not your average hardware store

There are not many shopping choices in a small town. We have Savannah, Bluffton and Charleston nearby so we can head in those directions when needed.  

But the local hardware store in Beaufort has been a nice surprise.

This unassuming exterior in a beautiful parking lot of oaks is a fun place to shop.

Grayco Hardware is on Sea Island Parkway, Lady's Island, in the commercial district in Beaufort where we do our errands. Downtown Beaufort also has nice shops, just across the river.

 Grayco offers all  the regular items found  in a hardware store but there is so so much more! 

So rather than describe, you can just see for yourself...

(in fuzzy iphone photos though, my phone is so bad indoors)

They have a nice garden department. You can order fiddle leaf figs here, they are not available anywhere else in town.

So if you are ever in Beaufort or heading to Fripp Island and need beach supplies, make sure you stop in at Grayco!

Thanks for visiting!

Cindy

beach day and a beautiful rooftop bar in Savannah

We headed to the beach after our morning tea yesterday. Just the two of us, our kids are scattered in Colorado, NYC and Savannah. We love the natural beauty of Hunting Island Beach. It is unique because it is one of the few undeveloped barrier islands on the East Coast.

The sky was blue over the entire island with the exception of the overcast beach.

We love our little roller cart. No grumbling or trudging along, hands full. Smoothly rolls over ever surface. $29 well spent, likely to last one season only but holding up great so far.

Lots of driftwood left from previous storms.

The beaches at the ends of the island are kept in a natural state. Leftover fallen trees from Hurricane Irene a few years ago have been left to help fight erosion. They are sculptural and beautiful.

But there are plenty of wide open beaches to enjoy.

We found five sand dollars.

Kayakers in the tidal creek on the backside of the beach.

Isn't Mother Nature amazing? So beautiful.

We cleaned up and headed down to Savannah to have dinner with our son who attends Savannah School of Art And Design. I posted about the amazing impact the school has made on downtown Savannah here.  We had drinks at Perch, a gorgeous rooftop bar nestled among Southern Live Oaks. Then dinner below at Local 11 Ten, a wonderful restaurant serving food from the local farms in Georgia and South Carolina. We loved it and highly recommend it on your next visit to Savannah.

What a nice day.....

Thanks for visiting!

Cindy

spring amaryllis in the garden

We happened upon a red spring garden the other day! A color that Northerners do not associate with spring, we have been noticing red amaryllis (hippeastrum) popping up in gardens around town. This garden in the old Point historic neighborhood in Beaufort has an abundance of them. They accent the white house and dark shade of the oaks.

This home is on the market right now. Here is the link.

We saw some being sold at the farmer's market this morning. Go here for instructions on growing Amaryllis in zone 9-11 gardens.

Down the street from the amaryllis garden is one of the most visible courtyards in the neighborhood. So many are obscured and just provide a little glimpse. The Beaufort River is in the background to the left.

Lots of brick and boxwoods. Spring in the South brings lots of leaf drop as new oak leaves push through and force old leaves off. It adds a casual charm to garden and hard scapes.

What's blooming in your neighborhood? 

Thanks for visiting!

Cindy