A nod to the First Tee of Charleston

I have always tried to expose Beachwalker Boy to different sports, clubs, groups, etc. One of the things he has enjoyed most is becoming involved in The First Tee. I learned of The First Tee a couple of years back in the place from whence we came and it was a perfect summer program for 'Boy' to attend. He had already decided the golf course was a pretty nice place since we would spend Sunday mornings walking the trails around the course and stopping for brunch at the links cafe.

I was very happy to find The First Tee thriving in the Charleston area and quickly signed on Beachwalker Boy for the Winter Program. Not only does he learn the game of golf but also is learning positive values and developing a good and strong character.

The First Tee strives to use the game of golf to develop the leaders of tomorrow. Today, I received an e-mail from Ben Gandy, the Program Director for the Greater Charleston chapter. Every non-profit organization needs the support of the community and Ben is presenting an opportunity for participants and others to give back through the support of The First Tee of Greater Charleston. I hope you will have a look at their website and learn about the value the chapter is providing this local community and consider ways you could support them either by giving your child an opportunity to participate, making a small purchase or joining PGA Tour Superstar and Charleston native, DJ Trahan by pledging $1 for every birdie he makes on tour this year. It is a simple and fun way to support DJ and The First Tee. I'll let you read Ben's e-mail which says well what The First Tee does for children and the communities in which they are involved.

Dear Friends and Supporters,

The First Tee of Greater Charleston saw much success in 2008 because of the dedicated help and support of the Greater Charleston community. 2009 has started the same and our enrollment has increased to nearly 420 youth from all backgrounds and from all over the Greater Charleston area! We are excited about reaching even more youth, teaching them valuable Life Skills such as Honesty, Integrity and Respect through the game of golf.

The First Tee is also excited about the opportunity to continually engage the Greater Charleston community and get them involved in our quest to make a positive lasting impact on the lives of our youth. We have created some small ways to get involved, that will make a big difference!

1. Become a Supporting Member
2. Purchase Logoed Merchandise
3. Follow Local PGA Tour Superstar DJ Trahan

More information on these ways to support and how to get involved can be found on our website. www.TheFirstTeeGreaterCharleston.org

Please join us in our efforts to help not only the youth of today but the leaders of tomorrow. Thank you for all your gracious support!

Sincerely,
Ben Grandy, PGA / Program Director
The First Tee of Greater Charleston
222 West Coleman Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
O. 843.352.4513 / F. 843.881.0358
www.TheFirstTeeGreaterCharleston.org

The Citadel

Spike is the Citadel Mascot

On Saturday, Beachwalker Boy and I headed into town to visit The Citadel, the prominent southern military academy in Charleston. Founded in 1842, it has a long and rich history. On January 9, 1861, Citadel Cadets manning an artillery battery on Morris Island fired the first hostile shots of the War Against Northern Aggression (Civil War), repulsing the federal steamship Star of the West, carrying supplies and two hundred federal troops dispatched by President Buchanan to reinforce Union Forces garrisoned at Fort Sumter.

We really had a fine time visiting the library which will be undergoing renovation this summer, the museum, the canteen where we had lunch and the great field where we saw cadets drilling, others covered in mud jogging hard and what appeared to be a contest of skills with teams from other southern colleges.
Beachwalker Boy really enjoyed seeing the different 'artifacts' on the field. He would have liked it better if he could have been allowed to climb all over them...but there are rules.

It was really a fun time!

Mt. Pleasant Junior Cotillion

Anson's Restaurant in Charleston's Historic Market

Tonight, Beachwalker Boy will attend the Grand Spring Dinner at Anson's Restaurant in downtown Charleston with his cotillion group. It should be great fun for the children to try out their manners at a evening dinner. Parents will not be in attendance as usual.

Saturday morning beach music

This morning Beach Walker Boy and I took our walk along the beach. It was a great morning. So many people were out with their four legged friends enjoying a very comfortable morning.

How could we resist heading to the shore to watch the glistening sun reflections on the water.

