Foto Friday - A sunrise and a beach walk

 

The sun rises

and nature wakes up

there is an instant reminder

we are alive

The ocean

and its ability to heal our hearts

brings joy to our minds

and wakes our souls

-Kim

Finally, after three visits to watch the sunrise, we actually got to 'see' the sun rise!
I really do wish I could watch it everyday,
because it's painted with a different brush
and a different color palette
on each new morning!

Three minutes later.....

And then another 6 minutes . . .

After the sunrise, we drove to Galveston for a walk on the beach, and to relax. But it's that time of year again for the seaweed, which between May and August is a common sight along Galveston beaches. It's a gulfweed, called sargassum which grows in really dense mats in the Sargasso Sea, and this year it's the worst it has been in 10 years. The Sargasso Sea, in the North Atlantic Ocean, is the only sea that has no coastline. Yep, it's completely surrounded by water and known for its deep blue color, very warm and very clear water. When large masses of it break off and hit the gulf currents, it's brought to the Gulf of Mexico.

Now depending on what part of the Island you're on will depend on how much you find because each area manages the seaweed differently. There are some areas that are raked and others like the Galveston Island State Park which is a natural area and no raking occurs. After it dies some of the seaweed ends up at the base of the sand dunes and is important in helping to establish other dune systems, which during a hurricane absorbs wave energy and protects the sand from wave erosion.

The amount of seaweed that comes ashore varies from day to day. The lighter color being the seaweed that is still alive and the darker which is dead. On this day there were more seagulls than I have ever seen at one time and they were as far as the eye could see. They were feeding on all of the marine life that also finds food and shelter in the seaweed.

But really, it's just a minor nuisance. And when you love the beach, you just work walk around it.

 Being watched by a sandpiper . . .

Sandpipers in flight . . .

Isn't nature is a wonderful thing . . . these guys are so well camouflauged

not only in the sand but in the seaweed too!

Notice her tool of choice, it's an ice cream scooper - Gotta love it!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Do something that makes you feel alive,

brings joy to your heart,

and wakes your soul!

Yep, you know where you'll find me . . .

Love, Kim

XO