life is always about the journey...

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Hello Again...


Hello Again.  After many years of managing my two blogs and multiple others for companies...this girl was burnt out.  It was good to get away and have a break.

So the news is basically...I've quit Facebook. It was a long time coming actually. From when I joined almost 10 years ago, to what it's become today is a FAR CRY from why I started using it. It did enhance my life in a lot of ways, it kept me in touch with friends and family around the world and I enjoyed checking in with everyone and watching silly videos.  

Unfortunately the past couple of years it became too much of a place of negativity and hate, pettiness and mean people hiding behind their keyboards because they never learned the old adage "if you have nothing nice to say, close your trap"...well that's my modern version of  it anyway ;) And just to be very clear...no one drove or chased me away. Social media is meant to be fun, inspiring, informative and friendly...it is a choice...it is a form of entertainment. When you aren't entertained anymore, why stay? I made a choice to leave something that no longer fulfilled me. Staying to teach the 'haters' or 'unfriendlies' a lesson was never a fight I chose to be in, it was never my goal. If someone wants to have a respective conversation face-to-face, then I am always willing. I sure as heck didn't leave because I was afraid of interaction...I choose not to discuss a lot of things on social media...you know, as is my right and is your right. I just chose to no longer participate in something that bred so much negativity. It is not the end of the world...my life and your lives continue on.

However, I still wanted a way to keep in touch with everyone and not be submitted to the negativity of a social media site every time I logged on. I wanted a place to share my photos and adventures for those that don't use Instagram, Instastories, or Snapchat. I wanted a safe, fun, positive place to share my stories where I wasn't dealt an onslaught of crazy every day.  So that's where we are now.

I can't promise I will post everyday or even every single week. But I will try to post when I have photos to share, stories I want to tell or just sharing things I love.  So welcome back everybody....

And if you remember the old blog layout...yes, even that got a change. A fresh, clean starting over that reflects my new life here in Charleston, SC now.




James has been in town for the past week so we tried to take advantage of the beautiful weather.  Storms were moving in for the weekend and we like to be outside enjoying the area as much as we can. So we drove over to Kiawah Island with our bikes and spent the day biking trails, hiking and biking on the beach. It was fantastic...a good day spent feeding the soul with the beauty of nature.


One of my favorite shots from the day was this one. The lowcountry landscape is always changing and there is always something beautiful to shoot with my camera.  I was struck by the starkness of the tree, the barrenness of the spartina grasses and the movement of clouds in the sky. 


Can you smell the pluff mud...some people love it and some don't. I'm one of it's lovers because it reminds me I'm in South Carolina and near the water...it makes me happy.


If you ever get to the Charleston area, Kiawah Island is about a 45-55 minute drive away. It is very secluded and treed which makes you feel like you are on an exclusive getaway.  A stop at Night Heron Park is a good place to start to get a map of the island and they have a small nature center as well.  There are bike/walking trails all around the island and there are a few lookout towers that you can bike and then hike to...they give you a good birds eye view of the beautiful views.  You can bike on the beach but only certain boardwalks allow bike entry ramps, so make sure to note those.  There are a few bike rental places on the island as well. Lots of wildlife on the island including birds, bobcats, alligators and deer.  So keep a look out for those while visiting. Parking is very limited in certain areas and there are guard-gates to get into certain parts of the island.  For most of the park areas and restaurants you just tell them where you are headed and they give you a pass for your vehicle.  If you love golf there are 2 private courses and 5 public courses.  They look lovely from my bike, but I'm not a golfer so I cannot help much with that info.

There are a few restaurants and some cute shops in the Freshfields Town Center. In the Town Center my favorite restaurant is Hege's and if you save room, stop by the old time pharmacy and have a yummy ice cream treat.  
If you want true luxury head to the Sanctuary Resort and Spa for top notch service. The Ocean Room is worth every penny for a special event...amazing food and views, but very pricey.  The Andell Inn sits within the Town Center to the side and is a nice alternative if you want something a little less expensive. It's lovely inside and has great views of the marsh areas along with a nice pool/deck area.  Condos & home rentals are available here too. 
For something less formal head to Seabrook Island (literally right next to Kiawah) and try out Lokal Seabar or Red's Ice House. Both sit on the Bohicket Creek and Marina and they offer spectacular sunsets and good seafood choices.

Heading off of Kiawah back towards Charleston you will drive by two of my favorite Johns Island restaurants. The Fat Hen is a farm-2-table place in a cute little cottage and the food is so yummy..it leans towards the French style of cooking and dishes.  The menu is always changing with the seasons and they get all their meats/seafood/veggies/fruits from local farms.  The other is Wild Olive and they serve sinfully good Italian dishes. Their pappardelle pasta dish with parmesan, arugula and local Mepkin Abbey mushrooms (from the monastery) is the stuff my food dreams are made of.

