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Wreaths, Copperheads and Christmas

It’s almost Christmas in the Carolina Lowcountry and in keeping with the times I find myself walking the woods and gathering pine branches and cones for the wreath that will hang proudly on the Historic Silver Dew Winery. This pilgrimage  comes from my annual  tradition of  walking the woods on the hillside above our Pennsylvania log cabin, scraping away snow searching for long green ground ferns that made splendid Christmas garland.

Now up North the only sound to be heard was the crunching of the snow pack and the chirping of cute little nervous chickadees. And, except for evading the occasional limb made weak by layers of ice and falling on ones head,  this was a venture that was safe for “the person” and warm to “the soul”.   But down South, walking in the midst of tall standing  lob-lolly pines takes on a whole new meaning. On warmer than normal days like we have had recently,  all eyes are to the ground watching with careful eye for the beautiful colored Carolina copperhead that blends so magnificently with the gold and brown carpet of pine straw. Normally he/she would be taking a winters nap under an old pine log but with temps nearing eighty (80) this cold blooded creature finds solace in the warm Carolina sunshine.  I too, find that solace and at times stop my foraging and simply listen to the rhythmic sound of pine bough brushing against pine bough. Underneath that green canopy,  palm fronds, not to be outdone join the Southern symphony  along with sound of the oceans waves gently engulfing the sandy Daufuskie shore. It’s my very own “nature sounds” CD and  truly makes one realize how wonderful it is be alive.

 

With pine boughs to spare I load up my golf cart and traverse the bumpy root laden path that leads me from my forest enclave and to my Bloody Point home. Yellow fritterly butterflies awakened by nature’s abnormal  turn of events flit about in graceful escort and I feel engulfed with “white light” and peace. Soon the limbs so graciously given up by its parent trees will adorn and welcome all those that choose to enter the Winery’s  hand crafted old wood doors. Soon it will be Christmas in the Lowcountry.

See ya on the high tide….

LowCountry Joe

Daufuskie Island's Historic Silver Dew Winery Receives Wine License

Noted author Pat Conroy wrote in his novel "The Water is Wide" ...."The first time I walked the road I was shocked to find two odd-looking structures in the curve of the road. There was a sign on one of the buildings that read SILVER DEW WINERY 1953". Other than a notation about swimming at Bloody Point's beach there was literally no other reference to the isolated Island of Daufuskie where the story unfolded and he called Yamacraw.  

When I purchased this National Register of Historic Places structure and South Carolina Treasure a number of years ago  a concerted effort was made to restore its rotting timbers and announce to the world that this picturesque solid brick tinned roof building was indeed a Winery back in 1953. The story simply needed to be told.

Papy Burn, Lighthouse Keeper at the Bloody Point Light remodeled his favorite hideaway, once a Lighthouse structure itself built in 1883. He made wine from all sorts of local "fix-ins",  and succeeded through hard work and sheer determination to have the Winery licensed under South Carolina Law. Along with detailed ledger notes on costs and wine recipes Papy made proud reference to that special day Nov. 23, 1953 when he received his license after months and months  of government red tape". Papy had succeeded in licensing the very first Winery in South Carolina.

I have always held that old ledger page dear to my heart and was determined to someday bring the Silver Dew Winery back to the prominence he once envisioned. You see, Papy never succeeded financially in the wine business and was known to simply provide a "taste" and give his wine away to friends that passed by. It was with that thought that today, December 16, 2008 I am pleased and proud to announce that Papy's Winery is once again Licensed under South Carolina law to provide "off premise consumption"  of wine. The process was costly, tenuous and at times arduous but the fine folks at the Department of Revenue and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, (SLED) made up for Papy's tenuous efforts years past and courteously and professionally guided me through the long process of making South Carolina History. Once again folks making that curve in the road would be able to purchase a bottle  of wine, once again they could revel in the story of Papy Burn, the proud Lighthouse Keeper and Vintner.

Contacts are now being made to work with numerous wholesalers of wine in South Carolina to offer some of the finest wines available in the world. Silver Dew, a commemorative wine, which is actually bottled for me in California, will be offered like it has been for years. Scuppernong wines, common to the Carolinas, will also be available for the local taste/feel.  I will also be offering case lot discounts of your favorites and planning some fun events to avail you with all that will be available in the near future.

I look forward to meeting one and all as you make your way to Bloody Point,  that curve in the road noted by Pat Conroy and the Silver Dew Winery. I look forward to providing a friendly greeting like Papy did in the old days and offering wines that I am sure he would have been proud of. I look forward to providing folks that relish a true sense of History the opportunity  to raise a glass and "Give a Toast to Papy".

