Tuesday, July 01, 2008

spt



the first element of summer: sun

i am really no fan of the sun. i have fair skin, and even in my younger (unwiser) years, my best attempts at *tanning* resulted in too much pink, prickly skin. i get bored "laying out" in the sun (a popular beachtime activity), so even with a huge umbrella to block out the rays, i still get antsy.

i live near a beach that is southern facing, so we get strong sunlight all. day. long. (if you look at a map of the U.S. East Coast, put your finger on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and slide down to where the coast takes a sharp turn Westward, you will see where i am!) i am forever warning the tourist guests at the hotel to "wear your sunscreen!!" if you follow the old adage that the sun is at it's fiercest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., you will learn a very tough lesson here on our southern facing beach. it is fierce all day long.

so, contrary to all of my complaining to my friend scott about having an oceanfront wedding at 11 a.m. in june, i was quite comfortable. there was a lovely breeze coming from the water, and the ceremony was blessedly short. walking barefoot was pretty much essential, and i love this shot that i grabbed on the way back to the car.




of course, despite my best efforts, i still managed to come away with pink cheeks. (sorry for the flash in this photo, but i really couldn't resist trying to capture my windblown hair when we got home.)


did you post your first spt challenge for july??

38 comments:

Rhonda said...

Ok, I am loving this whole month of July SPT ideas! Sun today brings me back to so MANY wonderful memories. I could put a thousand pics from years and years gone by of "Sun." However, I went a little different route and you will see when you visit!

Thanks Lelly!

Rhonda said...

Your bottom comment, "did you post your first challenge for june?? Did you mean to say for July? Remember I am new to this and I very well could have missed something in the rules.

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Yea, thanks for another fun month.
I love both of your pics. for this week

Amber Grannis said...

I love the windblown look! You are gorgeous! Your dress says everything summer! I am envious of the beautiful beach you have in your backyard. We have to drive pretty far (we're talking HOURS) down the gulf coastline to get to any decent beaches. My BIL is from N. Carolina and he swears the beaches in those parts are TO DIE FOR! Happy summer, Lelly!

Amy said...

Lelly....
Where did the dress come from? LOVE. IT.!
Plus, your hair looks awesome like that!
I agree with you about the sun....I used to "sun" always. I got very dark, but no more (by choice). Boredom and fear of skin cancers and "age spots" keep me in the shade!
thanks for the theme for July! :)

Jill said...

Cute pictures of you for sure! I have a love/hate relationship with the sun because of my fair skin too so summer is challenging for me.

I'm back on track with SPTs for July!

Sarah said...

That dress is gorgeous and you look beautiful in it! I no longer tan for some reason. Just burn and then go back to pale.

Jeanette said...

Thanks for another fun challenge. That's a beautiful picture of you. I would love to live by the beach.

Rachael said...

I envy that you live by the ocean! I miss it...I grew up in Hawaii.
Love the picture of the sandals and your pretty dress!

Lene said...

Such a fun month of themes.
You look loverly in your dress.
I have a true confession to make - I have only been to the ocean or any beach about 3 times in my life. I am just not much of a water person. But it sure looks beautiful in your pictures!

Alisha said...

You take great self-portraits. Someday I hope you'll share your secrets!! (Maybe I'll get better at it with more practice.)

Holly said...

I have never been to a wedding on the beach. I bet it was lovely. I love to walk barefoot on the beach, but around here you have to really watch where you step.

Your windswept hair and pink cheeks are gorgeous!

Bren's Life said...

You look very pretty in your dress.. I didn't know that about N. Carolina..

Rebekah said...

you look beautiful in that picture! hot stuff!

Windy said...

You look fabulous!
I share your troubles with the sun. I got a sunburn at the pool last week, despite lathering myself liberally with sunscreen, and it just started peeling, darn it!

Kim Sue said...

I'm back and excited to focus on summer because we are having a great one!

Amy said...

Can you believe I'm joining the SPT ranks this week??! It has been far too long, my friend.

