Tag Archives: lowcountry

06/7/13 ~ Susan

Friend or Foe?

Alligator and two turtles at Magnolia Plantation

Friend or Foe

A bunch of spectators, including myself, watched in awe at a peculiar companionship between an alligator and two turtles.  At times, the turtles stepped onto the back of the alligator to sun themselves, unaware of the potential danger lurking there.

Turtles are, in fact, part of the alligator diet, yet they exhibit a strange camaraderie when the alligator is not in the mood for a meal. Springtime is the perfect time for them to share a sunny spot on the shoreline, taking pleasure in their mutual habitat.

Perhaps what is so striking about this strange amity is the dichotomous relationship being witnessed between a friend and a foe—a relationship present in all of nature—the ability to exist in harmony in conflict with singular ambitions.

04/9/13 ~ Susan

Springtime in the Lowcountry

Awash in Bloom

Spring finally arrived in the South Carolina lowcountry (low-lying region along the coast) as plantations and gardens awash with color boast abundant varieties of flora, including azaleas, irises, wisteria, dogwood, and others. The lowcountry possesses an ethereal beauty that is unlike any other, bringing thousands of visitors to the area every year just to witness the fleeting spectacle.

Walking around Magnolia Plantation with my camera, I bumped into one such visitor on the wooden bridge that traverses the swamp, shown in featured photograph “Awash in Bloom”,  sporting a point-and-shoot camera and a bewildered expression on his face. We greeted one another, and then he confessed his extreme frustration at leaving his good camera equipment at home, lamenting, “I just didn’t expect this. I’m not sure how impressed I was with anything until I saw this, right here, right now! This is amazing!”