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And the winner is.....Dr. Gary Stewart, from the great State of Virginia. Doc Stew was one of the many folks that correctly named Anne of Green Gables in my recent contest. I want to thank all of you that responded. All correct entries, almost one hundred, were put into my hat with the winner receiving a miniature "Heritage Edition, Porcelain Anne of Green Gables Doll. I look forward to doing something "fun" again soon. LCJoe
My favorite all time movie is Groundhog Day with good old Bill Murray waking up every day to "Sonny and Cher". Now one must understand that Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is just down the road from my old home town and this film takes on special significance to me. So it comes with total and absolute "shock" to find out that my all time idol Bill, has just been arrested for driving under the influence in a golf cart in Sweden.
Now "one" would think that tipping a few while driving a golf cart would be no big deal but in Sweden it is. If Bill is convicted of drunken driving he could end up in prison...(talk about waking up that same old song). But it just so happens that this incident has special significance here on Daufuskie.
Now we know that "no-one" ever has ever consumed an adult beverage while driving our dusty dirt roads back and forth from Marshside Daddy's but lets just say that some folks might "abide" on occassion. Welllllll...it seems that our local "Barney Fife" thinks very unhighly of this dastardadly deed and will slap you with a hefty fine for your open container. Now Lord Forbid a combination of vodka tonics and Budweiser has made your driving habits wobbly and you are brought back to reality with a flashing blue light special. You just might end up with the same fate as old Bill and spend a few days at the Beaufort Hilton.
So the moral of the story is, The next time you are in Sweden for heavens sake don't jump on a golf car after you have heavily drunk whatever they drink in Sweden. And when you are on our fair Island of Daufuskie just make sure when you see a formal looking white SUV anywhere in sight make sure you kill some dust and promply dispose of the evil brew. We dont want any of our visitors waking up each morning to the boring lyrics of "I've Got You Babe".......
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Murray refuses breath test in Sweden
By KARL RITTER, Associated Press Writer 38 minutes ago
STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Bill Murray could face a drunken driving charge after cruising through downtown Stockholm in a golf cart and refusing to take a breath test, citing U.S. law.lice officers spotted the "Caddyshack" star early Monday in the slow-moving vehicle and noticed he smelled of alcohol when they pulled him over, said Detective-Inspector Christer Holmlund of the Stockholm police.
"He refused to blow in the (breath test) instrument, citing American legislation," Holmlund told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "So we applied the old method — a blood test. It will take 14 days before the results are in."
Murray, who had been at a golf tournament in Sweden, signed a document admitting that he was driving under the influence, and agreed to let a police officer plead guilty for him if the case goes to court, Holmlund said.
"Then he was let go. My guess is he went back to America," Holmlund said.
He said the 56-year-old actor-comedian would only be charged if tests show his blood alcohol level exceeded the legal limit, which is quite low in Sweden.
A very high alcohol level could lead to a prison sentence, but Holmlund said fines were more likely.
"There were no obvious signs, like when someone is really tipsy," he said.
The golf cart had been on display for a week outside the downtown hotel where Murray and other VIPs attending the Scandinavian Masters golf tournament, were staying, tournament head Fredrik Nilsmark said.
Murray apparently drove the golf cart to the trendy Cafe Opera nightclub, less than a mile away, and was pulled over on his way back to the hotel.
Nilsmark said the vehicle wasn't intended for guests but added: "I don't hold any grudge against Bill Murray for borrowing our cart for a while."
Cafe Opera manager Daniel Bodahl confirmed that Murray had visited the nightclub late Sunday and said "he was a very good guest."
It isn't illegal to drive a golf cart in city traffic in Sweden, but Holmlund said it is very unusual.
"I have done this since '68 and I've never experienced anything like this," he said.
