Jackson Dunes Photography

Jackson Dunes Photography

Photos of the beach available in many different formats.

It's all about inspiration. Many years ago when I was living in New Hampshire in a town that was a two hour drive away from the ocean, I was inspired by images of the beach that I found in magazines or online. When I finally moved down to a latitude little enough to have summertime temperatures all year, I started taking pictures.

At first, I took pictures because I was in awe of my wonderfully tropical environment. Then I started sharing those images because I knew there were people just like me who wanted to live the summertime dream but for one reason or another just couldn't. After that I posted them, at first on Facebook and then to RedBubble. 

RedBubble is a place where you can choose an image created by an artist and transform it into many different formats: prints, posters, canvas, calendars...you get the idea. So, if you'd like to be inspired by images of the beach, take a moment and visit me "At The Beach." Just click on this link:

Jackson Dunes Photography

Your Entire Childhood In 90 Seconds

As a writer I know that words carry a certain weight. Words have the power to hurt or to heal. In my books I string together certain words in a certain way to illicit certain emotions from my readers. I have to craft a mental image to get my point across.

Pictures are a different matter altogether. Without much effort, pictures evoke memories and emotions more than words can. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. They're also worth a thousand memories. 

As you scroll down through these pictures, take a moment to reflect on where you were then and how far you've come. Consider also how much the world has changed since then. Think back to these times when life seemed easier, simple, and more innocent.  Would you go back if you could? 

Metal Ice Cube Trays

TV Test Patterns

Topp Gigio

45 RPM Spindles

Aluminum Christmas Trees

Cigarettes For Christmas

Studebakers

Falstaff Beer

Fire Escape Tubes

Flash Bulbs

Washtub Wringers

5 Cent Packs Of Baseball Cards

5 Cent Cokes

Chatty Cathy Dolls

Timmy And Lassie

Burma Shave Signs

25 Cent A Gallon Gasoline

Speedy Alka-Seltzer

Old Yeller

Chef Boy-AR-Dee

Ding Dong Avon Calling

Gum Wrapper Chains

Brownie Cameras

Jiffy Pop

Cork Pop Guns

Lincoln Logs

Beany And Cecil

Fuller Brush Man

Erector Sets

Skate Keys

Drive In Movies

5 Cent Hamburgers

Green Stamps

Marlin Perkins

Reel To Reel Tape Recorders

Tinker Toys

Sky King

Brylcreem

Penny Candy

Drive In Restaurants

So, what do you think? Would you go back if you could?

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Note: This message originally came to me in an email sans author name or photo credits. If it's yours and you want credit, I'll be happy to do so, just drop me a line.

Meditate ~ Even If It's Only For A Few Minutes Every Day

I like to do a walking meditation on the beach. It's really quite simple. My focus is entirely on what's in front of me: the sand, the shells, the waves as they reach the shore. If my mind starts to wander simply pausing for a moment to take a few deep breaths will help me get centered again.

Biddeford Pool, Maine

Try a walking meditation next time you're out and about. On the beach, in the mountains, or on a city street, walking meditation is a good way to stay mindful and at peace.

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My Favorite Things For Dogs

I like to say I have three dogs, two real and one virtual. Pug is my virtual dog. Buddy and Lilly are my real dogs. They're poodles. Buddy is a mini and Lilly is a toy. These are a few of my favorite dog things.

We call this Buddy's "Happy Shirt" because it really does make him happy. What is it? Well, it's a combination of swaddling cloth and straight jacket. Buddy is terrified of thunder so this shirt works wonders. He settles down right away. It wraps around the dog's torso and closes with lots of velcro. The snug fit is comforting and the jersey knit is easy to clean. 

The small size of these balls are great for small dogs. They tough, bounce really well, and wash up easily. Both Buddy and Lilly love them.

Some people use those plastic bags you get at the grocery market but I prefer these. Less plastic and they're easy to use. Some bags are difficult to get open but not these. A white strip guides you to the opening and a quick rub between thumb and index finger opens the bag up quickly.

Pug is just as much fun as Buddy and Lilly but requires far less looking after. No poop! 

Enjoy your dog. Play with your dog every day. If you don't have a dog, volunteer at a shelter. My dogs are rescue dogs. If you live in South Florida visit my shelter of choice, Animal Aid in Boca Raton. If you can't get here please consider making a donation to them. Click on the link then look for the yellow Donate button on their website.

Animal Aid, Inc

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Books about finding our peace at the beach.

Lilly

Buddy

Find Peace Wherever You Are

Cairn at Biddeford Pool, Maine.

Generally I like little latitude beaches with white sand and warm, really warm, water. So I wasn't sure how much I'd miss my southern beach when I traveled up to Maine this past summer.

My beach is a five minute bicycle ride from my house. The beach in Maine was 14 miles and 25 minutes away by car. That's really nothing considering I used to live 100 miles and a two hour drive away from the ocean. But for a person who uses the sea as a tool for meditation, self reflection, and just a moral boost in general, it seemed like, well, it seemed like an ocean away. So it came as a surprise to me when I sat by the sea at Maine's Biddeford Pool that I found the same kind of peace I was used to walking by the water's edge in South Florida.

Looking back I've come to realize that my inner being, my soul if you will, scanned the scenery for beauty regardless of temperature or water color. Beauty is beauty. And the soul craves beauty. I think it was John O'Donohue who said that (or some version of that) and he was right. There is beauty in everything.

This morning I counseled a young woman, fraught with anxiety, to stop every 30 minutes to examine her surroundings. I told her,

"Look for the small miracles surrounding you - the ones that are often overlooked because we just don't make the time to see them." 

Then I sent her a photo of a plant stripped of all its leaves because the caterpillars had eaten them all. What others might see as an ugly plant was, to me, beautiful especially since the plant was already at work making new leaves.

Some may see slimy algae and weird seaweed.
I see  six different shades of green and a multitude of textures.
Tidal pool in the rocks at Biddeford Pool, Maine.

Today I invite you to find beauty in everything you look at. It's there. You just have to look for it and when you do, you'll find a moment of peace. From this moment will arise another moment of peace and then another, and another until you find yourself being more at peace than in conflict. And that's a wonderful way to live.

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Books about finding our peace at the beach. 

QR Code For Beach Lovers

You've seen these things around on packages, in print ads, and on the web. But what are they? They're a type of bar code that will, when scanned with your smartphone, redirect you. In this case, you'll be redirected to my Amazon Author Page.

Books about the beach. http://amzn.to/BeachBooks

Scanners are easy to use and free in most cases. I use i-nigma because it was highly recommended by someone. Try it. And while you're at my Amazon page check out my new book, More Adventures From The Beach.

Make it a beach day whatever that looks like for you!

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