Sea Breezes

Merry Christmas
Live Your 2010 Like A Child
Trust, Laugh, Play, Dream, Smile, Love

The Night the Animals Talk

Sea Breeze
Dear Henley, Lander, Paisley, Kennedy, Whit,

I want to tell you a story. A magical story. Long, long ago, in the city of David, called Bethlehem, a baby was born. This baby boy was born in a stable, a building where animals spend the night and eat their meals. This baby boy's mother placed him in a manger, which is like a big basket that holds hay for the horses, and sheep, and camels and goats to eat. Mary, the baby's mother, placed him on the sweet hay in the manger so he could sleep. Being born is hard work, so the baby boy was tired. His mother was tired too, and his daddy, Joseph, was tired as he had walked all the way from a city called Nazareth to be counted, but that is another story. Joseph and Mary were so tired from traveling and baby having, that they too lay down in the soft hay and went to sleep.

This is where our story picks up. The baby, whom they had named Jesus, was sleeping, Mary and Joseph were sleeping, the shepards who had showed up to see the baby were sleeping, the three wise men who had traveled on camels for days and days, were camel sore and they were sleeping. Who was awake in this stable then? Well, I'll tell you who was awake, all the animals were awake. The camels, goats, sheep, horses, donkeys, pigs, chickens, turkeys, mice, dogs and cats, they were all awake. For you see, this was a special night for the animals. This special baby had been born in their home, and the baby brought with him special powers like saving the world from sin, but that is another story.

Anyway, back to our animal story. Exactly at midnight on this first Christmas Eve, God was so filled with joy about His only son being born, that he let the angels talk and all the animals. So the animals spoke in voices to each other and spent the next hour praising God and oohing and ahing over baby Jesus. They laughed and laughed and hugged each other and licked each other in joy. They were so happy to be able to talk to each other.]

Well, these barn animals had so much fun talking, laughing and praising God, that God decided to let them do it again the next year.

So, a tradition was born. Each Christmas Eve, at exactly the stroke of midnight, animals all over the world speak to each other for one hour in human voices. Before the hour is up, they kneel down and give thanks to God for the gift of the baby Jesus. God loves this hour each year as his creation praises Him. Even the angels get in on the celebration.

So, grand babies, this Christmas Eve, at exactly midnight, if you listen, you may be able to hear the animals talking. MeMe has heard them. One Christmas Eve when I was a girl, I went out to barn where I kept my horse, Clipper. It was a cold, clear Christmas Eve night in Tennessee, and I was bundled up against the cold. As I got close to Clipper's stall, I stopped and listened. I heard him whinnie, horses make a whinnie type noise, and then the horse talk turned into people talk. He was talking to the horse in the next stall. Clipper was kneeling and I heard him say, "Merry Christmas God."

I looked at my watch and it was exactly 59 minutes after midnight. My horse was kneeling, just like I had heard the animals do and he was talking in a human voice. So grand babies, the story is true. MeMe saw and heard it with her own eyes and ears.

Tonight, this Christmas Eve, the animals wait, The whole world waits. The Christ Child is born again, in our lives and our hearts. The people worship and celebrate and sleep. The animals, for one brief hour, speak in people voices and kneel in reverence to the baby Jesus.

Merry, Merry Christmas to you all.

Christmas love.

MeMe

Come Let Us Adore Him

Sea BreezesChildren in my world are eagerly awaiting the coming of Christmas. Little Kennedy got up this morning and announced to her mommy, "It's Christmas today!" She is so excited. Children in my world and all around the world are awaiting the coming of Christmas with the expectation and excitement that only children have. The excitement is truly contagious. I haven't forgotten those long ago Christmas Eve's where I impatiently awaited the folds of sleep to lay over me so Christmas morning would arrive faster. I still anticipate Christmas with an excitement and a longing. I am older, well, much older than that child who couldn't wait. Now I await with a longing and an understanding of the Christmas miracle. Christmas Eve we will dress in our holiday best and drive to church for the late Christmas service. When the children were smaller, we went to the earlier family service. As they got older, we all went to the later service, always my favorite. To be in His house at midnight when Christmas day begins, is to me, always thrilling. The service shines with lights, and music, and candles glowing. We sing the familiar hymns that welcome the Christ Child. The liturgy celebrates The Nativity of Our Lord, and we are ever reminded that Love came down to live among us. We, an ordinary, imperfect, past middle aged couple in a little shrimping village on the coast in a little white clapboard church, celebrate a King. Join us this Christmas Eve in prayer and praise and thanksgiving for such Love. Friends and family, even if we don't see you often or talk with you often, know that we love you all.
Oh come, let us adore Him.
Christ, the Lord.
Have a holy and happy Christmas.

