You always remember your first …

 

 

Shell!!

 

 

The first year we came here years ago, the olive shell (above … the baby one is just a bit longer than a piece of long grain rice!) was the shell-a-plenty that year.  I didn’t realize at the time, that there is a “shell of the year”, one that is more plentiful than the others on the beach. A few years back, after a series of intense storms, deep maroon and pink cockle shells were everywhere the eye could see.

 

This year, with all of the storms, the ocean seemed reluctant to give up anything but shards and the shell of the year was far from obvious.  Instead of collecting shells on my walks, between hopeful glances down at the sand, I watched in amusement as these birds “played chicken” with the waves, racing back and forth with legs that were a blur as they scurried along.

 

 

Some things stood out, like this starfish,

 

 

 

however, this is mostly what the beach looked like this year.

 

 

 

Yet with some thigh burning squats and close examination, this is what you could find.  Small ones of course!

 

 

 

All cleaned up, this was this years bounty!  I love the “Nemo” looking one half way down on the right!

 

 

 

The Slipper Shell was shell of the year in the end.  The smallest ones being a mere 3/8″!

 

 

 

I framed my collection from nine years ago.  It was a remarkable year for variety and quantity! Baby’s ears (third from the left) were the shell of the year that year, as finding this many is unusual!

 

 

 

My sister and I “closed down” the beach our final evening amid laughter, sweatshirt deliveries from the beach house, and a beautiful sunset!

 

 

 

Have a great week

&

Happy Stitching!