Friday, March 25, 2011

Typical Island Day

Hello!  Welcome to SHIbuckeye! 

 
I was in a dilemma!  I was running out of synonyms and adjectives and in a quandary about how to best describe our new home. I was wearing out words like "beautiful, lovely, breathtaking and wonderful."  It's true, it is all of these, but the words were getting tired from overuse.  I took the easy way out and Googled!  I found words I hadn't thought to use, like resplendent, splendiferous and my personal favorite .... Eden.  Eden is defined as an adjective for a beautiful, peaceful place.  It is that!  That pretty much says it all.  At the moment, it is a riot of blooming azaleas, camellias and wisteria intertwined with silvery puffs of Spanish moss.  Can you see it?  I hope so!  

Live Oak Tree and Camellias at Penn Center
  Yesterday was an extra special day in this peaceful, beautiful place.  I was invited to attend a biological film of Zora Neale Hurston at Penn Center.  For those of you who are new to the blog, Penn Center is a beautiful ...no wait...I'll change that to resplendent, 50 acre historical area on St. Helena.  
Here is the link if you want to go exploring.
http://www.penncenter.com/  The film showing was sponsored by South Carolina State University.  Kristy Anderson, the film maker, was present along with three other panelists from Charleston College and South Carolina State University.   Ms. Hurston is described in their program as "flamboyant, gregarious, unpredictable, outrageous and bodacious."  She was also a brilliant writer.  She wrote several short stories and novels and was a woman who lived beyond her time.  Today she is recognized as one of the most significant African-American writers. I haven't read any of her work but I will visit one of our book stores soon. 

Wisteria hanging from a tree in our yard

Afterwards, I was pleased to be included in a gathering of longtime friends.   Most of the ladies live on St. Helena and those that don't,  live nearby on other Sea Islands.  What an enjoyable afternoon!  The love these women have for each other was obvious.  The conversation was stimulating and intelligent.  There was a variety of occupations represented from journalist to social worker.  Most of them are writers and/or poets.  All of them are creative and educated women...and do they ever know how to cook!  Confetti potato salad with shrimp, Creole meatballs with rice, and a salad as colorful as it was delicious, were only a few of the yummy dishes.  The hostesss'  lovely mother brought homemade cupcakes.  Homemade from scratch.  A variety of lemon, coconut and chocolate.  Oh, my!  Our hostess read a poem she had written to the birthday girl.  It was...and here I go again lacking a descriptive word big enough....so I'll use my old standby of  "beautifully" written and read.  I came home intellectually stimulated, satiated and feeling accepted and well hugged.

While I was gone, Jerry enjoyed a visit from Ohio neighbors. They are visiting their daughter in the Bluffton area and drove over to say hello.  I was sorry I missed them but hope to see them the next time they're in the area.  It's really surprising to me how many Ohio people have either moved here or vacation in the Hilton Head or Beaufort areas.  The local joke here is the last person to leave Ohio for South Carolina is supposed to turn the light out. 


Spanish Moss in the Dogwood tree in the yard

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Thank you for reading SHIbuckeye and visiting with me.  A special thank you to followers and subscribers.  Hurry back and wherever you are...enjoy!!







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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Spring Break!


Hello!  Welcome to SHIbuckeye! 


It has been a beautiful week so far on St. Helena Island with temperatures in the high 70's and a record breaking 88 yesterday.  Mother Nature couldn't have been more cooperative for our spring break guests to enjoy the beach. 


Toes in the Sand

Granddaughter #2 and friends left today after being here a few days.   With Paris Island Marine Base across the bay, it isn't surprising that the Marines landed at Little Beach House a couple of times! 


Beach Walkers


We enjoyed being uninvited guests at a lovely wedding and the girls and I decided it was perfect.  It was a beautiful spring day and the ceremony took place on the beach under the watchful eye of the lighthouse.  There were more people in the wedding party than guests, which made us think the whole family had a part to play in the vows being spoken.  The bride was beautiful.  The reception was in the shelter by the lighthouse and if I know our Island, there was enough food to feed everyone in Beaufort County.  Small, intimate, beautiful and meaningful; what more could a bride want? 


New Beginnings under the watch of the 1859 Lighthouse.


A day on the beach wouldn't be complete without someone feeding the seagulls.  Below a little girl is delighted with the birds flying down and taking food from her hands. 

 
  
Hungry Seagulls




Sandcastles are a sure sign spring has arrived and tourists are beginning to return.







 Soon, we'll need the island's two traffic lights!  Restaurants will be full and tee times will have to be made a few days in advance.  Summer will have returned in all its glory and with it...the tourists and summer people.  How well I remember being one of them and enjoying every minute of our beach time.  I wonder if we'll go on vacation now?  I wonder where we'll go?  I wonder why you'd go on vacation when every day is vacation?  Hmmmm....I wonder...but not for long...time to play!

Thanks for reading SHIbuckeye!  I love sharing our part of the world with you.  Until next time, wherever you are...enjoy!


 



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Thursday, March 17, 2011

Time Out for March Madness


Welcome!  I'm glad you're here!  
 

Greening of Forsyth Park in Savannah, Ga

Today is all things green day, whether you're Irish or an Irish Wannabe.  Here in our area, the big celebration is 40 miles away in Savannah, Ga.  Savannah's first public celebration was in 1824 and has been growing steadily since.  Savannah claims it is the second largest celebration in the United States attracting over 300,000 people from all over the world.  We didn't go but we're thinking of finding a hotel room next year so we could see it all without the traffic and parking problems.  It sounds like one of those things we should go to at least once.  I saw enough of it on TV this morning to notice units attend from all over the country, including the Budweiser Clydesdales.  It was a sea of green!  Everyone lining the streets was dressed in green...including the downtown fountain.  Since my husband and daughters are of Irish descent, what a great excuse and place it would be for a family party!


Ohio State Buckeyes Kelly Green St. Patrick's Day T-shirt
Go Bucks!
(image snagged from www.ohiostatefansite.net)

Along with Spring and St. Patrick's Day...March also brings MADNESS!   So far we've managed to cheer WVU and Butler University, two of our favorite teams, through to the next round of the NCAA tournament.  They both played today so maybe a little "Luck of the Irish" rubbed off on them. 

                                             The  Ohio State Buckeyes

 play tomorrow afternoon and I'm hoping they have the same luck.  Maybe  "The wearin' o' the green" would help even if it is a day late. 


Funny how time changes things and yet they stay the same.   Niece Andrea on  http://lilkidthings.com/  made green pancakes for her family this morning.  It seems like yesterday I was doing that!  The girls and I always looked forward to those yucky green things on St. Patrick's Day.  If we didn't have time for them in the morning...it was green eggs and pancakes for dinner!  Now that we're watching calories and cholesterol, it's green oats or nothing!

Happy anniversary to our favorite sister and brother-in-law!  Forty four years ago today, daughter #1 and I were wearin' the green as their matron of honor and flower girl.  Wow!  Congratulations you two...what a great job!  We love you!  Congratulations also to their son, daughter-in-law and grandsons for raising them right. 

Sharing my favorite Irish blessing.

     
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Happy St. Patrick's Day y'all!  Thanks for reading Shibuckeye...hurry back! 




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