Visit to Myrtle Beach.... in January

Paul and I took a quick weekend trip down to North Myrtle Beach back in January. I had started a post about it and then it somehow just got left unposted. Although the finer details of the trip are faded on my memory, I wanted to share one place we visited while there.

North Myrtle Beach


After deciding that North Myrtle was fairly boring, and Myrtle Beach proper just didn't suit us for the day we drove south to Huntington Beach State Park.

The park land was once the winter home of Archer and Anna Huntington. They built their home and called it Atalaya, which means "watch tower." Their beloved sculpture garden, Brookgreen, is across Hwy 17 and is still privately held.

Here's some cool info that I've gleaned off a few sites:
-- Historical Significance: Atalaya, a National Historic Landmark, stands as monument to the creativity and generosity of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington.

A noted scholar of Spanish culture and art, Archer Huntington modeled the couple’s winter home in the style of the Moorish architecture of the Spanish Mediterranean coast.

-- Significant Natural Features: Perhaps the best known "studiers" of wildlife at Huntington Beach State Park are the birders who for years have been coming to see some of the more than 300 species that have been recorded here, giving the park a reputation as a top spot on the East Coast.

In addition to three miles of beach, much of the park is salt marshes, one of the world’s most productive eco-systems.

Freshwater pond with native waterfowl

Much of Huntington Beach’s marsh is now registered under the South Carolina Heritage Trust Program to help preserve its unusually pristine nature.


Here are my pictures
Windows in Anna's winter art studio

Courtyard

Exterior facing the beachfront

Window detail (copper, original)

Window detail in color

The Garden - 2006

On Saturday Paul and I planted our garden. Paul designed and built the 4 raised beds and we have been slowly buying dirt and filling them in. We planted dozens of seeds and seedlings on Saturday afternoon in hopes of a lush and successful garden this summer. Thankfully we only got a little sunburned and walked away with some good hard working soreness. :)


For notes go to the Flickr page

Quick rundown -
Veggies: tomatoes (6 varieties), peppers (7 varieties), carrots (2 varieties), squash, zucchini, spinach, onion, garlic
Herbs: Basil (3 varieties), rosemary, dill, cilantro, Greek oregano, Italian flat leaf parsley
Flowers: marigolds (for root protection), zinnias (5 varieties), strawflower, bachelor buttons

For reference, this is the garden last year (a few weeks after planting)

Whew! One down, one to go

It's a little after 5pm and the ceremony is complete... the dinner banquet is set to begin at 6:30pm and hopefully conclude around 8:30pm. Everything has gone smoothly today, despite a few last minute, "oh my gosh where did I put.... did I confirm...?”

My last correspondence with Paul was around lunchtime when he had returned from his first trip of errands to purchase soil and amendments for our garden - he had purchased 16 small veggie plants (mostly tomatoes and peppers). Wow. He was then headed out to Home Depot (and possibly Lowe’s); I cannot even begin to comprehend what he may have found there. We're going to be doing a lot of planting tomorrow! Can't wait!!! :)

Happy Easter to all and have a great weekend.

Friday holiday.... for everyone else!

It's 7:15am. My car sits all by itself in the parking lot. I work in a building with several other State agencies and obviously they are not here today (as the parking lot is at least ½ full by 7am). Theoretically, I had the option to not work today without penalty (something called a "floating holiday"), in reality, I had no choice. We have a major event for our program and I am stuck working 7am to around 9 or 10pm. That's a good 12-14 hour day on a holiday, with no additional compensation. Nice. I am not in a good mood at all, I used my horn twice on the drive into work (if you cut me off, brake for no reason, turn with out signaling after going at least 10mph under the speed limit, you are ASKING FOR IT MISTER!) Why are those people on the road at 6:30am, ON A HOLIDAY?!? Seriously.

At least it IS Friday. Paul is off (sleeping soundly in bed right now) and will be working in our garden today (I am so terribly upset that I can't be there to help). Somehow I'll make it through the day, especially if I stop by Dunkin Donuts for an XL coffee. That is all for now. Have a great weekend – especially those of you who had Good Friday off :)

Happy [early] Easter!

I know I'll be too busy to post tomorrow b/c we are graduating our spring class (on Good Friday, I know, I know, nothing I could do about it, not a holiday where I work), but I did want to post an entry for the holiday weekend.

This Easter, may we remember the glory of the Resurrection and know more surely than ever that our Redeemer lives! Wishing you a Blessed Easter and spring.
"He is not here, but is risen." Luke 24:6





Becky, my talented TV news producer friend, sent me a link to the most amazing bunny picture... I HAVE to share!

"German rabbit breeder Karl Szmolinsky presents his giant male breeding rabbit 'Robert' in Eberswalde, eastern Germany, February 2006. In a tale reminiscent of the last Wallace and Gromit movie, furious villagers in northeast England have hired armed guards to protect their beloved communal vegetable gardens from a suspected monster rabbit.(AFP/File/Michael Urban)"



From Yahoo news

There are 4, count 'em 4 pieces of paper on my desk

It's an early 7:30am and I have already waded through more paper, emails and memos than one should in 2 weeks time. However, I have found homes (mostly the trash or my 'where the heck should I file this' pile) for most of the papers and I am left with only 4 pieces of paper scattered on my desk. One would think that with all the paper covering my desk that pollen and dust wouldn't be able to settle, well one would be wrong. There is a nice layer, or layers, or dust and the dreaded yellow spring pollen covering my desk space. It's on my phone, speakers, the pile of papers that needs to be filed and lightly covering every inch of my once deep and shiny mahogany colored desk.

It is FRIDAY finally. There are no plans for the weekend other than to submit the taxes and painfully handing over the amount we owe. Ugh. No fun there, but at least we weren't giving the government an interest free loan :) According to the lovely Elizabeth Gardner on WRAL we will be in the midst of some heavy rain and severe storms tomorrow. Looks like little or no outside work for us this weekend. Darn. That will mean that I'll be cooped up inside and will find myself staring at a house that needs a good cleaning. Although with all the pollen I see no reason to dust or mop...

We had to make a quick run to Target last night for some additional dinner foods (somehow it become dinner of things you can dunk in sauce...) and at the checkout line strategically placed was The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.

(as Paul would start singing):
The Chronic (what?) cles of Narnia
It's the Chronic (what?) cles of Narnia
We love that Chronic (what?) cles of Narnia
Pass that Chronic (what?) cles of Narnia (Narnia, Narnia.....)
SNL - "Lazy Sunday Afternoon" check it out :) (click on 'videos' and scroll down)

We bought the 7 book series a little while back and I've been slowing reading through it. I have fond memories of the animated film when I was a child so I was very curious on how Disney would change the film. I was fairly impressed with their adaptation and the music was great! Paul enjoyed it as well and is looking forward to reading the books - I made it clear that he really had to read The Magician's Nephew first to understand the significance behind much of LW&W (esp. the lamppost and the wardrobe itself).

It is time for me to get back to work... these papers aren't going to move themselves. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

For your enjoyment a picture of a double pink & white tulip blooming in the backyard..


And our redbud tree (you can see we have GREEN grass in the background as well)!