Aren’t we always searching for something? And when our search intensifies, it may mean we are testing and honing our creativity. The arrival of house guests made me search out our adopted city of Savannah for new things to do and try.
Prepping the house was first. Having fresh flowers around the house always puts me in a good mood, and hopefully that trickles to the guests too! I am not a flower arranger, but I did my best with some curly willow branches and fresh flowers from Fresh Market. Of all the places to get orchids and cut flowers, Fresh Market wins hands down. Their fresh flowers last a week or more!
I was asked to put together some flowers for a neighbor’s big surprise birthday party. 
Again, I am a grower, not an arranger, but sunflowers just smile at you from a vase and hopefully mask my lacking talent.
I think this needs more depth below the sunflower. My problem is knowing where to place the flowers and when to stop!
I made an itinerary and placed it on each guests’ bed. I created only a sunny day version. Thinking ahead and planning for rain is a jinx. It worked! The weather here in Savannah has been glorious. A trip to Bonaventure Cemetery is a must. 
In this case, one of the guests had ancestors to visit in the historical section. The sculptural headstones are just so interesting. 
We missed the azaleas, which bloomed 4 weeks early this year! There was a brief interlude with tornado warnings, thunderstorms and lots of lightning – but it is Savannah after all!
Food is central to any visit to Savannah. We dined at Vic’s On The River, The Olde Pink House and Goosefeathers. Elizabeth’s on 37th was a night to remember. Not only did we bask in the great service and the best food in Savannah, but we had the rumbling of close thunder and the flash of lightning safely outside the gorgeous home for effect. This is like dining in someone’s home, rather than a restaurant. It is a unique experience, but don’t tell too many people because no one wants it to be OVERUN with tourists who might not appreciate the subtleties of the experience. May I say, that it is the closest I will ever get to the Dali Llama. I will leave it to the reading sleuths of this blog to visit there one day and figure out what that means!
To center ourselves after the whirlwind of activity, we made a trip to the Harris Neck Wildlife Refuge. 
A peaceful paradise for birders and those of us who love to observe and walk through wide open spaces. Thousands of acres with trails making access easy. Thankfully, these spaces along Georgia’s coast are being preserved and can be appreciated.
Inside the small visitors center we found some interesting artifacts. China, perhaps used at one of the plantations?
My guest brought me a Pat Conroy book, published posthumously, A Low Country Heart.
Somehow Pat Conroy deepens my feelings for this place we now call home.
Autumn arrives in Savannah between humid, sultry days and close nights when the air doesn’t move enough to even sway a long piece of Spanish moss hanging motionless from live oaks and vines. Today was such a moment, when the skies were bluer than blue, and the daring contrast of strong sun and deep shadows gave an unreal atmosphere to this old city.
