Heather Dune Macadam's Blog, page 7

Sunshine Dipping

3 naps in 4 hours! The sea today looked almost as teal as the Costa Brava, all that was missing were the umbrella stands and the portable bars and the Greek and Roman ruins of L'escala. I am hungry for Spain. It is the locusts humming in the trees outside and the baking hot sun that spikes my hunger and to alleviate it and fool myself into thinking I was on the Mediterranean, I slipped my top off and skinny dipped in the sunshine. In between naps, I skinny dipped in the sea to cool off and refresh.

Because I was deep into my fantasy of Spain, it was strange to see so many people clothed on the beach.  Even my merman had on those long baggy swim trunks that you never find on European beaches. And the middle aged women were all wearing skirt bathing suits to hide their thighs, as if their bodies are not wonderful just as they are. This is just a simply meditation on body image–why do we hide ourselves? Is it modesty or something worse–shame?

Barcelona Point

It even felt like Barcelona. At one end of the cove was a tri-haul Cat. On the beach was a couple hiding in the dunes. And we were they, mermaids and mermen, popping our prosecco and devouring the best mozzarella outside of Italy with fresh tomatoes and just picked basil from my garden. The water was gorgeous, much better in the sun warmed cove than it has been on the ocean side, where proof that the glaciers are melting is in the water! Brrrr!

There were little jellyfish, the non-stinging variety, blooming in the warm water. And bits of sea grass floating along the surface, so swimming felt truly organic and fresh. None of that chlorinated boredom for me! It was a two dip day, diving off the pro of Chou Chou's Boston Whaler in my birthday suit. Ah! My merman practically swam to shore, and I pursued. He did a few flips under water, dongles dangling.

Babs-the kitty cat of the crew-slipped into the water with her blonde mane secured to the top of her head. I have never seen her hair wet! Chou Chou and I tread water and chatted about art and love and whether or not I was peeing. "You would move down tide from me, if you were, wouldn't you?" she asked. I smiled. It was one of those perfect days–wisps of clouds above our heads and a breeze that cooled and dried our skin.

Shelter Island

It is 5:30 am and the water is as still as Micah. The house I am living in with 18 young people are fast asleep, still. I want to roll over and fall back to asleep, but I am also drawn to why am I awake? Is there a reason? And this is why I put the kettle on to boil, make a cup of tea and slip out the front door to find an Adirondack chair and watch the morning shift from grey to blue grey to blush. It is humid and warm and the water is still and so I must swim.

Here I am on a place where boulders should have mermaids sitting atop them, singing siren songs to the passing fishing boats, of which there are not even one this morning. I float in the clear water, rocks marbling the bottom of the bay. A white heron dislikes my presence and shifts from fishing at the rock nearby to another farther away. The Hawiians say that blessings are bestowed upon us through the coves around the islands, and here I am on an island being blessed by the quiet and perfection of this moment.

WOW IS IT COLD!

This morning my best friend and the First SH mermaid and I took a dip. No coffee needed after that on! When I came out I felt like I had dunked in a bottle of Seabreeze, my skin tingled for 15 minutes! Refreshing has a whole new meaning. We dipped again in the evening, a bit warmer but I needed a hot shower after. Happy JULY!

WOODSTOCK, NY Has Water Nymphs in the Creeks

It was terrible traffic through NY the other day, but we determined to cross land to make it to my godson's high school graduation and 18th birthday party!First we had to deal with the Hutch though. The last time I went to Woodstock from Long Island I took the Cross Bronx–big mistake, so I thought the Hutch would be better. NOT! We were stuck in traffic crawling along a short 10 mile stretch for 30 minutes. It was stop and bump! Yes, someone bumped into the back of our car. It was fine, but we were not happy. I turn into a real nag in traffic–I just want to get out of it! "Take that exit," I said, "Try that one!" The Merman, an eternal optimist, continued in the sludge flow, saying, "It can't go on much longer." Of course, this is NY and CT traffic–it can go on forever! By the time we shook ourselves free, we were both irritated with each other and the dog had to pee. At the rest stop, he walked the dog around the back and I couldn't find them, so we lost time. I was really a mess now! I wanted to get where we were going! You know how when people tell you to calm down, then you really can't? I just wanted to get back to my beach! But I wanted to see my favorite kids and embarrass them with kisses! So we pressed on.

