Tidal Pools at Wonderland

Small Moment Art

May 18, 2013, Wonderland

The tide was just right at Wonderland.  

Kind of mid to low and ebbing.  Massive slabs of grey pink granite had been exposed to the sun for several hours, bleached and salt glistening.   Warmth radiated from the stone, moderating the cool spring air and sunlight reflected off stone and water creating a luminous Impressionistic effect.

Isles of Shoals, Broad Cove

Childe Hassam

1911

After taking in the familiar

panoramic view of the Western Way,

the islands, and the 

mountains of MDI,

I found myself drawn to the pools

left by the receding ocean tide

in the granite hollows.

I think they are incredibly intriguing with their tiny 

micro-worlds of marine plants and animals,

each one a small moment in time.

I'm a kid again crouched and imagining and poking

and greeting critters, and savoring

the feel of the pure, cool salt water on my hands.

I've played in these same tide pools with my daughters.  Wonderland and much of the southwestern shore of MDI was their playground.  Crabs and starfish became their pets and barnacles bloodied their toes, and they discovered that if you hum to a hermit crab (or was it a periwinkle) it will dance.  

They believed that.

They are grown up now and live in cities and will always love their home on MDI.

When they come home,

we hike out together to the granite

shore of Wonderland, seeing it as if for the first time, again.

So, yup, I'm thinking about my daughters as I'm poking about in tide pools, my head down, focused in, discovering and imagining and remembering.  

Oh . . . hey John.

Beautiful day.