We met up with Will and Nate, students at the local high school who were practicing their music while enjoying the nice morning. Once they realized we were listening they stepped it up and started singing a popular song often heard on the radio station that Beach Walker Boy is normally glued to when we are in the car. Both young men, as polite as can be, had really good voices and played well for their age. They have been playing for a while and are members of a group band...no big deal, just a group of kids happy to play.

Jambalaya...Jambalaya

I love this hat. 'Vivi" had a style!

Viviane Joan 'Vivi' Abbott Walker (Character) from Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)

Getting ready for our own Madi Gras celebration...Beach Walker Boy is already asking when I'm going to make Jambalaya. Mmmm! the smell, the colors, yum! I first started making Jambalaya after my dear friend moved to Southwestern Louisiana. She sent me a great cookbook that I often use... Zydeco Shoes--A Sensory Tour of Cajun Culture. It's a pretty interesting cookbook that includes history and art as well as a CD of some great Zydeco music.

Zydeco Shoes: A Sensory Tour™ of Cajun Culture steeps you in Cajun art, stories, recipes and music. The book features Cajun artist Earl Hébert's vibrant art and engaging stories, recipes from world-famous Mulate's®,

I started with the recipe in Zydeco Shoes which is an absolutely delicious recipe. I later tried different pre-packaged varieties but they were a bit too salty for my taste. I now think I have come to a final recipe. It is a traditional Creole Jambalaya recipe that I found on the My Recipe's website and it originally ran in Southern Living in 2003.

Creole Jambalaya with Shrimp, Ham, and Andouille Sausage

Author Cliff Hutson Official license.

click here to enjoy Zydeco Music and a fun website...while you try this nice recipe...

Creole Jambalaya This recipe does not call for shrimp but you know I'm adding it.
Yield Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
8 green onions, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 cups cubed cooked ham (1 pound)
1 pound Cajun-flavored or smoked sausage, sliced
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
5 cups cooked rice
Garnishes: fresh parsley sprig, chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sauté until tender. Add ham, sausage, and next 4 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
Stir in rice, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes over low heat. Garnish, if desired.
Southern Living, APRIL 2003

A nod to Miss Gracious Living - Southern Accent

From Cranes Stationery

The lovely ladies who organize the Southern Accents magazine blog always have something of interest to say. Today, they talked about the importance of the thank you note. Being a lover of all manner of stationery and it's ultimate purposes, I take great interest in anything having to do with it's use. Instilling the value of properly thanking someone has been something I have been working on with Beach Walker Boy from the time he was able to draw a few lines. His effort has been paying off and he has realized that when he makes the effort to show appreciation properly, he is applauded for his effort and good things come back his way. Sometimes he struggles with the correct use of words but he understands the formula and in the long run, we all know that it's the thought that counts. He has recently sent out his very first properly written invitation acceptance. Hooray! On to next steps.

From Mrs. John L. Strong Stationery Collection

Keeping a nice supply of stationery papers at the ready helps to insure the thank you notes are sent. There are so many pretty papers. When you click on the link below, you'll see the pretty papers presented in the Southern Accents blog. Personally, I like Cranes or Mrs. John L. Strong papers. Beach Walker Boy uses Cranes basic informal notes or correspondence cards...no frill for him...typical boy. Recently, I picked up a pack of very pretty photo cards prepared by the Alhambra Garden Club of Mount Pleasant. Each card featured a beautiful picture of a local historical site in town. My favorite and the first used was of Pitt Street in the Old Village of Mount Pleasant where the Village Bakery is located. Ahhh! The Village Bakery...well that's a whole other post...

Have a look at the Southern Accents magazine blog. It really is quite good. Sincerest Thanks - Miss Gracious Living - Southern Accents

Sea Turtles

Photo source unknown

Happy Valentine's day

A Moment of Happinessby Jalalu'l-din Rumi

A moment of happiness, you and I

sitting on the verandah,

apparently two, but one in soul, you and I.

We feel the flowing water of life here,

you and I, with the garden's beauty

and the birds singing.

The stars will be watching us,

and we will show them

what it is to be a thin crescent moon.

