August is the month to find shade, preferably by water, and let your eyes drift over the shoreline… You know, do nothing but give yourself a break from the phone, laptop and iPad, from your To-do-List or job demands or your next DIY project… And yes, shelve that self-help book too. This precious month chillax with no plan at all for a day, a week, perhaps if you’re lucky, the whole month!

Following this well-needed advice we took one day off the calendar to visit a favorite state park where at most we swim once between buoys and walk a bit in the sand. Arriving late afternoon when most are packing up we bring a Dinner Picnic. This timing might seem odd, but at day’s end beaches are so quiet you can hear the lapping water and watch the timid ducks…Extend your stay until early evening and you will…