Comprehending Colors in Nahant

Two days ago, I wandered through Black Rock Beach in Nahant.  Black Rock Beach features a small walkway area just a few steps away from Tides restaurant.  This smaller, quainter beach is great for wandering away from the noise within the area.  It stretches for miles from the end of Nahant Beach all the way to Nahant Short Beach.

The day was waning and the weather was becoming cooler.  I sat on the cool sand to watch the sun setting between the buildings.  Colors were slowly fading, with the sun casting silhouette figures.  Noise was quieting down and more people were roaming by to catch this magnificent event happening before them.

As the water was slowly rippling towards the surface, I noticed this small beam of light coming up front.  I looked slowly up to the base of the line to find that big glowing sun right in front of my eyes.  The sun dominated my view, with silhouetted buildings slowly fading.  That ball of sun was the only thing I was fixated on.

A few minutes later and things turned even MORE miraculous.  As the sun was plunging deeper into the depths of the earth, a tall ray of light was shooting upwards into the sky.  What used to become the base of a line has now become a middle intersection between two infinite lines.  One ball of sun casting two rays of light away from each other.

It wasn’t just another beautiful sunset I was witnessing; I was viewing light’s reflection bouncing off upon the air and water.  The light itself generated the colors I see before me and that very same light mirrors off of the atmosphere and the water.  As the sun’s colors was slowly disintegrating, its bright orange color was mirroring off of the clear blue water and sky-blue atmosphere.  These clear blue hues make perfect backdrops for watching nature’s most extraordinary masterpieces.

But what if the colors were different?  What if our atmosphere and water were painted with hues of green or red?  Would it make viewing sunsets much more astounding?  Or would shifting the traditional colors become so catastrophic that it alters our biological system?

You see that the sky is naturally blue and that the ocean is covered in hues of light green, yet you never stop to wonder why that is.  It isn’t something you learn in school or what someone tells you because you see it yourself.  This is one of those miraculous discoveries you learn in life.  One of the steps in obtaining this kind of knowledge is going deeper down the rabbit hole in figuring out how light is reflected around the earth.  The real fun begins once you ponder about what would happen in certain scenarios.

Viewing this perfect sunset made me think about the importance of light in nature.  Light is reflecting all across the earth, with hues of lighter colors as the day goes on.  Sunset becomes twilight before heading into dawn and dusk.  Four separate stages of sunset where a myriad of colors bounce back into the water and atmosphere.

I thought it was truly amazing how much color stretches across the sky during the last few minutes of sunlight.  You never know how much you take this scientific information for granted until you experience these events firsthand.

If you want to know anything about color, simply step out into your backyard and watch the sky during the sunset.

MakeSandcastlesNotWar Visits the Revere Beach International Sandcastle Festival!

After a few days of heat wave hell, the weather finally got cooler around Boston.  It’s nice enough to go out and not scorching hot that we rush indoors from the sun.  Some days do get a bit cold around the beaches here in New England (which I don’t mind at all!), so those can be a blessing in disguise in the summer.  This is also the season where the beaches get PACKED with lots of people.  One beach nearby my area, Revere Beach, was busy with their annual sandcastle festival.

The Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival brings sculptors from all across the nation to compete with their best work of art.  Sculptors use a mix of special sand, water, and various tools used to carve their masterpiece.  It’s all about carving a work of art using all of the tools (even your mind!) at your disposal.

I decided to check out the sandcastle festival last night during my first day off from work.  Here were some of my favorite sandcastle ideas from the beach:

Sandcastle #1: Oceans Apart/Inside My Heart

This was the first creation that caught my eye quick.  It’s amazing how the flow of ocean water circulates over the figure of a woman looking straight ahead.  The way she wraps herself with the water makes it seem as though she is one with the sea.  What’s even more amazing is the small hole dug out through the wave so you can see the ocean water.  Having that interactivity makes the artwork that much cooler.  Props to Sue McGrew for her creative work!

Sandcastle #2: Whisper In the Dark

As a dedication piece towards H.P. Lovecraft, Dmitry Klimenko sculpted this brilliant piece titled Whisper in the Dark.  This design showcases a human male being seeped into some sea monster, transforming into the very beast himself.  He dove feet first into the monster’s head and now he’s being sucked up even further.  It’s a cool sculptor with a creepy theme in mind (props to the reference from H.P. Lovecraft!).

Sandcastle #3: Who Are You

Walking further down the line and I come across another animal-themed idea.  A Griffith sits down, nodding its beak onto the boy’s head.  Both the boy and Griffith stare hard, noticing how each is different from one another.  It definitely suits what Susanne Ruseler made when she titled it Who Are You?  Another cool animal figure here at Revere Beach!

Sandcastle #4: In Justice We Trust

Roaming around a bit further and I find a political-themed work titled In Justice We Trust.  One side of the wall features a female judge holding a tipped scale with a bandage covering her eyes.  Within the other side features four small males pushing against the side of the wall.  It looks as though the four figures are pushing away from blind justice.  The political imagery really works here, especially with the wall holding up both figures.  You can thank Andrius Petkus for sculpting this piece.

