The Rose

Spring has sprung in the south. My knock-out roses have begun to bloom. The bush behind with the purple/pink flowers are lorapetulum and very popular here. The leaves stay green all year and we have several in our yard.

School Days

My last class for Ecology of the Lowcountry. Today we visited the Waddell Mariculture Center and I found it fascinating. We learned all about the fishing industry and also how fish are affected by the environment. We then saw the tanks where fish are farmed and studied. I hope to come back when it gets warmer and see all the tanks full and being aerated. The middle photo is a white shrimp and we're looking at his reproductive system.

Bicycle Built For Two

Went bicycle riding today near Coligny Beach on Hilton Head. I picked up my friend, Judy Stoogenke and we loaded our bikes on my rack. First I had a dental appointment and then a little shopping. We finally got to the beach parking lot and unloaded the bikes. Drove about two blocks and got off, locked the bikes to a rack and had lunch. Finally we began our ride and drove up and down Forest Avenue which runs parallel to the beach. A beautiful day and good exercise. This good size turtle was relaxing in a pool outside the restaurant.

Oh What a Beautiful Morning

What a beautiful day! Perfect weather to take a walk in the Pinckney Nature Preserve with our friends Jan & Ray Mintz. We walked about two miles on the bumpy road and around some ponds where we saw some big alligators. Also saw American Coots, Moorhens, a neat reddish spider and lots of egrets in the trees. Wonderful!

Rompin' Through the Swamp

My class trip to the National Wildlife Preserve near Savannah. Top is a mockingbird, a wood stork, a purple wild vinca, Bob Wiener near a huge hackleberry tree and Sue Wiener with a large leaf from a Japanese parasol tree. This course is so much fun trapsing through the woods. The sewerage plant we visited was a real treat. Next week is a mariculture center.

Purim On My Mind

Jeff and I participated in a Purim spiel called, "A Ray Charles Purim" written by our friend Stu Blickstein. Our cast of five cavorted onstage for the Shalom Club. It was great fun singing parodies to Ray Charles tunes. I am Peace Queen Esther and Jeff is an African King Ahashvaros and proudly wearing crowns from Burger King that Jeff paints gold.

Big, Bright Green Pleasure Machine

Saw wildlife just driving around Sun City. The young gator in the top and last photo was sunning at a lagoon. The larger gator and egret were near a restaurant lagoon.