LowCountry Joe

Fall arrives in the South Carolina Lowcountry

Up North the snow shovels are out and sensual visions of smelling burning leaves on a cool Fall day are long past. But down here in the Carolina Lowcountry its the first week of December and we are now being blessed by a fine Lady, Mother Nature, with all that stands dear to me on an Autumn day.

My Bride and I missed out this year on leaf peeping on our special "other Island" Prince Edward way up in the Canadian Maritimes. Just by coincidence, however, we made up for it on a recent short jaunt to the North Georgia foothills. The valleys were ablaze with color....color the locals say they have not seen in years. We had hit it just right. Clear mountain waters forming the Chattahoochee River flowed passed our cozy cottage's quaint porch and leaves, brightly colored and perky rode the gently flowing waters like miniature boats  in a fine parade. I couldn't resist grabbing Mary's hand, kicking through piles of leaves on the adjoining narrow dirt road and fondly remembering  days of old in the Northwest Pennsylvania countryside.

Its been almost a month since that fine adventure and quite frankly I thought my fascination with brightly colored creations from God was long gone. But that lady with a name called Nature had different plans for me and the Lowcountry alike. Well below average temperatures,  an abundance of rain bringing us to normal for the year combined to give all that would care to see a true unique visual leaf spectacle indeed.

Now I am not here to tell you that the patchworks of red, orange and gold  compare to "leaf time" up North. I have always felt sorry for Southern folks that have never been "awed" by that form of absolute spellbinding Autumn beauty. But when one accents those muted multi-colored  beauties with a multitude of  green palmetto frauns and  Spanish Moss laden live oaks sporting their deep glossed never changing green leaves with a background of gold from the marshes and blue from the ocean,  one realizes that folks in the South have been truly blessed by another form of Mother Natures visual miracles.

We had an unusually heavy frost last night and the forecast calls for some brisk winds and light rain. Soon all that will be left will be painted memories of the heavily forested Lowcountry forests. So its time to quit work and go home early. I plan to  grab Mary's hand, tell her dinner can wait,  and take a long walk on Daufuskie Island's tree canopied dirt roads. Once again we will smell the special fragrance that is Fall, trudge through  and kick leaves like we did back in Pennsylvania while giving thanks to God and Mother Nature for this special moment in time.  I will then hold these memories dear till next year when Fall returns to Pennsylvania, Prince Edward Island and my  South Carolina home.

 

Daufuskie Fire

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone in the Carolina Lowcountry. Turkey breast sandwiches complete with white gummy bread smothered in real mayonnaise are the order of the day and long walks on isolated beaches once inhabited by visiting family members awaken and nourish the soul.  It's on these walks when one has time to reflect on another passing holiday ......gone seemingly with the blink of an eye.

My Bride and I spent this one, like most, together in the cozy confines of the Historic Bloody Point Lighthouse.  Mary's turkey was succulent, the cranberry sauce perfect and the dressing just right. But unlike years past I simply wasn't as hungry as normal. Now don't tell Mary, but I had been a "bad boy" just a few hours earlier,  and its all because of a Daufuskie fire.

Now this fire wasn't any old fire and no-one disturbed our three (3) man fire department from an early afternoon nap.....it was my fire and mine alone. Earlier that morning I decided that after one hundred and fifteen (115) years without a fire pit the old Silver Dew Winery deserved one. I knew that Lighthouse Keeper Papy Burn had a wood stove inside the Winery evidenced by a round gaping hole in the thick wall but a fire pit had never graced its presence. But that would change....and change it did. Bricks from the old Haig Point Mansion given to me by Frank Burn, Papy's Son, were rescued from their "hidings" under an Historic live oak tree and Walahhhh....a fine fire pit.....an upstanding fire pit.....a grand fire pit...... that Papy would have been proud of graced the grounds of the picturesque brick structure.

So now if ya got a fire pit you need wood for the fire. Well it just so happens one of Papy's fine pear trees that he alone planted met its demise this Summer and crashed into the side of the Lighthouse. I didn't have the heart to dispose if it in a normal way simply to decay in a Daufuskie ditch, so I set it aside. But now was its time to re-emerge with dignity. So with saw in hand select branches and limbs were trimmed and soon a crackling fire never seen before graced the Winery....What I felt quite strange,  is that its smoke mysteriously rode the light winds and floated South towards the Lighthouse even though the prevailing winds were out of the West.

