Blue Moon

Facebook exploded with words and photos of our gorgeous blue moon earlier in August.  Full moons elicit magic and awe in all of us.  They inspire us and cause us to pause for a moment in busy lives to notice and consider nature

But what if you’re two?  Wow.  Even more magical. 

My girlfriend’s daughter, Miss Emma, is two.  They were laying on my girlfriend’s bed watching one of Miss Emma’s shows when all of a sudden, she said:  “What_is_THAT?” as she looked out the window.  Blue moon.

My friend hadn’t realized she’d never seen the moon – always in bed, not out and about that late at night.  Miss Emma was mesmerized and my friend tried to explain what the moon was – not that easy to do to a two-year-old and then again, everything is magical (and big) to a two-year old so maybe it’s just like everything else new in her young life.

Miss Emma took the pillow and put it on my friend’s lap, put her arms behind her head like she’d seen her Dad do on the couch, and lay looking straight out the window, just watching the moon.  

She asked my friend to turn off the TV….so she could see the moon better.

Little Kids at the Beach

Running.

Jumping.

Skipping.

Twirling on tippy toes.

Ponytails.  Gilligan hats.  Ruffles on bathing suits.

Plastic watering cans.

Pails in primary colors – bright red, yellow, royal blue.

Rocks, seaweed.

Pail shaped sand castles.

Mud dripped sand castles.

Sandcastles with moats.

And watching enthusiastically to see if the tide will rise all the way along the canal that will fill the moat.

Shimmering blond hair blowing in the sea breeze.

Frisbies, bocci, 4-square, football toss, tennis balls and mitts.

Jumping waves, shivering shoulders, sandy wet towels balled up on the sand.

Bologna sandwiches on white bread with orange Kraft singles and the red Coleman jug filled with Kool-Aid to share have been replaced with individual juice boxes, yogurts, cheese stix individually wrapped in plastic sleeves.

They’ll feel the pull of the waves when they lie down to sleep tonight – back and forth in the tide as though they are still at the shore.  And then sleep will come deeply after a day of fresh air.

I’d be freckled with a peeling nose and bleached bangs.  Our little kids are more carefully sunscreened, although still free and alive at the beach…and loving it just like we…still do. 

Photos:  Scarborough Beach, Maine