Winter's Last Gasp?

Hi! Oh it was cold on my beach today!

With the wind chill hovering around 17 degrees and wind gusts of 35 MPH, today was one of the coldest days of our winter so far.

Not that I'm complaining! I actually enjoy cold weather, especially when it is so clear and beautiful. My ten minutes of fresh air turned into a two hour hike, how fun.

The earthmovers are here already. They level the sand and remove the snow fencing. These guys work long hours, sunrise to sunset.

I think they enjoy their jobs! And while it seems premature, as our biggest storms are often in March and April, I was glad to see them begin promptly on March 1st, to complete their tasks before the shorebirds arrive. I am watching daily for my oystercatchers---usually they arrive on St. Paddy's Day. [how do they know?]

I figure if I want to collect white clam shells and driftwood for my strange but popular beach garlands I better get out there and do some collecting. After the earthmovers come the sand rakes and they rake off all the goodies exposed by the March winds. I call them my competitors.

The shell string in the picture is festooned with drying antique lace, everything gets washed in my house!

And look! Someone made this huge heart with white clamshells, so romantic...

Not much small treasure today...a calico crab waaay up in the dunes, probably dropped by a gull, poor guy. He's pretty, isn't he? See his calico dots?

...a few interesting bottles:
THis one's cool, looks like vintage pressed glass...but, see the Star of David, in the design? It says Manischevitz on the base, must have once held Passover schnapps. It is fairly old, I think, since it is marked in pints. 2/5 of pints! That's tiny! Nicely weathered.

And this is new, label sort of still there. Brown beer-like bottle, dipped in white paint. Malibu Rum, maybe? Cleaned up, it will be perfect for some sea salt bath salts....

And a few bits of shells or seaglass.

I need to replenish my supply for my Curiosity boxes....

An almost full moon in the east...

And a red setting sun to the west.....

Cobwebs gone from my head, I happily if tiredly headed home, glad to know a cup of hot tea and an hour of quilting await me.
And temps in the seventies by Thursaday! A shorts day?

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...



pink self-portrait