Oh Folly!

As you may or may not know, we went from a very extreme winter right into the high 80’s for spring. Now, I know I took an oath to not complain about the warmer weather because of the winter, so instead I decided that the best place to be with temperatures steady rising is the beach!

I packed my bag, got in my car, and drove south to Folly Beach, SC. It was an 8.5 hour drive (maybe a little longer because I know I hit a couple pockets of traffic), but otherwise a straight shot down I-95. Why Folly Beach? I wanted a beach that had a neighborhood feel attached to it and was a little off the beaten path. I lucked up on renting a room in a surf shack that sat literally on the beach (with the ocean and surfers and dolphins and sand pretty much making up my back yard).

From this space I worked for a couple hours in the morning, and then hit the beach and the local scene during the day. I believe there was only one day where it rained terribly hard. But outside of that, there were sunny skies and epic sunrise views.

I can say this, it is very difficult to work with the beach right at your door step. I caught myself stealing glances of surfers and waves crashing into the shore. Or taking breaks to read on the patio and soak in the sun. But yes, I got work done (in moderation of course), and also got fun done too.

If you ever find yourself near or on Folly Beach (it’s just a half hour from Charleston, SC), I recommend grabbing lunch and beverages on the main strip (I recommend The Wich Shop) and taking it to go, then heading up Ashley Avenue and parking your car. Walk out to the beach, press toes into sand, and enjoy. You could easily spend an afternoon there, and since this is the neighborhood area it doesn’t get crowded and has a more low-key vibe. Once you’ve had some fun in the sun, return back to the main strip for drinks (several choices with outside seating, I went to Rita’s), dinner, and live music.

Here are some real, in-the-moment, updates from my time in Folly Beach.

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Catching the Sunrise

It’s early morning and I rolled out of bed, still sleep in my eyes, determined to catch the sunrise. From the little window in my downstairs room I see the sky already starting to streak pink. I better hurry.

I throw on a hoodie and my yoga pants and head for the upstairs deck facing the beach, which will lead me down to the sand and ultimately to the shore.

Just as I imagined, it’s gorgeous and ever so peaceful, so me b that even I am at a loss for words. I decide to take a stroll down a bit, to capture a couple pictures of the array of colors dancing in the sky, to feel the breeze off the ocean, to taste the salty air with my skin, to let the foamy waves dance with my toes.

Aside from a lone photographer, a runner, and the silhouette of a surfer in the distance, it’s just me and the rest of the world. I’m taking note of the most unique seashells, in shades of grey and brown, and remembering being little wanting to collect everyone.

Now I’m happy simply to admire them in their natural environment, with no desire to take them with me. Let them be.

We’re supposed to get rain today, and yet still these ocean waves calm me and to sit by them and work with their sounds can do nothing but bring a sense of wholeness and harmony to my life.

This is peaceful. I love getting back to this :).

 

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Here Comes the Rain

Here I am running inside because of the storm, and in the same instance there are surfers running out towards the water. Wow…. maybe I should live more like a surfer…

 

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To Be Made Anew

It rained all day today, the water at a sideways slant getting the floor wet inside as I shimmied the sliding door shut. And there will be lightning and thunderstorms through the night. Let’s see what the light brings come morning, things washed away and things made anew.

 

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My Last Magical Night on Folly

There was one magical night on Folly Beach that I won’t soon forget. While hanging with new friends I had a strong desire to go out on the deck of our surf shack. This deck overlooked the beach, and the endless horizon where the ocean met the sky. And the same sky that displayed only 2 stars just the night before, was now lit up wit hundreds (maybe thousands) shining brightly against the velvet night.

I called one of my new friends to join me, and we both stared up in awe. I knew then it would take many lifetimes to learn all I wanted to know about the wonders of this world; it was a feeling of being oh so small, yet still embodying a sense if purpose and passion.

She then recalled a memory from her childhood. When she was little her dad used to wake her and her siblings up in the middle of the night to see a sky like this. He would lay out blankets on the truck so they could look up. Sleepy eyed, her young mind didn’t understand why this was so important at the time, but now looking back she cherishes those memories so.

We went back inside and had a full evening of dinner, wine and conversation. As I was preparing to descend the steps to my room, I happened to turn my gaze back towards the deck and I couldn’t believe my eyes. A full moon in pale yellow with all it’s details plain to see, not high up in the sky but hanging very low, directly in our normal line of sight.

“What is that?!?!” I exclaimed, and we went back outside. We were all astounded by what we saw. It was not there an hour or so ago. And yet so bold, beautiful and permanent, this moon, casting a light that reflected across the water and looked as if it led directly to our deck. Unbelievable.

I resisted strongly the urge to whip out my phone and snap a picture. No amount of megapixels could capture the real thing making it’s presence known before us. I think this moment was for our eyes only, and maybe there was something in the air on that night.