Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah

Picking up in the middle of Hanukkah. Hadassah held its first online party complete with goodie bags, singing and menorah lighting. Jeff and I enjoyed latkes twice and ate enough oil to last until next year.

Another week mostly in the house and daily walking in very cold weather. At least we did not have snow as they did in the northeast.

My friend Judee recently published a cookbook. It is beautiful to look at and full of her delicious soup recipes. I made the pumpkin/sweet potato soup and love it.

A few ZOOM lectures, meetings and a trip to the gynecologist for my yearly checkup.

Today Jeff, Sirius and I walked at Lake Somerset. Chilly, yet sunny and invigorating.

Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas

Monday morning was the Christmas Bird Count.  This is a yearly event that is the world's largest volunteer project. I was the captain of my team looking for birds on the back nine holes of the Okatie golf course. We woke up to cloudy skies and expected thunderstorms. Luckily the weather turned sunny and pleasant. We saw lots of birds and here are a few favorites. On the way in my golf cart at 7:00 am I saw this majestic deer posing at the far end of a nearby lagoon.

Not a bird - Fox Squirrel

 An Orchard Oriole in a backyard feeder along the course.

Brown Headed Nuthatch

Great Blue Heron

Pine Warbler and ?

Hooded Merganser Duck who was swimming with a female.

Happy Birthday

Today is Brian's birthday and also Pearl Harbor Day. It turned out to be a happy, eventful week as Brian and Rori told us that we will become grandparents of a baby boy this spring.

I started off with a Bird Club board meeting. and later Hebrew class. In the evening I went to a fun ZOOM from Hadassah on making latkes. Tuesday was more meetings as was Wednesday with the Hadassah board meeting and Bird Club membership meeting. Jeff went to see his orthopedist and had his sling removed. He will start physical therapy on Saturday and then go three times a week.

We had a special visitor at our feeder - a Pileated Woodpecker. We have had two or three in the yard but this is the first one who had a snack.

Finally it is Thursday and the first candle for Hanukkah. I have been busy addressing and mailing cards for Hanukkah and Christmas. In the morning Sirius and I saw a red fox on our street.

Sun City sponsored a celebration with a large aluminum menorah set in Town Square near the Christmas tree. Jeff and I went, but avoided going inside the Pavilion where they were serving latkes and hot cider. The program was pleasant, but it got a little crowded and we should have stayed home. When we got home I made a huge pile of latkes and we ate them all! 

Friday was a beautiful day and Jeff, Sirius and I went to Jasper Park and walked on a trail. At night we lit candles online with Mickve Israel. The Chabad Rabbi dropped off a beautiful Hanukkah Box. It was full of goodies like home made jelly donuts, a chocolate dipped cookie, chocolate coin gelt, a dreidel and an informative booklet. Sadly, I ate all that was edible. Our friends Susie & Art brought over delicious Hanukkah cookies and they are all gone too. OY!

Saturday we did a driveway visit with Lynn and Neal. Today is another gorgeous, warm day and we took a nice walk. Tonight we'll do another online candle lighting with Chabad on Hilton Head Island. Two more visitors.

Great Blue Heron across the lagoon

The Catbird returned

I Love a Parade

 On Monday, Nov 23 we went to a birthday parade. One of our friends, Kay, was celebrating and this is how we do it with social distancing. Friends line up in their golf carts or cars and drive slowly past the house. The birthday gal sits in her driveway on a decorated lawn chair and we all honk and wave and can drop cards into a large bag safely distanced in the driveway. It is a lot of fun.

I am continuing with my conversational Hebrew and enjoying  plant based food cooked and delivered by a local woman. I ordered her delicious vegan meatloaf for my Thanksgiving dinner. On Thanksgiving Jeff enjoyed a turkey breast which he prepared beautifully. It was a little sad as we were alone, but thankfully healthy. It is encouraging that an end is in sight and I mean the vaccine.

The night before Thanksgiving Jeff threw out his back. He was in excruciating pain and I had to get him seated in an office chair and then roll him from the kitchen to the entrance of the bedroom. On Friday he got an appointment with the spine doctor. He will ice his back and suffer until next week when he can get a shot in his spine. He had this about three years ago and it worked wonderfully.

