South Carolina Flood

Our farm is one of those special places where I always feel at home and I can't wait to visit every year.  For the past decade on MLK Day weekend, my friends and I have been spending our time at our river house which sits on the normally quiet Black River in South Carolina.  This past year something drastic happened when a rain system dumped a wall of water over the Lowcountry of South Carolina.  

Black River flooded higher than it's 500 year mark and our house, that sits a good 12 feet off the ground, was found with 2 feet of water in it pretty quickly. Luckily, my dad was home and managed to get all the cars, the boats, the electronics, and some other items out of the house before they were destryoed.  The bad news is that the home is now gutted and empty.  A shell of our former fun memories linger.

It's hard to say when we'll have enough money to fix the house but it will happen eventually.  At least I hope that it happens before it becomes run down.  For now we just have to wait, let it dry, and try to plan for the future. The old farm house didn't even come close to flooding and for now, it's the new place to stay when visiting.  Even though I know we were lucky, I'm still sad to know that the water took something away from us that we may not get back.

10th Anniversary of MLK Farm Weekend

Back in 2005 my closest co-workers and friends decided to spend MLK holiday at my family's farm in South Carolina.  One year turned into ten and here we are celebrating over a decade of fun-filled weekends together.

Every year has a slightly different cast of characters, though once invited you do have lifetime rights to come back on MLK weekend and join in the festivities.  

Often we take hikes, go birding, get muddy, climb on tractors.

Since my family is a true Southern family there are also guns which we shoot at skeet or cans. Often we have a friendly competition but don't worry, safety is always first.

We also just let loose and have fun.  One year we rode horses, the next year we hiked every day what seemed like miles.  Some years we ride 4-wheelers and other years we climb trees.  Last time we hosted a Farm Olympics with assorted yard games.  

There are some traditions every year - like a walk to the fairy knees, a bonfire, fireworks, good food, hiking, and plenty of libations to keep us lively.

To celebrate the 10 years of MLK Farm Fun, I want to thank everyone who has made this weekend special.  My friends, my family, the dogs, the neighbors, and of course the land itself, has made the last 10 years so memorable.  I hope that in 10 more years we're still having fun on the South Carolina farm!

Going Home

Above is my family at Thanksgiving last year.  I know we won't all be able to break bread together on Thursday but I will see everyone, stay on the farm, and spend some time with my family over the course of an extra-long weekend.  I am beyond excited!  

Home is where the light streams through the pine trees.  Home is where Black River snakes through the Lowcountry.  Home is where the food is home-cooked and every ounce comes with mom's love.  Home is Great Horned-owls calling at night, deer in the corn fields, and Wood Ducks on the river.  Home is sandy soil and red clay mud.  Home is where my family lives and has lived for generations and generations.  Home is a beautiful piece of South Carolina where my family comes together at Thanksgiving each year to give thanks.  

I don't live in South Carolina but that doesn't mean it's not home to me.  On Tuesday, I'm heading home and I can't wait!  There's nothing better than going home.  I know I won't be moving back anytime soon but I can visit, I can remember, and I can feel at home when I'm there.

Beaver swimming

While spending MLK weekend on the family farm, we had an unexpected visitor.  As we were spending time on the front porch I saw something moving across the river upstream.  At first I thought it was a snake but then I noticed it zigged and zagged away from the shoreline and veered down the river.  As it came closer I saw the brown body and grabbed my binoculars.  It was a Beaver and a first sighting for some of the MLK participants.

We watched the Beaver swim down Black River, passing us without even a glance.  Off it went into the patch of Alligator Weed and out of sight.  It was nice addition to a fun weekend. I'll take this unexpected guest any day!

Fire

It's a busy week ahead but I had such a grand time in South Carolina that I wanted to share.  Here's a shot taken from the campfire.  I hope your week brings fireworks and joy.

Carolina Dreaming

One of my favorite things about South Carolina in November is the crunch of leaves and the brisk feel of autumn in the air.  Maybe it's my 6 years living in South Florida but I sure do miss seasons, desperately.  So you can imagine how excited I am to go home every November and visit my family and enjoy the turn of leaves, the jackets and layers, and the feel of a chapter closing, another year starting.  

I wrote about my family time earlier on this blog but I forgot about these photos until today.  How I long to go back to Thanksgiving weekend on the farm, with the splashes of green, yellow, and brown.  The trees were literally dropping with Yellow-rumped Warblers.  For every Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Dark-eyed Junco, I must have seen 10 Myrtles.  

It's fitting that I am missing South Carolina because this weekend I am returning for the annual MLK celebration on the farm.  This year we have a nice crowd of at least a dozen people spending their time at our place.  South Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and South Carolina will be representing with a collective of friends.  I doubt I'll get as much birding in this time around but I know it will be more than fun.

But for now, I am going to think about the sun-soaked roads, the lush green as it holds on for one more day before giving in to time.  I am going to remember American Robins feeding on the ground, Pileated Woodpeckers swooping between Cypress trees, and the chatter of Eastern Bluebirds on the light lines.

When I dream of South Carolina, I remember fondly destroying sleeping Fire Ant beds with one quick flick of the hand.  A hand full of ants and dirt, and then a swarming bed of activity.  Those days are not long gone.  I often inspect the Fire Ants when I'm home.

Back in November, Emily and I walked the farm with Picabo.  We birded, we played, we explored.  I am looking forward to doing it all again this weekend.  

Except this time, I'm bringing a dozen hooligans with me, fireworks, and new adventures. Wish us luck in taking a few minutes to enjoy the colors and the birds, I know it's bound to happen.  With such a serene and beautiful landscape, a love of my family's farm, and the chill in the air, you better believe I'll be outside living it up this weekend!