Murray was among the cast members on NBC's "Saturday Night Live." He was nominated for an Oscar for 2003's
"The sky is falling....The sky is falling"........"Holy Chicken Wings Batman......lets duck for cover"....."What do you mean Robin?"...."Batman.....just read in the paper today that Countrywide Loans might go bankrupt and Wall Street's woes raise fear of inflation and my stock broker said the market was very scary to invest our Bat funds into...and the market went down 1200 points since July 19th", I'm shaking all over Batman......."Oh don't worry Robin......Rest your cape here for a second and let me tell you a quick story.....Remember the ditty of our favorite "egg crusader" Chicken Little. A lowly acorn fell on his feathery h
ead and he thought it was part of the sky and started squawking ...the sky is falling....the sky is falling..... and scared the gaajeebees out of everyone. That's what is happening now. But its not a stupid chicken that also couldn't figure out how to cross the road promoting gloom and doom.....its our newspapers like the New York Times , and ABC News and all those blogs out there that want to make our great country look bad"...."Well why would they do that Batman, aren't they Americans?".......Well Robin....Its called a Presidential election.....Now I know that you and I don't like to talk politics so we can keep our Bat friendship together......But there are folks out there that have a vested interest in making things seem real bad right now". Well Caped Crusader, does that mean "things" are great? Well not necessarily Robin, but the batmobile is sporting brand new tires just like millions of folks cars out there, and folks are driving their shiny new "rides" to Wallmart and buying stuff and folks are going on vacation and sending their kids to college and going to football games and generally having a great time....my Bat Point is, in general, Americans are doing quite well these days. Interest rates are the lowest we have seen in years and overall consumer confidence is up". "Wow Batman....you sound like a professional economist"...."Not really Bat Boy....I mean Robin.....I am just a realist and it just seems to me that a lot of folks in the good old US of A that have great work habits are doing quite well right now". "So what should we do with our Bat Funds right now?....well Robin....my suggestion is we jump in the Batmobile and make a bee line to the South Carolina Lowcountry. Then we can visit with my old pal and "Bearded Hat Crusader" LowCountry Joe. Considering the fact that the market drops 300 points in one day because Paris Hilton has hiccups, doesn't it make sense to be more conservative and invest our funds in land and houses that have been lowered in price to the bear bones. Then when the thirty three million baby boomers come South to retire starting next year and drive up prices we can "cash out" and retire our capes"......"Sounds like a plan, Batman"....fire up the Batmobile and lets head for the clear Carolina Blue Sky."........
It's loggerhead turtle hatching season in the Carolina Lowcountry and once again stories proliferate in the Island Packet about the hatchlings struggle for life. These babies really do have to "run the gauntlet" as they emerge from their buried eggs and try to make it to their ocean home. Hungry seabirds like the laughing gull keep a close eye to the sandy beach this time of year for a tasty snack, but the biggest demise of these little guys are humans.
Baby loggerheads instinctively look for the light of the moon to direct them to the ocean. The problem is, there are many lights on the horizon these days with new oceanfront development. They get disoriented and in many cases end up meeting an untimely death in pools loaded with chlorine or in the worse case scenario, hot tubs.
Such was the case with three little guys a friend named Hope, Courage and Miracle back in 2001. They found their way to a Daufuskie Island pool but lucky for them were noticed by Laurie Bunting and her children on a Daufuskie Island outing. The problem is, the turtles cannot simply be picked up and thrown into the water. They must find the ocean on their own or they will perish. When I arrived Hope, Courage and Miracle looked to be on their last proverbial "flippers". The driving September heat was literally baking them in their own shell and attempts of flushing them with water did not seem to help. Thats when I remembered a story a shrimper friend of mine told me about resuscitating adult turtles that occasionally were caught up in and almost drowned in his nets. He would lay the turtle on its back and pump on its shell as hard as he could with his foot. In many cases the turtle would be revived. Well if it worked on Mom or Dad so why not for the kids. So I picked "Hope" up and rubbed like the dickens on its little underbelly......and lo and behold, first one flipper moved and then another and before I knew it that little stinker was full of life. I quickly placed God's newest creation on the sand and with lifetime instincts taking hold, made a bee line to the ocean. Courage and Miracle reacted the same way but Miracle needed a bunch more rubbin' and a lot more clapping, shouting and encouragement from the assembled and wishful onlookers.
A few years later my Bride Mary and I were blessed to witness a large Mommy turtle make its way to the same beach and lay her eggs. I would like to believe it was either Hope, Courage or Miracle. But considering the fact that only one in a thousand babies survive to adulthood it would truly be a miracle.
