The next day in paradise.

The weather was so perfect.  It was just the right temperature—not too hot and not chilly at all.  Perfect for swimming all day, but when you got out of the water you could still be outside playing and not feel like you were going to be cooked.  And it was ALWAYS ALWAYS beautiful!!

 

First thing in the morning, everyone runs and gets in the water.

And then, the unspeakable purity - and freshness of the air! There was just enough heat to enhance the value of the breeze, and just enough wind to keep the whole sea in motion, to make the waves come bounding to the shore, foaming and sparkling, as if wild with glee.

—Anne Bronte

This was our house.  It was just steps from the water.  We could leave Baby sleeping and go down and play in the water and just check on him every so often (and that is why he is very unrepresented in the pictures—he slept long when there was no one to disturb him).  The kids played and played.  It was honestly soooo relaxing, which any of you with small children know is not always the word used to describe vacations with them.  There were no mosquitoes, the house was clean, about the only thing I can complain about is that too many women were topless and the other little 3-year-old boy who was also in our apartment was always naked.  Oh Europe, <shaking head>.

My soul is full of longing
For the secret of the sea,
And the heart of the great ocean
Sends a thrilling pulse through me.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Blue.

This day we all drove to the city of Omis.  We mainly just drove through it and then drove up a mountain road because there was supposed to be a beautiful view, but we never did find the right place.  And Beat wanted to go rafting on the Cetina river, but although we stopped at a few places to look into it, we decided not to. 

When we got up to the top of the mountain there were lots of vineyards and fruit trees, and people selling wine on the side of the road.

We stopped and ate lunch by the side of the river.

And back to the beach.  :)

 

Just to be held by the ocean is the best luck we could have.

-RUMI

 

 

 

(p.s. I don’t love Hazel more than my other children, but she was the only one who would come with me when I begged to take pictures of them.)

Talmage.

Ethne.

Jethro.

Me.

Brett.  (And Jethro swimming, I’m pretty sure.)

Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off--then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.

-Herman Melville, Moby Dick