A Sunset Gift

Do you ever drive by someplace dozens of times and say to yourself, "One of these days I need to stop"?

That's what Dave and I have been saying about this spot, just fifteen minutes from where we're staying. We've passed it no less than twenty times over the past weeks, noticing it each time we drive by, but never stopping.

Until last evening. When we made a special trip there just to see it at sunset.

Up on top of that knoll is something really special, hidden by the trees in the above picture. As we hiked up the hill (it's farther up than it looks!), we soaked in this spectacular view, looking over the island of Brač, and back over to the mainland of Croatia. Stunning!

Up we climbed, passing by this cross on the way. Who made it? Who put it there and when? What were they thinking about as they mounted it there? I always want to know answers to these kinds of questions, and wish I had someone to ask!

More questions...who built those stone fences? Were they shepherds from long ago? How long did it take to build them? Oh how I wish I could go back in time to watch them and find out. My curious mind wants to know these things.

We've seen these stone houses, used by shepherds, in other places on the islands, but few this well preserved. What a building feat, to have constructed that! Did shepherds spend the nights in them? Were they just to get out of the heat during the day? Does anyone use them today??

I had so many questions running through my mind as we swiftly made our way up the hill to get there before the sun lost its glow!

Finally we reached the top, to see what we'd come to see, just as the sun was giving its last light of the day. Isn't that so lovely?!

What a spot for a chapel! The vista is a full panorama from up there. What a glorious place to worship the Lord!

I was about as giddy as I ever get, taking in ALL the beauty up there: the view, the sunset, the chapel, the tinkling of the sheep's bells just below us. If there was one moment that defined bliss during these sabbatical days, it was up here, for those minutes. Simply glorious.

Being the only ones up there at sunset, we put the camera on a rock and set the timer. There was no way we were going to miss a photo together in one of my most favorite spots of this whole trip!

The beauty of God's glorious creation, everywhere, everywhere, EVERYWHERE! I stood there memorizing every bit of it as best as I could.

We waited for the sun to set over the island of Šolta before heading back down. What a lovely way to end the day.

So so SO very thankful for how creative the Lord is! And so happy to share it with my dear Dave, who never gets tired of my exclamations of joy over such things!