Winter in Bluffton: Fires. Oysters. Christmas bird count. Now let’s roar in the Twenties!

This is my favorite time of year. The weather cools off and I enjoy the great expectations for our Thanksgiving feast and the joy that Christmas brings. There will be cozy fires inside many houses and outdoors in Bluffton yards while May River oysters roast and families and friends gather to share in the fun.

I went to school in Switzerland, which was a great adventure. At this time of year there, the beautiful cows are brought down from the high mountains to spend the winter in warm barns. The cows are decorated with flower wreaths and large, lovely bells that have a beautiful sound. The bells are very pretty and serve a purpose by being melodious so the cows can be heard from a distance in the mountains.

It is a charming sight and everyone is happy, and I think those cows look happy too with all of the merriment.

The heat wasn’t turned on until November in the houses we lived in. There were timers on the lights that turned off in two minutes so one had to get where they were going fast. The Swiss are very thrifty, which can be a good thing at times a bit of a bore at others.

We had very sturdy shutters on all of the windows that were shut tightly, which made us all snug when the snow and wind came howling.

It was a wonderful experience, but there is no place like home.

Audubon

The 120th Audubon Christmas Bird Count is on the horizon.

The count will be held Dec. 14 through Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020.

It is an early-winter bird census that includes thousands of volunteers across the U.S., Canada, and many countries in the Western Hemisphere who spend just one day at their task.

The Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. A membership in this wonderful organization would make a wonderful present for young and old. Go to audubonsociety.org for more information.

Let’s ‘Roar’ again

This coming year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the “Roaring Twenties,” a time when Bluffton was a thriving little town.

Saturdays were bustling with people coming from miles around to shop and socialize.

All of this came to a halt when the Houlihan Bridge was built and travel to Savannah became much simpler.

So Bluffton became a quiet little village, largely overlooked for years.

Now our little piece of heaven has experienced a “rebirth” of sorts and should be celebrated. We can’t bring back the good old days, but we can celebrate the new doors that have opened and the opportunity presented to our children and grandchildren.

I think we should close Calhoun Street from 4 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 31 and welcome 2020 in Bluffton style. “Flappers” welcome ... a jazz band would be swell too!

This story was originally published November 26, 2019 at 11:58 AM.