Visiting with the neighbors _ Pine Wood Snake : 12 '15

Guess who showed up on our kitchen floor  to wish us a Merry Christmas... 

We believe it is a Pine Wood Snake.  

BJ captured it and released it back into the forest behind us

Exploring the Holy City and Beyond: 11'15

No matter how many times we go there, we never get tired of visiting Charleston.   The variety of things to do and see, ranging from the photographing antebellum architecture to strolling Patriots Point, keeps us coming back to the Holy City over and over.

Today We had a great time in Charleston  shopping at the  Marion Square's Farmers Market, and exploring  some of  the interesting shops on Kings Street .

Afterwards, we headed across the Ravnelle Bridge to explore the western end of the  Patriots Point Park.   Then we headed over to the Mt Pleasant Harbor and had some sea crab soup at the Fish House,.  Both locations  certainly provided some great views of the USS Yorktown .

What a nice surprise! 11'15

Aren't the new earrings my daughter gave me for my birthday cool!

Visiting with the neighbors one last time 11 '15

The alligators have been basking in the sun all week.  

This fine fella is a good nine foot in length and has been snoozing on the banks of the first retaining pond  right after we pass the plantation gates.

This is his only slightly smaller sister who lives about a block away in the next pond along the road.   I got close enough to capture her smiling face.  It sure looks like she is enjoying the last days of our Indian Summer weather.

The temperatures are supposed to get down to freezing this weekend so this may be the last time we see these neighbors until next Spring.

Cera Sushi is The Best!: 11'15

We are overjoyed hate this sushi restaurant had opened up in the Hammock shops.  We've eaten sushi all over the world ( including Japan) and the sushi we had here is absolutely right up there at the top.  The decor is sleek and modern with soothing ocean colors and a beautiful wide screen display of swimming tropical fish right behind the sushi chef's counter. The fish is fresh and delicious, the menu imaginative, and the presentation spectacular.  It really is some of the very best  sushi we have ever eaten.

Sedona Series now on Exhibit 10 ' 15

Eight of CC's Sedona Series' Oil Paintings are now on exhibit at:

the Seacoast Artists Gallery  

3032 Nevers Ave. Myrtle Beach, SC

Date Night at the Jerusalem Restaurant: 10 '!5

"Oy Veh!" Bruce said looking at the hours of operation posted on the outside of the Jerusalem Mediterranean Restaurant.  "This place is so Kosher it closes at 3 pm on Friday, and doesn't open again until Sunday."

When we stepped  through the door of the restaurant we found ourselves surrounded by decor imported from Morocco:  hand-painted tiled walls; hand-embroidered art work, were everywhere.

Authentic Moroccan potter, including dozens of tangines, decorated the walls .

Yards and yards of flowing fabrics draping from the ceiling;

 a traditional family-style dining area with lowered tables surrounded by authentic Mediterranean poof cushions; and comfy padded booths with hundreds of pillows.

 The three dining rooms and full bar are adorned with hand-blown glass chandeliers that will leave you awestruck.

Our waitress, Chelsea,  greeted us as soon as we stepped through the door and told us we could seat ourselves wherever we liked.  As soon as we were settled at a table she brought us our menus .  Bruce grinned from ear to ear when she handed them to us as though they were to read from right to left.

'Talk about eating Kosher', BJ said.  'It says on the menu that this is the only Glatt Kosher restaurant in the Carolinas, and that the Rabbi comes in daily to inspect the restaurant and the food preparation. , 

"Actually, sometimes he comes three times a day to make sure everything is up to kosher standards, said Chelsea".  "Even our wines are kosher", she said, nodding toward the sparking cocktail lounge.

Now it was my turn to grin.  A beautiful exotic,atmosphere and a clean healthy environment .... what more could one ask for from a restaurant?  Why good food of course.  And that, they have!

We ordered Turkish Cigars  and Babaganush  for appetizers and  Lamb, beef kabobs with saffron rice for our entrees, and two of their beautiful hand made pastries.The Naan and salad were complimentary.  The meal was served warm and everything was delicious,  but the serving portions were enormous.  We  wound up taking enough home  for an entire meal on Saturday evening.

We would certainly recommend The Jerusalem Mediterranean Restaurant to any one. This restaurant has very authentic decor and atmosphere. Our food was amazing. We felt like we had been transported to Jerusalem.  Our only regret is that we came for lunch when the lounge was not open.  We would love to come back at happy hour, sit on cushions and eat at one  of the lowered tables while sipping a glass of kosher wine. 

Hickory Knob State Resort:gold Course 10 '15

BJ on the 17th Tee off

Today we played the Hickory Knob State Park Golf Course which  is nestled along the shores of Lake Thurmond.   Located in South Carolina on the South Carolina / Georgia border, this is a challenging 18 holes for golfers of any skill level.

