On the First Day of Fall...he gave to me...

A bagpiper piping on the beach at sunrise an ten dolphins leaping! Really!  We were on the beach before sunrise and Mike said listen we followed our ears and sure enough there was a gentleman on the beach with his pipes. He was getting tuned up and at the time of the sunrise he began playing. It was beautiful. Mike captured it on his iphone and me being me I walked up the beach and stayed behind him out of his line of sight. I took a couple of pictures that I will add later. When he finished playing he turned towards me and I gave him a thumbs UP! He smiled and I could tell he was friendly and would not mind a brief chat. Really enjoyed talking to him. Told him I have always loved the bagpipes. I don't know why but perhaps it's in some of my Hogan DNA! His playing certainly brought back memories of Mom's funeral in March. The piper played Amazing Grace as he walked away from the grave side and marched over the hill out of sight. The gentleman said he had played at funerals before and he had a hard time getting through it himself. I told him that his playing this morning was a special treat. He said he had been playing for 5 years and was still learning. He sounded great to us. I thanked him and when back to sit with Mike and finish my coffee.  I had hardly sat down until I noticed a pod of dolphins near shore. It was low time and there were 4 shrimp boats with their nets out nearby.  I love watching them surface slightly and blow and go back under. We see them several times a week if the tide is low in the morning. Today one of the dolphins jumped totally out of the water and flicked his tail before diving under the water!  He looked just like a dolphin performing at Sea World. A few minutes later another one jumped out of the water completely but this time more straight up in the air. The first had made more of an arc and then flicked his tail...I loved it. A great first day of fall!

Today is Saturday our last full day. The temperature is to be around 88 today. A nice 75 ish now with the windows open on the sunporch it is actually a bit cool with shorts on due to the gentle breeze. We spend most of our time on the porch...our favorite spot. We will have some more fall days here in a few weeks. So that makes heading North easier tomorrow.

Cottage Crazy: How can it already be Friday!

Cottage Crazy: How can it already be Friday!: We have had a great week at Paws and Paddles. It is so nice to walk in and be right at home. Even Hershey calmed right down and got into his...

How can it already be Friday!

We have had a great week at Paws and Paddles. It is so nice to walk in and be right at home. Even Hershey calmed right down and got into his routine. He clearly understands this is his second home now. He is content for us to do our own thing while he chills on the sun porch under the ceiling fan.

We went to the Jepson Museum, in Savannah,  yesterday to see the amazing photos of Dan Winters. It was recommended in Gun and Garden magazine. So glad I saw their article. He has photographed Hollywood stars, NASA launches, you name it.  The Jepson also has an amazing hanging of quilts that each tell a story and some unique pieces of glass. I always play awhile in the children's sections with some of their creative ways for kids big and small to express themselves with found objects. They also have a high tech room where you stand in front of a TV monitor and a program they developed starts scribbling lines all over and it quickly turns into a picture of YOU! I could watch it all day...very interesting. We checked out several of the beautiful squares that we had not been to before. Very relaxing and the weather was perfect for a comfortable day touring. A slight breeze and low 80s but felt cooler under the giant moss covered live oaks. We worked in lunch at the SOHO South Cafe...a veggie friendly Cafe but they have lots of meat dishes as well. We shared some of the best bread pudding ever...very creamy and buttery so much so we skipped dinner!

On our second trip into Savannah... we had read and heard about Leopolds Ice Cream being made on site for the last gazillion years so before heading back to Paws and Paddles on Tybee we indulged. It was as good as promised and enjoying it in Savannah in one of the green and cool Squares probably added to the favor.  We still have not tried another Savannah favorite...Whoopie pies...think moon pies but made with cake sides and thick creamy icing in the middle...all types of flavors...got to get to those next at Goosefeathers Cafe at 39 Bernard Street. Whoopie pies were a Amish tradition so named because the children would exclaim Whoopie on the days a Whoopie pie was included in their lunch pail! So for only a couple of dollars you to can have a Whoopie pie. They do them up in flavors to match the season/holiday. Green for St. Patricks Day and Pumpkin spice for Fall...sounds like Starbucks!

