Dear Reader:

On our last evening at Edisto on our Ya retreat….we came out of self-imposed “retreating” long enough to down a drink, watch the ocean, and have our annual photo made by the prettiest, sweetest young lady we met on the beach.

We definitely see a developing pattern (which we have assured ourselves is not due to age) wherein every year when Libby moves forward in age (on her birthday) during our summer retreat…we move backward in the number of times we leave the beach house for any reason.

Dressing up to go out is disappearing, as well as many side trips….the only thing that lures us out is, mainly, food….not to eat out, as much any more, but bring back.

Libby said we had certainly slipped into  the “S’s” period of life. No longer is the beach get-away an “R&R” (Rest and Relaxation) retreat but we brainstormed perhaps a “Slug and Slumber” retreat.

We sleep, nap, watch a little television, eat and talk within the perimeters of Rest In Peace. We all agreed to stop bringing so many clothes (we always thought we needed to bring more in case of doing this or that)…Since we aren’t doing this or that...all our outfits are definitely not needed.

If we keep heading in this direction….I predict before Libby has too many more birthdays we will have one long “Pajama Party.” It is our healing balm to our more hectic lives in the other world outside Rest in Peace. A place these days to “cocoon” (gather strength) and enclose ourselves in the safety and security of old friends. Best medicine of all.

Libby was the heroine who got a broom and scissors to cut away all the foliage and knock down spiders crawling all over the best home sign on Edisto (Brooke’s.) Did I mention SPIDERS made our “S” list this year? We knocked them down only to return to larger webs the next morning….yuck!

So continuing along some of Libby’s “S” memories of this year’s retreat (shadows, sisters, slumber, slug, spiders) is also signs. Originally I thought of doing the “Doors of Edisto”….but it is hard to get to many front porches without practically knocking on the door, so with help from the other brainstorming Ya’s it changed to beach home signs. 

Jackson drove while Brooke and I looked for signs….we went on a lot of dirt roads and into the marsh area that I was not familiar with…just beautiful. Here is a “Small Sampling.” (Click to enlarge)

How many people were able to identify us from our “shadows”? I started looking and got confused, asked Brooke and Libby and they were a little unsure….because we realized that after the “shadows” picture (wasn’t that a great idea…..Jackson spotted the chance opportunity and we got the photo made with seconds to spare. A minute or two later the sun sank and there were no more shadows to be made Thursday evening) we had changed places on the bench and weren’t sitting in the same order. As you can see below.

The first confusing thing is that shadows place objects (us) in reverse. Secondly….Libby and I switched places and Brooke and Jackson. Got it? Answer: L to R

Libby, me, Brookie, Jackson (think Jackson might be holding her hat)

So until tomorrow….Isn’t life sometimes like shadows? One day we feel strong and confident and good in our skin….and, suddenly, all it takes is for a single shadow to form and instantly we feel completely “opposite”-weak, timid, and undesirable. Shadows are sneaky things….we must remember that what we see is not what we see.

“Today is my favorite thing.” Winnie the Pooh

Tomorrow….the Shadows of the Summer Sisters continue (Part Deux)….life always shows us that even when we retreat from it….life has a way of pulling us back in….lot of pictures and fun!

*Since I was away last week at the beach I didn’t have an opportunity to get a Charleston Skirt Magazine.….I am on the hunt tomorrow! We are so proud of our Kaitlyn being Number 1 in the category of Seven Females Who Have Earned Their Very Own Place in the Sun. Go girl!

* Tomorrow there will be beautiful delights of the day from Edisto Island in the blog…but, for today, Anne sent me these beauties from her yard and garden while I was away.. How about you? Got a “pretty:  to show off….a delight of the day.…send it in and it will be added to the blog posts throughout the week!

Thanks Anne for sharing. Mandy shared these photos of Jakie swimming….looks like a little old man delightedly floating round with his hat on and belly out.

And I realize that soon I will blink and Mandy and friend will be cruising down Jungle Road (at 35 m.p.h.) at Edisto…Tempus fugit.

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