Sandcastle #5: Remembering Self

Moving down a bit further and I come across this peaceful, psychedelic sculptor.  The piece features a Buddhist entangled around a decorative aurora.  This Buddhist is sleeping peacefully and keeping mindful of his surroundings.  Morgan Rudluff came from Santa Cruz to carve out this mind-altering work of art.  It’ll definitely keep me mindful of how beautiful this beach is!

Sandcastle #6: Soul Evolution

Coming in at first prize was Soul Evolution by Pavel Mylnikov.  This beautiful design depicts two angels near each other.  One angel reaches with his head up while the other kneels down in despair.  It’s a beautiful piece that symbolizes the two angels as pain and love.  Mylnikov definitely gets first place for this creative work!

Sandcastle #7: Look Up

Last but not least we have the sculptor titled Look Up by Marianne van den Broek.  This sculptor features a woman gracefully looking high up at the sky.  She looks as though she is about to get up for a second and reach further up.  It’s really interesting how she looks like she is getting up to for a better view.  While the idea does seem obvious, it definitely makes for a cool idea.

These were some of my favorite sandcastle designs from the event.  It’s always great to see such talented sand sculptors create intriguing designs on Revere Beach.  Here’s to seeing some awesome sandcastles last night!

Waldenkindergarten: Nature’s Classroom

Kindergarten was one of the most fun school years of my life.  I was enrolled into Doyon School in Ipswich when I was six years old.  It was a typical classroom setting for me: fun toys to play with, crayons or colored pencils for coloring activities, watching kids trade lunches with each other during lunchtime, and a 15-minute recess session outside on the playground.

Recess was something I always looked forward to as a kid.  Having that pleasure of spending time outdoors and away from the small, dingy classroom was a blessing to me.  I usually played games with my friends or went swinging on the swings near the playground.  Looking back at my early years, being outdoors was something I always cherished in life.  To think that some schools don’t even allow recess time just boggles my mind!

One great thing about elementary school was taking field trips outside of the classroom during science class.  I couldn’t really understand how life worked until I stepped outside of the school and into the forests to experience nature.  Nature was something you had to see first-hand, not through pictures on a slideshow.  Some schools have even taken the concept of outdoor nature learning one step further.  That was when I stumbled onto a unique concept called forest kindergarten, which was the English term for Waldenkindergarten.

Forest Kindergarten is special program that is held for children up to the age of six years old.  It is a preschool education that takes place outdoors for more than half of the day.  The concept is about encouraging children to play, learn, and explore in a forest or some form of natural environment.  This unique educational idea can be described as a kindergarten without any ceiling or walls put in place.

Waldenkindergarten was initiated in Germany by a man named Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel.  During the 18^th century, Friedrich developed a passion for plants and herbs while growing up in the forests.  He was increasingly interested in early education and was convinced that play was crucial for a child’s development.  By 1840 he coined the term kindergarten, which was known as children’s garden.  Unfortunately, the concept transformed into something similar to traditional schooling where children spend more times indoors.

It wasn’t until 1952 where a mother in Denmark named Ella Flautau decided to apply Friedrich’s core message to create an interesting classroom for the children.  This concept quickly caught on with her children and eventually spread around Denmark and Scandinavia.  Denmark now has between 200-300 forest kindergartens in the country.

The forest kindergarten classrooms eventually reached the United States, with the first school opening on Vashon Island called Cedarsong Nature School.  Cedarsong Nature School was founded by naturalists and child educators Robin Rogers and Erin Kenny.  After first opening its doors in 2006, the school received overwhelmingly positive reviews from parents.  It became so popular that parents were put on the waitlist.

I randomly stumbled on this concept a few nights ago and thought this was a fascinating idea!  A whole classroom dedicated to teaching kids outside to be with nature.  Whether it is in a beach or forests, children are really getting their taste of nature at such an early nature.  Learning about science while on various field trips was a popular concept at my school, but forest kindergartens really go the extra mile.  I have always grown up in the small town of Ipswich most of my life and I could not imagine living away from a clean environment!

This German concept needs to extend all across the United States to really provide the taste of nature to children everywhere.  We seem to take our environment for granted these days, sending our kids into dull classrooms with cement walls and mundane ceilings.  How is it that some elementary schools don’t even require any recess time?  Going on adventures and learning about the world around us is all part of growing up as a human being, so why do we continue to throw that concept in the garbage?  We toss aside these important activities just like we leave empty cigarette butts out onto the beach while we expect nature to take its course.  This is something we should continue to explore in the years to come.  Maybe the answer to rebuilding our current education system lies within nature, not standardized testing in monotonous classrooms.

Summer is the BEST Season

Happy summer!  Today marks the 1^st day of summer 2016.  The days get longer, the sun shines a lot brighter, and ice cold beers taste great on a hot day!  Summer is the time to head down to your favorite beach to unwind after a long week of work.

