>Red Flags and Red Bar at Grayton Beach on Saint Mary of Egypt Sunday

>A few years ago I was at the beach on Saint Mary of Egypt Sunday and I wrote an essay about it, which I wanted to publish on my blog today, but [sigh] I can’t find it. So… I have to start all over with a fresh reflection on the day.

First of all, I really did miss being at St. John for Liturgy this morning, and I was so blessed when Karen Bell sent me this photo of the flowers that all the “Marys of Egypt” brought to commemorate her Feast Day.

That said, whenever I’m at Seagrove Beach, I feel a bit like Dorothy. “There’s no place like the beach. There’s no place like the beach.” Oh wait. Maybe she was talking about home.

So this morning I went for a walk and it was the coldest, windiest, day I’ve ever experienced at the beach… and I’ve even been here in November. I tried to imagine Mary of Egypt trudging through the desert against the cold of the night and the heat of the day, and I found myself praying as I walked, “Holy Mother Mary, Pray to God for me!”

Late morning Daphne and I took Hallie (her daughter) and her friends to The Red Bar at Grayton Beach for brunch,

where we enjoyed good music by Dread Clampitt while we enjoyed brunch.

Afterwards we shopped at the cute shops in Grayton Beach, like the Zoo Gallery, and then we got in the Suburban and before leaving Grayton Beach, Daphne wanted to see the beach there. At the end of a little street by the beach, we saw a Jeep drive onto the beach, so Daphne said, “Look, we can drive on the beach here!” But seeing this warning sign (and btw the red flag means dangerous undertow so we didn’t swim) I said, “No, we can’t do this!’

But alas, she ignored my warning, and here’s the result.

So the girls got out to push…

And finally some others joined in to help…

And we were free at last!

(and okay, Daphne might say it didn’t happen exactly like this… and maybe I cheered her on to drive onto the beach, but that was BEFORE we saw the sign☺

Finally we made our way back to Seaside to Wendy Mignot’s shop, La Vie Est Belle to look for pearls for Hallie’s graduation gift. Wendy makes the best leather and pearl creations.

Back at Seagrove I went for another walk but the wind had picked up even more. We’re hoping for a warmer, calmer day tomorrow. But tonight we’re just thankful to to be here, together, and enjoying playing Hoopla and Partini and a break from school, work and the daily grind.

Holy Mother Mary, pray to God for us.