This week Ann-Christine selected Morning for our weekly challenge. She is asking us to share a few things we do when starting off our day. Generally, I am an early morning person and find myself heading to the beach first thing, even before a morning cup of coffee! Am not sure what draws me there, probably the tranquility and sound of waves crashing on the shore, the salty smell in the air and nature’s beautiful colors gently painting the sky and ocean. Since no two mornings look the same, I am also curious as to what might have transpired overnight. Maybe there will be deer tracks in the sand next to the ocean where they had been playing overnight or some interesting shells or sea life washed up. During the summer months there was a good chance baby Loggerhead turtle tracks will be visible as they head towards the ocean or tracks from females heading into the sand dune to lay their eggs and then return to the ocean.
“This is a beautiful morning; the sun is rising with a smiling face. Everything around me is alive and smiling. Everything is whispering in my ear to enjoy every moment and enjoy the morning. My heart is dancing with you, with morning light.” – Debasish Mridha
These images show several different moods of the beach, ocean and early morning sun light. Occasionally our photography club on Kiawah will have early morning photo shoots led by nationally known visiting professional photographers. This is one of the members photographing a small flock of migrating birds.
“Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” – Buddha
For years I was a volunteer with the Loggerhead Turtle Patrol, this meant being on the beach as the sun begins to rise. Our job was to look for turtle tracks from the ocean to the dunes and back or tracks of newly hatched babies as they head to the ocean. Once we see tracks, the nest is located, marked with stakes and is monitored until the babies hatch. The females weigh about 350 lbs or 159.0 kilograms and can lay anywhere from 80 to 125 eggs.
In all the years of volunteering, I never saw an adult female returning to the ocean. And finally, one morning I did!
As a side note, an earlier post, Seascapes, has additional pictures of this female’s journey as she struggles to return to the ocean before the heat sets in.
“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.” – Tecumseh
Each morning we are awaken by happy songs and chirping from our resident birds – cardinals, wrens, chuck-will-widows to name a few. (Wish I could identify the many different bird calls.) Lately a pair of Carolina wrens decided to return to a former nest located above our kitchen window. They built their home inside the housing area where the electric hurricane shades are stored.
Now that they are close by and active, each morning I have to check to see what they are up to. The nest was recently rebuilt to their satisfaction and for the past few days the male brings food to the female as she sits on the eggs. He works hard, constantly flying back and forth from the yard up to the house, seems like a 100 or so trips a day! This picture was taken a few weeks earlier during the nest stage. He usually stops on the deck rail or nearby palm tree to look around before approaching the nest.
Hope everyone has an enjoyable morning so each day starts off in a positive way!
“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.” – Mark Twain