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Following please find the article noted. Also I have included pics of "Turtle Rescue" volunteers counting hatched eggs this past week. Have a great day.
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DAUFUSKIE ISLAND -- More than 30 loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings have been rescued from a Daufuskie Island Club and Resort pool since Monday, people involved with the effort said Thursday.
"We were good human helpers," said Laurie Bunting, who along with her husband and sons Robbie Jr. and Ryan helped save 30 turtles Monday.
Kim Washok, who oversees Hilton Head Island's sea turtle protection project, said she received a call that three more turtles were removed from the pool Thursday. Daufuskie Island does not have a turtle protection project.
Lighting around the pool likely misdirected the animals, Washok said. Loggerhead hatchlings use starlight reflections on the water as a guide to the sea.
Earlier this year, Beaufort County Council passed an ordinance making it illegal for artificial lighting to be visible from beaches where the turtles hatch. But that ordinance will not take effect for existing structures until May.
Hilton Head Island has a similar ordinance that it has strictly enforced this year after violations last year led to the deaths of dozens of turtles.
Scott Brewton, general manager of the Daufuskie resort, said he was unaware of the extent of the problem.
"I received a call from a woman today who said she had removed a couple turtles from the pool -- like one or two," he said.
Brewton said he would investigate where the pool lights reflect Thursday evening, but said the lights have been in place for more than a decade.
Shutting off the lights, he said, would create a danger to the resort's guests, so that won't be done.
He added that the resort would be in compliance with the county regulation by the time it takes effect.
"Put it this way, we follow all the guidelines of any place we reside in," Brewton said.
Laurie Bunting said she informed the president of the resort about the lights after the last turtle was saved -- a nearly three-hour effort.
"My son came running up to me and said, 'Mom there are baby loggerhead sea turtles in the pool,' " she said. "So I called (Washok) to make sure whatever we did was gentle."
The family carried the turtles in a box and set them about 10 feet from the ocean so the animals could enter the water on their own.
Family friend Joe Yocius arrived when only three turtles remained, he said.
"They looked just about dead," Yocius said. "Laurie named them Hope, Courage and Miracle. And I thought if I could only get their flippers going they would be OK, so I rubbed their little belly like you rub a dog's belly to get its legs going and it worked."
Yocius said all three of the final turtles darted off into the water.
Washok said the chlorine from the pool likely won't hurt the animals, but she said energy expended by going in the wrong direction could weaken them.
"I got a call at about 10 a.m., so you figure they were probably swimming around in that pool for about eight hours," she said. "That is a lot of time for a little guy that needs to make it to the Gulf Stream
GETAWAY
Rejuvenate at lodges with Southern flair
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Published on: 08/08/07
If you're a fan of the old family resorts of the Adirondacks and Catskills, of a time when taking vacations was simple and easy, and of that "at home" atmosphere of a lodge-style property, then here's what you're looking for — but with a Southern twist.
Not all of those wonderful old resorts reminiscent of "Dirty Dancing" are hidden away in the mountains of New York. There are quite a few in the South that are worth a look, including these four that can make a road trip truly special and memorable.
 Handout/Daufuskie Island Resort & Breathe Spa
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| South Carolina's Daufuskie Island Resort & Breathe Spa, just a short ferry ride away from Hilton Head Island, is for those who want to savor a complete island resort experience. | ||
 Handout/Jekyll Island Club
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| The Jekyll Island Club Hotel was built as a winter playground for the wealthy at the turn of the 20th century. | ||
 Michael McCarter/Staff
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| The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, in Asheville, N.C., was cut into the face of Sunset Mountain and built of granite boulders. It opened in 1913 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Guests have included F. Scott Fitzgerald and Harry Houdini. | ||
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Asheville, N.C.
One of my all-time favorite places is the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville, N.C.
Literally chiseled into the rocky face of Sunset Mountain and hewn of immense granite boulders, the historic Grove Park Inn, opened in 1913 and now on the National Register of Historic Places, offers plenty of family activities including golf, tennis, racquetball, and a subterranean, award-winning spa that is more over-the-top than under the ground.
