Boston Harbor

Sometimes I forget that my children have grown up in the desert. Mountains, forests, and the ocean were all part of my childhood landscape, but for my kids they are strange and exotic discoveries.While the sun was shining {briefly} over the weekend, we took them to Boston Harbor to see the boats and play on the beach.






They scavenged along the shore, gathering driftwood, coils of rope and old pallets to construct a raft.






The water along the pier was full of jellyfish, and before we could stop him, E caught one. I'm amazed he wasn't stung. Either it wasn't a stinging variety or perhaps it was dead. Either way, he got off easy. {J was stung by a jellyfish in Mexico once, and still says it was the worst pain he's ever felt.}






E wanted to take home rusty chains, broken seashells, dead shrimp and crab pieces, and buckets of sand. He was successful where sand was concerned-- I was washing it out of his hair and clothes for days.






Boston Harbor is a perfect spot for small children. The beach is tiny and full of sand instead of rocks. The water is calm and mostly shallow.






We didn't bring swimsuits because I was convinced that the water {mostly snow and glacier run-off} would be entirely too cold for my Arizona kids. But all got soaked.






After a picnic lunch, we walked along the pier to admire the boats. L was in awe over a 'real' pirate ship, and all of the kids wished we could hop in and go for a sail around the harbor.





By late afternoon, we had to tempt them away with ice cream cones before going home and collapsing on sofas for sun-drugged naps. Nana and Grandpa are certainly giving them a summer to remember.