Lens-Artists Challenge #123 – Found in the Neighborhood

“You cannot stop the tides from changing.”
Brandon Sanderson
This week Ann-Christine has asked us to share some images of our neighborhoods. As so many of us are confined either by mandate or by choice to our neighborhoods, they have become ever more important to us. The Kiawah image above was taken during our most recent “King Tide”. While it may look like a lovely view of the ocean or marsh, in fact it is a fairway on one of our local golf courses. Needless to say, there was a bit of maintenance required by the course management team before golfers could effectively play the hole.

“The first man gets the oyster, the second man gets the shell.”
Andrew Carnegie
Here in our Kiawah “neighborhood” the marsh is an amazing source of life. We are careful to avoid the occasional alligator as dolphins swim leisurely by, sportsmen fish for the plentiful mullet and redfish, and crabbers use traps to capture delicious hardshells. We also have access to a well-known local delicacy, oysters. In the image above an oystercatcher is hard at work harvesting oysters which will later be sold in local markets or served at nearby restaurants. I have never been able to get past their look and feel to try eating one, but most everyone here would tell you they are a wonderful treat.

“If you think my winter is too cold, you don’t deserve my spring.”
Erin Hanson
As winter descends upon us, it is important to remember that each season has its purpose. This winter more than ever, it will be incumbent on all of us to be mindful of the lurking virus and its ability to spread during indoor gatherings. It is also critically important to remember that while winter’s chill may not be our favorite time of year, the spring will surely follow as it always does. This year, it will hopefully bring a vaccine as well and perhaps a return to something closer to the old (vs new) normal.

“The present generation is the future generation, beware of what you teach them”
J. Nedumaan
I would be remiss when writing about my neighborhood to neglect the amazing birdlife on Kiawah. Our island is a refuge for so many species it is impossible to list them all. I will simply say there is never a day that goes by without my appreciating the wonders of the winged inhabitants who share our little island.

“If the ocean can calm itself, so can you.”
Nayyirah Waheed
Of course, as you may have guessed, I’ve chosen to close with an image of our beautiful Kiawah beach. We never forget how fortunate we are to live in a neighborhood so blessed by nature’s glory. Its restorative power even in the worst of times is an amazing gift.
I look forward to visiting your neighborhoods as you respond to Ann-Christine’s challenge. Please remember to link to her original post here and to use the Lens-Artists tag to help us find you. In the meanwhile, as always we thank you for your support and wish you a safe and wonderful week. We hope you’ll join us next week as Amy brings us Challenge #124.
great neighborhood shots…..we truly r very lucky!!!
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A beautiful post, Tina, you are making me homesick! I really like your sunset shot, the colors are gorgeous and the lone bird standing in the surf is special. I can visual this hanging in your home. 😊
Thanks Sylvia, it was a beautiful Kiawah evening and every bit as special as we both know them to be!
All of the photos are great, but the last one is just marvelous!
Thanks Svetlana, we’ve had some amazing sunsets and sunrises this year (although I miss most all of the latter LOL)
You do live in an area rich in beauty and culture. Thanks for capturing images close to you that seem exotic and foreign to me even while living in the same country. This is such a diverse world and we often take our own areas for granted. Hope you are having a great week. 🙂
Thanks Marsha – I agree, as I perused the many responses this is an amazingly diverse world we live in. Even within our own country the differences are amazing. How’s the house situation coming along?
I’m looking forward to having time to check out other responses. You can learn a lot about geography from just reading your friends’ blogs. 🙂
Such a beautiful neighbourhood TIna!
Thanks Aletta, we are very happy here even in times of COVID
That is great!
Beautiful sunset in that last shot! Yes, I agree with you about the appearance and texture of oysters. I once lived on an inlet where they were farmed but rarely ate them. Also… more hopeful news on the vaccine front today. Yay!
