LIFE'S A BEACH

It is no secret by now how much I love the beach. I love the sand between my toes, the salty smell in the air and the way my hair feels after its been blown around in the salty wind. When I'm away from the ocean for any length of time, I crave the sound of the waves, whether crashing to shore with ferocity after a big storm or the gentle lapping of the waves on a calm day. There is nothing better than standing in the surf as the waves pull in out, the sand disappearing under your feet, the cold of the water making your toes ache.

No matter what my mood might be on a given day, when I go to the ocean it washes everything away, and brings me the kind of peace that I can only find there. I can walk for miles along the sand, the wind and sun in my face as I look out over the shining sparkling waters. But I also love the kinds of days where the gentle, silent fog rolls in and wraps you in its cloak, making you invisible to the rest of the world as you walk through its mysterious mist, the wetness clinging to your hair as a fog horn drones its mournful sound in the distance.

And I love the beach at all times of the year. From summer, where you screech as you run over the hot sand burning the bottoms of your feet, to the winter, when you snuggle in to a cozy sweater and fuzzy toque as the wind whips its ice pellets and spray from the waves in to your face. Then when you've had enough you go to a local café and sip a hot coffee and enjoy a steaming bowl of seafood chowder, your hair a mess, your skin red and stinging from the cold. Really, it doesn't get better than that.

And I love how the sea leaves treasures, as its immense tides roll in and out twice a day. Many hours can be spent admiring the bountiful rocks and shells and seaweed that gets left behind for us to find.

I really don't think I will ever be able to live far from the ocean. It is just a part of me. It's vastness, power and beauty invoke in me a feeling of freedom and peacefulness, and to be far from that for any length of time would leave an empty place inside. I guess that's why I chose to live in Nova Scotia where there is 13 300 kilometers of coast line to explore. From the rugged beauty of The Bay of Fundy, to the white sands of the South Shore, there is endless opportunities for exploring. In Nova Scotia, Life's a Beach.