By the time we got to Woodstock we were not half a million, we were grumpy middle aged former hippies, who were hot and aching and did I mention grumpy? I faked my bad mood for the sake of dear friends I hadn't seen in a couple of years, and the boys who immediately challenged the Merman to Table Tennis. I poured a couple of glasses of wine with ice in them–they weren't both for me–then joined friends on the deck of Sag Harbor's First Mermaid (like being the First Lady!) and looked out at the Catskill mountains. There were goldfinch eating from the bird feeder and the mountain ridge was lush blue green. The creek at the edge of the property  quietly flowed over blue slate and I had a sudden urge to go visit it. So as everyone was chatting, I took the merdog for a walk.

The water was clear and fresh and cold, and even though it was shallow, there was just enough depth for me to float on the surface like a water bug. The merdog waded through the shallows. I dipped my hand into the water and drank. Creeks has this marvelous sense of infinity about them, as they are always coming from someplace and going to another around the bend of rocks and trees. I so needed to flow in that sense of unlimited journey, so this fresh water mermaid stripped off her clothes and slipped in. Immediately the horrors of the Hutchinson Parkway faded from memory. Up above were thousands of leaves, dark green and light, yellow and chartreuse. And peeking through their canopy was baby blue sky. It made me think of the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote: "The sky is the daily bread of the eyes."

The funny thing was that no sooner had I dipped than I felt the need to get out and return to the hot deck and company. I stood up and then I stopped myself. Why was I rushing away from this moment? I had been rushing all day. I thought, what if someone walks by and sees me? And I realized that it would be really nice for them and for me–not embarrassing or shocking, just lovely that two people enjoying nature should pass each other, like creatures in the woods do. So I encourage all of you with inner water nymphs to bless your local creeks and swimming holes with your naked heart and let the water bless you in return.

It's when we slow down that we experience the most amazing things…

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY!

Well, this mermaid went swimming anyway, but I kept my shorts on! It was cloudy and choppy but so cool. We were going to go to a pool, but the thought of bouncing between walls made me feel crazy. I wanted to swim with seaweed in my hair and tickling my back. So I did!

I wore my rash shirt on to keep me warm–I love that thing! We stuck to the bay since the ocean was too tempestuous and once we dove into the water it and whooped a little at the shock of it, it was lovely. Petosky stone like Clouds dotted the bit of sky that snuck in between the thunderstorms, crossing our island yesterday.  After a long frolic in the waves and some serious crawl, down the shoreline, I swam out to play with the merdog, who was equally delighted to be out of his thunder hole for a few hours. The wind dried us off as we lay in the sand by a broken bit of beach fence, then headed home for afternoon tea and the next storm!

Today, Merman, merdog and maid are heading up to Woodstock to visit the first Sag Harbor Mermaid, who taught me to enjoy swimming through forests of seaweed and not get creeped out. We started in Trout Pond, a favorite swimming hole, where in days past we used to wash our hair. It is still clean enough to do that, but I wouldn't dare since it isn't sustainable. In those days, who knew?Anyway, today I hope to dive into a cold reservoir and perk myself up!

 

How to Solve an Argument

So, you are walking down the beach and your boyfriend is telling you, "We need to make a plan. We need to figure out what we're doing for August and then we need to stick to it."

Yes, it is 8:00am. Yes, it is beautiful. The Merdog is running ahead splashing in the waves, but the boyfriend has forgotten he is a Merman and is simply a landlubber and that makes him irritating, especially before a cup of coffee.

You say, "I have too much on my plate right now to make a plan. I have to just get through today." There is more but I don't want to bore you.

"You need to make a plan." He walks ahead, angry because I am so anti-organization. I'm a lack of control freak. I take off my pants. He doesn't notice. He is too busy making plans. He continues on his tirade, and what HE thinks we should do, which is really what this is all about. I unbutton my shirt. He does not pause because he is ahead of me now and I am holding back watching the waves, waiting for that perfect moment.