So there's a wee bit of information for anyone interested in visiting Kiawah Island. It's a beautiful area and so much to see and do outside.  Definitely worth the drive.



Share:

58 comments

  1. Suzanne I am so happy you are blogging again. You my dear friend should be writing travel books. Yes you are that great. I am so glad you are back here, so glad you moved close to me, and so glad you are my dear friend and we get to visit a lot now. Looking forward to all our visits. Love you!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great idea to start back your blog ... I can't wait to hear your stories of living in the South! ❌⭕️

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ahhh, Your blog post makes me miss the Beautiful Low Country!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy to know you're still around. Love keeping up with the Dean four pack. Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice to hear from you and I look forward to seeing lots more from your corner of the world.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank heavens you are doing this again. I would have missed having no word from you at all! I enjoy your tales and pictures. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you so much for blogging again! I really miss your fun-filled, engaging and creative blogs! Your photos are amazing, and they always make me smile! I will miss you on FB, but I'm glad I can find you here!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am so glad to see you here again. Don't get me wrong, I loved your interactions on Facebook, but I definitely understand what you mean. I said about the same thing yesterday. I do not need the constant negativity in my life and I am VERY happy to see you blogging again. Your pictures and larger on here and even more breathtaking!! I have to check into getting notified when you post...call me a stalker if you wish but I have watched your family grow, watched you color, and watched you evolve throughout it all. I feel like you are a dear old friend of mine and I am very happy you are still here in another capacity. I have to admit I was pretty sad you were leaving FB, but this is even better.....this is where we met in the first place. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Sharon, I appreciate your support & kindness so much! I enjoy blogging when I know it's just for fun...for a long time it was a "have to" and it lost it's appeal. But I'm back now ;) Hugs!

      Delete
  9. Lovely! So glad we can stay in touch!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your gift of photography and writing is such a blessing ...so glad to see you loving life in SC !

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Suzanne,
    wow the live in Carolina look amazing. Love the fotos. Wish you an amazing years to come.
    ❤️��

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you for the beautiful pictures! (If you ever go back to your FB post, I left you a comment from my heart to yours)😊

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Marsha! I did read all the comments before I deleted the app from my phone. You are so sweet and I appreciate the support. Please let me know if you hit the area, would love to meet up with you. And hope your husband is doing better each day. Hugs!

      Delete
  13. Good Golly Suzanne, you better be careful, you will disrupt your peaceful lifestyle with this quality of posts. The local tourism boards are going to bombard you with writing offers. Great job. You made me want to jump in my car and head down 17.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha! Thank you Linda, I appreciate it...not sure if I'm up to par yet but I will gladly fly under the radar for a long while. Hugs!

      Delete
  14. Such a beautiful place! You will be missed on FB but as long as you pop in occasionally. I have to say that you are one of the friends that has helped me over the years to continue crafting when I can and to try and find the positive when things go down. I am so happy for you and your family for fulfilling s dream.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh that's so sweet of you to say Anita and I'm hoping that you continue to craft or be creative. I try to find something creative to do most days, even if it's only for 10 mins...it makes me happy. Hugs!

      Delete
  15. I always enjoy your insight and truthful point of view, Happy to see you blogging again!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Loving the pictures and loving that you are so peaceful and happy in your wonderful new home <3

    ReplyDelete
  17. Every time you show a picture or talk about your part of the country you make me want to come down....hearing about the food totally sold me. I'm going to have to make a trip down :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well you will just have to get your britches on down here then Jane! Would love to see you and the food is AH-MAZING!!!

      Delete
  18. So good to hear from you and about your family.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Such lovely pictures...I got off of Facebook quite awhile ago and have never looked back. Do I miss it? Not a single bit. No Instagram or Snapchat or any other social media they say you HAVE to have if you have a business. Enjoy all your free from media time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree...you can sanely use social media with it using you. I limit what I use and how I use it. I have no use for negativity in my life or those that continue to pursue it. Hugs!

      Delete
  20. Suzanne - it is SOOOO nice to hear from you! I was worried about you to be honest! Understand the crazy of social media and its negativity...so happy you are alive and well in your new home in SC! Thanks for the long anticipated update! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Cathy! I'm back LOL...good to blog again and share actually. And here I know it's a safer spot where I cannot be brought into any drama or negativity. Hugs!