OK....here comes the part where Mary wonders why I didn't have that normal second helping of my favorite dressing. Well it has to do with the idea that ...if ya got  a fire one should cook something on a fire....sounds logical right, but considering the fact that the nearest grocery store is accessible only by ferry I opted to improvise....to do what the Indians would have done... hunt up a passel of clams and oysters on the Bloody Point beach and marsh. With bushel basket in hand and after immersing myself in saltwater the ocean gratefully gave up its bounty. It was as if the Coosawhatchie Indians were saying "its your turn Joe" and soon these fine crustaceans were steaming over an old cast iron stove door that seemed perfect for the purpose.  Pat Conroy once  quoted now passed Local Jake Washington  in a recent book that "eating a Daufuskie oyster was like tasting the tide". Was he ever right.

So the next time you are on the Island please stop by and check out my 'Daufuskie Fire". You can bring some hot dogs if you like or maybe some marshmallows for "the kid in us". You will go home smelling like smoke and probably not yearning for dinner but I promise to fulfill you with a welcoming smile, pleasant conversation and a passing farewell.

See ya on the high tide....LCJoe

Health Department closes Daufuskie Oyster Beds

I know it is hard to believe but the headline above is exactly what happened in the late Fall of 1959. A once flourishing business built by the Maggioni family and hiring thousands of Daufuskie residents was history. Raw sewage dumped into the Savannah River along with waste from Savannah's flourishing companies flowed by Daufuskie's Cooper River and Mongin Creek and choked the life out of quality oysters that were renowned world wide. Today these waters are again pristine and I wait patiently each year for months ending in an R to harvest a few of the tasty morsels.

I pontificate about Daufuskie's past history as a result of a front page article and picture in last weeks Island Packet. It shows two bike riders in some city in China....or should I say the photographer was attempting to show two bike riders. You see, there was a profound brown haze surrounded them accentuated by an ugly brownish yellow sky. It kind of reminded me of  a Sci Fi movie but this was for real. The U.N. Environment Program just released a report called "Atmospheric Brown Clouds" which are a mile thick that cover thirteen cities from the Arabian Peninsula to the Yellow Sea and drift as far East as California. This report made me feel very lucky to live on an Island like Daufuskie where the air is pure and the water from deep well aquifers is fresh.

But one does not have to travel far from our beautiful Lowcountry to experience serious air pollution. A trip to the North Carolina Mountains in Summer will reveal thousands of trees killed by acid rain. And recent reports show Asheville Tennessee, Knoxville and Atlanta as extremely high with airborne particulates. And to my dismay that same recent report cites my hometown of Pittsburgh as being the most highly polluted in the USA with Los Angeles winning the second spot.

Now the clean air and water we are blessed with does not come by accident. Some one or some agency not long ago fought hard to keep a steel mill from being erected at what is now Colleton River Plantation just over the bridge from Hilton Head. A short trip north to the historic coastal town of Georgetown will show that they definitely were not that lucky. The acrid smell of burning steel permeates the air and a fine dust attaches itself to sailboats in the picturesque marina.

I usually have a moral to my writings but today is different. I guess I am just attempting to pass on to folks out there that ...there are still places on God's good earth that are sweet and pure. I am just trying to pass these written words to folks that are searching for places like Daufuskie Island and still do not know it exists. I am attempting to reach out to folks that won't complain about a boat ride to get groceries and revel being surrounded by magnificent nature at every turn. I am attempting to reach out to people that enjoy a clear glass of water fresh from a well and dine on oysters, shrimp, crabs, flounder and sea trout just caught at the county dock. I am attempting to reach out to folks that are now searching for a refreshing new life, where walks on pristine beaches are the norm and where dreams still come true.

See ya on the high tide.

LowCountry Joe 

 

Daufuskie Crime

Now I knew that headline would capture a lot of attention!!!!! But in these days when the news is full of very bad people doing very terrible things Daufuskie Island is blessed to be virtually crime free. Now I ain't sayin' someone wont take your golf cart by mistake after a fun night at one of our local gin mills or cash might quietly disappear from an unattended resort cash box,  I am talking serious crime against "our person" and those we love.

I will never forget the time a few years ago when I was "showing" the Island to a prospective client that just happened to be from New Jersey. As we toodled down a quiet remote Daufuskie lane we came upon a group of children on their bikes. The cute little girls with their long blond hair streaming behind them waved and greeted us with a friendly hello. It was at that point the "Grandma" sitting next to me said "Oh my God" what are those kids doing way out here all by themselves". I calmly replied "their Mom probably told them to git out of the house and go play just like in the old days". Mam....This is Daufuskie".

