We return to the Oregon coast to answer Jennifer’s photo challenge this week.
The mussel shells, which littered wide swaths of beach at low tide, held the most amazing shades of blue.
I took many photos of these lovely shells, often growing with barnacles attached, while wandering the beach at sunset.
One woman actually came over and asked what I was photographing.
Perhaps she didn’t notice the beauty, or had grown so accustomed to them that she didn’t expect anyone would actually want to photograph old shells lying on the beach.
But I found their forms and colors beautiful, especially in the waning light at sunset.
I hope you enjoy them, too.
Photos by Woodland Gnome 2014
With Appreciation to Jennifer Nichole Wells
for her One Word Photo Challenge: Navy
Forest Garden 
Lovely set of photos showcasing the mussels along the Oregon Coast. Sadly, we may be seeing a spike in the mussel populations until the sea stars make a come back. Sea stars are a keystone species that keep populations of mussels in check.
So that explains why there were so many…. thank you for adding that 😉 Best wishes, WG
I love the subtle blues. I’ll be honest, I may have not noticed if I were in your shoes. Props to you for appreciating the beauty. I like how the last image, the shells are almost in the shape of a heart. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much, Jennifer 😉 We love that heart shaped grouping of shells. Every tide cycle changed it subtly. The blues here are just wonderful. I would love to find yarn in these shades 😉 Best wishes, WG
I’d be there photographing, too. Nature’s artwork is endlessly captivating. I love the rainbow hues on the inside of the shells.
They are exquisite, and more so when still wet with sea water. It would be fun to photograph side by side sometime, and then compare our captures 😉 So much beauty! Makes me so very grateful for a digital camera, and no processing fees!
Hear, hear!
I agree. They’re beautiful. 🙂 I get questioned when I photograph shells and things on the beach, too. I used to collect shells (and rocks and feathers and…lol!). Now I collect most of them via the camera. Less to carry that way. 😀
Hi Robin, aren’t those conversations odd? I still collect shells and rocks, and the occasional feather. I use the rocks and shells in flowerpots on top of the soil A nice reminder of the day they were collected 😉 Do you find many shells on the Shore beaches? I was amazed at how few (other than the mussels) washed up on the Pacific beaches while I was there. No walk today, but lots of work in the garden 😉 Best wishes, WG
There are spots where we find quite a few shells, and other spots where there is almost nothing or the shells are all so ground down they no longer resemble shells. I’m heading out to the garden in just a bit. Time to start getting things ready for winter, methinks. 🙂