Sand in the pants

"Storm over sand dune " study oil on canvas, 8" x 10" by Hilary J England

I had a nice day at the beach.  I've always liked Sandy Hook, since it brings back memories of my childhood...funny, since I've been going there my whole adult life, but I never really brought my kids there...I was always too afraid to be alone with them at the beach, afraid they would drown, and I worked so much when they were little, and lived far away from my family, so I never had anyone to go with.  Sad, really.

They are more "lake" types, since that's where I would always bring them.  The lake was calm and safe, with no rip currents, no mysteries of the deep.  The beach was "off limits" since the water was wild, and the kids were daring, and this scared me.  I remember once, when Noelle was about two, she wandered away from my beach blanket at Jones Beach, when it was packed wall-to-wall with people.  I ran searching for her, blanket to blanket, and then, down to the edge of the shore, where for a moment I watched the rough surf pounding against the sand, and felt a thrill of horror like one I've never felt before or since...I just felt completely helpless, thinking in that vast, violent mass of water, my baby could be lost inside of it, and I couldn't get to her.  I just stood on the shore and cried.  The lifeguards found her wandering with a little group of children close to the snack stand.  She apparently saw the kids playing with their sand toys and ran off after them.  I never brought the kids back to the beach again.

Yesterday though, the beach was extra quiet, the water still and gentle.  The shore has a steep drop-off, so I respect that I have to be cautious.  The day was so hot, it was hell trying to cross the quarter mile of sand to access the North beach.  I can now say I feel pity for anyone who has to cross a desert.  What an ordeal...I literally thought my feet would have blisters on them.

The weather held out until about 5 pm, and then a terrific storm came rolling in.  I got to capture a good deal of it before we were kicked off the beach, and as Providence would have it, the second we opened the door to the car, the rain started.  Talk about perfect timing.

So, I hope you enjoy my painting study of "Storm over the sand dune." I was only working with four colors and titanium white, so it was as basic and to the heart of it as I can get it.  I'm looking forward to hitting up some more Shore points very soon, and getting right back into that ocean! ♥