Pebbles and Shells...
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
May 23, 2007 8:38pm CST
Whenever I go to the beach, for a stroll, I comb the length of the beach for pebbles and shells.
Each different beach seems to have varying pebbles, so I like to pick up and collect the ones that are different and catch my eye. I have a black, a grey and a terracotta coloured pebble from Whitby, a red and a pale grey fossilised pebble from Minehead, and a blood red, a stone coloured one with crystally pieces in it, and a jet black one from Seaford, plus several others from different beaches, including Lynmouth, in North Devon. I love to shine them up, although I don't have a tumbler to shine them properly.
I also like to collect different shells, especially the spiral cone type. If you look carefully, there are so many different ones. It's not often you can find them whole, but if I do, I take them home and put them on my bathroom shelf. My bathroom is wood clad at the bottom, and washed in a sea blue, and texture pained on the top half in a sand yellow. I have a mirror over the sink with halogen lights, the wires and works of which are housed by a blue and sand coloured beach house made from wood, the bath is wood clad and has oars on the side, like a boat, and the shelf is bedecked with lighthouse candle holders, boats, fish, shells, rowing boats with pot pourri in them, beach huts and all sorts of seaside things.
Do you collect things from the beach or the countryside when you're walking? If so, what do you like to collect and what do you do with it when you get it home?
7 people like this
12 responses
@mummymo (23706)
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24 May 07
Darkwing honey your bathroom sounds fantastic - would love to go for a nice long dip in your tub! We love the beach and we always bring back about half a ton of sand if that counts lol! My boss goes diving and he brings ack some beautiful shells from the sea or loch bed for Niamh as he knows she loves them! They are very fragile though so we do not have that many left in one piece! xxx
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@Darkwing (21583)
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25 May 07
Oh wow, Mummymo, I would imagine that shells from the sea or loch bed would be in pretty good condition and that Niamh certainly appreciates them.
A tip... if they're fragile, coat them with varnish, or some kind of sealant. Check the toxicity though, if Niamh plays with the shells. I would imagine nail hardener would also do the trick to give the shells a slightly loner life and tougher exterior.
I hope you're continuing to get better... have a great Bank Holiday weekend. xxx
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@mummymo (23706)
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25 May 07
The shells are gorgeous when he manages to get them home in one piece - sometimes he cannot even hold them to bring them up without them breaking! Thanks for the tip sweetheart I will try and find a low toxicity varnish for the next ones he brings home - although it might be a little while - it is meant to be my fault he can't go diving at the moment I have to hurry back to work! Mind you if I tried he wouldn't let me! hee hee xxx
@Darkwing (21583)
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25 May 07
You take your time going back to work, sweetie. You need to make sure you're properly better. Backs are funny things, they can go at the silliest times, when you don't even realise you're in a wrong position.
The shells will wait for you. Take care and get better. xxx
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@shelagh77 (3643)
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24 May 07
Oh yes! However, some beaches are now protected and you may take absolutely nothing from them. I can see their point in one way, but in another that is yet another free enjoyable and educational hobby wrecked by the Legislators.
I have shells and stones all over the place which I have collected from various UK beaches. I have to confess that the humble cockle, white as it it, is still my favourite shell.
@shelagh77 (3643)
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25 May 07
This is true, but I have read reports of people being fined for just one or two stones too, so they really are being very petty and it is stopping a lovely hobby too. I know that when the children were small they loved to bring home some shells and see whether they were different to those in the "collection" and it kept them amused for hours looking for them.
@shelagh77 (3643)
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26 May 07
My personal belief is that there is so much greed that councils tax everything they possibly can and now even a simple pleasure such as beach combing comes under their eagle eye. They have asked to be able to charge people simply to go onto the beach, and then when people stay away they will wonder why.
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@Darkwing (21583)
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25 May 07
I think like all legislations... that came about because the ability to take a few pebbles or shells was abused and great truck loads of pebbles were being shifted from public beaches to private gardens... why people have to abuse their facilities, I don't know, but that's the way of the world, these days.
However, I don't think anybody would stop you picking up the odd few shells or pebbles, which is all I do. I, like you, like to bring a souvenir from each beach I visit, so that I compare the differences in colours, etc., when I get home.
