Smell That Sea air!!!

I was driving home from the Playhouse today, and got stuck behind a stoopid bus that pulled out right in front of me.  I knew he would go up the highway, so I took the water route, along twinsty scenic Madrona Way.
 
The Sailboats from the Race Week at Oak Harbor Marina were in the Cove, so Through the Madronas, I would catch glimpes of the boats with their sails popping as they turned around the bouy and headed back to the Marina.  I LOVE to watch the brightly colored Jib pop open in the wind.  Unfortunately these weren't  bright colored.  The wind wasn't right for them so they had on their "Jenny's" (I think those are the little ones)  and they were either grey or white.  Bummer.  As I was driving into Coupeville, they were just past the sewage plant, so I headed down there along front street.  Right in front of me was a doe and her twins walking through this ladies yard right up to her rose bushes!!  (She is teaching them to eat right)...I of course had to roll down the window and try and get pictures. 
 
It is really hot this week, and I had the a/C on full blast in the car, but I rolled the windows down anyway.  THe tide was out and I suddenly got the most wonderful whiff of childhood!!  the salty air, heated by the sun and mixed with the humidity and the smell of the tidelands.   WONDERFUL!!! Really, Really wonderful!  It reminded me of clamming with Dad, and walking on the beach when we were kids, and stomping on the muscles and barnacles that grew there.  (Little did we know that the muscles would become world famous :Z)
 
We spent hours on the beach during the summer, as it was right across the street from where we lived.  We collected rocks, and clam shells, and went oyster picking and clam digging, and even fished right off the shore.
I miss those days.  The carefree days of summer, when you could walk barefoot and not hurt yourself.  Days when you could ride your bike down the country road, up the big hill, then turn around and coast all the way to the bottom with your feet stuck out in front, and your braids blown clear back!  You could hear the meadowlarks singing in the fields, and if you were really lucky you could see a big preying mantis or Dragon fly pearched on a piece of grass growing along the fence line.
 
I could go to the beach and get the same scents, but there is no way I could be safe on a bike right now, too many tourists driving their honking big SUV's down our really narrow country roads.  The days of letting the bikes go first are long gone.  For that matter so is my innocence,  For that matter so are my braids!!!
 
SIGH!!!