You and I unselfed, will be together,

in different to idle speculation, you and I.

The parrots of heaven will be cracking sugar

as we laugh together, you and I.

In one form upon this earth,

and in another form in a timeless sweet land.

The Beach...

I love this picture of the sun's rays hitting the water...

...and I'll post this picture again of Beachwalker Boy...every time I look at it, it speaks differently to me.

Church Wall Art

Today after church while I was waiting for Beach Walker Boy, I decided to take a walk through the garden behind the church. It's a gorgeous garden with a lovely pond and pretty plantings. Even though it's only the 1st day of February, there was already some beautiful flowers in bloom.

There are places throughout the garden to sit and meditate. The birds were singing, and the squirrels scurrying ('Boy' calls it Man vs. Wild music). It was very pleasant and I spent a bit of time just enjoying the garden. It was outstanding weather today and perfect for a bit of a walk.

As I was heading back to where I would meet up with 'Boy', I found these beautiful pieces of art on the wall near the side entrance. I'd never noticed them before...or perhaps I never slowed down enough while leaving through the side entrance to notice. I wish I could have gotten a better picture of them but I have just a foolish little mini camera...my first digital. Shouldn't really blame the camera...I'm not much of a photographer....but I digress. There are actually three pieces but these two were the ones I captured (I thought I had captured all three...Hmmmm!). They are really quite impressive in person. I like that they are broken but really are all part of one scene. I would have preferred they were put on a solid wall as I think the brick background detracts from their beauty but still a nice touch overall for a side wall.

Beach Walker Boy's first day on the golf course...

On Wednesday afternoon, Beach Walker Boy and I raced to Patriots Point Golf Links for his first session with the First Tee of Charleston that I posted about a few weeks ago. We were late arriving and it was starting to mist. I asked the first staffer I saw where the children were meeting and he was gracious enough to offer his cart to get to the meeting spot. Not wanting to run the risk of tipping the cart in my hurry, I asked him if he would mind taking the trip down the lane and he did...Beach Walker Boy loves a good golf cart ride. There are quite a few people here who own their own personal golf carts that they use either down by the beach or around the neighborhood. Needless to say, Beach Walker Boy thinks it a good investment...Uhhh, Right!

Well, back to the other afternoon. The mist started to turn to showers...then to a full out rain storm. As I looked out the window of my car where I was comfortably waiting, I saw a parade of golf carts streaming down the lane back to the viewing porch. Out poured a stream of wet tweens. I braved the rain from the car to the covering to show my support as other parents were a bit more on the ball having brought umbrellas...Oh well, I try. After so much time in the desert, I'm still getting used to the idea of a umbrella. A little rain never hurt anyone...unless of course, it comes by way of a hurricane.

Apparently the children did have enough time together with the coaches to go over the rules and and structure of the program. They each received their own score and guide books. Everyone seemed happy...maybe because a kid generally love getting drenched in the rain. We'll be back out there next Wednesday...hopefully with better weather for the children and so I could chill outside as I wait for 'Boy' and watch the harbor boats go by...

Scarlett's Grapes

Blue cheese grapes - Oh my gosh! These are so good...


8 oz cream cheese
1 small tub crumbled blue cheese
1 bunch of grapes
chopped pecans


Mix cream cheese and blue cheese until creamy. Set aside. Wash grapes and remove grapes from stems. Dry each grape and set on a clean dish towel. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper on a baking tray. Using your hands roll each grape in the cream cheese mixture until coated. Then coat the grape in pecan pieces. Place on baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Beautiful Border Collies

Official license

I love Border Collies. As a child, I grew up with 'Tippy', our families beautiful Border Collie who lived to the very ripe age of 21 human years. Perhaps that was a record...we never checked. We were just happy to have had Tippy with us for so long. Some of the smartest dogs you'll ever find and loyal to their humans. When my sister and I were quite small, Tippy would 'do his work' by herding us to safety. He was the best babysitter a parent could have as well as a regular sweetheart. For my sister and I, Tippy was our friend and protector as well as our 'electrocutin' doggie'...a term we coined from a game we played with Tippy where we let him chase us around.