A wise man once wrote...Money does not buy happiness, but it does buy you two (2) things. It enables one to provide the best of health care for your family from the best specialists anywhere in the world. And....it enables you to purchase a home in a very desirable area where the chance of a malicious attack on you or someone you love is somewhat reduced.

So, if you have worked hard all your life with the dream of having a primary or second home on a "real" Island please give me a call today. We will toodle around the Island in my golf cart checkin' out this special mystical place. And ...if we get real lucky we will come upon our Beaufort County policeman that makes occasional visits and rides around in a big old white pick um up truck. He kind of reminds me of the Maytag repairman, just a lonely sort of guy with nothin' to do.... so a friendly "Fuskie Wave"  will surely make his day.

See ya on the high tide.......

LowCountry Joe

P.S.  The Grandma from New Jersey bought the next day.

Squirrels and Butterflies

Squirrels and Butterflies

A strong Canadian high pressure ridge pushes South and the associated October Northeast cool winds sweep over the Carolina Lowcountry. Instinctively the squirrels that make residence close to the Bloody Point Lighthouse head for one of my prize pecan trees. It’s loaded to the hilt this year and there is no time to waste. You see, they know I am willing to give up a few of those tasty morsels. But soon their time and patience will run out. Old Lowcountry Joe likes fresh pecans too and just like them I hoard them in my very own special hiding place……but more importantly they also know that I have a deep craving for squirrel smothered in gravy.

Actually Fall won’t really arrive in the Lowcountry until early December. That’s when our trees begin to shed their leaves and its time to break out a light jacket. But after a Summer in the 90’s with the humidity about the same, any brief respite is welcome. So determined to take advantage of Mother Nature’s early treat, I lace up my hiking boots and head for the beach.

Down the oak-canopied sandy lane I go, whistling and prancing about like one of Snow White’s dwarfs. Bluebirds and chickadees chirp and flit about around me as if they were caught up in my new found exuberance. Together we make our way past the soon to be occupied eagle’s nest and onto the wide sandy beaches of Bloody Point.

Leaving the relative shelter of the dense maritime forest I pull my hat over my ears as I am immediately buffeted by strong twenty knot winds and serenaded by the sound of crashing waves. Sea foam floats delicately at my feet and blowing sands remind me of Omar Sharif trudging through the desert in Lawrence of Arabia. This is nature’s fury at its best and with renewed vigor I make a decision to head North and straight into the heart of it.

With head down I scan the beach for some sort of treasure to bring home to my Bride Mary. All sorts of strange looking creatures reminiscent of a sci-fi movie have washed ashore but a moon snail that is known by naturalists to have strange resemblance to a disembodied eyeball catches my attention. As I reach to retrieve my prize I am startled as an orange and black object…..and then another….whizzes by my own eyes. As I do a “360” I realize I am surrounded by hundreds if not thousands of these objects. Intently following their Southward flight I realize I have been blessed to be in the middle of the first Monarch butterflies cruising by the Carolina Lowcountry on their migration to Mexico.

It’s hard to imagine a once ugly bizarre looking caterpillar now turned dainty butterfly could perform one of the miracles of nature. Part of this miracle is the fact that they leave the cold weather of Canada and fly all the way to Mexico…..and get this….to the exact same trees!!!!!

Feeling overwhelmed and a bit insignificant I make my way back up the sandy lane. My pecan tree looms larger and the squirrels mock me with idle chatter. These little nut thieves have got me in a weak moment. I feel like a “softie” in nature’s presence. Maybe I will give old “squirrel face” a break this year. NAAH……I like squirrel covered in gravy. 

LC Joe

As a side note…….The best place to  experience the butterfly migration in all its glory  is in front of the Melrose mansion. The path leading to the gazebo has been planted with all sorts of flowers the butterflies just love. There are zillions of them flitting about and landing on you at every opportunity. Make sure and wear some bright colored red and yellow clothing and they will love you even more. Have a great Fall.   

LowCountry Joe gets "Spooky" on the Golf Channel

Fall Greetings from the Carolina Lowcountry......

A few months ago  I received a call from "The Golf Channel" asking if I would consider being involved in a TV show with Hank Haney's International Junior Golf Academy located on Hilton Head/Daufuskie Island.  For you non-golfers out there...Hank Haney is Tiger Woods personal coach and for the last ten (10) years his Academy has offered a combined program of high level instruction and academic studies for over 2000 students from all over the world. Needles to say I was honored to accept and was actually given the rare opportunity to help produce a small part of one of the episodes.

