“A real friend is someone who takes a winter vacation on a sun-drenched beach and does not send a card.” --Farmer’s Almanac

Tuesday on Manasota Key was a sheller's delight.  The week-end NW winds had finally produced some shells.




The strong winds over the week-end had my hopes up for some shell action but as of late Sunday nothing was happening. Today was like any other week day for me - haircut at 11, bank errand in the next town over, wash truck, bank errand in my town, class at 3 and all it took was one phone call to bring it all to a screeching halt.  My cell phone rings (well actually a guitar strums because there is no banjo on my ring selection) and it's my mom. "Your cousin just called and said you asked her to give you a heads up if there was a shell pile on the beach - well there is and she said you should get out there quick". 


 I don't know if I was happier about the shell pile or having a cousin that takes a good shell pile as seriously as I do but at any rate I mentally rearranged my afternoon schedule as I sat in the car while the car wash-thingy cleaned off the last of the grime still there from my Sanibel Shellabration trip 2 weeks ago.  Between the beach grime & the  recent tree pollens I could barely see out my car windows. As I motored out to Manasota Key the first beach parking lot was jam packed with cars.  As I rounded the corner to park at Middle Beach it became apparent I was in for a bit of a walk.  My usual spot on the front row was long gone.  I finally found a parking spot four lots behind where I usually park.


  I was dressed for bank errands not the beach but when the staple of your wardrobe is Columbia capri pants this is never a problem.  It was a problem when I dropped my perfectly sweetened iced tea on the ground & now had nothing to drink on the hot beach.  I stayed long enough to walk the sand bar.  It was packed with spring breakers and snowbirds enjoying a brilliant beach day.  The shell & shark tooth hunters were out in full force.  I never did see my cousin on the beach and my thirst finally got the better of me.  Later on at my last stop of the day I looked down at some  white stuff ringing the edges of my brown capris - What the heck?  I realized it was dried salt from where I had gotten smacked by a wave earlier on the beach. Just another day in paradise.


Manasota Key usually  gets a nice shell line after a NW storm.




There are lots of sharks teeth mixed in with the shells.




This is what I call a Manasota Beach Starter Kit - sharks teeth, shells, fossils, & tumbled drift shells.




There was a lacy murex, an apple murex, & a nutmeg in the mix.




Wish you were here!

Comments

  1. OMG, shells, shells and... shells!!! That's what I called a perfect beach day :-) Love your starter kit... and the little quote. I've read it in the Coastal Living Magazine and put it in my "Life goes on" post in February.

    It's always nice to see your photos, it brings me very close to the beach ~ thanks for sharing and have another perfect beach day!

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  2. so many beautiful shells in florida!!
    x

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  3. My fingers are itching to sift through those bits!

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  4. Wow, have never seen a beach with so many shells!! Beautiful!

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  5. Oh, you crack me up. It takes a special person to multi task and be able to change directions in the middle of the stream like that. LOL! I'm glad you have your priorities right. Shelling ALWAYS takes priority - I just wish I would have been there with you!

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  6. ...sigh....your posts always make me wanna jump in the car and drive as fast as I can to get to that beach and dig in those shells....
    and we'll let it slide this time that you left us with a postcard....making us want it even more! (even tho, I will be on a beach at gulf shores this time next week..hahaha!!)

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  7. Oh, the traffic is tremendous these days!! Guests arrived early yesterday so I hustled them down to Sharky's for an early lunch before the crowds set in...they were already filling up the place. Looking forward to April and a little loosening of things :)

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  8. What fun! Taking off to the beach in the middle of errands is a great way to break up the monotony! You go girl!

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  9. It's always nice to see your photos. Thanks for sharing

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