a bright, wintery beach day on the north shore

On Wednesday morning I signed and numbered my 30x30 project and then drove to my print shop to have them pressed and matted. Since the shop is forty five minutes north of Boston and it was a pretty day I drove out to the far north shore and spent the afternoon exploring Newburyport, Salisbury Beach and Plum Island. The beach is so nice in early winter... big waves, not a lot of people, lots of little treasures washed up in the surf.

I spent a while talking with one of the rangers on Salisbury Beach... apparently in autumn and winter when the tide is low, harbor seals sun themselves out on the breakers between the ocean and Black Rock Creek. There were a few playing far out in the water but most of the action was a flock of seagulls wandering in the surf and occasionally flying out to check out incoming fishing boats.

With the sun setting around 4:30 now (!!!) there wasn't a whole lot of time to explore, but I made it to Plum Island and walked around the dunes until dark. Starting in 1639 the early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony grazed their cattle and horses in the marshy pastures on Plum Island, which are now mostly protected wildlife reserves and state parks. There is a long bike trail that I want to explore and an idea for a new project inspired by this beach, so I think I'll head back there next week. 

Even as the weather starts getting colder and drearier and I get the urge to hunker down and hibernate, I have to remind myself that the world is still very pretty and there are interesting things to be seen.