Born a Child and yet a King

Sea Breezes This morning at church was lovely and joyful. The rain from the previous days hung heavy in the air, the Spanish moss hung dark and wet from the trees as if hungover with the previous evening's rain. The quick brush with winter was stopped, at least for the morning, as a warmth took over the air. Pictured is my beloved St. Andrew's Episcopal church here in Darien where we worship. We went deeper into our Advent season this morning. Father Ted spoke of joy during this season of personal penitence and preparation. The joy is the redemption and forgiveness of Christ that is constant, even while we prepare our hearts and our homes for the coming of The Christ Child. Our Advent music is full of promise and preparation. We sang one of my favorite Advent hymns, "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus".

Come thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free.
From our fears and sins release us;
Let us find our rest in thee.

Born they people to deliver;
Born a child and yet a king,
Born to raise in us forever
Ever more our praises ring.

We are waiting for the birth of a baby, who was also born a king. He frees us from our fears and our sins. I don't know about you, but my fears and my sins can just paralyze me sometimes. I start worrying and next thing I know, I am on this worry train to nowhere, when I could have been traveling those same moments filled with rest and joy. Praise seems to be a wonderful substitute for worry and sin. I am really going to try to praise Him when these worry and sin moments creep in. During this Advent season, I have a lot to do. Jesus is coming and I have to get my heart ready. My home is all decorated. That was fun. This self cleaning is not as easy as my self cleaning oven. I have lots of dusty worry and sins I have gathered over the year in all the rooms of my heart that need cleaning. Born a Child and yet a King. Only God would think of that. I can't wait until Christmas.

Thank You God, For Everything

Sea Breezes
Thank you for the world so sweet;
Thank you for the food we eat.
Thank you for the birds that sing;
Thank you God, for everything.

That was my favorite blessing to say as a child. Now that I am no longer a child, I still cherish that little blessing. This past Thanksgiving brought all ten children to our home, again. What have we done to deserve ten children? What have we given to the world to deserve ten children? What have the two of us in our ordinary lives, full of mistakes and sin, ever done to deserve ten children? All we did was fall in love and get married. Life has brought much joy to us and also heartache at times. We haven't always appreciated the joy and haven't always done so great with the heartaches. We probably have hurt some of the ten children in many ways. What in this world have we done to deserve ten children? The answer is nothing. Not one thing. That is why I am most thankful for the little people in the picture and all the people who produced them, and the one who isn't married yet. You see, our ten children are gifts from our Lord who loves us beyond our understanding. We have done nothing to deserve our ten children, but yet He gives us these gifts. We have done nothing to deserve His grace and love, yet He gives us these gifts. Perhaps that is the meaning of thankfulness. To be thankful is to be undeserving of a precious gift. A gift is an expression of love. Advent means preparation. This Advent, we are getting ready in our family to celebrate The Nativity of Our Lord. I am thankful for our ten children. I am thankful for the Christ Child who is coming again soon, in our hearts and in our lives. May you and yours have a Blessed Advent.
Thank you God, for everything.

What Is Wrong With Me?

Sea Breezes What is wrong with me? I am addicted to free stuff and that includes nature. Here I am driving along Highway 17 this evening after a hard swim at the Y, wet hair and all. I was tired and anxious to get home. I haven't been home since seven this morning and, well, it's Monday. Anyways, I look over eastward and somebody has hung this huge, white, round moon smack dab over the salt marsh, painted the sky indigo and messed with the lights in pinks and purples. I almost had a wreck craning my neck to see a sight that I really couldn't afford to buy. The next thing I know, I pull my car over to the entrance to Two Way Fish Camp (for another post), I grab the camera and take a couple of pictures. My lens does not do justice to this beauty, but just try to imagine. I got out of the car, and the marsh grass danced in the cool evening sea breeze, I could hear the grasses rustling. When you get this close to marsh grass, you know you are at or below sea level, as the grass is higher than you are standing. Looking out over the salt marsh, in the horizon, is the Atlantic Ocean in the picture. Why doesn't God just let me go about my day? Why does He throw such beauty at me? He knows I can't afford to buy anything. I have promised myself to keep my camera handy. I hope He doesn't mind if I take a picture of His riches. He is so awesome. He knows I can't afford His stuff. Maybe that is what grace is all about.....a free gift of the best stuff.

