Monday, November 25, 2013

Beach


A couple of weeks ago now, Princeling, his mum and I decided we should thumb our noses at the wind and rain and general signs of coming winter, and arranged to go to the beach.  It was a Sunday and by good fortune a window of quite nice weather opened briefly for us. Nevertheless, Tom and Molly weren't really up for slightly chilly messing about on the beach activity, so they stayed snuggled down on the sofa for a cosy Sunday afternoon, which is pretty much just how I found them a few hours later.

It was quite a little walk to get to the beach, but the boy didn't make too many bones about it, only mildly demurring that the beach might be 'trop windy' (anyone who says bilingual children don't mix up their languages has clearly not met the ones I've known). He's a good walker but as often with little kids it's the boredom factor that can be the problem, but once the sea was in sight he was off ahead down the steps,


'Hurry up!'


'How to amuse them today?'

There was long jump,






which his mum joined in.  I just took the photos.

Then there was timed running: see how long it takes you to get to that rock and back (the equivalent with an athletic six-year-old of throwing a stick for a big energetic dog)


On your marks...


get set...


Go!*


Which rock?

Some other people had a real big energetic dog, who was enjoying playing with seaweed,






we didn't try this with Princeling, though he picked up quite a lot of it, along with bits of driftwood, reed heads and other items of vegetation. Iso objected to the idea of bringing smelly seaside stuff back in the car, but we negotiated, held onto the driftwood ('que le bois?') but left the seaweed in the car park.

We scrambled on some rocks, for which I needed my hands free so didn't take any pictures, and we made seagull noises. A sand angel was made,






and there were smiles all round. We agreed we should try to do it more often, as you always do.



~

*Yes, I know it's glaringly obvious from the footwear clues that these photos were not really taken in sequence.

11 comments:

Lyse said...

La plage en hiver , c'est à ce moment là que je la préfère . Je vois que tout ce petit monde s'muse bien.
Bonne semaine

Francesca said...

What a lovely outing. I really like the sand angel.

the polish chick said...

oh i do so miss having a beach handy. great to see the smiles - amazing how much one comes to love and appreciate the children in one's life. it still surprises me how much i love my little monsters.

marja-leena said...

The joy of being a boy on a beach is jumping right off this page, not to mentioni the photographer's joy!

Crafty Green Poet said...

looks like you all had beaucoup de fun!

Natalie d'Arbeloff said...

Photos splendides et les jambes in motion perfectly captured - quel oeil you have, ma chère!

Pam said...

What energy the young have! How lovely to be slender and bouncy and unencumbered with self-consciousness. May he long possess these qualities.

Rouchswalwe said...

Happiness abounds!

Marly Youmans said...

What jollity of boy and mama and stranger with dog! These are so cheerful and gay (in the old, vanishing sense) and full of that rarely catchable thing, life!

Much enjoyed, Lucy. Thank you.

I think it takes an older eye behind the lens to relish and love the beauty of children and their wondrous vigor.

Roderick Robinson said...

I know the honorific Princeling appeals to you (it occurred in the first Box Elder I ever read) but have you read, or did you know, the definition? No, it isn't a diminutive Prince but rather "a petty or insignificant prince." I was wondering whether he didn't deserve a promotion. I take it you don't refer to him, to his face, by the French translation which is (I'm sure you know) the slightly ridiculous "principicule" - sounds like something you lance. Idle thoughts.

Sheila said...

What a wonderful thing to do in November! I generally love the beach at odd times (i.e., when it's not hot or crowded). Thanks for sharing these! I can't believe he is so big….