I’ve seen all sorts of things on the beach but I've never seen aliens. Until today.  Take a look at these sand castles built this afternoon on Delray Beach in South Florida. Does anybody else see an alien in one of the sand castles? I swear it’s there. Where's Fox Mulder when you need him?



Adored by young and old alike, there’s more to building a sand castle than you might think. A variety of factors are necessary to make a good sand castle including the ratio of sand to water and the consistency of the sand itself. (For those who tend to the sciences, a more technical explanation can be found here.)

Some folks create their castles using buckets to mold the sand into a sculpture while the more free spirited use a water and sand combination to drip into place their towers and moats.  Some builders use shells and other material found on the beach to embellish their castles, perhaps a further expression of individual personality and the level of freedom either needed or felt at the time of the build.

In my unofficial observation, it’s always the Dad who helps with the building while Mom relaxes in a nearby beach chair, usually with book in hand. (You go Moms!) I’ve even seen Dads who’ve continued on with the building long after the kids have lost interest making me think that perhaps these Dads should have this blog bookmarked on their office computer. That is, after all, the reason for this blog – to give people a break from lives rife with daily obligations and responsibilities, to offer an escape however brief.

So my wish for you today is that you take a few moments in your escape to explore the sand castle links listed below. Read about their construction and where the next competition is being held. True, the exercise may seem frivolous. I mean, who cares? So, let’s up the ante. Let’s see if you can work a mention of sand castles into your next conversation at work and when your colleagues ask you what’s up with that you tell them Pug At The Beach made you do it. Then share Pug’s blog address and share the joy of an escape to the beach with Pug At The Beach. The way I see it, everybody needs to have a little beach time now and again.

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Copyright 2008 Diana Taylor, Pug At The Beach
Photo credit: Diana Taylor, Delray Beach, Florida

Links for frivolity and fun:
Fox Mulder
Sand castles
Hampton Beach Sand Castle Competition

For copy & paste:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_Mulder (Fox Mulder a.k.a David Duchovny)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_castles (sand castles)
http://www.hamptonbeach.org/sandcastle-competition.cfm (sand castles in Hampton Beach, NH)