I've always wanted to try sushi, but I've never gotten the chance. I was planning on trying it over the summer, but sadly it never happened. One thing I did get to try over the summer was seaweed. As most people know it's one of the major parts of sushi.

On one summer day with the Bureau of Land Management, I had a unique opportunity to try some genuine health food store seaweed. A long hike on a major trail in the Northwest led us to a quaint little pond underneath a big oak tree. Sitting down under the shade to protect us from the heat of summer we began to eat lunch. Everyone in the group packed something semi-normal that you would typically see in a hiker's lunch; sandwich, something to drink, granola bar and some fruit. One of the mentors had a fascination with trying new things. He packed a lunch full of mysterious items I had never heard of. One of the items he packed was a few full sheets of seaweed.

Catching me eyeing his seaweed, he happily gave up a rather generous piece. “Try it, and tell me what you think,” he happily said. I quickly snatched it up and put it to my lips. The salt instantly began to tingle on my lip; at that moment I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. Lightly touching one edge to my tongue, a wave of memories from my time at the beach rushed forward. I could hear the sound of seagulls calling as they dove down on the towels and blankets of the unsuspecting tourists, snatching up whatever food was lying around. I could hear the loud crashing rhythm of the waves coming in sets of seven, the loudest and biggest wave hitting last. I could hear the heart of the beach beating with every footstep on the scalding sand. The salty smell of the air zooming past me, rustling my hair and sprinkling me with bits of salt and sand. As the seaweed got soggier, I could taste the sea water. The flavor of overly salty water flooded past my taste buds. The seaweed had every sight, taste and smell the of the ocean. Maybe that’s what I liked most about it; the food brought back memories.