Over the weekend, we went to the beach. The weather was fine at home–sunny and warm, with a nice breeze. At the shore, the temperature dropped 12 degrees and the “pleasant breeze” was a stiff wind. And perhaps for that reason (because most people stayed on the boardwalk, or just plain gave up and went inland to the warmth), the beach was covered in sand dollars! I have never seen so many, all at once. This is only what I found; our friend took home his own stash of “beach cash,” and there were many, many more with gaping holes in them (poor, delicate things. Even these got dinged a little as I carried them).
Which led to said friend asking what sand dollars were when they were alive. And I realized that, honestly, I didn’t know. So I looked it up. They are bizarre, and so, so cool! And led to my dreaming last night about huge, monster-sized live sand dollars “grazing” the beaches and tickling my feet.
Everyday Magic | M. E. Garber 