The Beach

Ah, the beach. It evokes memories of sandcastles, waves and potato chips. Where I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, the beaches were gorgeous, but not necessarily for swimming. The beauty of seaweed washed up on shore and tiny crabs running along the rocky sand was something I didn't appreciate until I moved away.

The lakes I grew up on and visited as a child hold the memories most people have of beach vacations.

...I remember spending the entire day out on my family's speed boat, watching my brother and cousins wakeboard through the waves, catching a foot of air coming off the wake.

...I remember my mom wrapping me up in a warm towel she had layed out in the sun and giving me a big hug as I told her about my time out on the jet-ski.

...I remember burying my cousin so far in the sand that he couldn't get out, upon which time my brother and I tickled his toes mercilessly.

...I remember my dad chasing me in the pool until he would catch me and throw me into the air, slashing me back into cool blue water.

...I remember playing chicken war with my brother against my two cousins, splashing water on eachother as the sun set in the distance.

...I remember running my Dad's boat into the dock with my friend (oops, sorry Dad, we never told you), and breaking the front light which my friend fixed as I hyperventilated on the dock.

...I remember eating Cheetos on the sand, watching my fingers turn a brighter and brighter shade of orange before I would run down to the water and wash away the orange dust.

With all the lovely memories the beach brings me, its no wonder I have been retreating to the sand and salt water as much as possible this summer. I just can't get enough of the feeling you get when the sun is warming you from the outside in and the perfectly blue sky shining down on the white sand. Hope you are enjoying the warmth of the sun and everything else beaches bring this year, no matter what sort of beach may be near!