A couple of days of rain and some cold weather. Not bad staying inside. The COVID is really bad now and we are advised not to go to the grocery or anywhere else. I am busy with ZOOM meetings and getting ready to assume the presidency of my Hadassah Chapter. Also involved with planning a few events so this keeps me busy and my mind whirring.

On Wednesday I went to get my teeth cleaned. I hate going inside, but figure keeping my teeth and me healthy is very important and the offices are so careful. Thursday morning I took Jeff back to the spine doctor to get his shot which is done under X-ray. He walked out and declared no pain. I am so happy for him. Friday I gave a beginner genealogy lesson to a friend. I have been spending lots of time on my family trees and I do love it.

Saturday was a beautiful day and we took a drive in the country. We headed to the Webb Nature Center, but it was closed for a hunt. I should have checked before we drove 45 minutes. Well it was a nice drive and good to see beautiful trees and sunshine.

This morning I  guided a nature tour on the back nine of the Hidden Cypress Golf Course. It was cold driving over in the golf cart before 8:00 am. It did warm up a little, but I had on long underwear, a puffy winter coat and scarf to keep me warm. I saw this Red Shouldered Hawk in a tree behind the house before I left.

Then I saw the Bald Eagle posing on my way to the golf course.

Here are some photos from this past week and the nature tour.

Kildeer

Anhinga

Momma gator and large babies

Downy Woodpecker

Cute Carolina Wren

Male Cardinal

Baltimore Oriole

House Finch

Black Bellied Whistling Ducks

Goldfinger

 I took this photo last winter on a nature tour on the golf course.

Bird is the Word

Thursday was a gorgeous day and Sirius and I took a long walk. We saw these wood storks near the Hidden Cypress golf course.

The boardwalk looked so pretty in the sunlight.

And a little fall color in the trees

Sirius had a bath and grooming and looks so handsome in his bandana.

This live oak tree showing off Spanish Moss.

In the afternoon I had a meeting in Riverbend and these turkeys were resting alongside the road.

So lucky to see the eagle's nest every time we go in or out of our street. I caught one of them in the nest.

Another walk with Sirius on a different route. We walked on another boardwalk and saw bald cypress trees and the golf cart bridge in the distance.

A cute little guy with yellow streaks.

On Saturday we went to Fish Haul Beach with Lynn, Neal and their dog Maggie. The weather was perfect and people were in the ocean swimming. Lots of dogs and Sirius was well behaved.

Pelicans fishing

A lazy Sunday and a real treat as a beautiful Osprey was fishing in our lagoon.

Skybird

This is all about birds. The title is a song by Neil Diamond. A regular Monday with an OLLI class in the morning and Hebrew lesson in the late afternoon. In between Sirius and I walk and enjoy the beautiful weather. So many birds are coming to our backyard feeders.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Female Cardinal

Downy Woodpecker

Black Capped Chickadee

 

Pine Warbler

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Pine Warbler

Yellow Rumped Warbler

Pine Warbler

Brown Thrasher

Tuesday was a busy day as I led a Nature Tour in the early morning and Sirius went to Sandy Paws for a bath and grooming. It was the coldest day we have had this season with weather in the low 40's. I mistakenly chose not to wear a winter coat and gloves. So I froze in my heavy sweatshirt and jeans while I drove the golf cart to the Okatie Golf Course. I arrived at 7:00 and had a fun time on the front nine holes of the course. We got close to many birds who were anxious to pose for photos. It did warm up a little and turned out to be a pleasant day.

Great White Egret

Cormorants in a tree

Little Blue Herons

Two Nuthatches in a tree

Wood Stork posing

Great Blue Heron

Fox Squirrel

Leaving after the tour I saw this Anhinga sitting on a bench. Funny!

Great Blue Heron

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Driving home I saw these Pied Billed Grebes swimming in a large lagoon. They are the smallest ducks and so cute. They dive completely under the water to fish and then pop up and swim again.

A special treat were this pair of Ring Necked Ducks. I took a zillion photos and find them gorgeous. Notice the tri-colored  beak and bright yellow eyes. They also dive under the water to fish.

And almost home I saw one of our resident eagles in a tree near the nest.

Today was cold again, but sunny and clear. I had a class in the morning and then we had a picnic lunch at Lake Somerset with Jan and Harvey. Spent the rest of the day admiring our new toaster oven and hanging out.