Savannah provides lots of parking garages so you can quickly dump the car and get to everything on foot. If that is more walking than you care for they offer a free trolley/bus to pick you up and drop you off. We love walking and have not used them but good to know you could.

I have not done any shopping in Savannah for clothes but there are some amazing small local shops that if I lived a fancier life I would have to check out. Apparently the ladies of Savannah have the opportunity to frequently get dressed to the nines and then some! One of the shops I especially liked was James Hogan. I noticed the Hogan name since that is one of our family names. They offer some of the finest European designers and custom couture by James Hogan...I am pretty sure that means if you have to ask how much you can't afford it. But is really is the most appealing little shop. No I didn't go in with my shorts and tank top...I think I would have to dress up first might just do that sometime! It is in a small neighborhood near some beautiful homes rather than in the tourist area. I found it when we rented a place nearby when we first stayed in Savannah and felt in love with the City and nearby Tybee Island. I would love to find a small but quaint apartment/condo in one of the old historic homes and fix it up for rental but they are extremely hard to find. I doubt that is in the cards but a gal can dream.

Hershey has been patient and he wants us to go to the park for a walk...so laters.

Cottage Crazy: It's Wednesday already...It has been so relaxing!

Cottage Crazy: It's Wednesday already...It has been so relaxing!: A few pictures from our week so far. This was our view when we met our Roanoke Friends for dinner last Saturday night. This was taken from...

It's Wednesday already...It has been so relaxing!

A few pictures from our week so far. This was our view when we met our Roanoke Friends for dinner last Saturday night. This was taken from A.J.s outdoor seating on their dock/deck. We love the location so much that we bike up often for lunch. A nice bike ride from Paws & Paddles.

Our Sunday Sunrise...I have way too many of these but each one is different and special...the light breeze, the salty smell of the ocean, the many birds, and hot coffee makes this a great way to start the Day.

This is the daytime view off of the dock/deck at A.J.s overlooking the back river area. A great place to see all manner of boaters coming in, including Kayakers and Paddle Boarders. Fishing here might be fun since you might catch something you would typically have to buy for dinner! We are doing our part to help the local economy by eating out at least once a day! Flounder oh my so good I have had it twice and then Oysters, and I steamed a pound of fresh caught Georgia Shrimp...gone!

Our Tybee Neighbor and Friend John is in the light beige Kayak leading a group trip for the next 3 days for Georgia Sea Kayaks! He does a great job and knows the area well. Plus he is just a nice fellow and is very interesting to talk with since he has lived in several different places and all are very interesting and different.

Mikie enjoying his comfy chair and the sunrise...the coffee is in one of the two required Cup Holders. Ahhhh.

Love catching the pelicans gliding by so quietly...

Tybyee Nails...my favorite color.

I thought this would make an interesting screen saver for the computer...or if I could blur out the shapes and just use the suggestion of shells with colors and some shapes it could be an interesting painting. Planning on getting back to doing some of that this fall and winter when we can't be out side!

Tybee has a small park near the cottage with a short greenway that winds through palms, a creek and under moss laden live oaks. The perfect plan to enjoy nature without cars and give our boy some exercise.

A cute cottage near the park...my picture doesn't do it justice it isvery well done.

A better shot of " Island Bliss "

It always shocks me to look up and see a ship this size.  Savannah is the 3rd largest Port in the U. S.

Our sweet boy watching the ocean from the safety of the deck!

We had a couple of brief rain showers yesterday but not enough to stop us from walking in Pulaski Square in Savannah for a while after lunch. We love Soho South Cafe nearby so we had a nice long lunch that was so good we choose to just have coffee for dinner last night with a bite of desert from lunch. They are only open 11 to 4 www.sohosouthcafe.com check them out if you are ever in Savannah.