Many thanks Siobhan. and yes, HURRAH for the vaccine news 🤞
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Thanks for such a lovely start to the week. Your images always lift my spirits. We too are blessed by “nature’s glory” which restores our spirits too each and every day during these difficult and challenging times. Warmest wishes for the week ahead. Lots hope for those wretched clouds to pass and for the sun to warm us all again. 💕
My pleasure Andrew, thanks so much. And yes, clouds passing and warmth would be just the ticket for all of us!
This truly is a magical place, Tina. You capture it so beautifully. It’s clear that Kiawah inspires you! I love the image of the spring grasses and the oyster catcher. I’m with you…I really don’t like the texture of raw seafood!! Fried, sauteed, baked…that’s much better! Take care and enjoy the week.
Many thanks Patti – much as I’d like to be able to be able to visit other areas these days, Kiawah does offer lovely stay–at-home inspiration. With the numbers growing to such a frightening extent I’m happy we are at least confined to a place that we love.
So true, Tina. “There’s no place like home…There’s no place like home…”
I love seeing photos of your island. It’s beautiful!
Thanks Nora – not a bad place to be confined, if one has to be. We are fortunate that our weather continues to be warm enough for lots of outdoor activities.
thank you for sharing your neighborhood, Tina. it is beautiful! 🙂 🙂
Thanks Wilma, there is no lack of subjects here, that’s for sure!
Tina, your island life is impressive. It’s a glorious sanctuary.
Many thanks Sally, it has been even more appreciated throughout the time of COVID
I’ve never been tempted by oysters either, Tina, but I’d love to share a sunset like that 🤗💕
😀 thanks Jo – Mother Nature seemed to be trying to make up for the virus with some spectacular scenes these last few months. Personally I’d settle for boring if it meant the virus would disappear!
Here! Here 🤔💕
What Carnegie said about oysters is quite true. The first guy gets the good part, the second guy gets whatever is leftover. Most times, it’s the shell or a bad oyster. I’m not a fan of oysters. There’s something about eating something raw. In Asian cooking, there is condiment, Oyster Sauce, which you can guess includes oysters. But, man, does it flavor a stir-fry awful good. It keeps very well too, especially unopened. My dad had an unopened bottle in his pantry, I have two. I suppose you can chop oysters and add it to a seafood type stir-fry. It would be the last ingredient since they can become rubbery.
O/T: The Pfizer vaccine has issues in that it needs to be cold stored, like -94C. Before use, it’s taken out of the cold freezer, thawed, and has to be used within five days. Any longer than 5 days, the vial needs to be disposed. Since it’s an mRNA vaccine, most likely it needs to be disposed as biohazard waste. It’s likely to be administered in a hospital setting since only they have cold freezers. The one by J&J, their vaccine is refrigerated, much like other vaccines. Don’t be surprised if people request that one. Added plus, it’s a single shot vaccine. All the others are two-shot doses.
Thanks David – yes I use oyster sauce often when we make Asian dishes at home. I think it pretty much lasts forever if my pantry is any indication! Been following the vaccine trials as well and understand the temp issues and the 2 vs 1 shots. The news seems to feel the distribution is well planned but of course we shall see. Let’s hope it’s sooner rather than later.
I really feel like I am getting to know Kiawah more and more over this year Tina. It really is an interesting place. Lovely images as always
Thanks MM, if one has to be confined in place it’s a lovely place to be!
Great images, Tina. I especially like the beach scenes you captured.
Thanks Jane, we’ve been very fortunate with our extra-long autumn weather this year. Hope we don’t pay the price in July!
Lovely collection showing off the beauties of Kiawah, Tina. It is truly a magical slice of the Low Country.
Many thanks Ellen – I know you’re very familiar with the low country’s natural gifts!
How fortunate to live in this beautiful area, Tina. These scenes are so good for the soul and create everlasting indelible memories. Stunning images as usual, my friend. We are currently in San Diego visiting my daughter and it’s 80+ degrees here!
Thanks Terri – we have very good friends (formerly our next door neighbors in NJ) who live in San Diego and visit them every few years. It’s a lovely spot and as he often reminds us, has no bugs 😀. Lucky you for being with family my friend – I’m insanely jealous!
