A windy day by Lake Erie.
Today, I went down to the lake right about sunset. It was a windy day, but I was totally unprepared for just how windy it was. Standing on the beach of Century Park, I was almost blown away by a 30-40 mph wind steadily moving from the west. A slight drizzle pelted my now beardless face.
I scurried over to a line of breaker rocks that seperate Century Park from the endless stretch of private beaches, which run almost unbroken from Lorain to Cleveland. I dodged onto the east side of the breakers to get out of the wind. The seagulls were hovering above me, flying into the wind but getting blown hither and thither in the process. Still, they looked like they were enjoying the free lift provided by the gale. The waves were 3-4 feet high, frothy white on a grey lake. The clouds raced east overhead.
From crevice to crevice I crawled looking deep inside for treasures washed up in the surf. Drift wood. Rocks worn round and smooth from relentless waves.
My mother would take my sister and I to this beach when we were youngsters. I remember swimming far out into the lake, beyond the breakers even. Despite my many trips to the beach as a child, I have a fear of dark, deep water. This past summer, I'd walk across the Hocking River in Athens to try and overcome the fear. The water was up above my waist sometimes, and I couldn't see the muddy bottom (but I felt it squishing between my toes). Though that fear is one I confront frequently, I have yet to overcome it.
Before I left the park, I walked over to a little spot on the side of the steep hill leading down to the beach. When I visited the beach in August, I noticed wild strawberries growing there.I picked a mighty handfull of the leaves today for tea. I imagined the plants were happy to be picked for tea. At the end of their growing season, this was a way for them to live on through the winter and nourish me in the process (the leaves are rich in Vitamin C). I also found some rose hips (also rich in Vitamin C).
Well, I'm going to visit Athens this weekend. My buddy, Cory, is putting on a youth program, and he's asked me to help with some musis programs. I plan to rent a car, head out Friday (maybe with a friend) and return Monday. I'm looking forward to seeing all my friends again!
I scurried over to a line of breaker rocks that seperate Century Park from the endless stretch of private beaches, which run almost unbroken from Lorain to Cleveland. I dodged onto the east side of the breakers to get out of the wind. The seagulls were hovering above me, flying into the wind but getting blown hither and thither in the process. Still, they looked like they were enjoying the free lift provided by the gale. The waves were 3-4 feet high, frothy white on a grey lake. The clouds raced east overhead.
From crevice to crevice I crawled looking deep inside for treasures washed up in the surf. Drift wood. Rocks worn round and smooth from relentless waves.
My mother would take my sister and I to this beach when we were youngsters. I remember swimming far out into the lake, beyond the breakers even. Despite my many trips to the beach as a child, I have a fear of dark, deep water. This past summer, I'd walk across the Hocking River in Athens to try and overcome the fear. The water was up above my waist sometimes, and I couldn't see the muddy bottom (but I felt it squishing between my toes). Though that fear is one I confront frequently, I have yet to overcome it.
Before I left the park, I walked over to a little spot on the side of the steep hill leading down to the beach. When I visited the beach in August, I noticed wild strawberries growing there.I picked a mighty handfull of the leaves today for tea. I imagined the plants were happy to be picked for tea. At the end of their growing season, this was a way for them to live on through the winter and nourish me in the process (the leaves are rich in Vitamin C). I also found some rose hips (also rich in Vitamin C).
Well, I'm going to visit Athens this weekend. My buddy, Cory, is putting on a youth program, and he's asked me to help with some musis programs. I plan to rent a car, head out Friday (maybe with a friend) and return Monday. I'm looking forward to seeing all my friends again!
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