BEAUFORT AND HILTON HEAD

Just outside Savannah we visited a beautiful and historical town....Beaufort.  We took a horse carriage tour around the city and took lots of pics.  During the Civil War time....Clara Barton even opened a hospital and a nurses' training school there.  

Houses with beautiful double open arms entry way stairs were found here.

The small building behind the big house was called the cook house.  The food was prepared in these by the slaves.  There was a big fear of fire so people wanted food to be cooked away from the big house.

This long branch from a live oak tree was used during the 1800's as a hanging branch.....for people.   

Gorgeous and ancient live oaks with branches bending in such exotic shapes.

gorgeous wisteria

It is believed that the name Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind was taken from this beautiful inn. 

A beautiful day spent biking on Hilton Head beaches and in the town.  The sand is hard packed and perfect for bike riding.

common gallinule

Cute sanderling

All over the south...from South Carolina on down.....we saw these cone shaped burrows.  Come to find out they are from the exotic South American species...FIRE ANTS.  Very scary to see just how widespread they are......everywhere you look there are these cone shaped ant "hills".  More like small mountains.  They are taking over.  
They were accidentally introduced in Alabama about 60 years ago.