Looking for love

Moving up the Lane

Yesterday I was sitting at my desk looking out the window for the Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes team to come down the Lane and give me a check for a million dollars, or $5,000 a week for life, or whatever they have promised me and a few million other gullible fools who open their e-mails. 
Suddenly, a Great Egret was looking in my front window and walking around my yard. I ran to grab my camera and call my wife to see this large, white eloquent bird with a yellow beak before he disappeared. I went into the yard and took several pictures of this beautiful bird in ours and two other adjoining front yards. It was exciting to watch this bird, especially when he stopped to look with love in his eyes at a metal replica of his species standing in the adjoining neighbor’s garden. When he decided there was no future for him with the replica he moved on. 
In a second yard a couple of small grandchildren came out of the house and startled the Great Egret. He took flight across the street and a few seconds later, still airborne about six feet off the ground, he headed for a golf course that wraps around our house.

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42 Great Shots

Great pictures are a visual delight and these are in that category. I've included one of them below. They are from the 2013 National Geographic 25th annual Traveler Photo Contest,and appeared in The Atlantic, where Alan Taylor wrote "National Geographic was once more kind enough to allow me to share some of the early entries with you here, gathered from four categories: Travel Portraits, Outdoor Scenes, Sense of Place, and Spontaneous Moments. Photos and captions by the photographers. "
Scroll down in the story and Enjoy!

A group of 12-14 hyenas were chasing a herd of 7-8 elephants. The elephant herd included 2 adult females, a few teenagers, and a baby that was a few days old (belonging to one of the adult females). The hyenas were trying to get at the baby. In this picture, the mother is kicking at the hyenas. (© Jayesh Mehta/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest). 

 

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Dining out and orchids

On Saturday evening, just before dusk, we stepped out to take a short walk around the neighborhood and observed a hawk in a tree eating on a smaller bird. 

Earlier in the week, I observed some horses in the Stable Gate section of Moss Creek out in the corral munching on the grass. It was almost impossible to get any horse to look up, so intent were they on eating. 

And we had a bonus from a neighbor who left some plants for us to water as she departed on a trip. We got to witness the blooming of a a couple of orchids.

Shem Creek Park - another recreational gem

Dedicated on October 18, 2011, this is the latest addition to recreational opportunities in Mt Pleasant. This is a magnificent site to visit, walk out into the marsh on a (lighted at night) 2200 feet boardwalk toward Charleston harbor, enjoy the fresh air and the magnificent view of marsh grass, working and recreational boats, birds, and the occasional tanker or cargo ship entering Charleston. The park can be accessed from Coleman Blvd. at Shem Creek. Parking is available and there are several restaurants within walking distance of the entrance to the park

Woody Woodpecker is alive and well

Yesterday while walking from the dining room to my apartment building I heard a woodpecker. I paused and look up in a tree but did not see him. I took a few steps and heard him again and I stopped and looked. I thought he wants me to see him. After a minute or so I spotted him about 30 feet up the side of a tree. He commenced his rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat pecking as I stood there watching and listening. Then he moved about 90 degrees to a new position on tree but hit a soft spot and though his beak was moving in and out, or up and down, there was no noise. He flew away and I walked on to my apartment.
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