Beneath So Kind a Sky: Edith Inglesby’s Summer in the Lowcountry
Imagine the hush of dawn over the Lowcountry—the silhouettes of herons perched in the early light and the first notes of a Carolina wren drifting through the air. Edith Inglesby’s words draw us into these moments, capturing the gentle beauty and quiet drama of summer mornings in Bluffton, Hilton Head, and Beaufort.
First light, low tide at Fish Haul Beach.
Let this space be your invitation to slow down, notice the golden plumes of a night heron at sunrise, and rediscover the wonder that still lives in every corner of Carolina.
A Corner of Carolina
First published in 1968, A Corner of Carolina: The Four Seasons in Hilton Head Island, Beaufort and Bluffton by Edith Inglesby—with evocative illustrations by Jim Palmer—captures the beauty and wonder of the South Carolina Lowcountry through every season.
In the chapter “Summer: Beneath So Kind a Sky,” Inglesby’s lyrical prose and keen observations invite us to experience the region’s birds, landscapes, and quiet moments of transformation. Her writing blends natural history with poetic reflection, offering a window into the rhythms of Bluffton and Hilton Head as they once were.
Join me as I explore her summer chapter, revisit her favorite birds, and reflect on the enduring charm of a Lowcountry morning “beneath so kind a sky.”
A Life Rooted in the Lowcountry
Edith Inglesby was born in Savannah in 1898 and, after a career in newspapers and libraries elsewhere, moved to Beaufort County in the 1950s to live on the May River with her sister Charlotte. Their riverfront cottage became a gathering place for artists, naturalists, and neighbors, and the sisters were remembered as “emblematic of the way Bluffton used to be.” As Babbie Guscio wrote in the Hilton Head Island Packet, “The Inglesby sisters were like characters in a book—the kind of book you should have read in high school. They were not bizarre in any sense, but they had quite a bit of charm. The Inglesby sisters lived on the May River in a cottage ...” Edith and Charlotte never married and fascinated generations, like “characters who’d stepped out of a Charlotte Brontë novel”.
Edith’s deep curiosity and reverence for the natural world found its fullest expression in her writing, which continues to inspire readers and birders alike.
The Artistry of Edith Inglesby’s Prose
Inglesby’s style is both elegant and accessible, marked by the precision of a naturalist and the soul of a poet. She writes with a gentle lyricism, often beginning sentences with invitations—“We welcome summer birds”—and unfolding her observations with the cadence of someone who has spent a lifetime listening and watching. Her prose is rich in imagery, yet grounded in the rhythms of daily life in the Lowcountry. Jim Palmer’s illustrations complement her words, together creating an immersive sense of place.
Summer: Beneath So Kind a Sky
The chapter “Summer: Beneath So Kind a Sky” is a love letter to the season’s birds and landscapes. Inglesby’s keen eye and lyrical touch bring each moment to life:
“We welcome summer birds. At twilight the yellow-crowned night heron is colorless as he feeds in the dusk; but touched by morning’s sun his head plumes are a gleam of gold.”
—A Corner of Carolina, p. 102
Yellow-crowned Night Heron stalking ghost crabs in the sand dunes at sunrise.
She continues, “The summer tanager is with us again. Discovered in this section by Mark Catesby in 1731, he was dubbed ‘summer redbird.’ But he is poppy-colored, not the vermillion of the cardinal, and while he hasn’t the latter’s amazing repertoire, his liquid song is lovelier we think. The perky little Carolina wren, our official state bird, is an engaging neighbor practically year round. Now his music is everywhere.” (pp. 102–103).
Her vignettes are rich with detail and affection:
Southern Flycatcher: “A well-named bird that summers here is the southern flycatcher. He darts about with the greatest speed capturing his food on the wing. An interesting thing about this bird is his predilection for cast snake skins. No one knows why but they are always present in his nest.” (p. 103)
White Ibis and Osprey: “Late afternoons in summer bring a special delight… the flight of the white ibis when, after a day at their feeding ground, they return to nightly haunts. Very often at this time we see the osprey. Dark on top, we see only the white flash of neck and undersurface as from high above he hovers on heavily beating wings, then plunges into the water, throwing up a cloud of spray as he seizes his fish. He keeps the same nest making yearly additions until it reaches considerable size. Each summer we watch it grow.” (p. 103).
A Lasting Legacy
Edith Inglesby’s work endures because she marries careful observation with reverence for the land. Her writing is never just a catalog of species; it is an invitation to see the world as she did—alive, interconnected, and always “beneath so kind a sky.” For those who love the Lowcountry, her words remain a touchstone, reminding us that its beauty is found as much in quiet moments—a heron’s plumes at sunrise, a wren’s song at dusk—as in its grand vistas.
Tricolored Heron at sunrise.
Edith Inglesby’s “A Corner of Carolina” is a testament to the power of attentive observation and lyrical storytelling. Her life and work continue to inspire anyone drawn to the living tapestry of the South Carolina Lowcountry.