That Giant Fireball in the Sky? It's the Sun!

I live in the Northwest corner of the U.S. I'm used to drizzle, showers, rain, downpours, deluges, and all other forms of precipitation. This year has been a wet one--one of the soggiest seasons in recent memory. So it was a bit of a shock when for a few hours the other day the weather turned. I was driving to work, listening to the news when I heard this report, "This just in. The giant fireball in the sky has been identified as the sun."

Yeah, it had been a while since that celestial object had made an appearance. All us northwesterners crawled out of our homes like blind moles, blinking in the sunlight. Spring had arrived! Well, at least for a few hours until it started raining again. Still, it gave me a chance to go down to the beach and remember why I live here. Truly, it is a beautiful place--when not quite so water-logged. Time to shave my legs, paint my toes, and get ready for the sun! Here are a few of my favorite springtime activities.

I love the beach--the brisk wind, the fresh smell of the saltwater, and the gentle sound of the waves. Somewhere there are sandy beaches, but not around here. On my local beaches you wear sturdy boots and walk carefully over the barnacle-encrusted rocks to find colorful crabs, sunstars, anemones, or maybe even a baby octopus. Exploring tide pools in the extreme low tides of spring is a favorite activities.