"maggie and millie and molly and maywent down to the beach (to play one day)
and maggie discovered a shell that sangso sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,
and
millie befriended a stranded star
who's rays five languid fingers were;
and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles: and
may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.
For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea.”
— e. e. cummings
For years, I spent summers at the Jersey shore.
As soon as school was out, we'd pack up the kids and the dog and head to the beach.
But, it's been a lifetime since then.
And I viewed my old friend -- the beach -- with new eyes yesterday.
Maybe it's true what they say about absence. 
millie befriended a stranded starwho's rays five languid fingers were;
and molly was chased by a horrible thingwhich raced sideways while blowing bubbles: and
may came home with a smooth round stoneas small as a world and as large as alone.
For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)it's always ourselves we find in the sea.”
— e. e. cummings
For years, I spent summers at the Jersey shore.
As soon as school was out, we'd pack up the kids and the dog and head to the beach.
But, it's been a lifetime since then.
And I viewed my old friend -- the beach -- with new eyes yesterday.
Maybe it's true what they say about absence. 
15 comments:
Lovely photos, Leslie! Looks peaceful. Love the shell shots.
Your photos are wonderful and make me nostalgic for the beach.
Love the last photo with the Mennonite ladies. I was in PA Amish country Saturday.
LOVE these photos Leslie. What wonderful day it looks like... and words by ee cummings, the best!
Exquisite. thank you.
Wow- really beautifully shot, Leslie!
These pictures make me long to get to the beach this summer. I remember spending part of each of my summers at Ocean City, Maryland when I was growing up. It wasn't that far of a drive from where we lived in Virginia. But now, to get to a beach from Dallas......takes more time than I have these days. Thanks for sharing these summer images! :D
~Allie
oh Leslie - what a glorious post!
craving this kind of O P E N space
such images you have captured and shared...
missing you
xox - eb.
this portrait of your old friend and her sweet treasures is magnificent. I feel like I had a trip to your Jersey Shore !
Thanks for that !
(I found you at e.b.'s blog post about the wonders of her spring Squam visit. I am headed there in September too !So excited !)
Oh these are WONDERFUL!! I just realized I was on the Oregon coast last fall and will be on the Rhode Island coast in a few weeks. I can't wait to get to the water.. wonder if it will feel different, smell different.... of course, coming from water strapped south central Texas, it will all be different!!!
Thank you for the wonderful tour and words of a genius. The last photo touches me deeply....
Oh HOW LOVELY!!
Thank you Leslie! For bring me to the Jersey Shore with you. Your photographs are elegant!
xox
Constance
You take stunning close-ups..
I felt nostalgic seeing these photos...last time I enjoyed a wide open beach, shells with a story, and flights like this one over my head was last summer in Maine and Martha's Vineyard...sigh...I miss wetting my feet and sinking my toes on the wet sand.
That last shot is just awesome!
Lovely beach pictures! I was at Long Beach on that day! A slightly different ambience but a glorious day.
oh leslie
i so enjoyed seeing your sea!
and
i did not need to buy
an airplane ticket to do it!
:-)
yipppeeee!
and this quote----->
"""it's always ourselves
we find in the sea"""
i did not know this quote!!!!
and i do love e.e. cummings
but now it all makes sense to me
why i collect oceans
and seas.
i must be looking for myself!
who knew??
{{ i must keep looking;
i will let you know if
i find myself }}
meanwhile,
back at the ranch,
i am enjoying your splashy photos.
This sand is such a fine-grained soft looking sand... different than our Oregon beach sand... the shells and all your photographs are beautiful, as though I could reach down and touch one. I love the poem and your summer memories. thanks, Roxanne
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