Day 47, Year 8: Night of a Thousand Candles
Date: Thursday, December 20, 2012
Weather: Partly Cloudy and Warm; Rain After 8 PM
Location: Lightkeepers Marina in Coquina Harbor, Little River, SC
The holiday spirit came alive this evening as we walked through the
beautiful Brookgreen Gardens. We enjoyed the glow of thousands of candles
and sparkling lights illuminating the grounds and the sculptures. There are
so many beautiful sculptures, I think all by American artists, and the
holiday lighting made them all the more interesting. Ten of us went
together-my sister Patsy and her husband Joe, Dominique and Dominique of
KEA, Brian and Judy Thompson, and Lee and Lynda Kaufman. Lynda and Lee are
members of the Gardens and they encouraged us to go. Thank you Lee and Lynda
for recommending that we go and to Lynda for getting the tickets for us. It
was wonderful but hard to describe in words. The stately old trees dripping
with Spanish moss and sparkling lights were the backdrop for multiple pools
with floating candles and illuminated sculptures of Greek gods and goddesses
and all other sorts of ‘creatures’. The Children’s Garden was precious with
one pond featuring the sculpture of a naked little boy with a frog dangling
from each hand and a land-based sculpture of a little girl riding a train of
tortoises. Mark took some photos with his phone and I used my back-up camera
that has a faulty lens. My main camera is still with Canon being repaired.
Between the two of us and the low light environment, we didn’t get quality
photos, but at least some of the photos can give you a hint of the beauty.
Those photos will be posted at the end of this log.
The weather forecast for tonight was very iffy. One source said we would
have rain starting at 4 pm, another said it would 8 or 9 pm, and others had
the rain coming somewhere in the middle. But all said it would rain tonight.
We thought of waiting to go on Saturday night, but it is supposed to be much
cooler then. In the end, we took the gamble and ended up with a warm,
rain-free evening. We all went to dinner afterward and when we came out of
the restaurant, the forecasts were validated. It was definitely raining. And
right now as we sit in the boat, the wind is howling and the rain is pouring
outside. This weather front is bringing in cooler weather, but the rain
should be gone by morning and the sunshine will make it feel warmer than the
thermometer reads.
Our friend Lee has an operation tomorrow morning to mend a torn ligament in
his arm. Lee, we hope the surgery goes smoothly and that you recover
quickly. His arm has to stay immobile for six weeks, which is no fun at all,
but hopefully it will all be worth it.
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| 121220 Day 47 South Carolina, USA–Night of a Thousand Candles |
