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.

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.

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.

Kayaking with John at John MacArthur State Park

It's funny how when we get older that old sibling rivalries tend to die and instead you end up being good friends.  I like to think that my brother John Charles and I are friends, even if we have different political views.  I won't fault him completely for that, agree to disagree kind of thing.  So it was with great pleasure that he had the chance to come visit me this summer.  It's been too long since he's made the trip and I have lived in 3 different houses since his last time here.  I tried to line up a really fun weekend and we started by a little kayaking at John MacArthur State Park.

The weather seemed daunting but it held off from raining and gave us a beautiful day with blue skies and puffy white clouds.  We kayaked around the mangroves out into the intercoastal.  As we passed under a bridge we cooled in the darkness and then as we paddled towards some small islands we saw a huge school of fish running and jumping out of the water.  It was a nice sight and John headed straight for the fish.  They dove right under his kayak. 

We found our own private beach and took a dip in the murky waters.  We watched boats pass by and dolphins swim in the distance.  In one direction we had mangroves and nature and in the other direction we had the skyline near West Palm Beach.  It was a mixing of worlds. 

Tomorrow I'll have a post up about the second half of his visit.  What do you think we did at night in the Everglades? Come back to find out! 

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.

Bill Baggs State Park Adventures

The spot of my La Sagra's sighting at Bill Baggs State Park.

Finally the Bill Baggs State Park La Sagra's Flycatcher is mine! While my mom was in town visiting I decided that we should spend a day in Miami. Yes, it's true, partially this idea came to mind because I wanted to once again give the flycatcher a shot on Biscayne Key. Last winter when the La Sagra's was being seen I went three times and never could catch a glimpse. This year I tried once but I was becoming weary with tracking it down. It's not a life bird but certainly it's an ABA bird that I should have by now.

So we arrived early at Bill Baggs and I sent my mom to the beach while I hit the nature trail. I found a nice Prairie Warbler at eye level along the way and some cardinals. With the T-intersection in sight I heard a noise behind me and two flycatchers dove off the snag I had just passed and went into a thick branch of a Strangler Fig. I ran back on the trail and followed the shadowed movements. The La Sagra's called and then one bird flew across the trail. I wasn't sure which bird was left and I stood trying to decide if I should run after the departed bird or if I should stay with the one left. At that moment the La Sagra's Flycatcher came into view and I got crippling looks. It hopped around the tree and called intermittedly. I watched it for 15 minutes or so before it also decided to retreat to the depths of the forest. I was estastic to say the least and even though it wasn't a life bird, it gave me such joy to finally nail this bird down in the U.S.


After my bird chase I joined my mom for some swimming and beach time. The water was crisp but perfect on this hot day. We enjoyed a lunch of empanadas and vegan cookies while we soaked in the sun.

After our bodies had enough of the sun we toured around the lighthouse. I was amazed at how empty the park was on this day and we really only ran into a few other people while walking the trails. It was a nice reprieve from the busy weekends that I had spent at Bill Baggs previously.

On our way back to Miami we stopped on Virginia Key to take in the Miami skyline. I did a little birding and had a few Ruddy Turnstones, some Rock Pigeons, and a flock of Laughing Gulls.

With a little more effort I found a Red-breasted Merganser and a Lesser Black-backed Gull to round out the day. It was the perfect end to our visit in Miami and I was happy to have some quality time with my mom. The La Sagra's was just the icing on the cake.

Sanibel Island Treasures

For those that have seen the beautiful Gulf of Mexico and swam in the waters you know too well the tradegy that has befallen our environment with the oil spill. Instead of focusing on the negative this post is in honor of all the good things that can be found in the Gulf. A couple of weeks ago I spent a weekend with my mom and friend Kim near Sanibel and Naples, Florida.

We spent the majority of the time swimming, snorkeling, walking the beach, and lounging in the hot Florida sunshine. Along the way we found some beautiful seaside treasures.

The quiet waters were home to many hermit crabs and whelks. For those that don't know a hermit crab doesn't make its own shell, it must find one that a mollusk has abandoned and when it grows larger it must find a new replacement shell. Many visitors to Florida take these beautiful creatures home without even checking the shells to see if anything is alive.

We also had really good luck finding these Keyhole Urchins or commonly known as Sand Dollars. These are also a major victim of many beachgoers that take them home and kill them. Our stash was returned after a few snapshots to the sandy bottom of the Gulf.

Watching the news lately about the oil spill is depressing. I hate to think that these very creatures in my hands will one day be covered in pollution or dead. I certainly hope that the destruction doesn't spread throughout the whole Gulf Coast. Only time will tell. Until then, I celebrate my time there with my family and I hope I have the opportunity to go back to such a pristine place.

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.

South Carolina Photos

Ashley and I with Black River in the background.

Lizard on the front porch.

The pear trees were FULL. I took a dozen home.

The feeders were busy with Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

This Lubber Grasshopper decided to jump right on my face.

Ashley found a little toad in the grass.

A photo of my mom and I out front of the house. She's my hero.