I remember the first time I received a letter from Eugenia Price. I could not believe that I was holding her personal written words in my hand. I have the few letters she wrote to me and even the one that she wrote to a friend concerning a project that I was doing. She was always so positive and encouraging. “You have the ability,” she would say. “Just do it.”

I think she coined that phase before Nike made it cool. Her writing schedule was always packed, but she personally took time to answer her mail. I don’t know how many authors think about doing that today. It wasn’t until later in life that she began to dictate notes of personal correspondence to her assistant. A small historical collection from her house is on display in the lighthouse on St. Simons Island. This is her desk—the one she sat at and wrote all of her novels.

This photo was taken in the front yard of her home—the Dodge, which is appropriately named after the lead character (Anson Dodge) in her Lighthouse trilogy. He was the “Beloved Invader.” I doubt seriously that I will ever return. It is on the market to be sold. And it no longer fits who she was because it is vacant and empty and void of laughter.

And this is her old manual typewriter that she used up until her death on May 28, 1996. She wrote, “I long to depart this earth banging away on my old manual typewriter.” I think she pretty much did just that.

I thought I would post something simple this morning. The wall surrounding Christ Church on St. Simons Island has been photographed, I’m sure, many times by thousands of people. This is the church where in March 1736, Reverend Charles Wesley, who also served as Secretary for Indian Affairs and chaplain to General James Oglethorpe, began his ministry on the island.

From 1736-1766, many of the religious services on the island were conducted by brothers John and Charles Wesley, along with George Whitfield, among other clergy members of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Whew! That’s a lot of history. If only these bricks could talk!!

Spring in Savannah is still one of my favorite things. This lovely cherry tree was on one of the city’s square near the river front.

I have a huge project due on Thursday, and I told someone today that if it doesn’t work out I’m leaving for St. Simons Island. Once I get there, I’m going to get on a shrimp boat and head for Mexico. Of course, I have no idea how I’ll get to Mexico from the east coast; but at the moment, it sounded really good. (smile) This photo was taken earlier this spring at Darien, which is Georgia’s main port for shrimping.

I watched this seagull circle overhead and wondered what he was doing. I did not have any chips or crackers to toss up to him. Seagulls will dive down and literally take food out of your hands. I stopped feeding them years ago because the entire event can be overwhelming. One gull becomes two, three, four, a dozen and well, you get the picture. Soon you are overrun with seagulls crying out for food.

The guy was particularly beautiful in the light of sunset. And he just kept circling and then . . .

He landed on the shore in the shallow surf and fixed his gaze on the ocean. I wondered what he was thinking. Did he feel like me? A little lonely for the passing day or was he just caught up in his thoughts of how peaceful this moment was. It is just a simple photo. It won’t win any awards, but it expresses so much—a longing, a desire, a dream, and a hope that is still yet to be realized.