Brightest blessings my friend and thank you for your input... have a great day! x
2 people like this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
24 May 07
Well I used lol when I was a child and where I went once to a restbite I collected a lot of Starshells there where loads of them I had kept them for many years but now I don't go to the Beach anymore but if I ever do I will be looking out for the Shells to xxx
@Darkwing (21583)
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25 May 07
I have a fascination with shells and pebbles. Moreso pebbles these days, I suppose.
I'd love just one of the big shells you can find in tropical countries... just one! It would be so versatile, and I could think of a lot of decorative uses for one, in the home or garden.
Take care, Gabs... have a good day!
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@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
25 May 07
I love the sound of your bathroom Darkwing! I'd give my right arm to have one as beautiful as that. When I lived in the UK I used to collect shells and pebbles too, and also the little tiny bits of coloured glass worn smooth by the sand. I have a small collection of these things at home. But here in Australia you're not supposed to collect anything off the beach - although my husband has sneaked away a few pieces of washed up coral! lol ;)
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@Darkwing (21583)
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25 May 07
Thank you Feral... yes, my bathroom is as I always wanted it at last. :-)
I don't see that there's any harm in sneaking a couple of pebbles or shells from the beach... even coral, as long as it's not taken in greed and volume, where would anybody know the difference? Yes, smoothed glass is quite pretty... there are often different coloured glass "pebbles" to be found. They're pretty with the sunrays shining through them.
Brightest Blessings, my friend, for a great day!
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
24 May 07
I have lots of shells from the Gulf and Alantic Ocean whe we lived in New Hampshire for the summer. I like to pick up rocks to I have all kinds of Quartz and Iron pyrite .I have one out in the yard that looks like a finger pointing so I point the finger to the sky
1 person likes this
@samson1967 (7411)
• India
25 May 07
I have collected varieties of pebbles and shells and few corals from Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. I have placed few in my aquarium. Rest are all safely sitting in a cartoon box in my attic. Give me some good ideas to display them. Thanks.
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@Darkwing (21583)
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25 May 07
I would think you get some really nice shells from the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. They would look nice displayed in your bathroom. You could hang them in string bags, put them in baskets, or just lay them on the surfaces. They look great. :-)
Brightest Blessings for a wonderful day, Samson, my friend.
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@samson1967 (7411)
• India
26 May 07
Thank you so much for being so generous to me.
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@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
24 May 07
It is great that you live near the ocean, Kansas just is too far away from either coast. We do find a few fresh water shells at some of our lakes. Lots of different pebbles. If I did not collect them, hubby would for me. I have one that I should put on a chain, it is red/terra cotta colored and had a hole through the middle. It is roughly shaped like a heart. I love your description of your bathroom. It sounds very soothing. I pick up driftwood now and again and put it in my planters. I have a cactus I am growing in a container. The cactus came from a nearby lake campground, two summers ago. I had to wrap it in newspaper before I picked it up.
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@Darkwing (21583)
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25 May 07
Lol... yes, America is a big country and from some points a long, long way to the ocean. Here, in England, we're never that far from any ocean, being as our little country would fit into one of your States, with no problem.
Oh wow, yes, the terracotta one... do put it on a chain, or a lace, so you can wear it... it sounds wonderful. The bathroom is good. I wanted something different, and even the ceiling is sky blue with textured clouds on it. My sister bought me a seagull wind chime which is quite apt. :-)
Your cactus growing sounds rewarding and driftwood would complement them I feel. I like especially the flowering species of cactus. Beautiful!
Brightest Blessings for a great day, Gerty.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
25 May 07
I used to collect things but now refrain. We have a saying: "Take nothing but photographs and leave nothing but footprints". Lots of people who claim to love nature tend to leave all their rubbish behind when they leave. Our country roads are littered with rubbish as you leave a large town.
My brother, who is a biologist told me that to take even one small shell upsets the balance of nature in any one area. Everything you see on a beach (not the rubbish) has a purpose.
@Darkwing (21583)
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25 May 07
Everything in the Universe has a purpose in the balancing. However, moved from one place to another only shifts the energies, surely?
Our roads, unfortunately, get littered with rubbish by townies, who throw wrappers out of their cars in passing, burger boxes, KFC boxes, drink cans and cartons... then there's the fly-tipping. Is that abusive and obscene, or what? Right in the edge of the woods, they dump their bigger rubbish, when they can take it to a tip, anywhere. We also have a refuse lorry which calls here, to the car park, one Sunday in each month, so we can rid ourselves of household rubbish, which is too large for the dustbin, and garden refuse. It's not the villagers who do it, it's the wretched townies, with their lack of respect! Grrrrrrrrrrr... makes my blood boil!
