the beach, and there were runners and joggers. There were couples strolling hand-in-hand and little children writing their names in the sand and building sand castles and forts.

We stopped at Jack's Crab Shack for a snack and a drink while we sat on the outdoor patio and watched the sun go down. The drive back into town was just as glorious as we were headed west and were treated to a vibrant sunset of peach and pink and orange and deep purple. I couldn't have painted a more colorful sky if I'd tried.

Today it is cooler and raining. As I sit here on the patio typing I notice that the leaves are starting to come out on the birches in the quad. Unlike Wisconsin, trees don't really go dormant here as much as they shed their leaves, take a moment to shake off the last years growth and rest a bit, and then come right back to living fully.

Trees in Wisconsin retreat deep into their roots in the ground and to the protected center of their trunks. When they come back to life it's like they are coming out of a season long coma that always seem to have some of us wondering if they survived the winter. Trees in Wisconsin burst to life, in the spring, grabbing every day they can before they are forced to retreat once more.

So today I work and get ahead of the curve because tomorrow is my daughter's birthday and I am dedicating the day to doing some fun and memorable things with her.

Have a great day all and sending you hugs!

Betsy