I love going around in sandals (Pali Jesus sandals if I have to choose) with painted toes. I also love summer mornings where it is cool and smells like sprinkler water on pavement and mountain air that makes me yearn to go on vacation. I love grilled food and I love the steady hum of crickets in August. Oh, and I especially love snowcones.
One day I stopped by the little snow cone shack down the street (that had my favorite combo of flavors topped with real cream) and I was oddly surprised by the girl who worked at the shack. Her nails were the most amazing shade of sea green. I have no problem striking up conversations with complete strangers, so I complimented her on her nails. She told me the name of the shade on her fingers was named Mermaid's Tears. I smiled because I have a friend who to this day says she wishes to get a job naming nail polish colors for O. P. I.
Well, for some reason the name stuck and I hunted out the color and gave it a try. I fell in love from the start and though the shade is discontinued, it has become another summer favorite of mine.
I am getting to the end of my stash of bottles that my mom bought me, but I still feel a warm little spot of summer when I see this color. It might be a dumb thing to write about but in a house with three daughters, mermaids, mermaid tales and mermaid dress-ups are the way to be. In fact, a very good friend of mine, gave us a beautiful pink sign that hangs upstairs. It says, "Always remember to be yourself, unless you can be a mermaid. Then always be a mermaid."
Let's hope that snow melts soon and we can get our summer on. And when I run out of mermaid's tears, I can find another shade to associate with vanilla snow cones and star gazing.
Mermaid Envy
by Kate Cowan
Some mermaids want legs.
I prefer their cool green fins,
with shimmering scales.
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