A Favourite Place of Mine - What's one of yours?

I have spent many peaceful mornings looking out over this lagoon which leads to the marshes that in turn go out to the inland waterway connecting to the Atlantic Ocean.

I have sipped many morning coffees in solitude on my parents' porch; my favourite mornings were in winter when the temperatures dipped down to a chilly 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Farenheit).

Meet Al. He is the largest alligator that lived in the lagoon.

Bertie is Al's smaller lagoon mate.

He loved to sunbathe on the bank about 3 to 4 metres from my parent's house.

Once, when we were fishing, one of the alligators chased the fish on the end of my husband's line; the gator ran right out of the lagoon and up into the garden where I had been sitting just moments before.

Egrets are another species that graces the lagoon. I love this old man's yellow feet and wind-ruffled feathers.

Herons of all sizes can be seen hiding in bushes or wading for fish.

This immature heron is looking for his next meal.

This blurry picture shows a tree full of blue herons, with one white egret and a black and white anhinga which landed on the tree branch like a baby elephant falling out of the sky, scattering the other birds.

This is a better photo of an anhinga drying its wings after a dip in the water. They love to swim, keeping their long neck above the water's surface. (Photo credit: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Anhinga/id)

One morning I was lucky enough to capture this hawk swooping down right in front of my eyes.

With a heavy splash, he crashed into the water.

Dinner was caught as easy as pie.

Then, the hawk was on its way to feed the family.

I'm sure the hawk would love to get his talons around this big fish that is slowly swimming close to the edge.

Some evenings, the lagoon appeared to be on fire with steam rising from its surface.

My parents enjoyed the good life in Hilton Head, South Carolina; we all enjoyed walking around the community full of majestic trees, tropical plants, lush grass and happy animals.

Under a naked pecan tree, a murder of crows is gathering.

Opposite is an equine centre.

Hello! It's nice to meet you.

The marshes are a favourite place for the birds to look for food. Can you spot the heron?

They are also a splendid sight for the eyes to behold. Here, cumulus clouds form a ceiling over the marshes.

The Spanish moss hanging from the trees is hauntingly beautiful. In winter, red berries add a splash of colour.

In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew struck causing a lot of damage.

This picture of my parents' home was taken the same day as the previous two. As a Brit, I was a little embarrassed at the stark contrast, as their home seemed to be untouched by the hurricane, although a few smaller trees had fallen at the back and side of the house.

Even Batman loves to spend his holidays in Hilton Head. There's no hurricane today Batman! You can relax and enjoy your time on the beach.

Thank you to my parents with whom we have spent many wonderful times in Hilton Head. Here they are enjoying a night at The Jazz Corner, a world-renowned club where one can enjoy a delicious meal while listening to superb live music.