Schools are out and restaurants are opening up their patios to provide outdoor seating for their customers.  Summer is my all-time favorite season of the year.  There are many reasons for why I look forward to the summer solstice starting.  Here are a few good reasons for why summer is the BEST season of all time:

Days Get Longer:  During the summer solstice, days get a lot longer than usual and the nights get shorter.  Longer days means more excuse to stay outside longer.  It’s always cool to watch the sun about to go down at 7:30 at night.  Nowadays the sun sets around 8:30ish or so, providing you with a reason to stay up later!

Wearing Less Clothes:  Hot days are the perfect excuse to wear less clothes outside.  After being stuffed up in your house while wearing those long-sleeve shirts, it is so relieving to finally give your body the light of day.  Soaking up your body with the sunshine feels good and is healthy for your mental/emotional health.  One of my favorite past times is to sit outside in my underwear while sipping hot tea.  Your body is a temple, not a prison!  Take the time let that beautiful sunshine touch every part of your body.

Staying Outdoors More:  Now that the weather is warmed up, you can find more reasons to get outside with your friends and family.  You will start to feel guilty about staying indoors for your job, but most companies allow their employees to leave early to get outside more.  Make the most of your summer by planning as much outdoor events as you can.

School’s Out:  Alice Cooper sang it best: school’s out for summer, school’s out forever!  Summer means millions of students are finally out of school for vacation.  After all of that hard work you completed, you finally get out of those classrooms to hang out with your friends.  No more pencils, no more books, no more dirty looks!

Camping:  Ah, camping in the great outdoors!  What better way to get back in touch with nature than pitching that tent and roasting marshmallows on an open fire?  There are thousands of campgrounds for you and your family/friends to go for a camping trip.  Camping is that quintessential vacation that you help you get closer to nature.

Beach/Oceans/Lakes/Other Bodies of Water:  If you live close to any body of water, you should definitely spend time there during the summer.  Lucky for me I live close to a few beaches near my apartments and it is always a blessing to lay out after an exhausting day.  Spending some time out on the beach with your friends is a great activity if you just want to loaf around.  Laying out on the beach is also a great time to get that tan you have been working on!

Outdoor Music Festivals:  What do Bonnaroo, Coachella, and Electric Forest all have in common?  They ALL take place outdoors!  Summer is the perfect season to attend that music festival you and your buddies have been planning for months.  Concerts are always fun, but attending a music festival outdoors is an experience like no other!

The Movies:  Some days will be too hot to even go outside, so going to the movies is a PERFECT indoor activity.  You and your friends can finally see that Captain America vs. Thor film you have been dying to see (or whatever superhero blockbuster Marvel is releasing these days!).  There’s nothing like heading into that air-conditioned theater to see that awesome blockbuster movie on a hot or rainy day.  Use up those rainy days to find the perfect movie to watch in theaters.

Traveling/Vacationing:  Most people plan their vacations around the summer time since there are very few holidays to prepare for.  Summer is the time to plan that cross-country road trip idea with your friends or that week-long trip to someplace you have never been to before.  Whatever your destination is, summer is the perfect season to do some vacationing with your family/friends.

 

Cracking the Mysteries of Egg Rock Island

Yesterday I took a walk around Nahant Beach on a perfect sunny day.  It was just like any other day walking through the beach, hearing the waves crashing into the sand while jamming out to tunes.  As I roamed through the beach, I noticed this strange island just miles away from me.  The island was just a mere few miles off of Nahant, surrounded by the crystal clear water.

Peering to that island made me wonder what creatures lived off of the area.  Were there any inhabitants living there?  Animals hibernating for the winter? Sea creatures that were laying their eggs within the sand?

My curiosity got the best of me and I conducted research of the estranged island.  After locking down the coordinates through Google Maps, I discovered that it was called Egg Rock Island of Nahant Bay.  Egg Rock Island consists of 3 acres of land and was formerly known as the sight of a lighthouse.  The lighthouse was titled as Egg Rock Light, a quaint lighthouse that guided lost travelers within the Atlantic Ocean.

Egg Rock Island is currently owned by the state of MA as a bird sanctuary.  You can view Egg Rock from Lynn, Swampscott, Nahant, and other nearby areas.  Swampscott even has a hotel called Egg Rock Inn where you can view the island from all rooms of the hotel.

I’ve always loved being on a small island surround by miles of ocean water.  During my family vacations on cruises, I wandered around multiple islands while the ship was in anchor.  It would be amazing to own a whole island for myself.  Owning a house is one thing, but owning a huge island is a whole other exciting story!  There’s nothing better than having a huge lot of land consisting of sand, ocean water, palm trees, and creatures swimming around the sea.

For those residing within the Lynn/Swampscott/Nahant area, I highly recommend checking out Egg Rock Island during your next trip to Nahant Beach.  Egg Rock Island is easy to spot from the beach when you’re going on walks with your friends and family.