Let's Do This One More Time

Here in the Pacific Northwest, today was a classic winter day: spitting rain, dark low clouds, foul temps and a world washed in tones of brown and grey.

In other words, a perfect day to visit the beach!

So this afternoon, my fourth-born and I jumped in the car, drove four and a half miles down the hill until we ran out of road, which landed us here. 

Ah, Mukilteo Beach. Dark clouds scudded along the horizon, coarse rocky sand crunched under our feet, a cold breeze rippled the water into black waves. We were in heaven.

Of course, Ranger came along too. Ranger is a huge fan of going to the beach. Just look at that happy wagging tail.

As we piled out of the car and faced the ruddy elements, we were accompanied by only one or two other human visitors, who seemed to take no notice of us. Only this brooding gull atop a sign post watched our progress toward the waterline. 

We got up close and personal with Mukilteo's two iconic treasures: our ferries and our lighthouse. While most shots of these highly photographed local sights feature blue skies and summer sunshine, these moody dark portraits capture them as we usually see them.

We found lovely treasures which we examined, marveled over, discussed, photographed, and then returned to their sandy, wet homes. I am always struck by a sense of awe and mystery at the beach, surrounded by so many mysterious creatures and objects that come from the depths of the sound.

And we even photographed each other, small and insignificant against the powerful backdrops of sky, land and sea.

All in all, it was a short but soul-satisfying trip to a beautiful wild place that all three of us love, especially on a blustery day like today.

* * * * *

Now, I don't want to spoil the mood of this rich and meaningful adventure.

But I need to share one more detail. 

As we were leaving the house, my daughter innocently intoned, "Let's go to the beach, each, Let's go get away."

And for the entirety of our poetic winter trip to the beach, this anthem was playing in my head:

 Kinda puts a different spin on things, doesn't it.