Life Down Here...

I'm getting used to the Low Country.

The other day I took a walk and found myself analyzing the deer tracks on the side of the road, separating the doe from the buck tracks, and trying to figure out how big the bucks were that passed by. Wow! That's cool. Didn't do that in New York.

Later that day, I went on a horse cart ride and we saw a covey of vultures sitting on a fence near the side of the road. There were 9.

And, then last night, I went to a friend's house to have dinner. We ate alligator -- one that was taken, about 11 feet long. The meat came from the sides of the tail. It tasted like tough chicken, in a delicious lemon/lime marinade.

Then we had elk meat from the grill. It was amazing -- my favorite meat. And, I know it was healthy -- because my host killed it, hung and dressed it, and packaged it himself.

He told us about raking littleneck clams. I'm looking forward to clamming, crabbing and shrimping. There sure are a lot of natural food sources down here!

PS. One of the guests told me that he reads this blog! I'm going to commit, right here, to being more regular about my postings. Stay tuned...

I live in a Red State

It's two days after the election and I realize...I live in a red state.

Right now, I really miss being in New York. I can't believe that I missed the biggest election probably in my lifetime. The superintendent who cares for my former apartment building said that he could hear trumpets in Harlem. My friend Gina was in Times Square during Obama's speech and said that everyone was celebrating -- strangers hugging, cab drivers who pulled over on the side of the street with their doors open so that passersby could hear. Now, that's the America I want to live in. I can't believe I missed it.

I miss the vibe of the city.
I miss the energy of the city.
I miss the passionate engagement of the people in the city.

Am I really going to be able to craft a life in South Carolina? I know that I can, but it's going to take some work. My life is all about affecting change, about getting passionately engaged in what I believe, about speaking out. It was easy for me to do that in New York because I was right in the middle of things -- I'm going to have to work harder down here. Stay tuned...

Fishing

Two weeks ago, my husband and I visited some of our land in North Carolina in the Bethel Valley and on the property is a beautiful small trout stream. Since he LOVES to flyfish, he jumped out of the car and said that he wanted to take a couple of casts before we moved on to our next activity. Well, you know what happens if you try to rush? Take a look... :o)

My Weekend

You should have seen me...

I was wearing a camouflage top, standing in the kitchen, cooking up some fine maple venison sausages and some eggs for my man. i'm getting the hang of this Southern cookin' thing...

This was followed by an amazing kayak down the creek -- we saw vultures over the place where Landon thought there was an injured deer; we saw a HUGE buck in the middle of mating with a doe; we saw a bald eagle soaring overhead, spotting his prey; and we saw lots of egrets, blue herons and smaller birds. No alligators, fortunately.

Later that night we went over to a friend's house on the way to an oyster roast. This is what is so disorienting about the South, its heritage creeps up on you and shows up in surprising places. Perching myself on the edge of the sofa, -- I had just met Steel Magnolias "Mary", a delightful, iconic Southern lady, cousin of the hostess, -- when my eyes glanced at the coffee table...and there it was. A copy of "Confederate Veteran" magazine. Now, that's something I wouldn't have seen in a friend's place in New York!

We went to the Oyster Roast at the Yacht Club, where they had standing tables covered in hot steaming shells. Each of us helped ourselves to the bounty of oysters, some tough, some moist, some drenched in the pluff mud, all yummy, shucking with our knives and holding the shells with our paper towels, gloves or bare hands. In an attempt to help me assimilate, Landon bought me my own oyster knife and gloves. There's nothing like standing in front of the bonfire, at a table, shucking freshly cooked oysters under a new moon. It was heaven...

Halloween, "Haints" and more..

Last night was Halloween and we were invited to a party. I decided to go as a camouflaged deer hunter – and advertise for this blog Bubba-ette or http://www.bubba-ette.com/ . How do you like the outfit?

That's right, when you deer hunt, you wear the camo top and pants, camo snake boots, camo baseball cap -- and even a camo face mask that makes you look like an eco-terrorist. Do you see my rifle? Oh yeah, and don't forget the camouflage gloves with the forefinger cut out on the right hand so that you can feel the metal trigger on your gun. The only thing I left out last night was raccoon urine on my shoes. Didn't think my party hostess -- or guests -- would appreciate that!?

We live in the Low Country of South Carolina…next to a cemetery, live oaks, Spanish moss hanging low over the tombstones. Apparently, according to local lore, it is home to a ghost – a headless horseman on horseback, soldier from the Revolutionary War.

Last year, my husband thought it would be fun to have a big bonfire to celebrate Halloween up here on our bluff to summon up the “haints," the word for ghosts in Southern slang.

First it was the man in the Post Office. “Colonel, I heard that you want to have a party to summon up the haints…I wouldn’t do that Colonel. There are some pretty mean haints up your way.” Then it was the guy at community gardens. “Colonel, folks have been talking about your wanting to have a bonfire to call up the haints. It’s not a good idea Colonel." So...there was no bonfire, no party, no summoning up the "haints." When local folk speak, he listens.

Down here, people paint blue over the entrances to their homes to keep out the haints. Who knows...maybe we should think about doing that…