Wood Stork's Southern Stroll ...

 “Wild beasts and birds are by right not the property merely of the people today, but the property of the unborn generations, whose belongings we have no right to squander.” 

                ~Theodore Roosevelt

                    ~1858-1919

                  ~ Naturalist & Conservationist

                       ~26^th President of the 

                         United States of America

                              ~ 1901-1909

A Wood Stork strolls through the beautiful Lowcountry of Beaufort County, South Carolina on a late October afternoon.

The Wood Stork is a large wading bird in the stork family. Large, white Wood Storks wade through southeastern swamps and wetlands. Although this stork doesn’t bring babies, it is a good flier, soaring on thermals with neck and legs outstretched. This bald-headed wading bird stands just over three feet tall, towering above almost all other wetland birds. It slowly walks through wetlands with its long, hefty bill down in the water feeling for fish and crustaceans. This ungainly looking stork roosts and nests in colonies in trees above standing water.

 

Afternoon On The May River ...

“These are the days that must happen to you.”

   ~ Walt Whitman

    ~ 1819-1892

People take in the quiet beauty of a late October afternoon in the Lowcountry along the May River at Bluffton Oyster Factory Park, Old Town Bluffton, South Carolina.

A sign on the pier cautions, “Slow You Are Responsible For Your Wake.” A wake is the term for the disturbed water left behind as a boat moves through the water.

Bluffton is situated on the north bluff of the May River, giving the Beaufort County town its name. The river winds through the Old Town area of Bluffton, which locals call “the last true coastal village of the South.”

 

Dixieland Rock ...

“… The Dixieland rock (Dixieland rock)

Well, the Dixieland rock (Dixieland rock)

Let your hair down, sugar shake it free

And do the Dixieland rock with me …”

                          ~ “Dixieland Rock”

              ~ recorded by the great Elvis Presley 

              for the “King Creole” soundtrack

                                ~ 1958

The rhythm of local musicians brings a touch of Dixieland rock to the Bluffton Farmer’s Market on a warm October afternoon in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

On a personal note, I brought a dried cotton stalk bought at the market home with me to Pennsylvania, and luckily it survived the airplane flight without getting crushed! Today it is in a vase in my livingroom reminding me of Dixie, “the land of cotton.”

Fresh, locally grown vegetables, fruits, flowers, plants and herbs abound at the Farmers Market of Bluffton, a weekly community event where locals and tourists gather not only to buy excellent produce but also to enjoy delicious food, listen to entertainment, and relax with friends. Located in historic downtown Bluffton along Calhoun and Lawrence Streets and through Carson Cottages, this family friendly market showcases local growers, local food vendors, local entertainment, local community causes and local information about the Bluffton area.

The outcome of a grassroots movement that began in 2006, this vibrant market opened in 2008 at the Bluffton Oyster Company Park on the May River and was managed by volunteers. Because of the huge public response and its potential growth, the market moved to its present location. The current site not only serves the public better but also promotes downtown Bluffton merchants to tourists and locals alike.

The market, located in the Historic Bluffton Arts District in Old Town Bluffton, has been an overwhelming success. The Arts District features distinct galleries and offers an experience of eclectic mix of art and artists located in South Carolina’s Lowcountry tucked between Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina.