Lise's Ramblings

Driftwood at Panmure Island, Prince Edward Island  Substantial pieces of driftwood serve as natural benches at the beach, whether you huddle there to gaze at the waves by day or sing campfire tunes at night.  At dusk, driftwood can also serve up eerie silhouettes. "Wait, is that a moose up ahead?" Even basking in the sunshine, driftwood takes on many forms. At times I see antlers, but I have also spotted a teeter-totter, a Hobbit dwelling, an oversized sea horse, a pile of brooms, an antique bird cage... Do you ever wonder where those weathered tree trunks and branches started out? I would like to know if a piece of driftwood started life as a sapling on exotic shores. I contemplate how it looked back then and what animals sought shelter there. Did a swing dangle from one of its branches? Was a fort tucked away among its leaves? Were initials carved in the bark wrapping the trunk? And...

Life is good when you live and work close to the beach. Here on Prince Edward Island, you’re never more than 15 to 20 minutes from the shore. It's funny how proximity to sand and water can shift your habits and attitudes. Need a few examples? Colleagues strap sea kayaks and paddle boards to their car roofs, because they never know when they may want to head straight from the office to the beach.  Women carry flip-flops in their purses, just in case the urge to kick off dress shoes proves to be too strong.   Pool noodles and sunscreen bottles roll around in the back of most mini-vans and SUVs.  People wear sunglasses as headbands and fashion accessories.  And the best part of all: the short travel time means you don’t need to wait for a perfect beach day to fall on a weekend . That's right, don't go home for dinner. If the sun comes out on a weekday afternoon, then simply pack a snack and head beachward. AWESOME! National Research Coun...