Kiawah is so beautiful as all your many photos illustrate. You have a lovely place to have to stay at home. I don’t think I have ever asked you, how big is the island? Just wondering whether you can walk all around it.
Thanks Jude, much appreciated. The island is 16 km long, 35.square km. We can walk end-to-end along the beach or ride a bike along a paved path from one end to the other. It is heavily tree-lined and beautifully landscaped in the developed areas and most every home has a view of water (either beach, or lagoon, or marsh).
Sounds idyllic. And no hills!
And here you are, Tina, in an absolute paradise! Always, always love your images of Kiawah, and it is almost impossible to choose a favorite. But the sunset…is heavenly. Thank you for taking us, and for me, over here in the darkness of grey, this is bathing in beauty.
Many thanks Ann-Christine. It must take a tremendous strength of spirit to get through such long periods of darkness and I do not envy you on that score. On their other hand you must appreciate your own paradise that much more when the sunshine returns to re-light your world. We try very hard here not to take the natural beauty of our environment for granted, but now especially we treasure it more than ever.
Yes, I see – you are very fortunate! And when spring comes, so are we!
hi tina, you have chosen wonderful pictures for the challenge, I especially liked the first and last picture.
many greetings robert
Thanks very much Robert – many greetings to you as well
I always enjoy viewing your photos of Kiawah. Someday I need to spend more time traveling the eastern coastal states. I’m afraid our changing environment spells trouble for coastal cities around the world.
Thanks very much John. There is much beauty to be seen along the coastal south but you are so right about the environment. Hopefully the engineering studies and consequential changes are happening fast enough to accommodate the approaching seas.
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!! Are the King tides a thing?
Thanks Pam – King tides ARE a thing, much more so thanks to global warming. They occur once or twice every year depending on the positions of the sun and moon in relationship to the earth. Many coastal communities are threatened by them, more so every year. Our neighbors in downtown Charleston have flooding now even on sunny days when the king tides occur. Infrastructure is being built to address the issues.
Wow, that makes me really sad. I had no idea 😢
Yes, sad indeed.
Beautiful images Tina, you live in such an amazing neighbourhood! xxx
Thanks Xenia, we do love to meander on our little island.
Love the ‘next generation’ click and the quote of Nedumaan
Thanks Philo, glad you enjoyed those especially
I don’t think anyone could dispute you live in one of the most beautiful places in the country. I decided to pull up real estate, and I will definitely live vicariously through your photos because less than 700 square feet of living space for a quarter of a million dollars is a little out of my price range. I knew there was a reason I enjoyed your neighborhood photos so much. 🙂
LOL we do have a very successful real estate team and prices have soared during the pandemic with city people looking for an escape. It really is a very special place.
Thanks for making me smile this morning with your images of your beautiful neighborhood.
It makes me smile as well to read your comment Beth, thanks!
The King Tide image and most especially the sunset photo are just to die for. You’re so lucky to be living in this paradise of a place, Tina!
We are indeed Teresa, thanks. Glad you enjoyed these.
Oh yes, I love it…it is an awesome place, you’re so lucky, Tina! But I guess we are all very lucky in our own way!
Wow, you live in a beautiful place! I love all your photos but especially the lush green of spring and of course the beautiful sunset. And you have some thought-provoking quotations to accompany them!
Thanks Sarah, much appreciated!
A great place to live…. and great to spend some virtual time with you, exploring those marshes. In these tough times for all of us, not only has it made many of us look more closely and appreciatively of our home surroundings…. but also these glimpses of distant places to remind us that there still is lots to enjoy in the world. 🙂
A very good point David – as we are all confined to our own locations it’s a way to travel virtually. Not quite as rewarding 🙃but fun in a different way. Thanks for stopping by.
What a wonderful place to call home. If I ever get the chance to visit, though, I’ll join you in not eating the local oysters 😉 . Great photos – of course!
An excellent decision Margaret! Thanks very much.
My idea of heaven would be to live somewhere that has an on-demand source of fresh oysters 😍
Oh my Su, you are welcome to have my share!!!