You've got some sexy curves going on for that beach wedding, Lelly! Such a cute dress. And I am definitely with you in the fair skin world. I'm thinking more & more that it's a good thing I don't love tanning though.

annalisa said...

Alexis has light skin and we are always caking on the sunscreen. It's a blessing though. When she's older, she'll thank me for her baby soft skin. For someone who doesn't burn so easily, I hate lying around in the sun. It seems pointless to lie there getting hot and uncomfortable.
I love the shot of you with your shoes. And we all get pink checks. I seem to get mine more when I run and turn red all over my face. Oh well. The disadvantages of sun.

jenny said...

Okay, I am lovin' that red dress and cute hair cut. Sounds like an amazing wedding!

Chris said...

I finally posted, late of course. :-) I have to say those pictures of the wedding were beautiful, I wish we were near a beach. I like the pink on your cheeks, looks good. Thanks for the fun themes this month.

Chris said...

I finally posted, late of course. :-) I have to say those pictures of the wedding were beautiful, I wish we were near a beach. I like the pink on your cheeks, looks good. Thanks for the fun themes this month.

Melanie said...

I love this month's themes, and am excited to participated. Your wind blown hair looks beautiful by the way

Becky said...

You look beautiful, Lelly--great pictures!

P.S. Love your Seussian thought above the comment box :)

The Monkeys said...

We were just in Corolla for the week. We learned on the first day to put more than one coat on sun screen on in a day! It was lovely, though. We sure did enjoy being there!

Anonymous said...

I want to go to a beach wedding! Your dress looks killer cute from what I can see- very flattering.

Barb said...

Hi Lelly,

I've been away, but 'scheduled to post' kept me on track yesterday. Your windblown hair is beautiful, and your dress as well.
No wonder your home is such a popular tourist location, isn't sun and sand what everyone looks for in a holiday?

Aranne and Dan said...

I am new to the SPT thing, but I found your site from Marathon Bird and it sounded way fun so I thought I would give it a try... I posted my first picture and can't wait for week #2! Wish me luck.

April said...

I think that picture of you is just completely gorgeous...I hope the bride wasn't jealous. And your dress was just perfect for a beach wedding.

Love the month-long challenge again...you are sooooo brilliant!

Kelly said...

I think this is a beautiful windblown picture of you!

I jumped back into the challenge this month -- it was about time! I really love the monthly themes.

carlo said...

STUNNING pic of you, friend.

seriously beautiful

catching up at some point.

(i will catch up, won't i?)

Neighbor Jane Payne said...

Lelly, I love your topics (last month's and this month's, too). I wish you knew how much I have gained through SPT's. So much more than just an out-lined post once a week...so much, much more...and I have you to thank, thank you.

These pictures of you are oh, so pretty.

Shelly said...

I have loved this program for months!

I'm a blog stalker of many of your sites ~ visiting them daily. I know I need a life but I love seeing how the "creative" people live!

Laurie said...

Love your dress! And I'd love to visit your neck of the woods.

A beach wedding sounds beautiful (and fun).

Amanda :-) said...

Ding dang do! Look at you! I think you look perfect for a beach wedding. I'm no good in the sun either. We spent a week in Lanzarote once (off the West coast of Africa) and I was sooooo bored just sitting in the sun. I noticed a lot of mums at school are wearing fake tan right now. How do I know that? Well, you just KNOW, don't you? Haha!

I sympathise with you going to a beach wedding in JUNE - my brother chose to get married (some years ago) in Barcelona in AUGUST! Argh, how HOT was it? It was like 'Ice Cold in Alex'!!!

me said...

Fun challenges, thanks!

Chris said...

Wow I can't believe there are 34 people this time. I need to look at all of them.

MaryRC said...

What a lovely place you live! As much as I love the sun, I do protect myself from damaging rays. I am fortunate that I dont burn easily, in fact I've only ever burned my farmers tan once. It probably needed to be done.

I am new to SPT! My sunny post is a little late, but I am so looking forward to water! I may even have to make a trip for my portrait!

Appreciate you!

Alisa said...

I love your windblown hair-
I think a beach wedding would be beautiful- ahhh