DISQUS

Bdot · 1 year ago

I wish I was on the beach, nothing but HOT sand here, 114 today:(

Jen DelMonaco · 1 year ago

Way to kick off my summer reading-- bloggy-style!
I can almost taste the salty air up there!

BL Ochman · 1 year ago

Boy Ann! you sure can write!
Benny and I both enjoyed this post. He's a Labradoodle, not a Poodle, but he loves nothing more than racing through the water and i love watching him.

Tim Jackson · 1 year ago

Damn you Ann- if that isn't one of the best written short essays I've read in years. Honestly- I give up trying to write something that you'll like; I'm simply and terribly, woefully unskilled by comparison.

I can live each of those images (and have, many of them). Written with laser-like accuracy, I can feel the sand between my toes and feel the lazy awareness of the children.

Ugh... I'm unworthy.

Mo · 1 year ago

Living the past 13 years of my life in southern maine, I can't help but wonder if you were sitting on my favorite beach? Goose Rocks by chance?

Shelley Greenberg · 1 year ago

Fabulous post, Ann. These kinds of posts are my favorite: just a snapshot of a moment in a place, seemingly uneventful, but to the observant eye, really an experience and a lesson to be shared.

To be honest, I'd much rather read your blog than the book I'm reading right now!

Steve Woodruff · 1 year ago

Your stories always make A n n a r c h y a "happyplace" to visit...!

Liz · 1 year ago

A perfect introduction to the July 4th weekend (which is when I think summer really starts anyway... ) Your wonderful writing made me feel like I was RIGHT THERE!

C.B. Whittemore · 1 year ago

Ann, how perfect! I can smell the sand and the sea in your words. Ahhh.

Ann Handley · 1 year ago

Thanks Bdot, Jen, Liz, Steve... love that you stop by. Thank you!

@Tim: Quit your whining, or I'll have to hurt you. (Again.)

@Shelley: My favorite thing to write about are small moments that live large, like this one.

@BL: I actually love watching dogs at the beach (mine, or anyone's...), too.. they love it so fully.

@Mo: *This close* to Goose Rocks. Actually, it's at the end of Goosefare Brook, the very end of Ocean Park, just before it becomes Ferry Beach (or is that Kinney Shores?) You know it?

Leigh Duncan - Durst · 1 year ago

Bonanny-

Thanks for taking me on vacation with you, dearest. I love your melodic writing. It always makes me sigh and smile.

Leighster

JP · 1 year ago

OK - something weird happened - as my comment appeared at the end of a different post after it was submitted to this one...hmmm. Anyway, here it is again for the "Doggy-Style" post. :)

Good heavens! Thanks for the brief, yet oh-so-lovely, transport! I needed it. :) Sigh.

Jan Richards · 1 year ago

Wonderful, all, thanks...ultimately becoming unleashed rather than unhinged.

(And great password, I mean Password).

Vin @ Coach.BeingLive.com · 1 year ago

I liked "...that urge to mix it up, to put yourself somewhere else, to leave things behind. The need to gather a head of steam and, each in our own way, get a little unleashed", as I was trying to balance it ALL out. Great writing!

Ann Handley · 1 year ago

@JP: I'm thinking it's a server hosting issue. Of course, I *would* become unhinged about that kind of thing a few days ago... but now... FEH! Doesn't bother me at all...! (yeah, right)

@leigh and @jan: backatcha (the "thanks" I mean...) I appreciate you stopping by, as always.

@vin: I highly recommend it, for those both 2 AND 4 legged.

vahe · 1 year ago

Great descriptions... Almost makes me wish I were there...

Hey, wait a minute... "almost"?!

Lara, The Data Digger · 1 year ago

While enjoying your vacation in Maine, you might want to enjoy your own lobster trap. You can adopt a lobster trap at Catch a piece of Maine. The Springwise blog posted about it: http://snipurl.com/2syhs
Springwise: Adopt a Maine lobster trap [www_springwise_com]
Happy Summer Time!

Jim Sutton · 1 year ago

Ann - Great writing and the sound and smell of the surf makes me long to be sitting on the beach. Why did I find myself worrying about the two girls, bobbing "unaware" of the scene on the sand? Is it my fear of unknown dogs and the potential they have to cause a little havoc? It's quite a potent sub-text to the little concern about the password. Jim

Elaine Fogel · 1 year ago

Ann, it's time to start thinking about authoring a novel. It's in you.

Terri in Tokyo · 1 year ago

and when you write that novel (or that book of essays), I will buy them as gifts for my dearest friends, every one!

Lisa Mac · 1 year ago

HA!! I couldn't get beyond, "It bursts through the dune grass behind me and hits the sand, galloping with its head high and plumed tail aloft."

The sight of a pup all happy and free like that is the greatest thing in the world. Unless of course the pup is yours!

oxox

Jenny, Crash Test Mommy · 1 year ago

I could read you all day, Ann.
Felt like I was there watching with you.

Alan Wolk · 1 year ago

Was waiting till I was on vacation to respond.

I love how you play the observer in so many of your blog posts, wondering about what some total strangers are up to, creating backstories for them, speculating on how they came to be in the situation they are now.

It's great stuff, and you've got a keen ear for it.

AW

Ann Handley · 1 year ago

Thanks for the generous encouragement, all. A book might be out of my league at this point.. I'm lucky if I can manage to post to this blog once a week, keep my job, walk the dogs, raise a few kids *and* clean my oven! ; )

@Lara -- Interesting idea there. Thanks.

@Jim -- I think I inadvertently & unintentionally foreshadowed something there... in the 2.0 version of this story (if there ever is one...) I'll clean that up. The doggie romp happened so quickly that it was well over by the time they emerged onto the sand.. which affirmed for me that everyone does indeed live out their own little drama mostly unaware...

David Reich · 1 year ago

I'll be on the beach in Maine in 2 weeks, when we go up near Brunswick (25 miles past Portland) to spend a week near our daughter and grandson.

Our pooch Loki will be there. He's a black lab mix, so I don't have to tell you how much he loves the beach. And our daughter's dog Delia is a big black curly-haired dog -- could have been the pup in your story, except when you mentioned the owner was a large woman, I knew it wasn't my daughter, who is tall and thin.

Delia's getting a bit older now -- she's 9. She sleeps late and when on a walk, just lays down flat when she's had enough walking. But get her near the ocean and she's a young pup swimming non-stop as she chases sticks and balls.

Can't wait.

Derrick Daye · 1 year ago

Ann,

Nicely said. I'll be heading back to Boothbay shortly...nothing like Maine!

Derrick

Annie Too · 1 year ago

Ok, I am now seething in jealousy!! The Arizona heat has taken every ounce of liquid in my body… thank you Ann for brining a little bit of the Maine beach into my dry, hot life… now, If I could find a bit of sand to put my toes in.