If I ever decide to have a dog, it will be a Border Collie...just as beautiful as was Tippy.

Martin's photos

copyright MC 2008

I love these two photographs shot by my dear friends son who is hoping to craft a business from his hobby. I am hoping he will make a good go of it. I think he has an interesting way of capturing the image plus I just love black & white photos.

copyright MC 2008

Messages in the sand

Beach Walker Boy leaving a message in the sand...

Beach Walker Boy tees up!

Tiger Woods, the leading professional golfer and the world's highest paid athlete.

In a week or so Beach Walker Boy will once again hit the golf course for another round of lessons with The First Tee of Greater Charleston. The course at Patriots Point is quite nice and having had experience with the quality of the program at The First Tee from whence we came, he is excited to get started again.

A very Merry Christmas!

It was a wonderful Christmas day and now we are winding down. Beach Walker Boy received all that he wanted including the coveted PlayStation portable and the board game Axis & Allies. He also received an unexpected MP3 Player which made him a very happy boy.
We spent a good portion of today at the beach, Boy jogged and I collected shells. It was a beautiful day, everyone was out and about, four legged dog friends getting their exercise, at least two football games were in play and one very loud bocci ball game , moms and dads with toddlers in tow, kite flyers, runners and of course the beach walkers.

Remembering family

This is the time of year when memories of loved ones are remembered and cherished.

I keep this picture on my computer. It runs as part of a slide show screen saver. I love to see this picture, it's sepia finish, the clothes from another time, the faces that repeat generation after generation. I like to think I have my Grandmothers cheekbones and my Dad's lips but have always loved and longed for the beauty of my Aunt Jean. As a child, she always looked like such a star to me. Then all the woman of that era took such great care as to be a star in their own right.

L to R; Back: Dad, Aunt Jean, Uncle Nick; Front: Grandpa and Grandma

My Christmas Eve Seafood Chowder

Our tradition would usually be to have a traditional Italian Seafood Dinner...but since it will only be Beach Walker Boy and myself this year, I am making our favorite Seafood Chowder. I took this recipe from Coastal Living magazine last year and it is simple and wonderful.
Beach Walker Boy loves it so much, he'll even have it for breakfast.
This recipe calls for shrimp, but you can substitute 1 pound of your favorite fresh seafood—clams, bay scallops, or mild white fish—alone or in any combination you like. I'll use shrimp and scallops that I'll get locally from Mt. P Seafood on Shem Creek. They have such fresh seafood. I'll serve it with a great fresh salad and hot french bread... Yum!
I'll prepare a beautiful table reminiscent of my childhood holidays when my mother would set a table with her best china and silverware, gorgeous linens and lovely candlesticks. It was a feast for the eyes.
Our family not only set a beautiful table for the holiday but every Sunday as well ,when all the family came together to share a meal. Sunday's were the best of times and often we would spend hours at the table savoring everything from soup to nuts.

It was hardly about the food and much more about family.

Seafood Chowder

Yield Makes 4 servings


Ingredients
6 slices thick-cut bacon
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 4 1/2 cups)
3 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (I'll only pepper to taste because 12 teaspoons is too much for me)

Preparation:

Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in pan. Coarsely crumble bacon. Set aside. Cook onion and celery in hot drippings over medium heat 7 minutes or until tender, stirring often. Add potatoes and clam juice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add cream, and heat just to simmering. Add seafood, and simmer 3 minutes or until done. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper. Top with crumbled bacon.

Flying Surfer Dude

Today Beach Walker Boy and I headed to the beach for a hearty walk in the wind. It's a gray day here and cooler than normal. The surfers were out wearing their surfer dude wet suits with their colorful sails attached to them. One fellow was actually lifted from the water when his sail caught wind. I could almost feel the excitement he must have experienced being lifted up unexpectedly and then gliding down when the wind slowed. The sensation of flying. I wonder if that is the moment they all wait for when they head out to the surf.