Last Day at HBSP

     Well, we've sorta packed up in preparation for heading home tomorrow.  It was cold (relatively speaking) this morning...38 degrees, but it warmed up nicely in the afternoon sun so we wandered over to the causeway between the fresh water marsh and the salt water marsh.  It's a birder's paradise, and it's pretty convenient for those who feed on them.  There were hundreds of birds: pelicans, egrets, ibises, herons, assorted ducks and, lurking in the bullrushes, a sizeable old alligator.  We had left the dogs in the bus, which probably was a good idea.
     We are still eating Thanksgiving leftovers, so tonight I'll saute up a pan of smoked turkey sausage, veggies and rice.  Tomorrow the bus goes into storage for a couple of months.  The next trip will be to Red Bay, AL and points south in February

Thanksgiving 2010

     What a great day!  Eat your hearts out, SkipnDonna.  Everything went like clockwork.  We ate at 2:30 and all ingredients and the weather cooperated perfectly.  Jeri's stove has three burners and ours has two.  We used them all.  Mashed potatoes, butternut squash, turnips (rutabagas, if you will), cornbread stuffing, gravy from Trader Joe's, a bottle of Riesling and, of course, a fifteen pound fresh turkey (deep fried).  There was just enough peanut oil and just enough propane so disasters were averted.  After a suitable respite, Jeri produced an apple/pecan streusel pie a la mode for desert.
     The first picture shows Cindy and our next-door neighbor campers watching the Patriots.  As regular readers know, I'm usually behind the camera.  Thanks for the third picture, Jeri.  As you can imagine, we will be doing a replay tomorrow.  Nobody wanted any turkey sandwiches tonight.

Thanksgiving at the beach

     We decided to spend Thanksgiving week at Huntington Beach State Park in Murrell's Inlet, SC.  Cindy and Jeri Johnson are joining us, but Skip and Donna Anderson had to cancel out.  I'm going to fry a turkey, but the rest of the ingredients will be pretty traditional.  I suppose a 70 degree, barefoot walk on the beach would not qualify as traditional in some circles, but you make do with what you have.  I'll get some turkey pictures tomorrow, but today you'll have settle for Baxter.  We didn't feel that an energetic romp in the water would be too good for Belle, so she stayed in the bus.  The caption for the middle picture is,"Oooh, a jellyfish!  Do I eat it or roll in it?"  Actually, when I called him off it, he left it alone.
     We hope you have a great Thanksgiving.

More backyard wildlife

     This morning I was putting the finishing touches on a nice breakfast when Durelle said,"We've got a photo op if you're interested."  I put down the spatula, picked up the camera, slipped outside in my bathrobe and snapped the shot of the eagle with a nice blue sky background.  The picture of the two deer was taken yesterday.  They are out there many mornings. 
     The breakfast was to fortify Durelle for her first round of golf in three (!!) months.  She and Cindy played at the Charleston Naval Weapons Center (in shorts for my Maine readers).  With the help of a mulligan she recorded a 93.  After golf I met them at a favorite Mexican restaurant.  No supper tonight.

Two weeks at "home"

     We have been back for two weeks and it is past time to post a blog lest my loyal readership forgets me.  We are getting caught up on all the usual chores that follow a long jaunt in the bus.  We've been to the doctor, the dentist and the vet (for Belle and Baxter).  Prescriptions have been renewed and some have arrived.  Teeth have been cleaned and I have a new temporary crown.  The pups are doing fine although Belle is slowing down unless there are geese or a deer in "her" back yard.  The bus is at the shop, mostly for wash and wax, but Dometic will ship on Monday a new toilet to replace the cantankerous one we lived with all summer. 
     Last Saturday we had a pass to the Nationwide golf championships at Daniel Island.  Mostly we sat in the bleachers behind the 17th green.  Bud had a promotion whereby a birdie on 17 meant 15 minutes of $1 beer.  The birdies kept coming all afternoon.  Bud wasn't suffering, however.  At a buck for an 8 oz. Bud Light, they were still making money.  When I got up to get our first beer the folks behind us tapped Durelle on the shoulder and said,"Aren't you the Colters [sic.] from NH?"  We had met once before at the model home in 2003 as we prepared to move here.  I had no idea that the backs of our heads were so memorable.
     Today we went to a sports bar north and west of Mt. Pleasant to watch the Army-Air Force game with the West Point Society of Charleston.  Since I had spent four years at USMA and five years at USAFA, I could go either way.  I was rooting for Army and we lost by 20.  The first picture was taken in the bar when Army was leading.  We got home for a supper of soup and sandwich and a wonderful sunset.  The flower is a bit of an oddball.  The local informal name is Confederate Rose.  I have no idea what it really is.  A neighbor gave us a couple of shoots before we left and they have been unattended all summer and are now six feet tall.  It's really a bit of a weed, but it suddenly produced a nice blossom.
     I just finished reading, and can recommend, "Porcelain on Steel" by Donna McAleer.  It is a collection of a dozen or so stories of women graduates of West Point. It is a diverse assortment of accomplished women and I think many of you would enjoy it on a number of levels.  Kindle $9.95.
     Keep in touch.