Idle Days

Lady's Island and Beaufort still capture our imagination, so we will stay here awhile. We got our car and the air conditioner we had from last summer, because "geez en ages" it's HOT AND HUMID!!! We are grateful for the afternoon thunderstorms that come wooshing down Factory Creek with mighty gusts to lash us and rock us.

I have volunteered for turtle patrol on Hunting Island one morning a week. This is my third week. We get up at 4:30 am to be at the park for 6:00am. The first week, the team I was with found a  nest, you can clearly see the tracks.

Last week nothing much to report except another beautiful morning. This morning not only did we find a nest, but one of the older nests had the prints of the hatchlings leaving and to our great joy, a lone baby emerged and with a little assistance, successfully made it to the ocean. While Jack helped monitor the safe journey of the newborn, I helped with the new nest. The nest was to close to the high water mark for safety so a new nest was dug not far away and 111 eggs were transferred. Here is a website http://www.friendsofhuntingisland.org/volunteer.html for more info.

Artistic Endeavours

Well some of you know that I have begun to write the stories collecting in my brain, spawned by letters, journals and memories. While sitting at anchor in Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, I wrote a short story about a letter, bagpipes, Bermuda and John Lennon, all true. In a quick search I found two magazines that are open for stories and I sent both of them a query letter. I have since learned of a wider range of 'zines and am firing the story along to everyone suitable. The query letters went out the middle of April and just last week I heard from one of them. Harpers is a glorious magazine and I now hold in my hands a response from them. I know one should be deflated by a "we regret" response but I am simply delighted to have my very first letter regarding my work. I shall put the story on my other blog and let y'all know, my dear friends, when you can read it.

Now for some glorious watercolours from my Master painter/mariner.  Some are close ups of the work so you might have a better feel for them.

 if I have to have a favourite, this is it

Lady's Island, South Carolina

The transmission is here and what a beautiful thing she is. Waiting on a damper plate as all learned advice says we must remove the old one. But while we wait, I write, Jackson paints and we do other small boat chores. There is everything we need within easy walking distance, though there is a courtesy car and bicycles we can use. This is where we are Lady's Island Marina. Super pleasant folks, beautiful scenery, marshes, water, especially when the tide is high, lol and lots of birds, dolphins and one alligator.

We borrowed the courtesy car one morning and went out to Hunting Island, a very stunning barrier island. Great beaches, majestic trees on the Atlantic side, sweeping wetlands and waterways on the inland side. Wish I could have done it justice with my little camera, all I could get were vignettes. A very spirit renewing place.

One late afternoon, trying to capture the light as the sun was heading west, I managed to get these pictures, Too weird.

That's all for now.