For many years (decades actually) our family spent the third week in June at the Outer Banks. But between Covid and work schedules and sports tournaments, that week became unworkable. And when last we went to Avon in 2022, we realized the surf had likewise become something we could no longer handle.

So last year we headed to Folly Beach in South Carolina. And this year we’re going to Grayton Beach in Florida (on August 10th … the only week when all the schedules aligned).

In the meantime, I’ve been dreaming of sun and sand and sea breezes … wishing I could be beach-combing instead of just walking through the neighborhood … picking up rusty bits for Don’s assemblages to keep my eyes occupied …

Happily, he does have a way of putting some of my finds to whimsical use …

N.B. I’ve just started on a gift project that will likely take several months to complete, so I probably won’t be posting much about cloth and stitching for a while.

We’ve moved around a bit since coming to Texas in 2009 … from Wimberley to San Marcos to Buda. And while we miss our five-acre Hill Country homestead, there’s a lot to love about our newest hometown just south of Austin (or as some say, just south of weird).

This weekend we wandered through the Inspired Minds Gallery to take a second look at some of the paintings created during the recent Plein Air competition …

Then headed over to the opening of Amado Peña’s opening at the Assemblage gallery …

followed by dinner at Mudbugs Cajun restaurant, where we indulged in deconstructed clam chowder and andouille crusted red fish with risotto …

topped off the next morning by an hour-long conversation with Amado Peña, who is 80 years young (check out those sneaks!) …

All just a mile-or-so from our house. And speaking of our house, here’s the newest resident: a Buda roadrunner, Geococcyx gardentoolensis …

Meep meep!