We are off to plot the rest of our day. Hoping for some more biking and a longish beach walk at low tide. We go to the north light house beach and often find my favorite olive shells.  I am sure we will need to find somewhere for lunch in between. Lots of choices on Tybee, and one of our other favorites is Tubbys Tank House just up Rt. 80 on the way in to Thunder Bolt Marina. We are excited that a Whole Foods is building between here and Savannah by 2013 and a large I-Max cinema.  So if you get tired of the beach you just drive towards Savannah and find lots to do or better drive the 20 minutes in and Park your car and it is amazing how beautiful the squares are and how much there is to do and see there. Planning a trip in to the museums they have a new exhibit this week on everything to do with the ocean. Laters...

Cottage Crazy: A beautiful morning on Tybee Island

Cottage Crazy: A beautiful morning on Tybee Island: We smelled the coffee and woke up in time to go to watch the sunrise even though the Savannah forecast had been for clouds. It turned out to...

Cottage Crazy: A beautiful morning on Tybee Island

Cottage Crazy: A beautiful morning on Tybee Island: We smelled the coffee and woke up in time to go to watch the sunrise even though the Savannah forecast had been for clouds. It turned out to...

A beautiful morning on Tybee Island

We smelled the coffee and woke up in time to go to watch the sunrise even though the Savannah forecast had been for clouds. It turned out to be our best morning. The wind was blowing just enough and felt as soft as a feather on your skin. We met an older gentleman who had a boat load of serious camera equipment and he said good morning it is going to be a great morning to capture the sunrise. I'll have to tell my little weather man Alex that the weather report isn't always accurate! To be fair they don't have a station on the island and Savannah is about 20 minutes by car...and island weather can be fickle due to the water temps, and ocean breezes. I captured a few good shots which I will share later.

I am posting this on the iPad which I couldn't do prior to an update!  This is so much easier than the slow clunky netbook. I still can't add the pictures. Mike found an adapter in the iPad store that will make adding pics easy as key lime pie. He ordered it with a quick click and it will be there when we get back to Windy Gap Mountain!

We have finally caught up with our sleep although everytime I sit down on my upholstered chaise in the sunroom with the breeze scooting by, the ceiling fan going, the creatures outside making noises, and the occasional blue heron, goose, or duck calling in the nearby marsh...oh...I also fell asleep just writing that! I love all of the cottage but truly I love the sunroom the most. Thank you Elizabeth. Elizabeth was the former owner and she had the sunporch built and it was 98% finished when she passed away in the hospital. She loved her little cottage from what we have heard and we have purposely left a couple of things as reminders of Elisabeth. A unusual lightswitch cover which depicts a Flamigo pink which incorporated two of her favorite things. She also had several kitties and was known to take them walking in a baby carriage. I also left a pretty brass butterfly pull on one of the fans...painted in pink.

We biked to A.J.s on the Back River for lunch...just far enough to do some sightseeing. I enjoy their food but truthly the view off their open deck is what I most enjoy. Boaters docking, kayakers going by and dophins frequently following a boat. Not to mention that the deck is situationed due west and if you go for dinner at sunset...plan on a longish wait but the sunset is always worth it and if you need entertainment just grab a drink and check out the crowd. Everyone from boaters, fishermen, 80 year olds who have been coming forever, lots of locals, you frequently catch Jane Coslick of Southern Living and Coastal Living decorator fame. She has restored and or decorated so many beautiful homes and cottages. A.J.s was were we finally decided on the perfect table for the sunroom. We looked at the beat up and rustic tables on their deck and both said this is exactly what we need. We checked it out and wondered if we could either make one or find someone to make one. We happened to be meeting Jane the next morning at Paws and Paddles to go over fabric etc. The table came up and Mike said we know what we want. Jane said great. Mike asked her if she had been to A.J.s she laughed a big Jane laugh...and said, " I have my own bar stool there "!  Even better her friend Joe actually MADE the tables at the resturant! Believe me Tybee is a small town and there are zero degrees of separation. Everybody knows Everybody! So we ended up with our favorite rustic table for the porch!

