Happy Easter World!!!

What a wonderful day gang!!  We are absolutely engulfed in the wonder and glory of spring over here in our little  corner of the world.  For those not familiar with the manifestations of spring in beautiful South Carolina, it's like this - if you can survive "pollen season" without your sinuses exploding, you will be treated to the most magnificent display of color you could imagine thanks to Camelias, Azalias, Dogwood, Tulip Trees, Begonias, Pansies, Vinca, Salvia and about a zillion other gorgeous species I can't begin to name. One of our very favorites is this incredible display of lillies that appear in the woods below our house.   And this year, with some perfectly timed rainfall, we managed to escape the pervasive yellow pine pollen and so far the budding oaks have not been too bad.  It is a time when you can ride around beautiful suburban Ridgeway and see quite a floral display.  It is clearly a time of renewal and resurrection, re-birth and new beginnings.  For those of us who embrace Christianity it is a time of special significance - a time when we celebrate the fulfillment of a miraculous promise that gives us unending hope.  But, most of all, it is a time when we are reminded how important it is for us to recognize and appreciate the beauty of our brothers and sisters throughout the world and to celebrate with renewed vigor our quest for human understanding.  There are far too many places around our world where conflict, mistrust, hunger, thirst or poverty prevent us from seeing the wonder and beauty of the earth and that is exquisitely sad.  Hopefully we can all use this season of renewal as a time to re-double our efforts to work for peace.  For two of the SCTravelersX3, it is a very, very special Easter because all of this beauty came just in time for our fiftieth wedding anniversary!!!  Finally out of the "trial period!!"  And - to commemorate the event we will be taking a very special trip in just a few weeks.  I won't spoil the surprise but I will say that we really think you're going to enjoy it!  We'll be cranking up shortly but, for now, let me leave you with this 'mystery fact.'  Among other places, we'll be visiting a county (borough) that is six times as large as the state of Rhode Island making it one of the largest in the U.S. -but - with a population smaller than our beautiful little Ridgeway. Back soon with a lot more!  See ya.