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It is no secret to anyone that knows me, even a tiny bit, that I love where we get to live.  I wrote most of this post a long time ago, but never published it- because then you would know that I am legit obsessed with the lowcountry.  Well, Mattie Dodds has inspired me (her writing is very cool if you would like to check it out) to go ahead with my Mt. Perfect love.

I have never lived anywhere else (By the grace of God).  Some people think that's not good. (Am I a "townie?") In fact, I used to think that I needed to go live somewhere (Just for the hell of it) so that I could come back.  Well, I've been here 27 years and I think that I am pretty appreciative.  Luckily, I have gotten to travel to a lot of beautiful, unique places, but the Lowcountry has stolen my heart and she does not plan on returning it:)  My love is not limited to Charleston, it in fact stretches South to Edisto where you can roam around the Ace Basin and North where I would lay on the beach of Pawley's Island until the cows come home. 

It is very special here.  For many, many reasons.  The shear beauty of our surroundings is enough for me to live off of.  Salt water, brown trees, old buildings and the most beautiful lighting on the marsh almost sends me right over the edge.  The smells that fill the air are intoxicating (sometimes good and bad).  You can smell pluff mud almost anywhere.  Confession- boat gas.  A favorite smell of mine.. Sorry I'm not sorry.  The sound of tug boats cutting through the water is so cool.  They sound different because there bow is huge and the water slaps right up against it.  Listen to a container ship cruise by Hobcaw.  Or the sounds of your line unloading out of your rod head.  Gah.  I could go on for hours.  I started taking pictures solely because I wanted to be able to look at these things whenever and wherever I wanted.  I never, ever want to become "used" to it.

These are some of my favorite places:

If you know me well, then you also know that I am a sunset junkie.  There's no way around it.  I have another friend that is a junkie also, so I am not alone.  Hands down- we have the best sunsets.  Don't fight me on this one.  The best sunset I've seen thus far was a year or so ago after a lil hurricane came through.  I just happened to have my camera and happened to be on Sullivan's Island (My all time love).  I think this one is my favorite because it came after a storm and the sky looked like it was on fire.  So, so cool. 

No better way to spend a sunset than with dear friends singing the Free Willy theme song...



Back to the moral of my story. (sorry for over whelming you with pics).  One of the reasons I love living here is that every day I have a constant reminder that we have a magnificent God.  Holy Moly did he create some majestic stuff around here.  We get to see it every single day. 

 

I love it for a whole lot of selfish reasons also.  If I bounce out of the office early, I can put the boat in the water and be to my favorite spot in 5 minutes.  Away from everything.  There is no better sound than a boat with the throttle down over glassy water.  I can park my car in a parking lot and walk 100 yards into the middle of the marsh and feel like time has stopped and I am the only one there.  Just me (and the red fish that I am so desperately wanting to bite my fly and never does.)  Even if you get skunked it does not matter.  You are standing in marsh grass, knee deep in the water, watching a perfect sunset.  Sounds a hell of a lot better than sitting in my office nook listening to Pandora and checking boxes...  Even just going to a dock and throwing the cast net with no intention of catching any shrimp is like therapy.  On a cold November morning in the hours before the sun comes up, I will drive an hour South to Edisto.  To sit in a freezing cold duck blind.  Walking through the flooded ponds in the dark in fear of alligators is totally worth getting to look up at the stars, in the middle of nowhere and listed to Teal and wood ducks come flying in.  Your heart feels like it is going to beat right out of your chest.  You forget that you are cold and that you got 3 hrs of sleep.  When the sun starts piercing through the dark tree line, you realize that it's worth it.  It's worth it to get to watch nature wake up.  You hear sounds that you have no clue about (slightly scary at times).  You have to be silent.  Everything stops.  Time moves so slow.  But, you are actually in a position to enjoy it.

Then you get to do something totally exhilarating. 

 

To me there is just nothing better than being outside.  Whether it is in the boat, in the marsh, fishing, hunting, crabbing on a dock, playing guitar on the porch or just sitting in the yard reading.  I just can't seem to get my fill.  Every single season (I think we only really get 2.. Winter and summer) has something unique to offer.  I guess the bottom line is that we are so blessed to call this place our home.  I don't think that I would ever feel at home any place else.  Just thankful.

 

Make good choices.

SRS