When he turns around, I am gone. A mermaid bobbing in the waves, away from the troubles and plans of the world and floating back and forth in the sway of tidal time, much more timeless.

The dog is thrilled and rolls in the sand, kicking his heels in the air. I swim and splash and scream a bit because it IS cold! When I come out, I feel better. I feel great. And the argument? It's over.

The Girl from Ipanema

Afternoon Delight. After a hard day of working at my next book, my merman and I headed to the beach with the merdog for fun and sun. Inland there was a blistering hot sun, but on the beach there was a breeze and the calmest sea.

We swam along the coast as the merdog chased us–his idea of swimming is to float in the water or roll around on his back. I headed onshore to chase him and scratch his belly, while my merman continued for another quarter mile. As he climbed out of the sea, muscled and toned from his swim, I swayed down the beach toward him.

The best thing about halter top swimsuits is they detach easily, so even though there were people on the beach I had enjoyed my swim without a top on and now as I walked away from the few people on the beach, I slung my halter top behind me and let my breasts be bare to the breeze. It felt like Brazil and as I walked toward him I sang "The Girl from Ipanema."

He grabbed me and kissed me–his skin still cold from the sea and mine warm from the sun. Sexy.

SAVE THE DOLPHINS

July 2002 : I had lost the sea–my friend the sea had betrayed me and I could no longer swim in her broad arms, nor feel her buoy my heart. I could barely look at her without feeling a tearing in my soul, for the sea had robbed me of a precious friend, grabbed his feet and never let him go. I could not swim in anything but a swimming pool, something with a hard bottom.

And then I saw them, out beyond the breakers and the jetties. The Dolphin pod that swims from Lewes to Rehoboth Bay each morning and they were there and suddenly I was in the water, diving waves and swimming out to them.

I told them of Gregory. I told them my sorrow. I asked them to carry his spirit with them. I wept until the salt of the sea and the salt of my tears were one. I could hear their blow holes, opening, closing, tiny gasps. I could not see them though. Was I alone in the sea? The shore had drifted away and I looked back to where people were standing on the beach, were they watching to see if I would drown out here in the ocean? My heart clutched and raced. Panic. I knew better than to panic, but I had not swum in the ocean for a year and here I was, alone in its expanse. I turned and looked to the horizon. The dolphins must have left me behind. So I headed to shore.

I am a strong swimmer, a mile along the coastline is nothing. But I was choked up and my heart was breaking. I swam and cried. I was alone, as Gregory had been–alone in a cruel world and a cruel sea.

As I climbed back up the shore, my legs weak from the weight of gravity, a woman whom I did not know wrapped a towel around me. I was weeping. "I lost my friend," I told her. "He drowned."

She pointed out to the breakers. "They never left your side."

There they were, the pod swimming near the shoreline. Beckoning to me with their happy fins and tails, then dashing back into the current and their journey. And I continued mine.

Let us save these magnificent creatures and do all we can to serve them with kindness, as they have served us: http://tiny.cc/DOLPHIN

Let the Skinny Dipping Begin!

It is early for this kind of heatwave but you can't argue with mother nature, so we canceled working for the afternoon and went out on the boat for our siesta. It only took fifteen minutes in the sea breeze to feel the sweat dry and no one was in the cove where we usually anchor. There were lobster pot buoys along the shoreline and sea birds feeding their young, while we lay back and dozed in the sun until I simply couldn't wait any longer and had to dump my clothes and slide into ocean cold water–chill as ice and as delightful on this summer day.

Painting by Ken Westhaver

My merman dove off the bow, his tackle bobbing through the air as he plunged into the green sea, surfaced and then did a backflip–show off. CC felt too shy to skinny dip–we are the muffin top club after this past winter, when blubber seemed the only way to keep warm. I am back to yoga class though and already trimming back down to my svelte mermaid size 8. We swam and swam, until the current brought some jellyfish our way and we scampered aboard to avoid tentacles. It is early for nettles and early for this kind of heat–anyone else thinking climate change? At least we have a boat–and there was a nice white Bordeaux chilling in the cooler to top off the afternoon with a toast to good friends, the start of summer and many more blogs to dip into!

Check out this fab artist, Ken Westhaver too!

http://westhaverart.freeservers.com/photo.html