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
26 May 07
Shifting of energies, now there's a thought. It may be as you said...when people take trailer loads of leaf mold or rocks etc for their gardens. I'll ask my bro.
Seeing the rubbish makes me feel ashamed. There is one road from town to the village where i live and it's littered dreadfully. If I have visitors they have to travel this road. It's embarrassing to me. I spoke to someone about it and he said that every now and then the village folk have a clean up along the road. I'll be in that. I've been here now for 18 months and it hasn't happened yet. Here's hoping.
@Bizziebod (3497)
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27 May 07
Hi Darkwing! I'm a bit of a mare when I'm on the beach as I look for the pebbles with holes in them and the hole has to go right through them. I've done it for years and i'll walk up and down the beach until I find one! Most of my friends think I'm barmy, which they wouldn't be too far wrong! Hope all is well with you and your friend that was in hospital! Brightest Blessings to you!
@Darkwing (21583)
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27 May 07
They're a bit few and far between... couldn't you look for something just a little more common? You can drill the hole in it when you get home. ha ha ha
Well, he's in a bit of a strange mood since he found he had to go into hospital again, but things went well and they think they caught it quickly enough to remove it all. I have other ideas on that, but there ya go... I'm sure you know where I'm coming from. :-)
Thank you for your input, my friend. Blessed Be!
@PunkyMcPunk (1477)
• Canada
26 May 07
Since we are talking about sea shells in particular. I have a necklace. On it I have several shells.Each shell I have picked up from a different beach I have visited.
I have one from Nova Scotia when I lived there (Atlantic ocean), one from British Columbia (Pacific ocean), there's a shell from the coastline of New Hampshire when I went there with my boyfriend, from California when I went there as a child. there are several from my travel through Central America. (along the coastlines) so on and so forth. I can identify each shell and also remember the story or vacation that went along with it. For me not only is it a pretty necklace but it is also a way of remembering better than any souvenier from a shop could do.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 May 07
I haven't been to the beach in quite awhile, but I was always collecting shells as I walked along the beach...I didn't find great ones on the beaches near me, but the one time I went to Miami Beach years ago, found terrific ones...I even bought a great number of them there, including those really large conch shells which I still have...and yes, a definite rock or pebble collector here...Down a ways from where I live there are a lot of pine trees, so when I take my walks there, I collect the pine cones that are on the ground...so between my shells, pebbles and rocks, and pine cones, I have a really nice collection of natures beauty.--And like you I have my shells and things scattered all over the place including the bathroom too.
@Darkwing (21583)
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26 May 07
Hah... are we alike or what? I have a big, golden coloured, square basket with red rose decoration, on my sideboard, and guess what it's full of...... yup.... fir cones! lol. I sprinkle them regularly with cedar oil, which makes a lovely aroma in the room. I also have two, pot pourri holders, one each end of the sideboard with are shaped into an oak leaf, brownish in colour, with a sleepy face on it, and a glass bowl, in which I put rosebuds and rosepetals which i have dried and made into pot pourri, and then stored in a jar until I'm ready to replenish them.
I strayed again in my amazement!!! Yes, I have a friend in Florida, Fort Walton Beach. She and her hubby have a yacht and live on the beach. Just part way across the Bay of Mexico, there is an island, where the often sail the boat to, and spend the day, having a barbecue and wotnot. She has sent me pictures and in some of the pictures, there are some beautiful shells. So, I can imagine the shells you collected from there.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 May 07
We obviously are nature lovers...between the "free" things one can collect like shells, rocks and pine cones..and to admire birds...I bet you're a tree lover too ;-)
@katkat3 (425)
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24 May 07
I like to collect unusual pebbles from the beach, I used to have a nice dish that I put them in, in the bathroom but I don't have anywhere to put a dish in my current bathroom. Also I haven't been to the beach in a while... but when I get a new house and a bigger bathroom I shall take a trip to the beach and collect my unusual pebbles again to decorate my bathroom!! LOL :0)
@Darkwing (21583)
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25 May 07
Yes, it's surprising how many different types of pebbles you can find, isn't it, Katkat... all sorts of colours and marks on them... even clear, glassy ones.
I hope you'll have a much bigger bathroom, so that you have plenty of space to display your pebble collections. :-) Happy beachcombing!
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