sunrise August 24th…

Sunday, I kayaked at sunrise for the first time. I’ve never witnessed this beauty from the water. Every direction I turned, the light shifted in awe-inspiring ways.

Cape Cod Bay, Sunday, August 24th, 2025, Sandwich, Mass

After a week of wild waves and wind from Hurricane Erin, the waters finally settled down. Cape Cod Bay felt expansive to me, just like the prairie I was raised roaming in South Dakota.

I could faintly hear fishermen talking across the still water.

The birds were busy. Hurricane Erin brought a lot of baitfish to the bay. The seals would pop up, see me, then dive down. They seemed playful and happy to have some calm waters.

This summer, I started singing Simon and Garfunkel’s Cecilia (Ce-SEAL-ya) to the seals in the morning. In my imagination, they are drawn to and comforted by my singing…Cecilia, you’re breakin’ my heart, you’re shaking my confidence daily.

I guess the day after this experience, I don’t want to put off what I’m longing to do.

“It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are still alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger for them.”George Eliot

a morning of awe…

If the stars should appear but one night every thousand years how man would marvel and adore. —Ralph Waldo Emerson

One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. —William Shakespeare

I came upon the seals still snoozing this morning. When sleeping in the water, they can float as in a standing position, similar to a fishing bobber. This is called “bottling”. I waited for them to start their day. You can hear them in the audio file below. I love them so.

https://lisalillibridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/The-seals-this-morning.m4a