I need to go outside and play now...laters...

The Mermaids, our Guests, and Paws & Paddles!

We had not been back to the cottage since April. Always a bit nervous to see if everything is still looking great. The answer after a busy season when we were rented so often.  YES! Thanks to our wonderful guests and the Mermaids at Mermaid Cottages. Everything was just as we left it.  I took Friday off and Mike got off a bit early and we hauled out off Windy Gap Mountain as soon as possible. Got here after midnight...a bit tired and sleepy and hungry, we skipped dinner to get here sooner. One of our Mermaids had stopped by Paws and Paddles and turned the lamp on in the great room and on the front porch for us since she knew we were coming in quite late. HOW nice is that! It really is the little things that make a great working relationship meaningful! I live customer service and it means so much to find others that understand that excellent customer service means exceeding customer expectations every day in every way!

Mike put the coffee maker on auto and the smell of coffee woke him up early. He switched on lights until I gently woke up and then he was jumping up and down and saying...wanta go watch the sun come up on the beach? Surprisingly I really wasn't that tired and I was ready to go. Ahhh...did I mention he drove all the way...nice man! Off to the beach, nice breezy morn about 73, coffee, comfortable chairs...with cup holders...courtesy of Mike. Really enjoyed the surf and wind along with the sunrise. Later my head was complaining about missing dinner and a real lunch yesterday. We sucked it up and left our comfty spot for the Breakfast Club...you have to wait it a huge, huge line in season but we walked right in this morning. They have been written up several times in Coastal Living Magazine and Southern Living!  Had I not known I doubt we would have went in. Very small kinda looks like a small bar from the outside...except for the Breakfast Club sign. The food is amazing good and they offer plenty of upscale and interesting dishes. Mike loves breakfast, me not so much. Here I do to! We had a simple meal of eggs and the best grits ever...they have awesome...shrimp and grits for breakfast. Then back to Paws to take Hershey out back...it is so nice having a fenced in area, just open the door for him, and pick up later!  Mike took him for a walk to the pond and marsh right up the street while I finished nesting and putting things away.

I am sitting on the shady sun porch in my upholstered Chaise lounge, ahhh, and reading our book of cottage reviews.  Thought I would share some with everyone...we really try hard to exceed expectations and it makes us feel so good when someone notices!

Connie &Mike 1/12/12
Your cottage (Paws & Paddles) is amazing and from the moment I stepped through the door it provided inspiration for the story I was writing. Very thoughtful details!

1/29/2012
What a beautiful cottage! Thank you so much for all the thoughtful details. I have never stayed in a rental home with so many niceties - that made it seem like home! Wonderful touches and great decorating - combined with the quiet, marshey area made this a great vacation from life's worries.

We so agree...worries don't belong on Tybee!
03/09/12
This is the first time for my husband and I in Tybee. It was everything we hoped for then some. We brought our dog Tucker a chocolate lab and even he felt right at home in these comfortable surroundings. We can't wait to come back and even though we never met the mermaids I knew they were there us. We will be back ASAP.

One more review...will save the others for later...
03/28/2012
What a Fabulous cottage! My husband and I only wish we could stay longer! I never want to leave this adorable place! Ya'll have truly thought of everything a guest could ever need or want!!!
Connie, I have enjoyed following your blog for the past several months The cottage was truly the best it exceeded my expectations!!! We ALSO have a standard poodle and a yorkie. No dogs this trip but they will come back for sure. Thank you again for sharing your lovely home with us. Roll Tide!

I love all of these especially this one since she felt we exceeded her expectations & she was following the blog! I would love to write some day with hopes of being published at least online! A Tybee Dream...Dreams do come true. We would never have believed we had the courage to purchase the cottage. Then I totally went off the reservation...and called our decorator Jane Coslick of Coastal Living and Southern Living fame for restoring cottages on Tybee, and then found Eric to add on a small deck outdoor shower...love, love, love both. Plus Eric did all the painting, replaced some drywall you name it every time I came down...one thing lead to another...but it all worked out beautifully...I had so much fun I wish I could do it again! More laters...

