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« A Symbol between Sisters | Main | One Sweet Shot - July 2008 »
Monday
14Jul2008

the value of a sand dollar

071408_600.jpg
Barefoot time along the edge of the ocean has a way of temporarily clearing out the human-made clutter I've managed to accumulate on this earth... a calendar full of tasks, shopping lists, a dishwasher to unload, library books to return, a computer desktop littered with documents, drawers stuffed with clothes I no longer wear.  But at the beach, the simplicity of sand, sea and sky is a welcome setting.  It sort of pushes me to let go and seek out the true currency of the earth.

Why don't you stop your day for just a moment and step outside.  Seek and shoot a small treasure made by Mother Nature and share it in the comments or tell us about a special place that keeps you grounded.

Reader Comments (36)

Ah Stepahnie, this is like a breath of fresh air and the perfect reminder of what is important.

Here's a little (OK, BIG) something we found on our summer vacation- http://maypapers.blogspot.com/2008/07/rockin-best-shot-monday.html
July 14, 2008 | Registered CommenterShutter Sisters
the beach/coast is the place that keeps me grounded. The sound of the wind and the surf clears my mind and head and centers me once again. I found my first sand dollars there too, so your photo was a nice reminder.

http://retinalperspectives.wordpress.com/2008/07/11/sand-between-my-toes/
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterelizabeth
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMarcie
I just spent the weekend with friends on photo shooting adventures. We visited ponds, gardens, historic towns . . . and then spent time with family, capturing the love there. It recharged my inner batteries while depleting my camera's!!

This is one small perfect example of nature's beauty from this weekend.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11439752@N04/2667580304/
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterLyn
From Prospect, Nova Scotia. These orchids are tiny:
http://gallery.me.com/lanipuppetmaker#100011
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterLani
Your post is just what I needed today. I suppose when I'm watering my garden, everything else falls away for me:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spabis/2652236353/
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterShelli
One of my favorite parts of our recent vacation was taking my son out to collect shells...

http://amanda.smugmug.com/gallery/5296510_Pc25n/1/323092105_mkV6J/Medium
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commenteramanda
Mother nature at her best. This is already in the flickr pool, but here it is again.

http://flickr.com/photos/27313038@N06/2661520756/in/pool-shuttersisters
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commentersarah
Oh man, can I relate! To the cluttered desk, overdue library books, dirty kitchen floors (that's mine but probably yours also) ya da, ya da, ya da..... Our weekly hikes take me out of that world of incomplete projects and never ending to-dos.

This grass growing beside a mountain stream seems not to have a care in the world. And the delicate-ness of its arching stems begged a picture.

http://fimby.tougas.net/Mountain_trail_filigree
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterrenee @ FIMBY
I can so relate to this post and you so aptly described how being on the water makes ME feel. At the moment, I don't have a picture of water to show you, but how about this picture of some of nature's finest...

http://mylifeinpictures4u.blogspot.com/2008/07/best-shot-monday_14.html

I am somewhat new to your site, but I love it!!
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterDana (Sunshine)
The Black Hills of South Dakota keep me grounded, even though I no longer live there.

Last spring there was an unusual profusion of wildflowers.

http://meadowlarkdays.blogspot.com/2008/07/dames-rocket.html
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterKristina
For me, it's the water as well. Always has been.

http://flickr.com/photos/lawyermama/2565881770/in/set-72157605381003301/
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterLawyer Mama
After work one day last week, all I could think about was going to take some photographs. I had my eye on a hydrangea bush for the past week, so I went there to satiate my need to decompress. I came up with a haiku to go with the photo.......

http://wayfaring-wanderer.blogspot.com/2008/07/luminescent-essence.html
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterWayfaring Wanderer
How's about a bit of blue sky?