      Delete
  21. Yay! You posted sooner than I expected! This is great; I will miss you on Facebook because of the conversational-type interactions, but I am happy to have you blogging again! Charleston and the surrounding area have been added to my "must-see" places because of you. Simply beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Bridget! And you MUST come see the lowcountry when you get a chance, you won't regret it!

      Delete
  22. It is so good to hear from you again. I was so worried that your health had gotten the better of you. I am not a FB, so kudos to you for dropping it. I still watch your old YouTube videos on copic coloring as they are still my faves and also refer back to my notes from classes I took when you came down to Texas. I wish you the very best and look forward to your photography and future posts. Blessings to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Kim! I did have a rough spell for 2.5 years and some surgeries that set me back & then helped me move forward. But I'm in a good spot now and didn't need any extra negativity in the form of facebook to get in my way. Hugs!

      Delete
  23. It's so good to hear from you again and I'm surprised to see that you've moved, because the last time I heard from you, your daughter was starting college! I'm just a blogger who lingers here and still posts cards :) It looks like you've moved to a peaceful and beautiful place and I couldn't be happier for you! Kindness matters, and we all know when it's time to leave all the drama behind for better days :) Wishing you the best in 2017!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Carol! Yes, a lot has changed in the past 3 years. I will be doing an update post soon for those that wondered what I've been up to lol! And kindness and respect are very important, two things I'm afraid that have gotten lost within social media a lot of times. Thank you so much for the wishes & hugs to you!

      Delete
  24. Hi, Suzanne. Enjoyed the commentary and lovely photos. Good to see you again in blogland.
    Hugz,
    Cath

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Suzanne, It's been a very long time since I last saw any posts from you. So nice to see your blog again. Welcome back. Jeanette, New Zealand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jeannette! I needed a break to get my health in order and my kids to college, but happy to be back!

      Delete
  26. Hi Suzanne! Delighted to see you posting on your blog again. Your pictures are lovely and I enjoy reading about your explorations. For someone from the west coast it's refreshing to hear about life in other parts of this beautiful land. Your words and photos transport me to your world. Looking forward to seeing and hearing more from you. Hugs, Judy in Tucson, AZ

    ReplyDelete
  27. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Can you tell how happy you've made me?😉
    Lovely pictures and very informative and interesting narrative. Many years ago a large group of friends, my husband and myself went to Myrtle Beach for a golf vacation. We stayed at a hotel right on the beach and got to golf every day at one of the many beautiful courses. I remember one of the old historic courses even served us gumbo while we played. Beautiful people, food and scenery ... your pictures make me want to go back to the Carolinas again. Peace ... Love ... Happiness Suzanne😘😍❤️ And did I say "thank you" enough?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Lucy, I appreciate all the kindness & support you've given me. The lowcountry has a special kind of magic, it pulls you in and you never want to leave. Hugs!

      Delete
  28. Hi Suzanne!
    So happy you are blogging again! Have always loved reading what you write and especially looking at your photos! You have a talent with words and photography!!
    Sending hugs!
    Darcy

    ReplyDelete
  29. Beautiful, beautiful photos and I'm so so happy to have you back again!!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Suzanne,
    I am so glad to see you blogging again and I don't blame you for leaving Facebook. I have considered it many times myself and probably should as I really don't go on there that much anymore but there are a few groups I enjoy and why I do go back on.

    I also enjoy Instragam much more and a way to show my pictures without the negativity. I am glad that you are in a place that gives you peace and joy and I will enjoy reading when ever you share on the blogging site. Your stories have always made me smile and your old car stories and how your GPS hated you use to make me laugh so much!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hi Suzanne!! So glad to see you again!! I have been very busy lately and this is my first chance to tell you Hi! I am so glad you are blogging again! Thank you so much for the beautiful photography and all the wonderful things you get to do! I enjoy your adventures and hearing about your precious family! Thank you for being YOU!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. What a great travel review. Sounds like a place I'd love! If we only had more vacation time, I'd love to see Charleston. Although I think Marti & I are supposed to visit for to make that dolphin cake for Alexa's graduation party :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Welcome back Suzanne! Follow you on Instagram but nice to have your blog back so I can read your lovely musings!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hi Suzanne , you got me started in Annie Sloan CP , I absolutely love it, I'm still having trouble waxing , bi I'm going to keep on practicing , live all your pictures and all the articles on your blog
    Carolyn Dunn 💕💕💕💕

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Try putting a thin coat of wax on & letting it sit overnight..then buff out the next day. I usually do this twice.

      Delete

Thanks so much for visiting me, I hope I made you smile or inspired you in some way! I appreciate you stopping by!

Blogger Template Created by pipdig