Taking in Life Around Me: #Sundaystills.....Let's Go to the Beach

This #sundaystills challenge is hosted by Terri from Second Wind Leisure. It's a great themed photography challenge that you'll enjoy. I love seeing the other participants interpretation of the theme each week...it causes me to think outside the box. I joined in hopes of it pushing me to get out and take more photos...I have to some degree, but I also like that Terri is okay with us finding photos in our archives, which is also a lot of fun. So check out my photos and then head over to Terri's page to participate or visit other's posts. There are some awesome contributors who always inspire me. 

This week we're taking each other to the beach. Now, I wouldn't say the beach is my favorite place, mostly because I really just do not enjoy sand that gets in everything and everywhere, I do enjoy it though and we've gone to a lot of beaches over the course of our married life.  I didn't share them here, but we have also visited several Florida beaches as well. 

I think we automatically think of the ocean when we say or hear the word "beach", but lakes often have "beaches" as well. And what consists of a beach, is it only if there's sand? Or do pebbles or rocks count. According to the dictionary a beach is a the shore of a body of water that consists of sand, pebbles or other loose material along a larger body of water such as ocean, sea or large lake. 

A few weeks ago I was in Ocean Park, Washington hanging out with my grandkids while their mom and dad ran a youth camp (the same youth camp, in the same place as my hubby and I ran from 1996-2009...the place hasn't changed at all..haha). Anyways, one morning I woke up early and went down to the beach hoping to capture some eagles feeding. Instead I spotted seagulls feeding on crab. It was a treat to watch them lean their head down and then stick their beak beneath the sand and come up with a crab. It was equally fun to to watch the crab try to fight the bird off. 

Then later that day I took my granddaughter and a couple of the other little girls down to play. 

Another favorite beach town is Seabrook, Washington. I wouldn't say the beach itself is a favorite, but the community sure is. 

The village of Seabrook could easily be a setting for a Hallmark movie, rom-com book or a cozy mystery.

Further north on the Washington coast are some beaches with beautiful rock formations. 

The Oregon Coast is close to us as well and this beach in Neskowin was really neat. That rock is called Proposal rock. Local legend has it that a sea captain in the 1900's proposed to his girlfriend on top of the rock. While we were visiting we're pretty sure we saw one couple taking engagement photos and another couple getting married there or at least taking wedding photos. 

When I visit family in Ohio, I will often stay several days on Kelleys Island with one of my aunts. We used to visit this island when each generation was growing up so it held great memories. I can vaguely recall myself as a child riding bikes around and playing on beaches. This beach above is called Pebble Beach because it is not sand, but, you guessed it, pebbles and smooth rocks.

This beach on the opposite side of the island also had a lot of small pebbles. 

There are also several beaches that have sand and when we took the family here in 2022 the kids loved playing in it and the water was very calm, shallow and warm on this side of the island. 

I can say that I have visited the beaches of Oahu. They are beautiful as well. This little beach was in walking distance of the house we stayed in while there. 

We spent time driving all around the island, visiting several different beaches. 

We also went to Cabo one year with our oldest daughter and her family and our youngest daughter. We didn't head to the beach there often, but it was pretty. 

Seaside, Oregon at Sunset. 

With Joy Unquenchable,

Kirstin