Photo Love {Inspiration}: Collecting shells at the beach via Marie Claire Australia December 2015

Anne Spencer

Marie Claire Australia December 2015

What do you like to do at the beach?

One of my favorite activities at the beach is to collect beautiful seashells.  I love digging through the sand for these natural buried treasures.  While I usually end up with an abundance of plain, white clamshells, I sometimes come up with a gem or two.  Perhaps I will find a larger, conical conch shell with a smooth, pink interior.  Or I can find a smaller shell with a pretty mother-of-pearl sheen.

My husband and I took our daughter on her first beach vacation to Cebu in the Philippines.  We were hoping that she would love the grainy feel of sand beneath her toes.  We wanted the tide to lap at her little feet in the sunset.  I was also hoping to collect and show her a few beautiful shells.  Unfortunately, she thought sand was super strange (“Up, up” she would exclaim or throw up her arms so that she wouldn’t have to walk in the sand).  She also didn’t like being deposited in the sea (she knew there was some of that pesky sand underneath!)  I collected a few seashells here or there, but not many.  There wasn’t as much time for thoughtful collection as there was running around the pool and shore (or in her case, being carried from one location to the other).  So while we didn’t really get to collect shells, I still enjoyed taking her on her first beach vacation.  There will be other beaches and other vacations.  For now, I’ll be happy getting one shell at a time and spending these precious moments together.

Have a lovely week!