A Good Day

I knew it would be a good day when I opened the door to put out the dog at 7am. How did I know this? Pluff mud...... For those of you unfamiliar, "pluff mud" is the muddy, mucky, ooze that lines the bottom of the marsh here in the Lowcountry. When the tide goes out to sea, this ooze is exposed to air and creates an aromatic experience. Now, when we first moved here, I found it a very strange perhaps even yucky smell. Now, I love it. And this was how I knew it would be a good day. You only have a a few chances to smell it throughout the day, and you have to be outside at the right time, and today I was. The day greeted me with warm sunshine, birds singing, and the comfortable smell of pluff mud. I had a brief thought of throwing us all in boots (uh...we don't have any), and heading to the marsh to walk through the mud and grass and find critters and enjoy the sun. Then I quickly thought of the mess and cast it aside. Wouldn't you know that God granted me this little joy today through Luke. We went to visit some friends while Sarah was at her Girls Club event. While the moms and I chatted on the porch, the boys took off for the marsh that starts at the end of their backyard. An hour later, Luke appeared soaked through and muddy...smelling like pluff mud. He looked worried and apologized profusely for his wet clothes, shoes, etc....he new we had 30 minutes to get Sarah and get to the jump castle place for her birthday party. For once, I didn't stress or get frustrated at figuring out how to get him clean and to the party......I told him to go back to the marsh for a few minutes. It all worked out. More on Sarah's party tomorrow. Today I am just thankful for my pluff mud morning, which by God's grace, allowed me a peaceful pluff mud afternoon.

PS: in addition to my new love for pluff mud, I recently made delicious collard greens...and shrimp and grits.....and we love oysters (by we I include "picky"Sarah and Sean, who is entirely too young to eat something that can cause food poisoning....) I'm hoping that while you can take us out of the South, that you can't take the South out of us. My hope is to soak in all Charleston offers these next few months. Either that or I have to figure out how to grow Live Oaks and Spanish moss elsewhere....that could be complicated. Oh yeah.....what does Sarah want for her 5th birthday....a date with her Daddy for High Tea--she may be the most "Southern" of us all.