It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life."
Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating this supportive community
of teacher-writers!
We walked the Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge in the late afternoon, about an hour and a half before sunset. I took so many photos of this glorious area, where you are surrounded by salt marsh and tidal creeks. I could imagine what the Lowcountry terrain looked like before all the developers discovered this jewel of the south.
Our first wildlife encounter truly startled us, when an armadillo crossed our path – right in the midst of all of us. We would see another, later in our visit. I had only seen these as photos (or, sadly, roadkill, out west). What funny little beings! These two seemed absolutely oblivious and uninterested in us; their mission was to gnaw on decaying trees, in pursuit of protein-rich bugs, I suppose.
The trees were rich with all sorts of birds, well-hidden by the pines and Spanish moss. We heard them singing and calling out. My sister-in-law opened up her bird app on her phone, and multitudinous birds were identified – woodpeckers, gnatcatchers, marsh wrens, mourning doves, and so many more.
We walked to a pond on our trail map, and witnessed a gorgeous rookery, filled with white ibis, heron, and egrets, all settling in for the night in their respective tree nests. Let me share a few of my ridiculous number of photos from here –
As we watched from the pond’s edge, my brother noticed a large alligator in the pond…and a baby alligator right along the pond’s edge, much nearer to us. Okay then! This sightseeing is done for the day. We walked quickly away from this precious interlude, thinking these wildlife should enjoy their beautiful evening all to themselves, without the distraction of us.
Another gorgeous day in the Lowcountry.
Looks beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
It really was!! Thank you for commenting!
Such a beautiful place. thank you for the lovely photos 🙂
Thank you! It was beautiful!
Thank you for the lovely photos of a beautiful place.
Thank you, again!
Maureen,
These photos are glorious. Simply stunning. They dovetail nicely into Kim’s post on ecotherapy today. I love being in quiet places like this of an evening. Such places feed my soul. Keep those photos coming. I need to spend more time in the low country. My visits have been too rushed.
Thank you, Glenda! You, too, shared a meditative nature slice – we are all so blessed to have such beautiful places to visit.
Maureen, Maureen! Such beautiful pictures, and so many memories here. Before they built the Cross Island bridge, the track team from the high school would go to PIWR to run the hill there to train. This brings back those memories and also the days when I took Marine Biology at USC. We went to the marsh right there and threw quadrants. We had to make counts of the life inside the square – periwinkle rooted to the base of the Spartina marshgrass – and be able to explain how the marsh is a cooperative ecosystem in that the periwinkle keeps the salt in check so that the spartina can thrive. Oh, the memories in these photos – – I just love that you shared these today! Pat Conroy taught over on Daufuskie Island in a one room schoolhouse there, so it may be worth the ride over there to check the place out. You can only get there by ferry. I taught at the Hilton Head schools for many years, and my father was the pastor of the First Baptist Church there on South Forest Beach Drive. This post warms my heart with memories of where I grew up and raised my family.
Kim, this is extraordinary! My goodness, what connections you have here. My parents retired here, and we were able to see so much of this beautiful place for many years. This is our first time back since 2017. It is very, very special! How wonderful that you ran/trained here in this gorgeous refuge – how I would love to visit here much more regularly!
Wow, Maureen, your photos are truly gorgeous. I do not think I’ve ever seen an armadillo in person. I’ve an idea for a post after reading about your experience. Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh, I am excited to see your next post! Thank you, Barb. It was such a special visit.
Maureen, so beautiful! Thank you for sharing them with us! Glorious. That armadillo is precious. I love that they “seemed absolutely oblivious and uninterested in us.” The birds are amazing, and alligators, too! Wow. I am loving all the vicarious trips I’m taking in March this year!
Yes, those armadillos had no eyes for us – it really surprised me. But, much more preferable than having them be angry with us for interrupting their solitude! Thank you for your comment!