The huge  Lake Thurmond Reservoir Lake serves as a defining feature of this challenging course.  As you can see from the map  and photos below,  the waters of Lake Thurmond are visible or come into play on every hole. 

In order to score at Hickory Knob,  one has to be prepared to hit a variety of shots.

 There is a tremendous assortment of slopes, contours, fairway widths, and bunkering.

Also competing for your attention is  gorgeous scenery,

 Fall color

and wildlife 

Fortunately, Bruce brought his 'A game today' 

BJ on the 17th green

and he played very well on this challenging course.

BJ on the 18th green.

And me.. well I just played every other hole , 

so I had time to take photos of all the beautiful scenery.

Hickory Knob State Resort Park, Guillebeau House: 10 '15

This historical cabin is located directly across the street from the cabin where Bruce and I are staying.  It has a interesting history.

Late in the 1700's the French Huguenots came to this area looking not for gold, but for the golden opportunity of a new world free from religious persecution.  They settled within the boundaries of the Old 96 District McCormick County, living and worshiping in a section named after their homeland in France, New Bordeaux.

In the late 1770's the Guillebeau House was built by Andre Guillebeau and his wife in the Mt. Carmel area of McCormick County.  Ancestors of Andre Guillebeau lived in the house for many years.  In the 1930's the house was revived when the remaining Guillebeau descendants decided to hold the Hueguenot reunions there.  These reunions were held for the next several years.

After the Guillebeau family sold the property, Mrs Ina Guillebeau Savage, a descendant of the builder purchased the Guillebeau House in order to preserve it, and donated it to Hickory Knob State Resort Park.    The Guillebeau House is on the National Registry of Historical Places, and has been recognized as one of the top five cabins in America.

The Guillebeau House was rented during our visit,( as it often is)  so we were not able to go inside.  That is too bad; we would have loved to have seen the inside.  Even though the Guillebeau House has been updated with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a modern kitchen, a gas log fireplace, screened in porch, and central heat and AC,  it still contains many antiques of the era.  I bet one can feel a real sense of the past within its walls. One certainly can when looking at it from the exterior .

Hickory Knob State Park Resort 10 '15

Hickory Knob State Park Resort is owned and  operated by State of South Carolina . Located on a peninsula on the banks of the Strom Thurmond Reservoir and the Savannah River,  the resort offers a complete selection of recreational facilities including: archery, boating, camping, fishing, hiking, golf, skeet, swimming, and tennis.  

We are here for a 3 day weekend, and intend to sample as many of the facilities as possible. As soon as  we  arrived yesterday  (after a 4 hour drive), we took off on a hike along the banks of the massive lake which surrounds the park.  We are really enjoying the  perfect fall weather and beautiful scenery.

How our Garden Grows, Fall has arrived. 10 '15

For the past week  we have been enjoying beautiful fall weather. The daytime temperatures are in the mid 70s F.  We haven't seen temperatures that cool for 6 months, and we know it won't last long.  We want to take advantage of  all this fine weather  while we can and are spending as much time as possible in out of door activities,  Yesterday morning I raked up all the leaf litter and set out  pots of fall colored mums across the front flower bed.  Doesn't it look pretty?

Georgetown Wooden Boat Show 10 '15

  

It was a beautiful sunny Fall day today, so Bruce and I went to the Georgetown Wooden Boat Show.  We were over-joyed to see that it was well attended. 

Flooding on Front Street in Georgetown, on Oct 5 2015

This is especially important this year  because,  up until last weekend, this historic little town was still being  flooded by the overflowing river that runs next to its Main Street

Flooded Boardwalk in Georgetown along Sampit River on Oct 5, 2015

The Sampit River was still high enough today to be lapping at the boardwalk along the  river, but at least it was dry  and  safe to walk on.

Live musicians were playing in several locations

The elevated river  seemed to have limited  the number of wooden vessels that  were on  display in the river itself, but all of the street fair activities  were as lively and well attended as ever.

The Harbor Patrol remote control Talking Tug Boat chats with kids.

Children's activities like a talking miniature tug boat ( remotely controlled by a Harbor Patrol officer and built a mini wooden raft to race through a obstacle course, kept the little  people entertained.

People watching while eating at many of the areas street front cafes

 or food stands  is always popular.

Watching master boat builders  in a timed competitions to build a dory is always a hugely popular event .  Those builders who have a competed their dory within the allocated time  limits, then have to race it across the Sampit River to win the competition. 

And then of course there is the pleasure of being able to get up close and personal with wooden beauties  in every shape and form, from those  which  have engines,

to those that do not,

and everything in between.

BJ by a viking-like  oared  wooden vessel