A Bittersweet Week at the Beach

We spent last week at Topsail Island

I've posted a bunch of pictures for you to enjoy, and I'll let most of them speak for themselves.

It was a bittersweet week.


Good things included beautiful weather, being back at Whale Song, which is probably my favorite house we've ever rented at Topsail, getting to visit with Topsail friends and a fun, successful book signing.


Not such good things included missing our usual visit with the Marons on our way to Topsail.  Thinking this might be Harley's last visit to Topsail.


Hillary losing the election.


Emotions were all over the place, and there were tears aplenty.


Since I'm one to cry when I'm angry, or when I'm sad, or when I'm happy or when I'm in the presence of beauty - then, yes, you can imagine that just about anytime anyone looked at me, there were tears.


I usually try to put the photos in a daily narrative, but today I just really don't feel like doing that, so they're here kinda hodge-podge.  I hope you enjoy them anyway.


Topsail is a beautiful, beautiful spot - it can speak for itself.

Always fun to step into Quarter Moon Books to shop, have coffee (OR a glass of wine) and collect a hug from Lori, the owner.

These next few pictures were taken on Tuesday.  Election Day.

They were taken when we were feeling upbeat, happy and hopeful.

An election day tradition  -  Pizza

And apple pie, to be topped with ice cream, for  celebrating

and that's all I'm going to say about that.


for now.



A good many of these pictures were taken while we were just sitting on the deck.


Some by Donald, some by me.


If I wasn't on the deck or the screen porch, I was inside the house with one of the living room chairs turned to face the sliding glass doors so I could watch the waves from there.


Watching the waves. 

Watching the sky change.


 Listening.  


That's all I really wanted to do.



During the middle of the day, the weather was perfect, but it is, after all, November, so we had some chilly mornings and evenings.  

Chilly, but still perfect.

And we went to visit "my tree."

This is Whale Song.  

I wish it was ours.

I wrote a little while we were here, but not as much as I had anticipated.

But, I did have a spark or two of creative energy and, inspired by my friend, artist Shirley McElhaney, worked on this collage.

We took Harley for some walks on the beach.

Usually, he cannot get enough of the rolling in the sand, and getting his paws wet.

Not this year.

Short walks and he'd be tired and ready to go back inside.

The morning we left Topsail, we stopped by Sugar Island Bakery for their holiday event.

I signed books and had a good day of selling.

But, truth be told, if I hadn't sold a thing, it would have been fine fine fine.

Just spending time here is one of my favorite things to do while we're there.

This is Tana.  Hi, Tana!!!  💟

And, of course, I bought a few things - including this adorable tea towel embroidered by Lumina

This adorable woman is Samantha, who owns Sugar Island and bakes all those wonderful goodies you've been drooling over in these photos.

It was a great day.


Harley was invited too.

AND, he had a good day selling his book, also!