There's more to do nearby with mountain hiking, biking, white-water rafting, and other outdoor activities.
If I had to choose what I like best about the Grove Park, it would be the classy-yet-comfortable main lodge with its views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and its rocking chair-surrounded lobby fireplaces that measure 14 feet in length and about 8 feet high. While it's a relaxing "feet up on the banister" sort of place, it also offers the finest cuisine and wine cellars in the area.
The Grove Park Inn's past guest list has included F. Scott Fitzgerald, Harry Houdini and George Bush. It is a grand resort on a large scale and caters to everyone, especially families and couples. www.groveparkinn.com, 1-800-438-5800.
Cashiers, N.C.
Yet another spot on the top rung of the ladder of Southern family resorts is the High Hampton Inn, just outside of the mountain town of Cashiers.
Here, you'll find no telephones, televisions or computer hookups in the rooms and cottages, and cellphone reception is sporadic at best. But you won't need any of those things — and that's part of the trade-off for coming here.
In return, you get pet-friendly accommodations, cool mountain lakes and streams ideal for boating, swimming, and fishing, incredible views of the Blue Ridge from its oh-so-cool 3,600-foot elevation, a complete sense of seclusion and serenity, unparalleled service highlighted by a "no tipping, no service charge" policy, and a golf course that offers extraordinarily vistas.
The High Hampton Inn's popular summer children's programs are almost legendary. highhamptoninn.com, 1-800-334-2551.
Daufuskie Island, S.C.
Moving farther southward to South Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean, Daufuskie Island Resort & Breathe Spa, just a short ferry ride away from Hilton Head Island, is for those who really want to savor a complete island resort experience.
The ingredients for a Daufuskie vacation include the fabulous Breathe Spa, two golf courses that were included in Conde Nast's list of "Top 100 Golf Courses in the World," beachside picnics, and a long roster of children's programs.
And if you've always imagined riding a horse on an uncrowded, unhurried stretch of the Atlantic, then this is the place, as Daufuskie Island Resort contains an equestrian center that is ranked as one of the best in the South.
The resort's backyard of ancient Daufuskie Island, the setting for Pat Conroy's "The Water is Wide," is a potpourri of coastal history, including that of the captivating Gullah and African-American communities, the mystic of Sea Island cotton, and the lucrative crabbing and oyster industry.
You can learn about all these facets of Daufuskie Island while staying at a wide array of accommodations ranging from the romantic Melrose Inn all the way to four-and five-bedroom cottages, villas, and homes. www.daufuskieislandresort.com, 1-800-648-6778.
Jekyll Island, Ga.
Even farther down the coast in Georgia is the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. On one of Georgia's hauntingly beautiful natural barrier islands, the hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is one of those places where the clock seems to have simply stopped.
Built as sort of a playground for the wealthy "Yankee elite" during the Winter Resort Era at the turn of the 20th century, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, once one of the most exclusive clubs in the world, still holds the grandeur of the way life used to be and still should be.
The quintessentially southern Jekyll Island Club's dramatic turrets, landscaped grounds, views of moss-draped oaks and golden marshes, and utterly peaceful surroundings define its soul. Another of my all-time favorite places to escape from today's incredibly hectic pace, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel is a reminder of parasols and Sunday clothes and getting out your feathers, patent leathers, and beads and buckles and bows.
As we say in the South, there is a gracious plenty to do here at this magnificent hotel balanced between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean, including birding, shelling, fresh- and salt-water fishing, exploring the grand architecture of the historic district, golfing, and nature touring, but it's almost considered a sin here not to hop on a bicycle and ride through the resort and across the island. www.jekyllclub.com, 1-800-535-9547.
Included please find copy of an Inman News Blog on US Home Sales. I subscribe to Inman News and find it to be "Fair and Balanced" in reporting on real estate and real estate trends. LCJoe...
P.S. I took the included pic of this sad looking farm house on my last visit to Canada. I always wonder about homes like this. I think about the families, who they were, and what the siblings ae doing now. And I wonder why such beautiful historic homes like this one are left to fade into the sunset.