Heading to Tybee Island & Savannah!

Hoping to leave after Mike gets home for work...sooner than later. But it's always a crap shoot. Stuff happens so we'll see. Mostly packed. Hershey's things are packed. Pretend bones and his pretend sausage shaped Gonut...these are great and about the only thing he can't destroy in a day or less!

Paws and Paddles Cottage has been rented almost every day since we were there in April...so we are excited to get back for a week. We are also planning lots of short trips for the next several months. We didn't get down at all during the popular summer season. September and the fall months suit us well. Cooler...and even a slower version of Tybee Tyme than the summer months. Tybee is quirky and laid back and a little retro. Think Jimmy Buffet, 50s style cottages, small beach town, and my favorite part, bike and walking friendly AND it's 20 minutes to my favorite City other than Roanoke, VA. our home... SAVANNAH!

We are meeting friends and neighbors from Virginia for dinner Saturday night. Lots of great places to eat on Tybee and Savannah is amazing of course. As soon as we get in I always spend some time nesting. Putting everything we brought with us (always 2 much) away and bringing a few things we keep in the owners closet out. So far our guests have taken good care of our things  we provide extras for their use to make their time at the cottage as enjoyable as our trips. We leave lots of supplys for the kitchen and washer/dryer. Our pantry is left open and everyone is encouraged to help themselves. We stock sunscreen, sun shelter, chairs, things for their dog, a mini office with stamps, scissors all those tiny things that you never think you will need. Feedback has been great! 5 stars...we love hearing the reviews. Lots of folks have commented on the Mermaids Cottage (our rental agency) site about the decor, the Mermaids keep it clean and they are always available should they need anything.

Off to get a mani/pedi in a bit and a pick up some fruit to munch along the way...we don't care for fast food... and once we point the car south and are Tybee bound we only stop when we need a pit stop!

Cottage Crazy: Our New Mexico Cottage!

Cottage Crazy: Our New Mexico Cottage!: I realized recently that I first fell in serious like with all things Cottage when we went to New Mexico for the Hot Air Balloon Festival ...

Our New Mexico Cottage!

I realized recently that I first fell in serious like with all things Cottage when we went to New Mexico for the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Oct. 2008.  We rented from a delightful couple who helped us by offering advice on things to do, restaurants, and tips for getting around Old Town and beyond.  Our little " Cassita " was small but perfect for the two of us. It included a full kitchen and a washer/dryer! The " Cassita " had it's own yard and patio complete with outdoor table and chairs. It was located in the couple's back yard but it was totally private for us and them. I think we enjoyed getting to know them as much as we enjoyed the
 " Cassita ".  We have stayed at Bed and Breakfasts and always got great info on local attractions and what to do and what to avoid...they did the same for us and acted like unofficial tour guides. The highlight of the trip was the 1,000+ hot air balloons all lifting off the same morning. Amazing shapes, colors, etc.  We arrived around 9:30 at night. A bit concerned about renting our car at the airport and being able to navigate our way to the " Cassita " in Old Town in the dark. This at least for us was Pre- GPS. Mike found our way with no problem once we figured out that our large suitcase was not fitting into the trunk of the Black Convertible Mustang that we rented.  It was dark as heck in the rental lot and we had to figure out how to get the top down and then put the suitcase in the back seat! Whew, we were pretty tired...traveling since early that morning.  We also had to be in Old Town and have found our balloon company before daylight the next morning.  We wandered about on foot and  made it in the dark.  Our pilot wasn't sure we were going up...it had been too windy the previous day. After much calling and calculating wind speeds, weather conditions, the pilot said we were going
 " to try it ". That made me a bit nervous.  I have a few shots of our balloon before lift off.

