Halcyon

This is part of my April prompts series from the blog The Habit of Being. Each of the posts in this series will feature the prompt for that post as the post title. While I may sometimes use the current day's prompt, it is more likely that I will pick and choose as inspiration dictates. If you are interested in following along with the prompts or writing some of your own, here's the link to the page with April's prompts: http://thehabitofbeing.com/writealm/

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M2 and AB, ages 4.5 and 3.5, enjoying the fading sunlight at the beach in 2011.

I had to look this one up. I've heard the word and know how it's used, but wanted to be sure I was doing it justice. To that end, a quick Google of the definition reveals the following:

halcyon (adj) -- describes a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful

To me, this word evokes
...days full of sunshine and blue skies
...warm breezes
...children laughing
...sweet words of love murmured
...cool drinks to slake the thirst of dry mouths
...the music of waves on the shore
...sand soft as powder between your toes
...salt scented air
...azure and emerald water crested with snowy white breakers
...airplanes overhead bearing messages attached to their tails
...the saline freshness of shrimp, fish, and crab
...seagull, heron, and pelican songs
...swimsuits and barefeet
...smells of sunscreen and aloe vera gel
...hot showers on sun-baked skin
...the refreshing breeze of ceiling fans and air conditioning
...pop-up thunderstorms that coalesce from the heat
...big storms that rattle the windows and hang heavy across the horizon
...staying up late with rented movies, popcorn, and giggles
...ice cream indulgences
...red-orange and golden hued sunsets
...sandals and shorts and sleeveless t-shirts
...tacky and fun souvenirs from Souvenir City and Alvin's Island
...boats with sails and boats without
...the peacefulness of sitting outside on a balcony at night or while sipping coffee in the morning
...children sleeping on pull-out sofa beds
...very quiet moments together snuggled beneath the covers
...breakfasts at all the traditional places
...watching coquina burrow in the wet sand
...digging for sand fleas and collecting seashells
...visiting a different parish away from home
...the ache of knowing that morning brings an end to the halcyon days

Not the best quality picture, but a shot of Gray and I on our wedding day at the beginning of our married life together. Definitely some wonderfully halcyon days in the honeymoon week ahead and the first months of our marriage!

The word halcyon also brings to mind my and Gray's honeymoon at Disney World. Gray planned the whole thing, including booking the little hotel where we stayed for the week. So many wonderful, blissful memories of just we two, snuggled in our little third floor room with its dormer window and king sized bed, talking and sharing champagne and snacks, contemplating which park to visit, and the joyous moments of love that are a natural part of such a trip. I have often wished that Gray and I could have another honeymoon to sequester ourselves away from the responsibilities of life and the world and just enjoy each other and time spent together. Perhaps in a few more years when our girls are a bit older, we can plan for an anniversary trip together somewhere fun.

What images does the word halcyon evoke for you?