The Joy of Outside

After the recent flooding event in South Carolina we are happy to have been graced with dry, sunny days for the past week.  Here along the coast we do not see much of the autumnal change of colors, but we do enjoy some refreshingly cool days in October.  It brings a welcome change from the sticky heat and humidity of summer.  These are the days that make you want to be outdoors, and when the sun came out last Sunday that is just where we headed.  We opted to spend the day at Brookgreen Gardens.

I introduced you to Brookgreen Gardens last spring in this post.  While the colors are not as vibrant in the fall as they are in the spring when the gardens are in full bloom there are still pops of color to be found.

There was lingering evidence of the floods as one side of the property is bordered by the Waccamaw River.  The nature trail that runs along the river was covered in water.  The steps leading down to the trail appeared to lead straight into the water.  (I would not recommend taking those steps unless you fancy a close encounter with a snake or an alligator.)

We did venture down near the nature trail to capture this gorgeous guy:

We were able to get close to some more inviting critters…

Oh, and I wasn’t kidding about the alligators…

Overall it was a wonderful day to be enveloped by the joy of being outside, breathing in the cooler air, feeling the hint of a crisp breeze, and seeing blue skies free of ominous rain clouds!

I hope you enjoy the photos, and I hope you are outside finding your own joy this fall!  Cheers!  Karen

All photos copyright @Karen B. Pearce 2015