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Monday, August 17, 2015

Church of the Jetty - 2015





When we drove home from a family party in the middle of a thunderstorm Saturday night, it didn’t occur to me that Sunday would be a “Church of the Jetty” day, but it should have. Lightning flickered purple over the highway, thunder bashed overhead, and window-wipers flogging back and forth struggled to keep up.  But when I woke at 6:30 in the morning, it was clear as the blue sky outside my window that the storm had cleaned things out.  An hour later, after brewing coffee, we stopped for bagels and headed to the harbor.  As we tiptoed by, the same way it happens each time we do this, the summer church service taking place on the porch of the new sailing club began.  Down at the docks I sang along with the first hymn.   
  
I wish I knew the words to tell you how open and bright a clear a summer morning can be on the low-tide harbor.  Everything is white and vivid and sweeping, almost as if the world has grown larger.  As if the light has moved inside you.  We anchored on the flats and pulled up the boat.  Egrets and seagulls picked through the mud as my husband scrubbed off the slime that accumulates on the sides of the dinghy.  Toward the east, the water sparkled.  The sun glinted off a tilted panel out on Minot’s light.  Rowing crews parted the sea, leaving a V’s in their wake and a couple slogged through the low water, dragging their boat behind.  One lone fisherman took a last sideways cast, before pulling up anchor and trundling away.

In the end, we didn’t walk the jetty.  We stood below it, circling, flipping over shells bleached white by the sun, watching the gulls and the terns, listening to the gurgle as the tide rolled in over the sand.  But through it all, the jetty was there, hulking behind us, an altar of sorts, blessing our morning while standing guard over a perfect view.


I'm going to be off blogger until after Labor Day.  Wishing you all a glorious end to summer.

13 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Sounds Heavenly to me!
See you next month.

mshatch said...

There's nothing like summer by sea. See you in a few weeks :)

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

So lovely! Enjoy your time off! :)

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

Enjoy your sabatical :O)

Joanne said...

amen. That's my kind of church service. Enjoy end of summer break

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

It sounds so lovely and spiritual. Enjoy your short break.
Susan Says

Bish Denham said...

Worshiping outdoors on a beautiful morning... what could be better!? I hope you have a restful and wonderful time off.

Pixel Peeper said...

I love the picture that you painted with your words...and I love the picture at the top of your post...Rhapsody in Blue.

Enjoy your break!

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

Beautifully written and very spiritual.

Anonymous said...

This was lovely. The beautiful photos made me take deep breath and imagine the scent of the sea! See you in September (I think that's the title of an old song...)

Connie said...

Gorgeous photos and words, Liza. Enjoy your time off.

glnroz said...

a great post to hold us over 'till ya git back..glenn

J.B. Chicoine said...

Even without the magnificent pictures, you captured the moments so vividly. Your writing is lovelier than ever!

I know you're enjoying your break. :)