Today
is our last full day on the island. It’s been a wonderful three months and although we feel strangely grief-stricken, we keep reminding ourselves of the numerous blessings we have enjoyed here; first of all, the TIME, so much time, three months! A trimester of island living.
The intense sun that soaked Vitamin D all the way into my bones, the salt water that relaxed my soul like being in the womb of God Himself. The birds, the alligator that came to visit, our new cat Penny, the kindness of strangers, the food, ice creams, walks, sleep, family, laughter, volleyball, books, reconnecting with my cousin Elisha, kitchen work, end of the day snuggles, happy mail from Kara, being able to trust the children back home to take care of things, and so much more.
YESTERDAY.
I wanted to blog in honor of this last day but there are so many photos that I’ve taken this summer and I really can’t decide which ones to share, so I thought I would just blog about yesterday, which began as most days do, with coffee in hand, and walking with my husband around our little neighborhood as he read out loud to me. After we were done, I decided to keep on going, and he went inside to work. The photo I posted is my favorite destination when I walk on the sidewalk (rather than the. beach). This house has the most amazingly enchanting garden taking up the entire front yard, and some of the side yards, too. I literally stop and gaze several times a week. The only person I have seen in the garden is a big middle aged man, usually smoking a cigarette, and a dog, too. There are potted plants everywhere you look, and garden tables and chairs. It is not so much what is there, it is the quantity of it all that makes a wondrous statement. I have a hard time keeping two hanging plates alive all summer, I marvel at the time it must take to keep all these plants watered in the southern heat of Georgia. However, there is plenty of shade in this garden, which is another thing I love, it’s sheltered by trees and plants, and on a corner of two streets. I JUST LOVE IT. I guess I would say this is the most inspirational real-life ordinary garden I’ve seen OTHER THAN MY PARENT’S gardens.
Once I walked back home, it was time to take our cat Peninsula (who is growing like a weed) to the vet for the rest of her kitten boosters. She also had been scratching so much that she had a sore on the back of her neck and a couple of bare patches on her neck. It turns out she has a flea allergy, so we dosed her good with “revolution” after we got home. Her appointment went well. I also ran into the post office (not with the car) and bought some beautiful stamps for my pen pal-ing. The stamps have fruit and vegetables on them in bright vibrant colors and are simply lovely. We ordered Starbucks drivethru (I had a matcha and she had a sandwich) and headed back to Jekyll Island, to home away from home.
Being the last few days here, I wanted to do as many outdoorsy things as I could so I went for a short bike ride to Horton Pond, parked, and went for a walk on the trail there.
I was a little skittish while I walked the edge of the pond, imagining alligators coming at me with their teeth, but I saw nothing, and only heard a slight rustling in the bushes, which I imagine was made by a smaller creature like a lizard, maybe. I kept on going. The trees were so tall, with Spanish moss and vines draping through them so prettily. I had to slap mosquitoes off my bare arms and legs now and then, and I found a small white feather. I saw mushrooms but I saw no insects (only felt them bite me).
I mean. Stop and praise God!
Looking at these photos makes me want to go do this walk again right this very minute but I have to make blueberry muffins to use up more kitchen stuff and I want to finish blogging, so maybe after. Maybe I’ll take warm muffins and go……..
After a million New England walks, I feel it magic to find palm trees in the woods.
I love having packing tape on the table next to my scrapbook. I use it to tape all sorts of things in the pages; a flat frog, shells, found pennies, and feathers, which is where this one ended up.
“When you die, I’m going to look at pictures and think ‘I had a crazy Mom.'” Seth, Aug. 14
Sarah and I had two outings yesterday. The vet, and then Pottery class. We made our objects last week and yesterday we went back to paint them. After such a busy morning, I sat down at 1 o’clock in front of my clay mushroom and painted it. I promptly felt waves of intense fatigue. I was so tired I did something I rarely do; or rather, I didn’t do what I normally always do. In other words, I took no photos.
Then, we walked to the cupcake shop, and the walk woke me up, or maybe it was the cupcakes.
“GOD DID THIS”, a simple sign in this small humble cupcake shop, moves me, and makes me think I should have it hanging in my house, on my heart, on this blog, tattooed on my arm………..
We ordered pizza to take home to our boys.
We walked to the library while it baked.
We walked back.
We held hands.
We drove home reading stories.
Sarah read them, I listened.
We drove home in thunderous rain.
It was 4 o’clock. For the rest of the day I relaxed, and that was the end of
YESTERDAY.
Good to be Home 