After scheduling and re-scheduling the kids and film crew finally arrived early one moonlit evening and the fun began.  The producer wanted me to tell a Bloody Point Lighthouse ghost story that the students could somehow get involved in. Considering the fact the former deceased Owner/Keeper was said to not appreciate his Home/Lighthouse being turned into the Bloody Point Golf Course pro-shop and was known to create shall we say "unique undesirable situations" in what is now my home, I had no problem with that creepy task.

With that In mind, I am pleased to say that Episode #5, Spring Break,  premiered last evening to an International audience and will be rebroadcast tonight and the coming weeks. What took almost two hours to film turned into just shy of three minutes of quality editing. The professionalism of Producer Joel  and his film/sound crew is evident. But most importantly I was "blessed" with the opportunity to interact with the students. These young guys and gals with unsurpassed golf talents had been hard at work for many months, many away from home for the first time, and struggling with the pressures of trying to be golfs next superstar.  It felt so good for me to enter their lives, make them laugh and at times, with eyes wide open, scream with delight as the evenings shenanigans unfolded. It was fun to see them "let loose" the way it should be before they enter the "real world" and life's travels. And I must especially thank them for bringing out "the kid" in me once again.

Have a great day and see ya on the high tide...LCJoe

Program show times...

Wednesday Oct 1....  10:00 PM

Friday Oct 3....  2:30 PM

Monday Oct 6....1:00 PM

Monday Oct 6.... 8:00 PM

Electric Cars of Daufuskie

Electric came to Daufuskie in the 50's and drastically improved the way locals would live their lives forevever. Fast forward to May 2008 and a fine company named "Electric Cars of Daufuskie" makes "the scene". Their welcomed presence forever changes how visitors traverse the Island in style checkin' out funky restaurants, a pottery, an historic winery/gift shop, and even a place called the "Iron Fish".

That's right..... now you can rent a fine, classy, "up-town" four "4" passenger Gem Car for a paultry $100.00 a day and have the fun of your life. The fine folks at "ECO Daufuskie" are providing a much needed service to folks Island Wide. These elecric cars, however, will have the biggest impact on folks visiting Daufuskie Island Club and Resort. DICR does not permit their carts from leaving the property. Now, they can rent a Gem Car at the front desk , leave the confines of the Resort behind and get a "true taste" of what our special Island is all about.

As seen in the included pic, these car's are "cool" and really are fun to drive. More importantly, they have safety features not typical of most golf carts. Seat belts and child safety seats are provided and are an important part of having an accident free fun day.

I personnally would like to thank owners B.J. Albaugh and Chris Godfrey for their creative marketing and providing this much needed Island service. We have come a long way from oil filled lamps and beat up pick up trucks with no brakes. I just can't help thinkin' what Bloody Point Lighthouse Keeper, Papy Burn, would have thought.

See Ya on the High Tide....LowCountry Joe...

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For more information and rentals please call 1-843-476-4212

WEB Site coming soon and will be linked in the sidebar of my BLOG www.WeBeBloggin.com

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No "Spotted Bananas" at The Silver Dew Winery

When I first got into the Lowcountry real estate business over twenty three (23) years ago, I read an article in a local magazine written by the most successful Hilton Head Realtor at the time. It was named "Spotted Bananas" and compared outdated real estate information to the spots appearing on bananas quickly after they arrived home. The distasteful thought of eating a rotting banana was well compared to reading and  "depending on" real estate information that was outdated even by only a few days. With this observance in mind, I created the "Fresh Daily" concept a few years ago. This concept has been incorporated into my WEB Site and Blog and I have been amazed by the positive response from literally around the world.

At my newest office located in the Historic Silver Dew Winery on Daufuskie the "Fresh Daily" concept is shall we say "Fresh". Where Papy Burn, the first licensed vintner of wine in South Carolina once made wine from anything that looked like it was about to turn rotten, Fresh Daily real estate information prevails. I go out of my way with considerable time and expense to provide not only fresh daily statistics but have updated available detailed location plans and prices for property all over the Island for you as well. With this information in hand you can confidently go about your business of finding the best available opportunity for you.

One of my favorite quotes of all time is "If you don't plan the hunt, you are just walking in the woods". Please visit me on line or at my Hilton Head/Daufuskie offices and plan your hunt with the GPS of real estate "LowCountry Joe's Fresh Daily". I guarantee you....you will not get lost.

See Ya on the high tide.....

LowCountry Joe