September 2024 We’ve been spending some extra time in my home town of Torquay over the summer, it’s such a special place, with its micro climate making it a perfect environment for palm trees to grow and having been built on seven hills, (like Sheffield). In 2007 Torquay was also designated a Geopark by UNESCO because of its unique geology and natural environment. My mum and dad met here and my brother and I grew up here, spending lots of time on the wonderful beaches. I’m sharing a photo of these sand mason worms with you (zoom in to see them) on Abbey Sands, the main town beach which is mainly sandy and the water is shallow so it’s great for paddling, and trying out wind-surfing as I did, and now Stand-Up Paddle boarding as the waves are quite calm. It seems that these sand mason worms like the bit of the beach that gets covered in water first when the tide comes back in. They construct fascinating little tubes from bits of shell and sand, like mini sand trees, which protect the worms and help trap food. Not really anything to do with pattern and design, however Torquay is an inspiration for me (see my English Riviera pattern) and I love the intricate detail of these delicate creatures.