Holiday at Sunset Beach...

Our holiday at Sunset Beach was a very relaxing, restful time. Melissa and I enjoyed very much being right on the ocean. We watched fishing boats go up and down the coast all day, heard lots of birds chirping as we sat on the porch, and enjoyed watching the butterflies that were all around the sand dunes. One day we even saw some dolphins swimming in the ocean. But just sitting and watching the ocean waves go back and forth all day was a treat in itself. While at the beach I accomplished a lot. I read 4 books and finished 6 projects during the week we were there. It felt wonderful to finish up some unfinished projects that really just needed a couple of more hours to complete. You'll see several of them already hanging up at the shop.

Sunset Beach is a small island off the coast of North Carolina...just north of Myrtle Beach. It's a quiet little beach with no high rising buildings and not much on the island except duplexes. You get to the island by going over a little pontoon bridge that opens up on the hour to let the boats pass by. They have just built a new permanent bridge to get you to the island. But we hope they will leave the little pontoon bridge because it has just the right feel for the island. Sunset Beach was the perfect place for us to be for our holiday. Melissa grew up going to Sunset Beach, but this was my first time. I guarantee you it won't be my last. I fell in love with the island just as she has. I love this photo at sunset.

On the way there and back we visited 10 different yarn shops. Most were on the smaller size, but there were a couple that were larger. We saw a lot of the same yarns that we carry here at the shop, but also saw some new yarns that we'd like to introduce to our customers. We were amazed most by the customer service at many of the shops...or should I say lack of it. Many times we went in and no one even spoke to us. Sometimes they said hello, and that was all we got. But I guess the friendliest shop we went to was at Myrtle Beach. It was called "Knit 'N Purl". The owner was very kind and immediately greeted us the moment we walked in the door. Once I told her that I also owned a yarn shop, we were able to swap some ideas that had worked at our shops. I plan to visit her the next time I'm in Myrtle Beach. I hope you'll visit them as well if you're ever in that area.

On the way home as we went back over the mountains, we noticed that some of the leaves had begun to change. What a difference in only a week!

I'm glad to be back home...but there are times I long for the slower pace of the beach. It was so nice to not really have a plan for the day. We just did whatever we wanted to do at the moment. Sometimes we just sat and knitted without saying a word. At other times we talked about the shop and tried to think of ideas that would make this place the "haven" that we desire it to be. Overall, we both had a wonderful time and can't wait to go again next year.