Restore the Shore

Over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the unofficial start of summer in the U.S., DH and I went down the Shore, as we say in New Jersey. This was our first visit to the Jersey Shore after the superstorm. Some parts seemed almost back to normal. Other parts still looked devastated, and in some places almost-normal homes or businesses were right next door to still-devastated homes or businesses. It was both brave and sad beyond words, and I didn't have the heart to take pix of that. Most Shore residents and business owners aren't looking for handouts, but they do need some help, especially the return of summer visitors.

So we went and gawped at the Sandy Castle, intended to be the world's tallest sand castle and to raise funds for Superstorm Sandy victims. We got to see it at its full height of 50+ feet (15.5+ m), with a replica of the Barnegat Lighthouse on top. By the time President Obama and Governor Christie saw the Sandy Castle today, vibrations from a nearby bulldozer demonstrating beach reconstruction caused 8 feet to fall off the top. Ah well.



The artist, Ed Jarrett, will be removing the wooden forms and adding sculptures to the sides of the Sandy Castle over the next month. Guess we'll have to go back to take a look. I also want to see if this improbable grove of coconut palms nearby prospers.



This year Memorial Day was also the start of Summer of Socks 2013. So in between Shore pleasures such as playing Skee-ball and devouring boardwalk delicacies (oof), I started a sock, a reprise of a shortie sock pattern, Queen of the Jungle Stripe, that I developed for a single skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock. That was long enough ago that it was pre-Ravelry (::gasp!::) and the old put up of the yarn. Prior Queens (I and II) were starting to look a bit worn and there happened to be a single skein of Lorna's in stash; I cast on. Time flies when you're having fun and by the end of the day I had most of a singleton. Because every sock deserves an adventure, it's lounging in the sand next to some gull tracks.



I've put various heels and toes on the four Queens I've knit. This Queen will have an afterthought heel and has a short-row toe with zigzag bind off. The placeholder for the heel went well enough, but I was inattentive and bungled the toe bindoff. See what I mean?



You know that's going to bug me.