Since moving to central Alabama seven years ago, I have learned at least one important thing about the people who live here. They go to the beach. They don’t just go to the beach, they know Gulf Shores and Orange Beach like the back of their hand. I’ve never mentioned a trip to the beach without getting recommendations for places to stay, eat, and fun things to do.

If everyone in the area doesn’t have a beach condo, they have a relative or at least a friend who does. While this has so far failed to get me a free stay at the beach, I have received many good suggestions for enjoying my visits to the coast.

One trip a year is not enough for most central Alabama residents. Two seems to be the minimum and why not? It is a short trip and the roads are good. Gas prices are; Well, it’s a short trip. While it could make for a long weekend, most seem to spend at least a week soaking up the sun and walking the white-sand beaches.

When you reach a certain age, and I won’t suggest what that age may be as it is different for everyone, the night and the more boisterous entertainment loses a certain charm. Drinking beer after midnight in Flora Bama has higher consequences and a much longer recovery time. So I stay with visiting museums, eating in different restaurants and walking on the beach. There is also shopping, which is entertainment for me and generally a drag on my husband. Some also spend a lot of time collecting seashells.

You see these people walking on the beach looking down at their feet and you quickly realize they are looking for a rare sand dollar or some equally sought after shell. You may be wondering why the fascination with seashells. They certainly can be beautiful, but what do you do with them once you return home?

After many years of collecting seashells along the beautiful beaches of the Gulf of Mexico from Sanibel to Orange Beach, what to do with the shells remained a question on my mind. Sure you can put some in a vase on top of the sand that didn’t spill on your car. Family and friends don’t appreciate shells as a birthday gift, especially after the first. You can display one or two at your buffet or on a side table, but that might leave enough shells to pave your driveway.

Why did you collect shells? It would be a reasonable question, and the answer is just as simple: just for the love of seashells. Over the years I have learned to identify hundreds of seashells. But it just so happened that I had a virtual plethora of shells in my house.

Alabama residents, along with other visitors to the coast, often purchase a variety of items decorated with seashells. Many of them made in China. Why not bring something home from the coast? Why not make beautiful handmade shell items right here in central Alabama? And that’s what I do.

So folks, if you see me on the beach carrying a recyclable bag and looking at my feet, you know I’m collecting shells for future projects.