In the woods, the day begins, with the dogs, on a walk before my departure. The blossoms of the milkweed have become seed filled pods - fresh and moist, they bathe in sunshine at the river's edge by the trestle bridge. 

The dogs try to sneak, behind me, out the front door as I depart for Maine with my daughter. We are leaving them in the loving care of other family members, but they don't know this in the moment.

We arrive at Ferry Beach Park Association, our destination, where we'll be at the Power of Words Conference for the next two days, quickly change into bathing suits, and set off on a hike. We walk the three and a half miles at low tide in hot sun up to the crowds near the pier at Old Orchard Beach, where we turn around. Back at Ferry Beach, I take a refreshing swim.

I've been away from the sea for exactly a week. Tonight, through my open window, I rest to the sound of the waves rolling into high tide, just yards away from where I'll sleep, and wake to walk another day on the Atlantic shore before the conference begins.

All photos and text copyright Kelly DuMar 2017