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Bibliophiliac is the space where one passionate, voracious reader reflects on books and the reading life. You will find reviews, analysis, links, and reflections on poetry and prose both in and out of the mainstream.

A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. Franz Kafka

Monday, June 7, 2010

Summer Reading Spot















Here is one spot where I plan to enjoy my summer reading.  Matt at A Guy's Moleskine Notebook has a great post today about favorite reading spots--so I thought I would post a photo of one of mine.  What a great idea for a post!  Stop by Matt's blog to see the pretty coffee shop where he hangs out to read.

So, how is it that I am so incredibly fortunate to have a reading spot like those shown above?  It's weird, because I got here by accident.  My ex-husband was transferred to Hilton Head, SC and I came along, never having been to Hilton Head or anywhere else in South Carolina.  As things turned out, the ex- and I split up a year after we moved to Hilton Head (a common syndrome here in paradise), and I ended up staying.  I've been here for thirteen years now, raised two daughters to adulthood, built a career, and managed to accomplish my lifelong dream of living by the ocean--pretty much by accident.

This week is my last week of school.  I'm going to pack up my classroom, grab my flip-flops, and, as the kids used to always say, "just chill."  Well, swelter, actually, but I love the heat!  I don't have the entire summer off, but I'm trying to hold on to a large part of my "recovery" time.  I will sleep, read, recuperate, and start planning for next year (I go back August 8th, it comes fast).

I'm still trying to process what is happening in the Gulf Coast.  I feel such sadness and despair when I see the photographs of dead and injured wildlife.  It kills me that the arrogance and greed of people I will never meet have caused this destruction.  But I have to look at myself too.  I am a consumer of the product that has devastated the Gulf.  There must be another way for us to live.

On Saturday afternoon I took a walk on the beach you see above.  As I walked along the beach, a pair of dolphins followed me; this happens all the time, dolphins are highly social.  I was thinking about the oil spill, wondering if it would spread to our part of the coast.  It is a powerless feeling, waiting.

12 comments:

BookQuoter said...

Thanks for sharing your reading spot. I've imagined that.

Hilton Head is a favorite summer place for our family vacations, just like you said "a place to chill" without the chaos and things-to-do-list of other family tourist spots. A place to just be.

Hope it stays that way.

Kals said...

That seems quite the perfect, idyllic spot to read! :)

Julie P said...

What a great reading spot--I am actually a little jealous! And I too, hope the area you call home will be untouched by the havoc of the oil spill......

tea lady said...

Reading in the sunshine is one of the lovliest ways to spend your time. I hope that you enjoy a warm, book-filled summer.

Kate said...

What a beautiful spot! Beach reading is the best. I feel despair thinking of the oil spill as well. Maybe this will help us work on ways to decrease our dependence? Sometimes it takes a catastrophe to wake us up.

Anonymous said...

Oh envious! What a lovely place to read!

Hannah Stoneham said...

Looks like a great spot!

Priya Parmar said...

it is beautiful. we have super social dolphins here too and it makes what is happening along the gulf so much less abstract. it is individual and horrifying and dark.

your home ocean looks heavenly. i have an award for you and your lovely, lovely blog at the plumbean...:)

Iliana said...

What a beautiful scene! I can imagine spending a whole afternoon there with a good book.

Cheryl said...

A gorgeous spot to read!

bibliophiliac said...

Thanks for allowing me to share my reading spot, fellow readers. I can't help feeling fortunate to live in such a beautiful place! And thanks for the award, Priya!

Kerry said...

Lovely! I prefer the end of my dad's pier - he lives on a creek off a river off the Chesapeake, and it's small and quiet and lovely. Wish I had pictures.