Happy MLK weekend to you all!  Enjoy your freedom, your time, and your family & friends.

The Old Farm House

My family built this house in 1854 on our plantation.  The land was deeded to our family generations ago, seven brothers divided the land, and somehow, it has stayed in the family.  My grandfather renovated the upstairs a few years back and put in the windows on the second floor but other than a few small renovations, it has stayed untouched.

When Potter's Raid (an offshoot of Sherman's troops) came through burning every plantation house on the coast, the Northern troops spared us.  Our house was only one of two houses not burnt to the ground between Georgetown and Kingstree, South Carolina.  I don't know why those soldiers didn't burn our plantation house down but I'm so grateful they didn't.  I love this old house, this farm, this family.  I don't believe in slavery and I am glad the South lost the war so we could be reunited with our country but I love my family's farm.  I love this old house and it's creaky floors.  I love this plantation and I love our southern traditions.  There's no place like home...

Thanksgiving at Black River

My family has a house on a lovely farm on Black River in South Carolina.  Each Thanksgiving we come together to give thanks, eat fried turkey, play games, and enjoy the fun.  This Thanksgiving lived up to all my dreams.  We had over 20 friends and family attend and plenty of photo time.

We relaxed around the yard, played washers and corn hole, and enjoyed cooking and sharing our time together.

The weather has been so hot in Florida this year, I was so happy to wear a jacket and longsleeves on the farm.  And the food was delicious as always.  My mom always delights us with her good home-cooking.  Oh how I wish I had more of Mom's butterbeans right now!

It was great to come together with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and parents.  They make me miss South Carolina more than I usually admit.  The changing leaves, the dark tannic river, the crisp air, and new frost on the ground all remind me of how much I love my home state.

I also did some birding while on the farm.  I'll have a post up later this week with my bird tally.  

South Carolina Football Weekend

This weekend I spent some quality time with my family in South Carolina at the Carolina/Georgia football game.  It was a lot of fun tailgating, taking photos, and watching my favorite sports team take an affirmative win away from Georgia.

Here I am with my brothers John Charles (above) and Timothy (below). They are both sweethearts.  I am so lucky to have such loving brothers and it was special to see both of them this weekend.

I also met my brother's girlfriend and spent time with my favorite sister-aunt Regina Jeanine.  It was the whole family affair with my mom and Lauren's family.

Mo was my road trip partner and though we were rivals come game time, we made a pretty good team on the road.  It was great to spend some time with my Moey.

And of course, the trip was made perfect by seeing my absolute favorite little dog Picabo.  She's such a frail old pup but I love her more than any dog.  She's my baby and I'm glad I had the chance to spend some time with her.  This trip was more than just fun and football, it was a much needed respite from South Florida with some of my favorite people.

Returning to South Carolina

Last month I went home for my grandfather's funeral. It was a sad occasion but my family did spend one night at the river house and that was indeed the highlight of the trip. The Black River always makes me feel better. I love watching the eddies and swirls as the tannic river pulls around the curve by our house.

At the old farmhouse I found this wild boar skull on the railing. My Uncle Jerry had found it in the woods and brought it up to the house. Check out those tusks! I was always told as a kid if I saw a wild pig to run and now I understand why my parents gave this advise. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of those teeth.

As the afternoon came to a close my Picabo dog and I took a stroll down the lane and watched the sun set in the Spanish Moss. It was a cool evening but not brisk enough to keep us inside.

We walked over to the old slave cabin that now is falling into shambles. Only 5 years ago you could still walk inside the dwelling but now it's fallen in and toppled over. The only thing holding it together is the maze-work of vines and trees that line the sides of the walls.

I may not live in South Carolina but I do miss the seasons, the long country roads, the peaceful pine woods, and spending time with my family. Even on sad occasions it's still good to go home.

Boiled Peanuts

My favorite snack food in the South is by far Boiled Peanuts but especially when the are still warm! I picked up a large bag of these at the South Carolina/Kentucky game on Saturday. Not only did I eat half the bag but my football team won as well. It was well worth the plane flights and hours spent in the airport to have such a fun weekend with my family.

Skywatch Friday: Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, SC

These were taken on January 20, 2009. Kelly, Hewy and I woke up that morning, packed and cleaned the river house, watched President Obama's speech and then headed south. We stopped by the refuge and found lots of wintering waterfowl. Don't forget to check out all the other Skywatch Friday posts and have a great weekend. I'll be trekking through the Everglades in search of some birds!

MLK Weekend

Wow, I've been pretty absent from this blog. I promise that this won't be a lasting trend for 2009. I was off running around in the cold weather of South Carolina for the past week with some of my best friends.


This past weekend was our 5th annual MLK weekend on my family's farm in South Carolina. We had a huge crowd, lots of fun, and some cold weather. People from 6 different states attended the festivities and even a couple of dogs showed up too.

Rupp with her pup Chapare above and Darwin below.

We rode some 4-wheelers, shot some guns, played some games, and generally behaved like typical South Carolina rednecks. Of course we also had a few band sessions with 2 guitars, an African drum, and many different singers. Fireworks made an appearance at some point and my parents cooked a lot of good soul food.

This was by far one of my favorite MLK weekends. We topped the weekend off by watching the inauguration on Tuesday and then hitting up some wildlife refuges on the way home. At Santee National Wildlife Refuge the snow was coming in steady over the lake so after a quick scan we decided to head further south to the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. We really hit the jackpot there with 8 different species of waterfowl, all the waders, and a few raptors. I picked up my first lifer of the year at our last stop where 6 Canvasback made an appearance. It was the perfect way to end a great vacation.