Sunrise, salt air, and a reminder of who’s in charge
Summer went out this morning the same way it lived: with a little attitude.
A strong, robust breeze came in from the southeast and woke me up with all that humidity on its back. Loose sand and tiny pebbles stung my legs, a gentle reminder of who’s really in charge out here. It wasn’t a bad reminder, though. That’s Mother Nature, the source of it all, and she doesn’t need to raise her voice.
The heavy easterly wind had turned the water over, and with the tide low, the smell of the sea hit me before I even reached the rocks. That salty, raw, alive smell is one of the reasons I keep coming back. Out past the jetty, the fishing boats were already pushing through the chop toward the sun, rods high, chasing the day.
The sky did the rest. Orange melted into gold, and one lonely cloud caught the light along its edge, like it knew everybody was watching.
The boardwalk gardens are hanging on, too. These big red hibiscus blooms had the morning sun coming right through their petals, lit up like stained glass. Even the shadows looked painted on.
And the roses, bless them, are putting on their late blooms. You catch a whiff as you walk by, sweet and a little wild against all that salt. It’s the last of the season’s show, and it’s worth stopping for.
Mid-September brings a quiet I love. People were walking, a runner went by, and folks just stood there staring at the sun. Nobody was in a hurry. Nobody was selling anything. We were just being humans, which is harder to do than it sounds.
The day had barely started, and it had already given me joy and peace.
So here’s to the last Sunday of summer. Get outside, breathe it in, and let the wind remind you who’s in charge.
Ricky Rude · TheRudeWayz.com