Spent Tuesday at the beach – a stretch of sun and sand, a welcome break in our land locked life. Arrived just before high tide in the morning and packed up not long after low tide in the afternoon. The time in between was devoted to castle building, as planned, and to serendipitous community building.

The first kids were attracted to the actual garden shovel we’d brought. For a castle to last, after all, it needs a moat.

The next wave were curious about my drip castle technique.

Then others just joined in. Kids from as far away as Oklahoma and Missouri visiting New England cousins. Kids as young as two – when given a job, he was willing to not just smash towers – all the way up to a junior high boy who worked tirelessly to extend the sea wall to protect neighboring castles. They collected stones and shells and seaweed and feathers to decorate. Coming and going as family schedules dictated, we counted at least 20 different kids who helped.

Everyone accepted the premise that the main castle was intended for faerie lodging. “It’s important to care for the faeries,” said an eighth grade girl, with no hint of sarcasm.

∞ ∞ ∞

My son brought home some shells for his faerie house under our lilacs.

Do you fink the cassew is stiww dere, Mama?

Well, we built at high tide, and the new moon was Saturday, so tides should be getting smaller, and there haven’t been any storms. Some of it may still be there.

I bet da faewies weawy wiked it.

Yes, I’m sure they did.