My castle today, and some thoughts…

It always feels good to build a sandcastle.  I think you ALL should get down in the sand (it really does wash off) and feel the texture of the sand, and carve something wonderful!  Even if it’s just a pyramid – (last summer, one young builder only wanted to smooth (and smooth and smooth) his creation – didn’t want to build anything on it, but it made him happy.  And I think that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  That young man found happiness, and was satisfied.  So many times, we pursue happiness, but keep on the ‘hunt’ (and we may have left behind something that could very well have satisfied our hunger.

Charlie, 5, from Frederica, DE often comes and sits with me, asking if he can help me.  He carries water, and will smooth things, and makes the most beautiful trees – with a funnel!  What a sweet boy – I love the little bits of time with kids like Charlie!

my castle today

Cassie 10, built her first spiraling stairs

Cassie has been building this week, and tried her first curving staircase today, with success!  She is 10 years old, from Magnolia, DE, and friends with the Troutman girls, from Frederica, DE.

Cassie, very happy with her stairs today

No castle for me today; the weather chased me! Maybe tomorrow

I went to the beach rather late (2pm) and nimbus cumulous clouds started forming.  I gave some lessons to a family from Baltimore, and started my structure (had to start over, because of the castle destruction last night.)  I keep hoping if I keep teaching, that I will be making more creators than there are destroyers.  (I like to think positive!)

I hope to get to the beach earlier tomorrow!  (Hope springs eternal.)

Kate, 8 years old, from Austin, TX, came back to build again

Kate (8 years old) built a castle before I had to leave the beach today.  (Thunder and threatening sky.)  Her sister Amelia, 13, was still in the process of building, as was her cousin, Kyle, 11, and his brother Blake.  I hope they got a good castle in today!  (And hope it will stay standing tomorrow – we had major destruction here last night

Kate finished her castle (and it was great) before I had to leave today, because of threatening weather.

 

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Alex 12, and Logan, 8, from Baltimore, MD

Alex 12, Logan 8, and their Dad, Mike, a high school teacher in Carroll County, MD, were waiting for me when I got to the beach at 2pm.  They had been wanting to find out all the ‘secrets’ of sandcastle building.  I showed them everything I knew (in about 5 minutes!)  And they took that information, and built a great castle.  You can see Alex and Logan’s mom with a sandcastle mold in the photo, with Logan and his neighboring kingdom behind Alex’s castle.  I look forward to seeing this family build more!!

Alex's castle (mom in the sidelines) and Logan's neighboring kingdom behind

my late in the day castle

Today I spent a lot of time teaching, helping, and talking (not necessarily in that order!  I didn’t start carving my castle  until after 3 o’clock!  (But better late than never!)

late in the day castle, looking toward the duneslate in the day castle, looking toward the bay