Weekly Photo Challenge: Blue (Beach Graphics #31)
“Beach Graphics #31 (Boogie Board) – Copyright Anne M. Freeman
What do I think of when I see the word “blue”? Immediately, the sky. Love the blue of the sky. Robin’s egg blue sky with small, white puffy clouds. My favorite. Next, the ocean – hot days in the cool Atlantic ocean, grains of sand, white foam, thundering waves, yelling children. I love the shore, and I love blue. I love my boogie board.
Am I too old to boogie board? Absolutely not! We taught all the nephews and nieces to boogie board. To help them get past their fear of riding the waves, we gave them all special names like “wave princess” and “surf king” and “foam rider.” We played a game where if they were tossed by a wave they were trying to ride, they could make up the new analogy of their plight: I got tossed like a salad, flipped like a burger, crushed like ice … the worse the toss, the better.
We all line up and try to catch a wave together, taking it all of the way in. We succeeded once: sixteen of us all caught the wave and rode in together, laughing all the way. Sometimes, if you and one other person catch the wave just right, you go into a silent zone where you ride in together at exactly the same rate, and you can carry on a conversation while holding onto you boogie board.
And then there is the mistake of riding the wave onto the beach: beached whales. Not the young ones, of course. But us. The worst is getting beached in front of the life guards. You know they are secretly snickering. I’ve learned. Never ride it all the way – drop off in a few feet of water so you can stand up without looking like a cow.
When the kids are teens, we embarrassed them riding our boogie boards. When they go away to college, they can’t wait to come back to the shore. What was the first thing my nephew said to me when we visited him at his first year at college last month? “I can’t wait to go back to the shore.”
The shore. The Jersey shore. Nothing like it. Anywhere.
I love blue.
Do you?
~Anne
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Some other interesting blues:
http://veronikahjorth.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/blue/#comment-426
ANNE FREEMAN IMAGES: Art of the Outdoors 
Lovely story to go with the blue image…
Thanks, Vladimir. I’m looking forward to seeing your post.
~Anne
Thank you, Vladimir! Very kind. I’ll look forward to viewing your post.
~Anne
Your blue sounds like fun! 🙂
Truely it is, Imelda! So much fun that we go back every year for more. Thanks for coming by.
~Anne
IT (THE PICTURE) MADE IT TO A FLOWER. THE RIPPLES ARE THE PETALS AND THE THING IN THE MIDDLE IS THE BUD.
I see what you mean, Rommel. The photo is a close-up of a boogie board. I like your interpretation of the photo. Thanks for coming by.
~Anne
Ow, so the design on the boogie board really is a flower? I read the whole thing but I couldn’t get the big picture of that portion of what it really is, I’ve seen a boogie board, but what part of the boogie board is that?
The portion of the boogie board that you see in the photo is the top front of the board. The black circle holds the wrist strap. The wrist strap is the black cord.
~Anne
Ow I see now. So around it are just designs. I do know that the wrist strap is for safety, and so then you don’t lose your board. 😀 Have fun body-boarding!
Thanks!!
~Anne
Anne, Jersey shore! Love it. I don’t know if you saw this post but it was my first crack at the Challenge. Check it out when you get a chance. Hopefully I copied the link correctly, but if not, it’s the post challenge called Down.
Frankie Valley and Bruce RULE! 🙂
http://firstandfabulous.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/word-press-challenge/
Great stuff, F&F! Loved the photo. Isn’t the Jersey Shore the best! I love it. Happy for you that you have a place there. Cheers!
~Anne
Another beaut Anne! I love blue too and we down here at the Jersey Shore ROCK! Don’t pay attention to Snooky!! She’s not even from here! LOL!
I’m right there with you, Dean. Snooky and crew give our beautiful shore a bad rap. But then, everybody gives NJ a bad rap. But hey, we love it! Glad you enjoyed the post, Dean. I’m pretty stumped with the new prompt – digging the hole. I’ll have to work on figuring out an approach to that one. Are you going to contribute?
~Anne
Great color with that button. 😉
Thank you, eof737. I’m looking forward to viewing your post, too.
~Anne
Very cool and fun too!
Glad you enjoyed it, Eldy.
~Anne
I like your image. You asked for comments so here are mine.
The black circle is off centered, which it should be (-:
Good contrast with the shades of blue.
Good detail in the black piece of rope.
Well done!
.
Thank you, Rick! I very much appreciate your comments. They are instructive. Thanks for taking the time.
~Anne
I love the color. Love the pattern. Amazing story. 🙂
Why thank you, Rhea! So glad you enjoyed the post. I appreciate you visiting and taking the time to comment.
~Anne
Nice little story with a beautiful image!
Glad you you enjoyed it, Indranil. thanks for coming by.
~Anne
Love this, Anne, and it’s so true, you’re never too old to boogie board! xoxo Ailsa
Glad you’re one of us, too, Ailsa! Boogie On!!
~Anne
Hurray!
Do you boogie, too, Ailspm? Glad you enjoyed it.
~Anne
That’s a nice boogie board Anne 🙂
I bought one for my younger son recently and he was overly excited that he couldn’t even sleep.
I think even in his sleep he was riding the board like a pro … the actual attempt in the water was a bit dissapointing for him … 😀
It takes a while to learn the rhthym of the waves, and where on the crest you have to catch the wave. Tell him to keep trying. He’ll get it. Thanks for coming by, amira.
~Anne
Ooooh. This is a good one. I’m about to buy my first boogie board this week. Sorry it took me a while to respond…you were in my spam! Good photo!
Glad to be out of your spam, Guat! Boogie boarding is a lot of fun. It will take some time to learn how to “read” the waves, meaning when you have to catch them, which kind work well, and which don’t. But when you catch your first good ride, it will be worth it. loads of fun.
~Anne
Fabulous splash of blue in this one Anne and no one is ever too old to boogie on a board, or anywhere else for that matter!
Well said!
~Anne
Sounds like great fun 🙂
Hi CTB – so sorry i missed your note! Thanhs for coming by – can’t wait to go back to the shore now that summer is here! Where do you folks swim?
~Anne
Lake Ontario is a bit too cold! My brother has a pool so that is where we will spend most of our hot days. Other than that we love the beach when we go on vacation.