Happy Friday Everyone,

Where we live shapes how we learn. A full moon hangs over the ocean. A low tide retreats to show a treasure trove of shells. A blue- green day shines brightly. A fall swell peels with ocean waves. A tree turns red almost overnight. Dry leaves scatter across a long walk. Browning sea grass bends to a north wind. The smell of an early fire burns. The dusk sky glows pinks and purples. Salted winds blow through the night.

The fall is our gift. It is the season when summer folks drive back across the bridges, leaving the Cape to us. Our dogs return to our beaches – no leashes required. Our bike paths open up. Our boats remain moored, hoping to get out one more time. Air conditioners return to basements. Windows stay open through the night. Kettles heat with the promise of warm tea and a good book. We settle in for the learning seasons when school is in session and our minds are challenged.

Learning is a way of living fueled by curiosity, marked by constant growth , and honed by diligence. Our home reminds us of the importance of work and the need for community. Our capacity to think differently is informed by our ever changing shoreline. Our perseverance pushes through barriers like the storm of waves we watch each winter. Our curiosity began when we first walked the tidal flats. Our imagination is enriched by hours spent straining across the ocean to see beyond the horizon. We solve problems and make unexpected connections because we live in a place that is constantly remaking itself. Where we live shapes how we think.

Over the next three days I hope you each have time to be outside, to walk our beaches, to go down to the lake, to sit back and look up at a star studded sky, to listen to the quiet, and to settle into a good read.

Peace,

Chris