"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." Jacques Cousteau
I live about as far from the sea as you can get in the UK. Admittedly, in the grand scheme of things it's actually not that far. A couple of hours drive should see me there, but it's still rather an effort. When the sun shines of course, that couple of hours drive gets doubled as everyone with a pair of sandles and knotted hanky to their name heads for the coast ready for a day of sand blasting and seagulls nicking your chips.
Yesterday took me coast bound for work. I was about as close as you can get without getting sand in my sandwiches but never got a glimpse. Too busy readers. I was up to my eyeballs in brocolli and cauliflower - I bet your mind is boggling.
After a day of meetings, examining seedlings in fields and understanding packing processes I was homeward bound. The brilliant blue sky of morning had been replaced by mizzling rain and time was racing. There wasn't a moment to spare to gaze at seascapes and even the pull of a sign post enticingly reading 'Sea's End' wasn't enough to keep me from my homebound journey.
I miss the sea though. I'm rather fond of our British coastline with its rock pools, shingle banks and sandy dunes. Put me on a beach and I just want to run - not necessarily into the sea, this being the UK and all that... But I love charging about in the sea breezes and letting go, crinkling my toes in the sand and crashing through pebbles.
A trip to the seaside is never complete without returning with a pocketful of pretty shells and interesting pebbles. My son has inherited this little habit of mine. Between us we'll have collected enough for a whole beach in the back garden soon.
Do other countries enjoy the coastal fashion that is the knotted hanky I wonder? I very much doubt that the French or Italians would ever be seen dead in such an item. I can almost feel their shudder of distaste from here.
So, Monday was the day that I nearly got to see the sea. Still, not too long before I'll be dipping my toes in the Aegean... Ah bliss....
Here's a seascape I painted a year or so ago. I actually sold this one! Think I'll take the paints to Greece with me this year.
Posts
