This has been a pretty good week. I went down to Cape Cod this weekend, but what is new? I did some of the usual, like a super long walk on the sand-flats of Chapin beach, where I I enjoyed some of the sand patterns (see photo below) and a very long paddle on my kayak. But there was something that stood out against those smile worthy things.
So what was it?
Swimming.
Not some REM memory of Nightswimming, but out under a cool October sun in the cold Massachusetts water. lol, yes, on Friday I went down to West Dennis Beach, took a walk, watched people in the water (not many!), and ended the walk with a 15 minute swim. Close to the shore, wading up to my knees, the water was warm, but out far from shore, and above my head, it was cold.
I have been swimming on Cape Cod in October in the past, but only a couple of times. To me this was very cool (not temperature, though that too ;) ) and surpassed even the very long paddle and the patterns.
So that was my smile for the week, a very nice visit to Cape Cod including swimming in the ocean in October.
What made you smile?
(A reminder – There will not be a Smile Recap post next week).
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Come on, I’m sure you smiled at least once last week. Why don’t you share it? I hope you can join in!
Here is list of “rules” and guiding ideas. If you don’t have time to read it right now, just remember that this is an exercise to spread positivity. Don’t smile about the misfortune of others. Don’t smile in a way to excludes others. Make sure a 12 year old can read it.
To join in, write a post to share your smile and then leave a comment on this post with a link to your smile. Or, if you prefer, do a pingback to this post (pingback = have a link from your post to this one) (Note – pingbacks have been very inconsistent – please leave a comment :) ). You can post any time until next Sunday evening (to be simple, I will say midnight GMT, which is 7 PM Sunday for me). Next week I will compile all of the Smiles and do a separate post of them on Monday morning just before the smile. (I will shoot for around 7 AM EST).
Trent's World (the Blog) 
That is a great smile! I hear it is very healthy to swim in cold conditions. There are some older folks here that have a special place where they go swimming every day, all year round!! In the winter they have to make a hole in the ice first! It’s only a short walk from my house, and I see them several times a week when walking by, but I have never been tempted to join them…LOL
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Swimming in the cool or cold water can be healthy, but you won’t catch me making a hole in the ice to swim either! lol. People here do the “polar bear swims”, but I have read a few articles about Swedes who swim through winter, so it doesn’t surprise me that you see people doing it.
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The foliage is definitely making us smile! It went from nothing to incredible in about 48 hours — as soon as we got some snappy nights in the 40s. No frost, but it stopped raining and the cold nights apparently convinced the trees. With one thing and another, I’m delighted to be amidst the colors for a couple of weeks!
We used to swim a lot (when i was a LOT younger) in October. It was as warm as the ocean ever got, so if the air wasn’t too cold, it was refreshing and didn’t make your heart stop from the chill. It’s funny, really, because early in the summer when it’s usually pretty hot, the water is still cold. It doesn’t get warm until the far when everyone usually STOPS swimming!
That’s worth a smile for sure.
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Up in NH we had a similar quick change in color almost overnight, but a lot of the maples had lost their leaves earlier (they were still green when they fell!), so this is not the prettiest year on record. Still nice, and it’s great to see color.
The water was pretty chilly – I think in Dennis (on the “Sound side” at least) it peaks out in early September, but gets cool quicker than it heats up in early summer! That being said, it was still warmer than it ever gets up in Ogunquit, so no problems. I think the Bay side of Dennis was much warmer, but I only waded there – if you swam in October in MA, it could have been in the Bay or similar.
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Such a great smile post this week! I’m smiling at all the fun you had last week or weekend including swimming in the ocean!! That’s so cool! 😎
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Thanks! it was a great weekend, and the dip in the ocean was cool in both senses of the word….
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I truly love walking on the beach and hearing the sounds of the waves crashing into the shore sand patterns can be fun to look at and photograph.
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I’m not much of a beach person for sunbathing since I get bored, but I do love a nice long walk on the beach. Chapin is nice because there are no houses around and the sand flats stretch out almost a third of a mile at low tide. I do sometimes bring my camera for shore bids, but this was my phone.
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I’ll be back in the next few days to read-catch up – I need a break! Badly …. but I’ll just sneak in a quick comment: nothing like cool water/weather swimming – Spring or Fall – when the mortals fear to … tread? As far as I’m concerned, there is something absolutely special, magical – about taking the dip/plunge, even when “reason” or the “monkey mind” denies it feverishly – so glad that you ventured and enjoyed!
Okay, for now, here’s mine – hard last week – again *sigh* – but all’s still well enough – and each smile slice is gratefully appreciated. Cheers!
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At this point I don’t think I’d ever brave a “polar bear” swim, but a bit off season is nice on occasion. I understand needing a break! I am on an extended blogging break and don’t know when I will return to anything close to a normal blogging schedule. Sorry you had a tough week – I’ll be by to see what you had to smile about in a few minutes.
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no worries or hurries about return visits – badly needed breaks, to rest up or pursue other interests are good things :)
I agree, I don’t think I’d ever consider the Polar Bear swims – brrr – but a cold dip recharges the system, from time to time. And I have to say, the sand image, is wonderful. Amazing what wind does – looking at the picture, I was almost hypnotized!
Have a tremendous week :)
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Actually it was the current of the retreating tide that made the patterns, so every time you walk out there (which can only be done at low tide, the patterns are completely different. It’s very cool!
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wild! absolutely cool – definitely – water/ocean sculpting, no hand could ever compete! So glad that you do get see this from time to time – nature’s tableau!
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🥶 Brave!
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I’m sure used to Florida water, even late August water would be cold ;) That being said, I think the water was warmer than it ever gets in Ogunquit Maine!
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I like the sand patterns. Pretty cool!
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I always love the patterns I see in the low tide sand, but thought these were particularly cool :) I’ll be by to see your smile in a few minutes.
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Love the patterns in the sand you show here! My smile week is the risk I took putting a messy scene of cut tree pieces in a watercolor, while hubby was building a new deck for our friends.
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Thanks! I always love looking at the different patterns the currents make as the tide goes out. Cut tree pieces in a watercolor sounds intriguing.
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Swimming in October is a worthy smile. Thanks for sharing Trent.
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The entire weekend was a huge smile, but the swimming in October was special. Oh, btw, I pretty much never go on LinkedIn. Someday I may need to stop by and make sure my info is up to date…
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Ah, LinkedIn – no worries I haven’t been on it in years and just started back up. My profile is most geared to policing and I would like to start shifting more towards writing and other artists so…Thank you for letting me know though. Hope you are having a great week
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I get a lot of email traffic about LinkedIn and should visit more, maybe update it with my writing info and such. Oh well. It has been a warm week so nice, though very busy. Hope you are having (it’s Friday, so had?) a great week!
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