Favorites at the beach

The line of shoes left at the dune fence
Sun streaks in your hair
Ghost crabs
Sun-kissed shoulders
Halter tops
Floating docks
When the wind shifts direction
Lavender-infused lemonade
Digging your toes into the sand
The cries of gulls
Orienting your towel to the sun
Sanderlings!
Stopping for black raspberry ice cream on the drive home
Wrap-around porches
Polka-dot bikinis
Your chair at the low tide mark with waves lapping at your ankles
A baby in a white floppy hat meeting the ocean for the first time
The smell of Coppertone
Skeeball
A little pool of water in your belly button
Wading through a sun-warmed tidal pool
The shapes of clouds
Painted toenails
Sandcastles