Time has already slipped away so quickly. I’ve been back a week from North Carolina’s Outer Banks, been immersed in work, writing, reading, and trying to get everything back on track. My Mama always said, “When you get out of school, time just flies by.” I heard it so often that it didn’t mean anything until I started to live it.

So, before it gets to be February and a little late to post pics from New Year’s, here are my pictures from a lovely holiday.

The day before we left there was some rain and lots of clouds, which made me think of appreciation. You can’t get a really fantastic sunset picture unless you have some clouds. Life is like that. You can’t appreciate the good times unless you have bad.

I loved being with Sophie and Scout at the beach. I’ve shared many with Scout. I remember one walk on the beach several years ago when it was ever so cold and I felt like Scout and I were walking through some Siberian landscape, so happy to return to the cottage and warmth. This holiday was not that. I brought hat and gloves and never put them on. I even wore shorts!

One day, I sat an the picnic table and wrote until the clouds covered the sun and reminded me that it was winter. It was brilliant and I felt so fortunate to have those moments of writing in front of the ocean. Now I know why writers go on retreats to the seaside. Tune the cyber world out and create. It was a blessing.