Thursday, June 19, 2008

Tonight I walked down to Silver Point.  The evening was beautiful and clear and fairly quiet for all of the people that seem to be in town.  I didn't take my camera, though. 

My work days begin when I wake up, and, many times don't end until I tell myself to turn the lights out.  As I took my camera out of its bag, I felt "obligated" for the first time in a long, long time.  Sometimes things lose some of their appeal when there is an element of "have to."  I told myself that this was okay---okay to put the camera back in the bag.  Tonight I needed to step away from my second nature and just "be."  

This was good---walking through the sand, cool water meeting my ankles and flowing through my Croc shoes, the breeze and fresh northwest ocean air, surf sounds.  Around me were little shells and pieces of shells and sand dollars and kelp, and I picked up a beautiful peach and ivory and charcoal grey-striped scallop shell, perfect but for one small chip.  There was also a long, espresso-colored feather---was this from an eagle on the hill?  It didn't look like a seagull feather, though some are brownish and have dark tail feathers. 

My mind was quiet for a change, only in the present, wondering about the feather and the tiny shells and the group of seagulls foraging in the surf's edges.  The sound around me filled my ears rather than the inner chatter.  I realized I'd escaped Glynis's World and visited Glynis's Planet when someone jogging by called my name to say, "hello," and I jolted back like a hard landing.  But that was fine.  I'd taken the tonic, which was the most important thing.

On Tuesday, Cannon Beach's first Farmers Market began.  I did shoot photos (for a newspaper article next week) and had a wonderful time.  Nearly everyone who lives here was there.  There hasn't been much of a growing season so far, but the food that was there was gorgeous.  As was the afternoon light and the positive atmosphere.  Spirited will be participating in the Market Dinners series by hosting a couple of happy hours at the shop, combining some of our products with Market produce and products.  I'll update the Spirited website with more info as it's available. 

For now, I'll post a couple of shots that I didn't send the paper.