Wonderful!!!!
Thanks Su!
I totally agree, Kiawah is a wonderful place and you portray it very well.
Many thanks Ana, blessed with some lovely photographic scenery here.
Course management…yikes! Leave the golf spikes at home, pack the waders…lol. A nice look at your neighborhood Tina, love the beach shot 🙂
LOL, course management indeed Andy. Thanks as always, for your visit and comment.
Love that baby Bird…and all your photos.
Many thanks Anita – he’s a cutie isn’t he (or she!)
I love these views of your neighborhood, Tina. I don’t envy the groundskeepers of the golf course once that water was gone. I especially like the “Next Generation.” I feel calmer from just having viewed your photos. I hope you’re having a good week and I share your hopes for that vaccine!
janet
P.S. NOT a fan of raw oysters, either. 🙂
thanks Janet, glad you enjoyed. Yes, I’m sure the cleanup on that one was no fun although honestly most of the water just seeps back into the ground when the tide recedes. As for the winged residents, they’re quite beautiful with their giant blue-grey wings and are fairly omnipresent here. They remind me of what a pterodactyl must have sounded like back in the day. Wishing you a good week as well.
Just headed to my blog to set up my response.
Tina, I accidentally linked to your post. Would you remove my link? Thanks. 🙂
We are so blessed to live in such a beautiful environment! Thanks for sharing some of it’s beauty…
We are that Lauren, many thanks. Glad you enjoyed a short stroll through our shared neighborhood.
‘Cook ‘em Danno.’ (Oysters.) Char-broiled in the shell. Had them at Drago’s in New Orleans. Look it up. I don’t like the slimy, soft raw either. My dad loved them like that. Grrrreat photos! (NICE neighborhood.)
Interesting Carnegie quote. Hard working Scot. Built a lot of libraries. Did his iron workers have time to use them? Dunno.
Hmmm…good point John. I went to college in western PA and there was a beautiful library and estate near the school built by Charles Schwab who became a mega-wealthy steel magnate. He started as an engineer in one of Carnegie’s businesses. Factoid of the day 😊
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LOL, they do that here as well John but I still find them awfully nasty looking. Even fried I cannot bring myself to try them. My loss I fear. The rest of my family adores them!!
I hate the raw, slimy ones, but I have had baked ones with parmesan cheese and spinach in Canada and San Fran and they are lovely.
Yes, I’ve tried them as well Jude but definitely not on my list for a second attempt!!
Oh, ok. Guess oysters are off the menu then 😋
Loved all.. Next Generation was very special..thanks, L
Thanks LeeAnne – we do love it when the chicks are born. That one was quite high in the tree so a very long lens did the trick!
So many beautiful things about that area!
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As you would surely know Sharon! Happily I’m sure you’re surrounded by just as much beauty out there as we are here.
Love your neighbourhood Tina 🙂 where would a neighbourhood be without birds
Thanks Brian – I agree 100%. Like you our birds are our constant companions. Ours are not as colorful as yours but they are just as beautiful. One of nature’s many gifts.
Only some are colourful and some are quite naughty 😀
Same here Brian!
I honestly think you are the bird whisperer…. Golfing with you on occasion has invited me into your bird world….. thanks T
LOL, wouldn’t that be nice! Today on CSQ we saw a flock of at least 50 ibis, maybe more, soaring over the marsh. Nature’s glory for sure.
You have a very beautiful neighbourhood! I love the “next generation’ nest!
Many thanks Anne, it’s a lovely place to be confined, both for us and for our feathered friends.
What a beautiful island to enjoy the lovely view of the ocean, sunset scene, and watching birds.
These photos are all beatufiully captured, Tina. The sunset image is remarkable, my favorite.
Thank you Amy, it really is a lovely little paradise, especially when we have to be confined to it. Glad you enjoyed our sunset.
The sunset is just unbelievable. Great captures.
Thanks very much Anba, one of my favorite things here are the beautiful sunrises and sunsets (although I don’t see many of the former LOL)
I tend to skip sunrises too 🙂