Saturday, December 29, 2012

An Owl Overhead and Bright Lights

Just a few random things to share with my readers. Last evening, as I was lying on the bed, I heard an owl incredibly close and thought he must be in the trees outside in the front of the house. I went downstairs and made John mute his TV show (he was good natured about it, thankfully) and we both heard it clearly. I went back up to the 2nd floor and into the guest room in the dark, opened the dormer window, and peered carefully at the trees, hoping to see its silhouette in the leafless branches. Nothing. Then I heard it again and realized it was coming from above me. I went up to the only room in the 3rd floor - my studio - treading carefully in the dark and quietly opened that window which looked out in a different direction. For a little while I heard nothing and I figured I must have scared it off, because I could not see the silhouette in any of the trees in that area either. Then, suddenly, I saw the moonlight glancing off of his back and the upper part of his wings as he glided down from the rooftop to the trees on the far side of the yard. I thought that was just amazing! Judging from the 5 count of his hoots, it was a Great Horned Owl; a Barred Owl has a 9 count call.

Thursday night, my husband and I had an actual date - an extreme rarity for us because 1. it was in the evening and 2. we weren't going to a doctors appointment! John thought we could go see the Christmas light show at the Roper Mountain Science Center. We would just ride through it in the car, and I would not have to get out. Meanwhile during the day on Thursday, Tabitha was over and she told us about this house with a great light show of its own. She said the owner had decorated the entire front yard and house and then had all of the lights timed to Christmas music played by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, 3 different songs, and his own little spot on the FM radio. So we thought we would see if we could make that too, if I was not too tired, and it was on our way back from the Light Show.

In Charleston, we had gone to the James island County Park each year where they had a fantastic and enormous Christmas light show. Every year it got better, and we remember when it started. Not only were there secular displays, there was also a Menorah, a Kwanzaa display and several Christmas displays of Christ's birth. There were also many very clever other things, displays related to Charleston, some of moss hanging from a tree of lights, a bridge going around the end of a lake, many which seemed to "move",  and much more. It took you an hour or more to go through it, and we often went around at least twice.So, we were looking forward to seeing another good show.

The old Cooper River Bridge in the background, with the new Ravenel Bridge in the front, at the James Island Festival of Lights


All right, friends from Greenville who read this, do not take this too personally, but we were so disappointed. The Roper Mountain show was lame. Yes, lame, I'm sorry. Very secular and repetitious, with only one, maybe two actually clever or artistic ones. What a let down! We were through it in 15 minutes! We drove back toward home, glad that it was a beautiful full moon out and that it was something to enjoy. We decided to go by this place our daughter mentioned, and oh my, was that fun! Here was this modest brick home, with a better planned light show than what we had just seen. We sat transfixed, listening to the music in the radio and watching the lights blinking in sync with the music- quite dramatically in places! I can't imagine being his neighbor, but it gave us a positive ending to our small date. Thanks Tabitha! :)

And if you ever have the chance to see the James Island Christmas Lights in Charleston, please go, you won't be disappointed! (Except perhaps by the traffic!) It's rated one of the Top Ten Light Shows in the US!! Here's a link to see a few of the lights, and you can google for more images - Lights . And it's still only $10 a carload!

More about Christmas in my next blog!


Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!

4 comments:

  1. I'm glad you got to see the house one! I'm not impressed by the Roper Mtn show either :) I've only been once and stopped going after that.
    Love you!

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  2. Thanks so much for sharing,such beautiful lights. Wish we had some that nice up north here. Just too far from the big cities.
    I am looking forward to a slower pace in the new year. Just too busy !
    Wishing you and yous a Happy and Healthy New Year.
    Hugs

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  3. So wish I could ride around and observe things! Thanks for sharing every thing, because I can live through it to, in my heart and mind! Love you bunches!

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  4. I meant to share that I have an owl that hangs out at night in the dead oak tree by the fence near the back door. He sounds like he is in the house when he starts hooting. I haven't gotten a photo yet but hopefully soon I will. Love you!!!

    ReplyDelete

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