Thanksgiving in Beaufort, South Carolina

Welcome to the spirit of Beaufort, South Carolina!


This is an amazing town where Mrs. Baker, her youngest daughter and son-in-law, Wendy and David Orford live. My dad met the Bakers about 1971. Mr. and Mrs. Baker became second parents to my dad. They've remained close. Mrs. Baker invited us to spend Thanksgiving in Beaufort at their home.


We took morning walks to the pier. It was very beautiful! Note the Spanish Moss on the Live Oak tree.


David with his buddy, Sadie at the pier. Sadie is a rescued Boarder Collie. Wendy has a nack at rescuing strays. Similar to her mom who 'rescued' my dad back in '71. :)


Emily in the front yard on the old fashion swing hanging from a giant Live Oak tree. It was a great thinking spot and a lot of fun!


Here is a picture of Mum with a beautiful Confederate Rose. This rose will begin white, then pink, and finally become purple. Around the Confederate Rose tree were pecans trees. Mum and David picked 40 pounds of pecans! We're now enjoying the harvest and plan on making many yummy pecan dishes.


Mr. David has a golf cart and in that community people of all ages drive it around. My brother and I drove the cart around for driving practice, especially going in reverse!


A vegetarian cooking turkey?? I wonder how he'll carve it? He keeps rehearsing the scene from Horatio Hornblower; where Horatio was told how to cut various kinds of meat: mutton, beef, and MONKEY! NOW, which one is this?


Wendy brought us down to the stables to visit her horse, Rusty.


The two Davids; Mr. David and Dad feeding Rusty and watching us ride.


I've always liked horses, but that day, I fell in love with them! :) Above is me talking to Rusty before riding him.


David sitting on Rusty... :)

It was a wonderful Thanksgiving, a much enjoyed time with family, and a peaceful weekend. We look forward to going down to Beaufort again!! :)

Fall Arrives in Tidewater

Fall is here, jackets are on... the loaner dog with DJ and Emily is a Rupert a Rhodesian Ridgeback.


It's amazing; one week all was green, we were cutting the lawn and then Fall came... tree leaves changed color and fell. Collards were ready to be picked.


Even knowing the biology behind the changes, I'm still in awe at the colors, the changes, the cycles.


The family farmer, DJ, with his Fall crop.

Monticello, Blue Ridge Mts, and Apple Picking in October

After a grueling September schedule we took a long weekend to visit Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's home) and that area. What a great reprieve from the grinds of clinical practices and homework. Visiting Monticello, and finding the peace / serenity that walking the gardens brought, we could see why Jefferson found this place so inspiring.


Jefferson, was a great inventor as well as Statesman. We walked through the same gardens that he tended... and found that he also experimented with cross pollination.


In the early 70s David lived in Washington DC and would frequently camp up along the Blue Ridge Highway - usually at various places where the Appalachian Trail came near the road. We had the opportunity to drive along this road on a Sabbath evening and watch the majestic sunset.


Then what would Fall be without picking apples at Cochran Apple Orchard? DJ and Emily learned to use an apple picker and we all consumed our share of apples.


Well rested, well fed, and special time with God in the mountains; we leave content and head back home. Another successful weekend vacation :-}