Hammonassett Beach State Park

At the end of the beach, near Webster Point, reddish sand was likely rich in iron.

This past weekend, I started an experiment.  I shut off the computer all day Saturday and Sunday.  Sometimes I feel so drawn to it, like there is a magnetic force luring me in front of the screen.  Often I keep on working and pushing right through the weekend.  If I'm not writing or doing research, I'm thinking about them.   I wondered how I'd feel without the computer.  Would I be frustrated at the inability to work and type?  Would not moving toward my goals make me spiral downward?  Would I become more creative?   Would my life be richer with a break?

 I found a scallop perfectly balanced on an oyster shell.

This first weekend, I found myself doodling on my brother's birthday card, turning the "O" in his name into a sinister looking Mr. Potato Head.  If it was warm, I would have gone outside to sketch with a pencil.  I picked up two nonfiction books and read quite a bit, but I didn't do anything connected to writing.  I was kind of hoping the time away from the computer would put some magical thoughts in my head about how to creatively approach two projects, but it did not.    

Driftwood that looked like an eel

I don't know whether it was pure luck or not, but I managed to nail an ending in one day instead of the three days it normally takes me.  It may have been because I started jotting down phrases and brainstorming instead of trying to write full sentences.  Next time I need an ending, I'll have to give this method another try.

Skate egg case

      
With a mother of a snowstorm expected tonight, I thought I'd better post these photographs from Hammonassett Beach State Park before the place turns into a winter wonderland.  At this time of year, skate means something entirely different.