I’ve been a lot more chipper the past month or two, and it seems like being cheerful is contagious. I keep having such nice conversations with strangers as I wander around Hilton Head Island. It does a great job of counteracting the harsh reality of the world outside my fragile little bubble (the current US President really doesn’t think he’s qualified to be Pope, does he?).
Much of the day was spent in my usual meditative walking and birding, but Lee and I did go out for a bit of fun, though he was feeling poorly, so he mostly sat in the car while I did things…other than the shopping.
HE wanted to go to the outlet mall. Why? To get underwear. Like a stereotypical husband, he located the store he wanted to go to, and in fewer than five minutes had purchased his favorite underwear and was done. I, of course, had barely started enjoying the wonders of the Vera Bradley outlet. Oooh, aah. I got a change purse and a 70% off blanket that matches my purse. Then I had lovely chats with the staff at the other shops I visited. They were all friendly, and I hope a cheery customer made their days a little brighter (goodness, who is this chipper writer and where did Suna go?).
After a lunch that was either delicious (me) or disgusting (Lee) we found Jarvis Creek Park, which we’d been by many times but hadn’t visited. What an ideal place for me to go!
The first thing I did, naturally, was go explore the trails by the creek. An unexpected sight was a little headquarters for feral cats, with feeding stations, little shelters, and such. I hope they trap, neuter, and release them. The cat I saw was not thrilled to have its meal interrupted.
The trail is beautiful and was chock full of birds. I got to see many of them, not just hear them, too.
The only issue was that I came across an immense fallen oak tree across the path. This was not a tree you could just step over and keep going. No, I had to crawl under it in the only crawlable space. Naturally, it being nature and all that, there was poison ivy and greenbrier all around. But someone had cut the worst briars down, so I guess the obstacle is well known. I checked for snakes and successfully negotiated it. Fun!
But it was worth it. I enjoyed all the ferns and trees.
Once I finished looking at the creek, I went on the paved trail that circles a lake made from damming the creek. There I ran into many friendly people, including a couple with two adorable, portly dachshunds. We had a nice chat, then were startled by a big plopping noise in the lake. It was a very big fish. It turns out the lake is stocked, and is catch and release, so the inhabitants are super-sized. At least next time I was prepared.
I just chatted my way around the lake. When I heard a bluebird I saw a group of folks my age sitting and looking through binoculars. I asked if they’d heard it, and one guy immediately reached for his phone. Everybody has Merlin these days (making life with birds more interesting). They were grateful and told me they come often to look at the birds.
There were many birds to see, too. I saw a Double-crested Cormorant, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (they are so tiny), and yet another Red-shouldered Hawk that was not at all concerned about being near people. It flew right in front of me and landed on a nearby oak. I find it fascinating that the birds here are so much more comfortable around humans than the wilder ones at home. Of course, they encounter many more people on this very wooded but well populated island.
I’ll have to make this park a regular stop when I’m here again. I really enjoyed seeing the beauty. It’s next to the museum that I still haven’t gone to. You’d think I’d have seen everything here, but no, not really. I spend way too much time reading, resting, and crocheting. And it’s the end of the month! Time to finish April on the temperature blanket.
If you read this (and I’m back to being so boring that very few people read), go out and strike up a conversation with a stranger. There’s a good chance it will make you and the stranger have a better day!
The Hermits' Rest 