http://www.dolcepics.com/dailypic/blue-sky/

I've been forcing myself to shoot manual for the last couple weeks and I find it's a great exercise for me to stop... and think.
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterlaura - dolcepics
While staying on at lake last week, my 3-year-old spent hours digging through the wet sand and trolling the shallow waters for "treasure." She pulled up pretty rocks, pebbles, bits of glass, quartz, carefully washing each and bringing them over for inspection:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/melanief/2640730109/in/set-72157606000773274/
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMelanie @ BeanPaste
My daughter weaving flowers from my garden into her bike basket:
http://wifemotherpainter.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/07/sowing.html
a.
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterAndie
I couldn't agree more. This was my most recent upload to flickr, from a recent walk on the shoreline of Lake Erie. Here's my treasure's found:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lifeonflower/2659543622/
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMolly
I spent Sunday morning on my patio and that's where I found this guy. http://www.flickr.com/photos/26029966@N02/2665041459/

*Sorry if this repeats, my computer is fussy this morning.
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMichelle
Quiet morning walks and fresh blueberries from the bush:

http://tracienolesross.com/sketchbook/?p=137
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterTracie
I was able to find sea shells as well as pine cones at the beach this weekend.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaclyndenise33/2668138343/
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJackie
I love the ocean and the beach, it touches something deep inside of me. Sadly, I live a long ways from the coast.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bentbeagle/2668281769/
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterdeb
I recently did this very thing while visiting my Mom's. God's creation certainly is incredible! =)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28987938@N00/2669295460/in/photostream/
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterlora
I planted milkweed this year hoping some monarch catepillars would make a home there. I was so pleased yesterday morning when I discovered they had!

http://blackbird13.smugmug.com/photos/331838990_3EomJ-M.jpg
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMeryl
Thanks for sending me outside today to shoot when I was in the middle of everything and wasn't planning on going out at all. It was lovely outside and I felt better for my 30 minutes staring at the lake.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grrltravels/2670050406/in/photostream/
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterAmy/grrlTravels
I love nighttime in the summer. Crickets creaking, a baseball game is being played near by, and the fireflies are out shinning. Some of my favorite things of God's creation. Since having kids, I need to add to my list, watching my 2 year old catch fireflies. Tonight he was successful. I think God made fireflies slow so that children could catch them and so us parents could praise God in the cuteness that ensues.
Didn't have my camera tonight, wish I did... but here is an old shot of the first time he went out to try catching fireflies :D.

http://www.stonecafecreations.com/site/content/sweetpea-catching-firefles-and-a-video-youtube
July 14, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterHis4ever Kris Stone
We planted a pink dogwood tree...

http://flickr.com/photos/25744047@N03/2670298356/in/photostream/
http://flickr.com/photos/25744047@N03/2670298356/in/photostream/

to celebrate my daughter's 1st birthday...
http://flickr.com/photos/24035778@N04/2662680661/in/photostream/
^^^ not my photos... taken by my friend PhotoMom86{Melissa} ^^^

July 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJanine
July 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJanine
July 15, 2008 | Unregistered Commentermnkathy
I just found your wonderful site yesterday, and I'm not sure how to do this...

A picture of Queen Anne's Lace (Just curious, is it Ann or Anne?) taken with a nice point & shoot camera with a great super-macro. The intricacy of this flower has always fascinated me. God is so good!

http://www.simplescrapbooksmag.com/gallery/details.ihtml?idx=116530
July 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterElizabethK.
A child's hand
holding
what the sea values.
July 17, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterjfrancis
I took this photo earlier this year in my parents backyard. I spent a lot of time reading, studying, escaping out here. This just happens to be one of my favourite canopies. In spring, it blooms like nothing I've ever seen, during summer there are bright green leaves for shade, and in autumn, the leaves change and fall to almost completely cover the lawn. I rarely get sick of taking photos of this tree.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/2481959487/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/2481959485/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/2481959485/
July 18, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterNaomi
I found my first whole sand dollar today! I am 33 year old stay at home mom of two, with a wonderful husband. I completely understand what you mean about the power of the ocean. I feel ,to use a modern day, rebooted, and ready to take on a new school year and all the chaos it brings.
July 29, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterjwylie

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