Food Glorious Food

 More time and still in the house most of the time. Luckily Jeff and I have lots to do on the computer, reading and TV. On Thursday I took an excellent OLLI class on Reconstruction and the National Parks. One of the park rangers was at Petersburg Battlefield. Jeff and I visited there in January on our trip to Virginia which made the talk very interesting for me. I walked on the nature trail as the weather has been gorgeous. In the evening I had my African American class which I find fascinating and learning so much. Later we watched the presidential debate.

Friday I met Joan at Lake Somerset to go over Hadassah stuff. It is nice to be outside and a plus for living in the south where we have temperate weather most of the year. When I got home we had some excitement as two of my neighbors spotted this young gator hanging near the water drain. 

Later Jeff and I drove to Beaufort where we picked up lunch and had a picnic. We sat on a hillside under a huge live oak tree overlooking the water. It was so lovely and Sirius and I took a nice walk too.

Saturday I attended a Bar Mitzvah on ZOOM for a friend's grandson all the way from Indianapolis. He did a great job. Mazel Tov Rafael! Another celebration today was the 78th birthday of our dear friend, Bob. An afternoon ZOOM got many friends and family together to fete the birthday guy.

Sunday should have been the annual Shalom Y'all Food Festival. Jeff and I enjoy volunteering there and sad that it is cancelled this year. There will be a virtual celebration. There was a video from two years ago that was on a local Savannah TV station about the event.

We did salvage the day with a driveway visit with Judy & Sam, Jan & Harvey.

Monday was a busy day with Jeff having outpatient surgery on his shoulder. He had a large tear in the rotator cuff and thank goodness did not need a should replacement. He will have to wear this cumbersome sling for six weeks and then do physical therapy. He is a good patient and managing quite well. On Wednesday we drove to the doctor's office in Hilton Head to have the bandages removed and permission to take a shower!

Wednesday morning I guided a nature tour on the Hidden Cypress Front Nine. It was a beautiful day and we saw a few fox squirrels, deer, a kingfisher and assorted songbirds and waders. At night I had two ZOOMS and then we watched TV.

Happy Talk

 Monday is a lazy day and time to rest and study for my afternoon Hebrew class. Tuesday was restful too and I spent some time getting ready to host the Hadassah meeting on Wednesday. It will be my first time using screen share and other issues.

Tuesday morning Sirius and I saw two Fox Squirrels walking near Lake Somerset on the pretty path.

Lots of activity at the bird feeders and a lovely Kingfisher at our lagoon.

Male and female House Finches

Camelias blooming outside our bedroom window.

Great Egret visiting our lagoon.

The Kingfisher

Our backyard

So Wednesday arrived and I hosted the meeting and it went off beautifully. Our chapter hosted a national speaker who is co-chair of Youth Aliyah. Her talk was wonderful and everyone learned so much about this project. Our slate of officers for 2021 was approved and I am the incoming president!  Next I had a political ZOOM and then a region Hadassah ZOOM in the early afternoon. After a short rest period I worked on next year's programs for the bird club. I will be the program VP. I had dinner and joined another political ZOOM.

Here Comes the Bride

Today is the most special of all as Brian and Rori got married this afternoon. Their original plans for May were postponed because of the pandemic so they decided to do an intimate "COVID Elopement." They planned it beautifully and had their closest friends as witnesses while we and Rori's family watched on ZOOM. I dressed up we sat at the kitchen table

 It took place in a beautiful park in DC and they self officiated the ceremony.

No photos until the professional ones are ready, but want to say it was incredible to watch them marry and cannot wait until we can be together to hug and say Mazel Tov in person.

Let the Good Times Roll...

 More time spent quarantined, but also enjoying the beautiful weather. Tonight, Friday, October 2, is the festival of Sukkot and we had a driveway visit with Judy & Sam which always cheers us up. On Saturday we attended a drive in Sukkot service led by Rabbi Haas. It was held in a large field adjacent to a church complete with stage and sound system. You could listen to the service from your car radio or we chose to sit on our lawn chairs in the front. After the short service we were invited to individually enter a makeshift sukkah and shake the lulav and smell the etrog.

That night we met Lynn and Neal at Fish Haul Beach with their dog Maggie. it was cool and wonderful.

Sunday night we met Susie and Art at Lake Somerset for an outdoor dinner. We all brought our own food and this is such an easy way to get together with no cleaning or cooking to prepare.

The next week was more OLLI classes, Hebrew lessons and on Monday a Frank Lloyd Wright house tour. It is amazing what we can do these days from our homes.

I do go out to doctor visits and on Tuesday had blood drawn for testing in preparation for my annual physical next week. Then I headed over to the Bloodmobile to donate a pint. Makes me feel so good to give blood.

Birds at our feeders. Titmouse

Downy Woodpecker

Wednesdays are always busy with my MI class in the morning and a monthly meeting of the bird club in the afternoon. At night I had a Hadassah online event and then the Vice Presidential debate.

Thursdays are filled up too with a Hadassah meeting in the morning as we plan a Chanukah party. Late afternoon is my USCB African History class which is always fascinating.

Friday wasn't too busy so we drove to Beaufort and voted! Only waited in line for one hour.

This Saturday was very special as we attended a ZOOM Bat Mitzvah for Massina, granddaughter of our dear friends Sue and Bob. She did an outstanding job and we are all so proud and happy to be able to share as she was on Long Island, NY. Later we had a back yard visit with our friends Jane and Larry. So good to see friendly faces in person, albeit six feet away at least.

Another week and more meetings and classes. Had my physical in person and made it to another year with no prescriptions. Yea! To celebrate I headed back to the Port Royal boardwalk and took a nice walk and some photos.

Brown Headed Cowbird

Snowy Egret

Using a truck tire to create an oyster bed.

Ruddy Turnstone

Next day was the monthly Hadassah board meeting and at night we had dinner with Jan and Harvey on their porch. We bring our own food. It is much easier for me to do that since I am eating a plant based diet.

Jeff took this photo from our back door as the colors are so pretty this time of year.

Friday was extra special as I joined a group from the bird club to walk in Pinckney National Wildlife refuge. We got there at 8:30 a.m. and had the place to ourselves. We walked one mile to the Ibis Pond, saw some birds and ducks and then walked back. Spent two glorious hours there.

Gallinules

Female Blue Teal Ducks?

Gallinule

Female Gallinule

Coots

Osprey

Male Anhinga

Fritillary

I'll end this on Saturday which was our 49th wedding anniversary. We celebrated with a trip to Fish Haul Beach with Sirius. Sirius and I took a walk at the edge of the water and saw some birds. He is my photo assistant and sits still while I take pictures. A great companion except he likes to eat sand which cannot be healthy.

Tri Colored Heron

Snowy Egret

Jeff enjoyed the solitude and ocean breezes.

Later we did a driveway visit with Lynn and Neal, Judy and Sam. We got cards, flowers and a balloon. Watched some great TV including a movie that we loved in the 1980's, The Gods Must Be Crazy. I laughed so hard, a very funny and sweet movie.