When I turned the corner onto Market Street, the North wind was strong and I was very happy to feel it! Friday and Saturday were extremely hot and humid, and the SouthWest wind had ushered in biting flies. I got to the beach late (1pm) but stayed till 6 o’clock, and finished the day’s castle!
People ask me which castle is my favorite – and my answer is usually, “Today’s.”
One of my old favorite families were back on the beach
I hadn’t been on the beach long, before I heard, “Sandcastle Lady, you’re still here!” It was Katie – one of my favorite kids (and yes, I do have a bunch of favorites!) She and her mom Adrei, were here with her mom’s friends, just for the day.
I got a ‘special delivery’ birthday present on the dune path, on my way home, from one of her mom’s friends <3 I love this beach!
Saturday, and a new family on the beach
There was a new family on the beach, whose children had a gazillion questions about building sandcastles. I think I answered all that I possibly could, and showed them everything I know (in about 5 minutes.) They borrowed my bag of molds and buckets, and made a wonderful castle!
Cocoa 10, Shreya almost 11, Jack 8, and Noah 7, from Washington DC built their castle after I coached them on everything I knew <3
Despite a bit more talking than usual, and teaching kids, I did manage to build a castle of my own today.
Quiet on the hot and humid beach today
Adreah 5 and her sister, Alayna 7, sat and watched a sandcastle lesson, with their mom, Bonita, and then went up the beach, to build a sweet castle!
Adreah and Alayna’s castle <3
Here’s my castle today. I hope to build some more levels tomorrow!
I ran out of energy after 4 hours in the heat and humidity today. I hope I can add a village tomorrow.
Wind from the Southwest today, and thunder in the afternoon
It was sunny, hot and humid on the beach today, with light winds out of the Southwest, that brought some biting flies. If you dipped into the bay every so often, you could get cooled off, and the flies would leave you alone for a little bit.
I was almost finished today’s castle, a little after 3:30, when dark clouds started with thunder rumblings. I took a picture; packed up, and left the beach. As it turned out, the storm passed us by, and went out over the bay.
Today’s castle
Aside from castles, meeting new and old friends is wonderful!
Today, one of my former kids’ mothers, (whose son since grew up to be 28, and is now teaching Physics and Science in Cape Henlopen High School, and now a father) stopped by, and made my heart happy <3 I met a tiny little girl today, Marla, 22 months old, who loved the castle, and blew me many kisses, after washing the sand off her hands in one of my buckets. Other people stopped by to say they look for me every August and September <3 And an old friend, Ellis came over to visit, and catch up with Jack and me.
First castle in 5 days, due to Hermine and her high winds
After 5 days away from building, I was very happy that the winds finally died down enough that I could build on the beach!
It’s a small castle, started from the ground up, but I hope to build a little bigger every day.
This is looking up toward Cape Henlopen and the ferry
Looking up toward the Inlet, there were a few people back on the beach today.
Despite some castle trampling and high surf and wind, a castle today!
The castle I built on Thursday was trampled and dug up with long handled shovels. I gave the shovels back to the father of his destructive kids, and asked if he knew who would help me fill in the many holes on my structure, but he had no answer for me. This family was neutralized by 10 families who stopped by today, to say they enjoyed the castles.
Despite that trampling, I was able to prep the sand, and built this castle today.
I was exhausted, but happy to build this castle.
An invitation to lunch on Tuesday
A phone call on the beach, from dear South African friends came before I even started carving the castle. They wanted to stop in Lewes on their way to South Carolina, and take Jack and I out to lunch. I never want to stop ‘playing’ once I get to the beach (plus I didn’t want to have to shower and get dressed, before I finished a castle, either!) I don’t usually stop to have lunch, but we hadn’t seen Sue and Peter in a long while. They are in the U.S. visiting, and wanted to see us. Jack suggested we go to On the Rocks, and I was ready in a flash (a long beach cover up over my bathing suit, and I was ready!) Lunch was nice, and I was back on the beach at 2:30, and worked till 5, and finished the castle for the day.
This castle was about 2 and a half hours carving, after the sand prep in the morning.
An old kid builds <3 hey! I'm in!
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It was so good to have Frank building alongside me today! Here’s his castle!
My castle today, with my brother Bill Hicks’ boat out in the bay