Unexpected Faces in Charleston

Hi everyone. Happy Friday to you. This week ended up being very busy for me. Seems like it was one thing after another. One of those things going on was that my other box of bees arrived. This box arrived with  over 95% dead of the bees dead. 😪 I feel bad and so did my postmaster. He told me he doesn't even like bees, but he had turned on the heat in the back room hoping maybe some warmth would revive them if they were just cold.

I left the unopened box in my sunny living room window for the day and added some food for them. The few that were left did revive, but of course the day they arrived it wasn't warm enough to add them to the hive. (Even though it has been warm every day, the one day they come it isn't warm. Figures.)

 I'm worried about how they will do as there are so few of them. When I did add them to my hive I loaded up the hive with extra pollen patties and food. My fingers crossed they'll make it, but they definitely need more bees. I am rooting for them though. 

The good news is my other hive is doing well. Here's a photo from that hive.

Since it's Friday it is time for Nicole's  Friday Face Off and Gillena's Friday Lunch Break. This week let me share some faces from my little journey last weekend. I flew down to Raleigh, North Carolina last Friday, and then on Saturday my friend and I had an early start. We were driving down to Charleston, South Carolina, about 4 hours away to spend the weekend.

Today I thought I'd share some photos from my journey, starting with this guy who decided to cross my path when we visited some spectacular gardens at Magnolia Plantation.

I was walking along, and suddenly Mr. Gator was just a few feet (maybe around 3 or 4)  in front of me, coming out of the water and heading across the path. He seemed to be minding his own business, and I backed up and let him cross. I must admit it was a bit exciting, even if it was a little frightening at the time.

I didn't know there were SO many alligators in South Carolina. The last thing I expected to see was as many as I did at these gardens. We saw so many alligators I lost count.

Magnolia Gardens are considered romantic gardens. I learned that that means they are not formal, and that much of the property was left in a more natural state.  This is what I go for at home, so this garden was right up my alley.

There were some azaleas still blooming, and the gardenias were blooming too. 

And then there were more alligators.

Part of the property is an Audubon natural swamp sanctuary, and we also visited that area. I saw more alligators there, as well as lots of turtles and rookery with wild herons, anhingas and egrets. I'll share those photos in another post, as well as more from the main romantic gardens. 

Let me finish this post with a few more photos. I took a lot here because this was definitely one highlight of the trip for me.

And if you look carefully at this next photo, you might find the gator that was there.

If I missed your post last Friday, I apologize. I tried to get to them all, and I think I did, but if you posted late I might have missed it.

I hope everyone is having a great week and has a lovely weekend too. Thanks  for visiting.