January in South Carolina

Not too long ago, I told you all about Christmas in the South. Caroling and apple cider and water-skiing in the balmy South Carolina air....

Well, winter isn't that much different. In fact, it's exactly the same. I know I'm not the only one here on the Eastern Seaboard who's been enjoying the weather of late. Seventy-one, seventy-four...we even had a day recently where it got up to eighty degrees by mid-morning.

And so, Brian and I donned our flip-flops and decided to spend the day at a local park, The Boardwalk at Shem Creek, to take in the sights and the sunshine.

I would like to point out that the day started in a most-excellent manner. Not only was I super-cute in a new top from Old Navy, but I was having a good hair day AND I'd found a necklace my mother gave me back in high school, and was able to re-purpose it for present-day wearing. Score.

After much deliberation, I decided to leave my camera at home, because I wanted to focus on nature while we were there. But I wound up taking a million pictures and video with my iPhone instead. So sue me. You can take the girl out of the blogosphere for a day, but you can't take the blogger out of the girl. Or something.

Anyway, to say that it was a gorgeous day is really an understatement. The sun was shining, the seagulls were circling, and the breeze was salt-water-y. Much to our delight, as we approached the end of the boardwalk we noticed a fishing boat just coming in from the harbor. And any good beach-goer knows---where there are fish, there is wildlife. 

So we hunkered down for the next hour and watched the gulls, pelicans, and a family of dolphins, as they all enjoyed their lunch. 

And being a TRUE blogger, I got the whole damn thing on film. So, here's a few little snippets of our day.





I was so very pleased with myself (minus the thumb incident. That was kinda embarrassing.) I've been living 'at the beach' since 2002, and have never managed to get photographic evidence of dolphins in the Charleston waters. But to get them on video?? Unheard of. Now I know we have a spot to go dolphin-watching, and we'll be visiting it frequently in the warmer months.

Wind-blown, smiling, and happy, I shot this "self-portrait" moments before leaving the boardwalk:

The rest of the day progressed with shopping, lunch out, and general merriment with my husband.

By the next afternoon, we watched as a storm front moved in, covering the sky in gloom and doom. And in the span of forty-five minutes, the temperature dropped from 80° to a disappointing 51°. And by the time we went to bed, it was raining, foggy, and 45°. We actually had to set a drip last night as the temperature bottomed out at 28°.

Sad face.

But I take solace in the knowledge that the 80° weather will be back before long. And I'll be planting my garden, smearing aloe vera on my nose, and soaking up the rays at the beach.

And not to be a brat, or anything, but you'll probably still be shoveling snow out of your driveway. Don't be mad. Come visit instead. ☺

If you can't see the video above, click HERE or copy and paste the following link into your browser: http://youtu.be/r01jGK67C4Y

Christmas in the South

Hooray!! December has arrived in all its glory! Please note that I have decorated Abby Gabs in the appropriate fashion to celebrate the season. And now, share with me another celebratory "Hooray!"

There is so much to love about this time of year. Twinkly lights, gift wrapping, baking marathons, cute clothes, even cuter shoes...it really is the best time of year. 

One of my favorite December pastimes is to brew myself up a piping hot cup of coffee, and watch the birds eating at my feeders.

The picture through my window is of a chilly winter's morning. The sky is grey and gloomy around these parts this time of year. Clouds threaten rain, the sun barely makes an appearance, and the grass gets all crinkly and dry. It's wintertime perfection.

Except...

If you actually venture out of doors, believing the picture out your window, you're in for a big surprise. Because in all reality, the weather in Charleston in December is less-than-snowy.

By noon, it is usually getting close to seventy degrees outside. Sure, we have had a few cold Christmases (we're talking upper thirties here, people.) But for the most part, the nine Christmases I've spent here in Charleston have been relatively warm.

Don't throw things at me, Readers From the North! Believe me when I say there are many a winters day that I miss having seasons. I miss the turning of the leaves, and the crispness in the air as summer turns to fall. I miss being able to find winter coats with substance, and ice scrapers for your car. I miss that feeling of frost "nippin' at your nose." I miss snuggly sweaters!!

However, I do not, in any way, shape, or form, miss snow.

So I'll take my seventy degree weather today. I'll still wear long sleeves and cute shoes, and just crack the windows or, in a drastic measure, turn on the air conditioning. I'll wear my favorite knitted hat and I'll crochet a dozen new scarves.

Because even if it is seventy degrees here today...

Photographic Evidence From My Awesome i-Phone

...it's still the holidays in my heart.



Ok, I just gagged a little. Sorry about that last line.