Party on the Ocean Floor

We knew our oldest grandson would be a big guy someday (he had huge feet, even as a toddler), and that day has come! At age 14 he will soon will overtake Grampa.  Here they are, headed to their mutually favorite place: the golf course.

The avid golfer’s younger brother, more of a creative engineer than a sportsman, stayed home with me. He explained, “I’m really glad summer vacation is here!  I love figuring stuff out, but school is so obvious and predictable – it takes all the wonder out of learning.” Wow.

We had no firm vision for the afternoon, but decided to let it evolve in the midst of imagining and creating and discovering.  First we carved Ivory soap – a boat with outboard motor, and a whale - then softened new blocks of colored clay and began fashioning them into various water creatures.

Something clicked in the young engineer’s mind when a clay treasure chest found its spot on the seat of our soap boat.  He envisioned the emerging scene as the site of sunken boat wreckage taken over by partying sea creatures, so we continued to add details to match that theme.  I loved his focus! Select beads draped from the treasure chest and across the floor of the ocean (my elevated cake stand), adding sparkle.  When we were finished I could almost feel the festive atmosphere.  Party on, deep sea creatures!