Few things get me excited about new dirt in my collection as the beginning of a new baseball season! Growing up as a kid I followed the Cincinnati Reds and I was a huge Pete Rose fan! I once got to see him in person in San Francisco when we watched the Giants and Reds in a double header. I also attended a couple of Los Angeles Dodgers games as well. Now, living in
Orem Utah I have the opportunity to live right around the corner from where the
Orem Owlz Baseball team plays. They are the rookie affiliate in the farm system of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They arrive each year around mid June and can play as long as mid September. Not only have they played in the league championship game for the past 3 of 4 years, they have won it 2 times! I share this because we are a "host family" to players while they are here. We have had 13 players live with us over the last 4 years along with numerous others who have come just to hang out. Because we share our home with them, they often share their "dirt" with us! Both on and off the field! The following collection is in chronological order and is the dirt from their home towns.
Marco
Albano Arlington,
Massachusetts 2005
Anthony Sullivan Arlington,
Massachusetts 2005
Tadd Brewer
Sturgis, Kentucky 2006
Barret Browning
Jesup, Georgia 2006
Scott
Knazek Browns Mills, New Jersey 2006
Christopher Garcia Bronx, New York 2007
Rian Kinary Davie, Florida 2007
Andrew
Romine Lake Forest, California 2007
Christopher
Rosenbaum Albany, New York 2007
Trevor Pippin Peach Tree City, Georgia 2008
Buddy
Boshers Huntsville, Alabama 2008
Beau Brooks Huntsville, Alabama 2008
William Smith
Newnan, Georgia 2008
Michael Wing
Rancho Cucamonga, California 2008
I recently got an email from Donna Boyd, the grandmother of Beau Brooks, one of my favorite players that shared our home during baseball season. She told me that dirt collecting was an interesting hobby. And although she didn't collect dirt, she does have several bottles of sand. One in particular from a beach in Destin, Florida. Her family meets together each summer and at Christmas at this location. She saves a little sand in a bottle and it serves as a constant reminder of the great times shared with her family. Along those same lines, whenever one of my daughters is asked where they would like to go on a family vacation, the answer is always unanimous. Anywhere with a beach! The following are my collection of sand from beaches around the world. When people ask me about sand
in my collection, and I already have it from a certain location, their response is usually, "Oh, you don't want it from there then." No 2 grains of sand are alike, I promise. Note the 3 bottles of sand from Maui on the right. All from Maui, all different. Sand, dirt, beaches, call it what you want. I love to look at it. Thank you to all of you that have sent me sand from beaches you have visited on your cruises, vacations, fishing trips, bon fires, exercise outings and clam bakes! Hey Donna, I checked on my collection and guess what? I don't have any from YOUR beach! (hint hint)
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