The Essential Beachcomber

The weather here on the Gulfcoast of Florida has been spectacular. Brilliant sunny skies & a  nice cool breeze. I know this because my job takes me outside the building and into the parking lot to unlock the propane cage for customers to purchase their refill. While I am waiting for said customer to navigate the parking lot to the propane cage I stand in the blazing sun gazing into the blue sky  wondering to myself  why I didn't call in to work and just ditch this place for the beach today? Then I remember...Oh, ohhhh,  I am a responsible adult with bills to pay...that's why, big duh!  It doesn't help that all the customers are shopping in beach clothes flaunting their sunburns, flip flops & cute beach cover-ups. I'm on work day #7 with 3 more to go. I tell you what...the beach bag is packed, the legs are shaved and Thursday morning I am Sanibel bound to the Shell Show & the sand bar.  Here's a bunch of crazy beach goers. I first posted...

The Eleven Basic Rules of Shelling Etiquette  by Jan McSween   (borrowed from the Sarasota Shell Club's December 2010 newsletter) 1.) Shell by yourself. Solo  shelling means more for you. 2.) If you must shell with a  companion, walk in opposite  directions. 3.) If you must shell with a  companion and walk in the same direction,  walk faster than your shelling companion. 4.) If you must shell with a companion and  walk in the same direction at the same speed,  observe the 6-ft. radius rule (also known  as Shelling Circles) to ensure the equitable  distribution of finds. Anything within six feet  of you (in any direction) is yours. That’s the  good news. The bad news is that the same  goes for your companion. This necessitates  maintaining a minimum distance of 12 feet  from your shelling companion at all times. 5.) If you notice something of interest in  your companion’s shelling ci...

"Aunt Karen, let's pay the toll for the car behind us" said my niece Pookie as we were crossing the Sunshine Skyway some years back. I gave her the look.  You know, the facial expression we give a younger,  more naive person that has never been ripped off or taken advantage of. They don't know yet what it is like to dig through your purse for the change at the bottom to pay a toll or have to budget every dime to make ends meet because your spouse lost his job.  If you read the newspapers & listen to the news enough your hand starts closing even tighter around what you do have regardless of the amount whether it is a little or alot . Unfortunately your heart is right behind it. Open heart - open hand. Closed heart - closed hand. So I determined years ago that I wanted an open heart so I keep my hands open too.   My favorite way to give to others is what I like to call drive-by blessings.  That's when you leave something that someone needs on thei...

Shelling & beach combing are like any other hobby or interest. There are different levels that one can pursue. There is the casual sheller that is oblivious to whether or not the tide is high or low, the moon full or new, or the pretty brown speckled shell they just picked up is a 1 in a 1,000 find.  The next level - the serious sheller has equipment - shell shovel, mesh bags, & aqua shoes. Names like tellin, donax, & murex just roll off the tongue. Mean low tides are celebrated with the enthusiasm of Mardi Gras as the parade of shellers head to the beach. I would liken it to a person who starts drinking wine. You like that nice little California Chardonnay but you sense there must be more. After attending a few wine tastings you discover the regions of Italy & France and all the little vineyards they don't sell in Publix.   Then one day you read your first copy of the magazine Wine Spectator and you start to develop skills of nose & legs that h...

Usually Superbowl is a big deal around our house. The Hubbs is a real football fanatic but mainly for his college team - the Florida Gators. Our first real date was  31 years ago on Superbowl Sunday.  My dad was a football coach so I know my way around the football field. My date was impressed or probably relieved that he could watch a football game with a female and not have to explain everything that was going on. The rest is history. I can't really get too excited abut the Superbowl this year. I have no vested interest in either team. At least that was my excuse for ditching the pre-game festivities and heading to Sanibel early this morning. Actually football and shelling have some similarities. The horse conch I found was as big as a football Standing on the sandbar at Blind Pass with the tide rushing in; I just happened to look down and saw this football-sized horse conch and nobody was home. The dance I did on the sandbar definitely looked as good as any touchdown...

My hometown delightful Dunedin, Florida  The sense of smell is an incredible thing. Isn't it amazing how certain smells can conjure up a person or place that you have long since forgotten. The smell of a certain cologne that brings back the face of a boyfriend or father. Smells in the kitchen that bring back memories of fun-filled holidays.  For me it is the smell of smoke since my mom only cooks on high.   I grew up living in the middle of an orange grove. Our 3 street neighborhood was bordered on 2 sides with oranges, tangerines, & grapefruit. There is nothing like the smell of orange blossoms in full bloom. For anyone with allergies it was torture but it never bothered me. To this day I still have to stick my nose right into the blooms and inhale deeply. It's a heavenly smell.  Orange Blossoms were named the Florida state flower in 1909 All that citrus had to be processed. About 2 miles from our house was the Hood's Plant that processed all th...