Atlantic seashore

We drove to the Eastern Shore today to visit my grandmother and aunt Debra on my dad's side. I haven't seen them since last summer and have sorely wanted to visit.

It was so good to finally sit and catch up with family, especially my grandmother, still sharp as a razor at 95 years old. We frequently talk about politics, philosophy, and cultural topics whenever we meet. Pretty amazing, no? I find her view of the world fascinating even if I seldom agree with it. She is strong willed as they come, but polite and decent at the same time. She is a person born of another time. She is my Nana.

It was another gorgeous day and being by the seashore I went down to wander the beach at low tide with my shirt off soaking in some rays and exploring the tidal flats. I used to do this as a kid with my dog Frisco. And I'm happy to say nothing much has changed almost 28 years later and I'm still nerding out on little snail trails in the mud and flocks of tiny shorebirds skipping over the tideline. I love wandering the seashore.

There were obnoxious bullying gulls and stately sandpipers busy slurping up micro-invertebrates in the sand. Barnacles lashed tight to boulders and putrid mussels submerged and gasping in the sun waiting for high tide to roll in. In the distance I even saw the shimmer of a school of fish just breaking the surface, hunting or being hunted under the blanket of the ripple waves, I don't know...

I laid on the beach like that in the sun for hours just watching the shadows lengthen over the waves with a sage kingfisher on the rock pilings. He sat so stock still hunting for fish he was like a little meditating Buddha lost in deep contemplation.

When I finally got track of the time and returned it was nearly dinner! It seems I was late for appetizers my aunt Debra made especially for me. Knowing my love of all foods from the sea she made deviled blue crab balls. And then there was more as we gathered for dinner at the local club house round these parts. Seared scallops, fried onion rings, and iced tea round the table with everyone and it couldn't be much better along the seashore....