A forward-looking indicator based on pending sales of existing homes suggests the market may stabilize in the months ahead, the National Association of Realtors reported today.
Although the Pe
nding Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed in June, was still 8.6 percent lower than a year ago, it rose 5 percent to 102.4 from the downwardly revised May index of 97.5. This is the largest monthly gain in more than three years, since a 6.1 percent increase in March 2004, according to NAR. An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales.
Between May and June, the index in the West increased 8.6 percent to 103.6; in the Northeast, it was up 3.1 percent to 96; in the South, it increased 4.7 percent to 111.6; and in the Midwest, the index gained 3.5 percent to 92.5.
Lawrence Yun, NAR senior economist, said it is encouraging that the increase occurred in all four major regions. "However, it is too early to say if home sales have already passed bottom," he said. "Still, major declines in home sales are likely to have occurred already and further declines, if any, are likely to be modest given the accumulating pent-up demand."
Despite the month-over-month gains, the indexes in all four regions were still lower than the same time last year, with the West 5.5 percent lower than June 2006, the Northeast down 2.4 percent, the South off 12.7 percent, and the Midwest lower by 8.2 percent.
The index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.
Annual changes in the index are more closely related to actual market performance than are month-to-month comparisons. As the relatively new index matures and seasonal adjustment factors are refined, the month-to-month comparisons will become more meaningful.
Now I am not one that passes along e-mail stuff, but the included from my friend Wayne Dalton, struck a very special chord with me. LCJoe
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A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully
dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably
combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind,
moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently
passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of
waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled
sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual
description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that
had been hung on his window.
"I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old
having just been presented with a new puppy.
"Mr. Jones, you have n't seen the room; just wait."
"That doesn' t have anything to do with it," he replied.
"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I
like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is
arranged .. it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to
love it. "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I
have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the
difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work,
or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on
the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just
for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've
put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in
the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling
my Memory bank.
Gee whiz....I have been wanting to do a top twenty list of "Things the Chamber of Commerce wont tell you" for a long time. Actually I have wanted to do the list on video, but when the Island Packet reported on Friday's front page that three thousand....thats right...(3000) folks got stung by jelly-fish in the last week alone, I couldn't resist. So here we go...... the first of the top twenty (20) and boy is it a doozy.
Can you imagine the Chamber brochure showing the included pic and stating "Watch out for this guys"......"there is an excellent chance you will be stung by one of these ferocious blobs if you swim off our beaches in July or August .....approximately 10,000 stings are reported each year, so swimmer BEWARE.........Well, personally the chance of that happening is about the same as Hillary picking Obama for Vice President. But, understanding I might loose a few of you as future clients and in the spirit of public awareness, I am doing my civic duty.
So lets say you don't heed old LCJoe's warning, decide to take a dip in our warm waters, and rush out of the water engulfed in stinging pain. Well...if there is a lifeguard around....make a proverbial "bee line" to them....plus that...lifeguards are always hard bodied attractive young guys and gals and if you have to be "attended to" why not them. They will apply a diluted vinegar solution, pat you on your head, and tell you go home and take a few aspirins. Actually the proper thing they "should" say after doing the vinegar thing is "make your way to the Tiki Hut and down two double vodka tonics....Now if there isn't a lifeguard within miles.....flush the afflicted area with salt water and rub some sand on it....then make your way quickly to the Tiki Hut and down two double vodka tonics.
So now that old Dr. Joe has told you what to do, here is what "NOT TO DO". Don't apply fresh water or alcohol, remember that's for drinking, or the old wives tale "urine". Yup thats right urine.....plus that, we wouldn't want one of our "officers" arresting you for indecent exposure and escorting your pained body to the Beaufort Hilton.
There you have it, the first of my top (20) things the Chamber wont tell you. The South Carolina Lowcountry is a wonderful, mystical, enchanting and invigorating place that has been my home for twenty three (23) years. But as we all know "stuff happens" that can make your visit, lets say, less than exciting. So tuck away this little "dittie" and review it along with my fututre ditties prior to your next visit. Old LCJoe wants to ensure you experience nothing but "Chamber of Commerce Days".........LCJoe
