Tag Archives: beach

spectacle.

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there is one spectacle grander than the sea,

that is the sky; 

there is one spectacle grander than the sky,

that is the interior of the soul.

-victor hugo

Arcadia Dunes, C.S. Mott Nature Preserve, on the shores of Lake Michigan, hiking Old Baldy Trail – October 2020

extraordinary.

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what a surprise and delight

it was to meet peter

(who is known as jonathan when in trouble)

the proprietor of a tiny shop near the beach.

how was i to know

that he was

a visiting nurse

a gentle spirit

a master

of local lore, directions, recommendations

who worries about what will happen to his store

when he is gone

and wonders

if the people who take it over 

will be able to make enough money

 in spite of some adversity

he was brimming

with happiness and passion

as we spoke at length 

about the joys of sea glass

with all of its pits and scratches and imperfections

that only serve to prove

 it’s the real thing

having survived

a long and challenging journey

having arrived at last

on a soft and sandy shore

collected by hands

that appreciate it for all of its beauty

exactly as it is

and he was extraordinary.

“for me, the difference between an ‘ordinary’ and an ‘extraordinary’ person

is not the title that person might have,

but what they do to make the world a better place for us all.”

-jody williams

 

 

 

 

wells, maine – august 2019

“and at the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy, and your eyes sparkling.” — shanti

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1470269_10152615497611694_1308576953840277441_n a windy day

at empire beach

on lake michigan

by sleeping bear dunes

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i have a very important appointment –

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here.

where i’ll be in less than 24 hours.

see you all when i get back.

A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in. – Robert Orben

 

image credit: dominican republic ministry of tourism

 

 

Life is either a great adventure or nothing. Helen Keller

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got a message from my good friend’s husband.

seems he’s taking 12 of us on a mystery trip to celebrate her milestone birthday.

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he said, ‘pack your bags, and we’ll all meet at the airport.’

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he said, ‘you won’t have to worry about a thing, it’s all taken care of.

your part is just to get some days off of work.’

Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour. Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour. 

Roll up (and that’s an invitation), roll up for the mystery tour. 

Roll up (to make a reservation), roll up for the mystery tour. 

The magical mystery tour is waiting to take you away, 

Waiting to take you away. 

Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour. 

Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour. 

Roll up (we’ve got everything you need), roll up for the mystery tour. 

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where are we going?, i wondered.

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i imagined we might be going to chicago, where i was born, and just a few hours away.

 

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it’s a bit chilly there in the winter, but always so much fun.

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“The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon, center, exits the water during the Chicago Polar Plunge, Sunday, March 2, 2014.

A few weeks ago, newly-minted Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon invited Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to be a guest on the show. The politician responded on Twitter, agreeing to stop by the Tonight Show if Fallon in turn agreed to participate in Chicago’s Polar Plunge — an annual dip into freezing Lake Michigan to benefit the city’s Special Olympics.

Fallon agreed, and this morning, he made good on his promise. Both Fallon and Emanuel plunged into the slushy 32-degree water — the comedian wearing a suit and tie and the politician sporting some kind of wetsuit. Fallon had asked his fans to wear neckties in solidarity.

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he said, ‘and bring your passport.’ 

imagine my shock and awe when i found out we are going to the dominican republic instead.

it’s a bit warmer there in the winter, and sure to be a lot of fun too.

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  local dominican celebrity host, exits the water of the caribbean,

no neckties needed.

i see my path, but I don’t know where it leads.

Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it. – Rosalia de Castro

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image credits:

conversationpieces.co.uk,ephemrasociety.org,runawayguide.com,grammarly.com,

washingtonpost.com,andrewnelles/ap,etraveltrips.com,fanshare.com,

songwriters: LENNON, MCCARTNEY, Magical Mystery Tour lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

 

 

 

 

Hansel and gretel hit the beach

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It seemed like a good idea to carve this giant arrow into the sand to help us find our way out after a long walk down the beach.

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Upon our return, the entire beach looked like the scene below.

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Now that I think of it, hansel and gretel had some design flaws in their plan as well.

Scoring big with potato pete

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 an early morning stop by the Indian Ocean for fresh fruits and veggies and chat.

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Pete flies his international flags to welcome everyone and offers up a bit of conversation.

Imagehmmm…….everything is slightly bigger here in Western Australia