It was a little cool and jackets were needed. Mike in the hat, our pilot in the gray sweater. He had 25 years experience flying in this festival. A fact that would turn out to be very important, very soon!

Note the size of the basket. Yes the sides are wicker. There were 7 of us counting the Pilot! More people than I expected in one little basket with a large gas fired burner in the middle that was quite loud whenever he needed to turn on the burner to gain lift or change directions.  No brakes, No steering wheel, just a skilled pilot who knew the area and what to expect from the wind patterns there. He also knew the best places to set the balloon down...again that would get to be pretty important later in the day.

Turns out it takes a Village to inflate one of these things. We all needed to help...This shot shows the envelope as it  fills up...courtesy of the large fan in the preceding picture.

Almost ready. The folks behind us got off first. Our pilot shared that the guy had a small tear in his balloon and if the inspector had looked at his envelope instead of ours he would have been grounded. Our pilot said he would never take a balloon up in that condition.  Made me hope that our guy was one of the good guys!

Ready to fly.  I pocketed the camera at this point. The pilot gave us our positions in the balloon based on weight, height, etc.  Mentioned what to do in a crash landing...we practiced that for a bit and then we were floating free. The chase car suddenly looked very small and very far away.  The pilot stayed in touch with him so he could follow us and helped him land the balloon. The trip was awesome and lasted quite a bit longer than either we or the pilot expected. The winds were more active than planned. We were quite a ways from where he expected to land and were actively looking for a good landing spot free of power lines and super highways.  He found it and luckily after much discussion our chase car found us and he rolled out of the truck just in time to grab a line and put us down before the basket dumped us out on the side...which is exactly what would have happened to us. It did happen to others that day and resulted in broken hips, etc. We were very lucky to be with a 25 year veteran pilot who spent his career in this area. Likely saved us from broken bones or worse.

Shortly after landing in the scrub...3 to 4 foot tree/bush like things that would have prevented a smooth landing had the chase pilot not grabbed our line and then the basket to keep us upright. We found out later that afternoon that a less experienced pilot and crew had blown off their expected course and into the large power lines.  The co-pilot jumped out to his death when his arm caught fire. The pilot stayed with the balloon as long as he could then he was engulfed in fire and jumped to his death. Needless to say we were thankful to have made it back in one piece. My first and last ride.  We enjoyed the festival but the many accidents put a damper on the events.  We did enjoy seeing the other balloons lift off each day but we did not want another ride.

The pretty truck belonged to Wells Fargo. They had the stagecoach  and three other balloons there. They must have had 50 to 75 employees working on getting them all in the air.

Hard to understand that there were over 1,000 of these all getting ready to go up in waves!

See the Burner firing at the base of the Swiss balloon.  Many foreign countries were represented at the festival.

All shapes, colors, and designs!

Nemo!

A few pictures of the area and the " Cassita "!

.

The patio and yard.

So cute! Love the tile floor.

It was time to say good-bye! 

Cottage Crazy: Tybee and Savannah fun...heading home.

Cottage Crazy: Tybee and Savannah fun...heading home.: Tybee Wind Surfers! We had great fun watching them till almost dark.This is why I love to go biking while everyone else is out chowin...

Tybee and Savannah fun...heading home.

Tybee Wind Surfers! We had great fun watching them till almost dark.This is why I love to go biking while everyone else is out chowing down at dinner. We get the beach all to ourselves. We tend to eat lunch out. More cost effective and smaller portions which is better for the waistline.  

Trying to reel her in! I liked this angle.

This is the North Beach section of Tybee Island...slightly wild and quite beautiful. He is actually now on the beach and trying to reel it the rest of the way in.

Beach house on the far south end of Tybee looking across to Little Tybee Island. This is quite close to the water...the high dune provides some protection but in a bad storm...it would likely be swept out to sea it's that close.

Dunes on the South end of Tybee. This shot captured how you feel when the beach is empty almost like being on a deserted island...sort of wild but wonderful.

