Wednesday, September 6

Bluenose Baptism

I can't tell you how much I miss the ocean since I moved to Ontario. The lake just doesn't cut it. When I first arrived in Toronto some kind soul took pity on my martime yearnings and took me to an area of town called the Beaches. I just dismissed it as a sandbox in close proximity to water. Now I recognize the beauty it holds but at the time... feh. My pelagic snobbery was too strong to see the exquisiteness it has to offer.

Now that I have Bumper in my life, I had to introduce her to the place that I go in my mind when I meditate, the place I went when I felt overwhelmed many years ago, the place that never let me down.

We let her squish her toes in the sand.
Swing over the water.Let the ocean tempt her. And it did. She would have dove right in if it hadn't been for Dad's firm grip.
I wish I had recorded the sounds for you to hear. I miss the bubbles that surround each of the surf's offerings.
and the treasures to be found.
I'm looking forward to heading home this Friday (oh my! Did I just call Toronto home? What is this confusion I find by typing those words? Is there a post in there? Yup).

Short of the long: I want to share my solace with you. If I could post the beach - trust me, I would.

14 comments:

metro mama said...

Wish I was squishing my toes in that sand right now.

Sandra said...

I miss the ocean too but from the other coast. Been here in TO almost 5 years now and still miss being a 15 minute walk to the ocean. Miss ocean kayaking and camping on various island beaches too.

I scratch my head and think "what were they thinking?????" - "they" being whoever originally thought that not developing Lake Ontario a la Chicago, for example, would be a good idea. CrAzY!

Well, can't have a Vancouver life here and can't have a Toronto life there. Lots of great things about TO that I never want to be away from.

Jezer said...

I can almost hear it just through your words and images. I needed that little piece of tranquility.

crazymumma said...

I have never lived close to the ocean. But when i have had the privilige of being close....well, I feel at peace. i love the ocean. it is an entity, a force, that I cannot fully understand or explain. Just love it.....

Anonymous said...

I love sharing my favorite things with my daughter. What great pics!

Anonymous said...

Wow! I'm going out East in a couple weeks. This is excellent as a lead up to my trip. I can't wait! The ocean amazes me.

Her Bad Mother said...

If you could post the beach I would rub myself all over the screen and that's maybe not such a good thing.

(And, sorry for sharing.)

Having grown up on the beach (Pacific Ocean), I hear you. For me, it's the smell that I miss most. Ocean smell. Nothing else like it.

Baby in the City said...

I'm also a coastal kid now in Toronto. There is so much that is specific to living by the ocean: how you can be in the center of the city and know that the tide is out simply by the smell in the air and never going out at night without a sweater, cause once the sun goes down, the cool air comes in off the water...aah, I want to be at Spanish Banks looking towards Vancouver, just as the sun sets and the city's lights start to glow. Sigh.

Gabriella said...

Beautiful pics! lucky you to be near the ocean.

kittenpie said...

Isn't it a weird thing to consider two places home? So confusing, creates such a little crisis of identity and desire. I first had that experience when I moved back from NYC, then went back to get my stuff two weeks later, and now every time I visit. It's still weird, even though I'm firmly here.

moplans said...

Am I the only one who had to grow up in suburbia?
Wahhhha
I'm so jealous

Anonymous said...

Beautiful. I love the ocean. Having grown up in suburban Toronto, the lake is all I've ever really known.

Although I've definitely visited oceans...love 'em.

Sandra said...

Ahhhh the Ocean. We devoured it on our East Coast trip earlier this summer. And will go for more (but much further south) later this year. There is nothing like it...

Debbie said...

I love that snap of the B with her Papa. she looks like she feels as safe as can be.

sigh. I miss feeling that safe.