A few of the 10,000 Savannah fans of Charlie Daniels! Awesome free concert. The man is 75 years young and plays like he is 18. He clearly loves performing. What fun!

Good night Savannah and thanks for the free concert...we'll be BACK!

Cottage Crazy: Wind Surfing, Flags Flying, and biking on Tybee Is...

Cottage Crazy: Wind Surfing, Flags Flying, and biking on Tybee Is...: We watched two young men wind surfing last evening on the north beach section of Tybee Island. It was hard to get the kite and the surfer in...

Wind Surfing, Flags Flying, and biking on Tybee Island in April 2012

We watched two young men wind surfing last evening on the north beach section of Tybee Island. It was hard to get the kite and the surfer in the same shot...this was the best of the bunch. They were flying along very fast and were clearly quite accomplished. They stayed until it was almost dark and then had quite a time reeling in the kites in the strong winds.  We biked by the light house on the way and noticed they had hung a large flag off the top. Very impressive waving in the heavy breeze.

Now that's A Flag!

We did our part for helping a local charity raise money. They host an annual fish fry and for only $7.00 they fix fried fish, fries, cole slaw, hush puppies...AND grits. It was all quite good. We did have to laugh... the big sign was in the center of town so we assumed that was where the fish fry was...well not really.  Everyone in the small town of Tybee knows the fish fry is not downtown but out near the lighthouse at the American Legion building...they just did not say that...cause it's a small town and everyone knows where it is...but us and the guy following us looking for said fish fry. Too funny.  Everyone was as nice as they could be...they had tons of homemade deserts which I dutifully stayed away from.  Saving up the calories for tonight's dinner at Garbaldis in Savannah...followed by a free Charlie Daniels concert in the park. Looking forward to it...we even remembered to bring our folding carry around chairs! It has taken me several days to rest up and get recharged but now I am ready to go into Savannah for the evening. The manicure and pedicure with leg massage helped with the relaxing. There is a nice nail place...Pro Nails...only 6 miles down highway 80 from Paws and Paddles. They did an awesome job...I almost fell asleep!  Off to bike up to the south beach...have not been there on this trip...always a good view of Little Tybee and usually lots of kayakers as well. We have seen dolphins almost every day...usually see some on the south beach side as well...more later...

Cottage Crazy: Tuesday, April 17th on Tybee Island

Cottage Crazy: Tuesday, April 17th on Tybee Island: Tuesday Sunrise...heavy clouds on the horizon...67 degrees and almost no wind. Sweet. The sun looked like two eyes looking out from behin...

Tuesday, April 17th on Tybee Island

Tuesday Sunrise...heavy clouds on the horizon...67 degrees and almost no wind. Sweet.

The sun looked like two eyes looking out from behind the clouds then it moved up higher and cast some beautiful rays of sunshine on the ocean.

My favorite part of the day is early morning. I love feeling, seeing and hearing the whole world start to wake up at the same time...the birds start chirping and flying about even before the sun is up...so you know it is getting close to sunrise. I always enjoy this time because there are so few people out and about and you can really be quiet and listen carefully to everything around you. The air smells great and as you bike along you can pick up various smells. Someone brewing coffee, someone frying bacon, that still smells good especially if there is also a little wood smoke in the air.

Enjoyed the great weather today on the dock at A.J.s Restaurant on the back river on Tybee Island. Perfect weather to eat outside. Enough sun to be warm, enough wind to keep you cool and the no see'ums at bay, enough food and drink for a nice lunch.

A.J.s view off the luncheon dock.

 A bike ride on the beach to the far north end of the island...few people...lots of open beach...resulted in spreading out a beach blanket and taking a siesta after lunch for a few minutes. Then biking home and Mikie decided to clean the cottage chairs...they had some stains after a winter under the live oaks.  Looking spiffy already.  Hershey is helping by staying out of the way and napping on the porch on his day bed!  I am helping my staying out of the way and blogging!