Down In The Dumps

Sea BreezesSunday morning I was ALMOST down in the dumps. My spirit was actually down in the dumps.....er....dump, that is. We drive by the county dump on the way to church. We don't live in the dumps, but we live near the dump. Now, our dump is a nice, pretty clean dump, right off the highway. Actually, it is the county refuse drop off point. We live in the county and have to haul our own garbage. We dump household trash there, and then the county takes it away to The Dump. I haven't been there, but back to the story. We locals call where we take our garbage, the dump. It even has a sign that says dump. We were driving by the dump to church and lo, there sat a piano and a rocking chair. I couldn't breathe for shock. Fortunately for Harold, he was driving. I would have turned into that dump in a second to check out that piano and that rocking chair. Let me admit to being a thrift store, other people's old stuff junkie. I love to poke. I really don't like garage sales, I like free, or almost free stuff. I am a junk junkie. My husband does not understand this obsession. I will tell you I have furnished my entire front porch from great stuff from the Salvation Army that I hauled home in the back of my little convertible. Needless to say, someone else got to check out or take home that rocking chair and that piano. Harold had to admit, the other day, that he actually did try to go dumpster diving. He was taking the garbage to the dump, when along comes a truck loaded with outdoor kid equipment. Nice equipment, he said. Good stuff to put outside for grand babies to play on...and free. He almost got there in time. A guy ahead of him in a truck got to the stuff before Harold could. The other guy asked the owner of the kids' stuff if he could have it, and he did get it. Harold missed out on a load of good quality, free kid stuff. So are we both down in the dumps? I have one child who has inherited this gene for reusing stuff. Blake, instead of getting in trouble during his high school years, spent a lot of his time at the city dump and the junked car dump gleaning parts for his cars. He enjoys working on his cars and his home and yard with other folks' discards. He has found some amazing things such as brand new French doors for his home and an almost new barbecue grill in his local city refuse place. A lot of people in his area, he says, put great stuff out at the street for the city to pick up, and he drives by to pick up, for free, some great deals. So in this bum economy, you might want to consider "gently worn" or "heavily distressed". You too, might get down in the dumps and have fun to boot! Let me know about some of your finds!

Ashantilly Through My Lens

Sea BreezesThe trip to Ashantilly plantation was well worth the time on a lovely October Sunday afternoon. On the grounds of the historic plantation, local historian, Buddy Sullivan presented a talk about the beginnings of The Lower Altamaha Historical Society and its efforts to preserve the pristine loveliness of our river system. A marker was dedicated to mark the plantation and its history. We got to tour the plantation home, and I stayed and poked until I could poke no more. Only the first floor is open to the public. The home has much restoration to be done, but as a lover of old things, I was in heaven. Please enjoy my pictures that I hope will speak for themselves.

History Chase..Here I Go Again!

Sea BreezesAshantilly To Be Recognized in New Historical Marker October 25
The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) along with The Lower Altamaha Historical Society will unveil a new historical marker to recognize Ashantilly plantation. The dedication will be held on the grounds of Ashantilly, Highway 99, north of Darien, Georgia on October 25, 2009, at 3:00 p.m.

From one of colonial Georgia's most prominent families, Thomas Spalding was an influential planter who helped develop the plantation economy of the low country as an advocate for modern agricultural ideas including crop rotation and diversifying the crop varieties beyond the standard rice, indigo, and cotton. The Ashantilly property was inherited from his mother, Margery McIntosh Spalding. Although possessing a large estate on Sapelo Island, Spalding built the Ashantilly house as an inland domicile for his family. Accounts of the structure suggest it was classically designed; the building consisted of a central, two story structure and flanking wings. Like Spalding's homes on Sapelo, Ashantilly was constructed of tabby, a concrete like material derived from oyster shells, found in abundance in tidewater Georgia. The Spalding family sold the property in 1870 to William A. Wilcox, founder of the Ashantilly Press.

The marker text reads as follows:

Ashantilly

Built ca. 1820, Ashantilly was the mainland residence of prominent antebellum planter Thomas Spalding (1774-1851), owner of the nearby Sapelo Island plantation. The house, likely built by Spalding's slaves, was constructed of tabby, an equal mix of oyster shell, sand, water and lime. Ashantilly was named for Spalding's ancestral home in County Perth, Scotland. He died at Ashantilly and is interred in the family burial ground adjacent to the property. William G. Haynes, Jr. (1908-2001), proprietor of the Ashantilly Press, was the last private owner of Ashantilly. In 1993 the Haynes family donated the property to the Ashantilly Center, Inc.

Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and The Lower Altamaha Historical Society....borrowed from the GHS website

Here I go again...running after local Georgia history. I am going to tour Ashantilly this afternoon. Ashantilly is the summer mansion of Thomas Spalding, the builder of Reynolds Mansion over on my beloved Sapelo Island where my friends and I stay each summer. All of the above information will get you caught up, until I come home and share my pictures and tell you more. One of the best parts about living on the Georgia Coast is the never ending living history that is all around us. Ashantilly is maybe 10 minutes from my home, drive time. Folks in coastal Georgia are intense about preserving their history. I am intense about soaking it in. I have had the rare opportunity to speak to folks over on Sapelo Island whose great great grandparents were slaves. Oh my, and off I go again. We are the product of those who came before us in this sacred and lovely place.....the sweat and blood and sacrifice of the slave labor that developed the area I call home is important for me to understand. I equate it with the sweat and blood and sacrifice of my Lord who developed the area I will someday call home. These are my thoughts on this lovely October day in Darien Ga. Will write more later, I am off to Ashantilly....

There They Go!

Sea BreezesWe had a whirlwind grand baby weekend. After coming home from work, the Tennessee babies and parents drove up, camper and van and all. We were sooo glad to see them. They have grown over the summer. Henley is adorable in her glasses, Lander is more boy than ever, and baby Paisley is cute as a little bit bigger button. We enjoyed hugs, kisses, an easy dinner, frog playing, story telling and night night time. Saturday morning brought early risers. Talks of Disney World, a great Pop breakfast, a little early morning TV and more toad catching, brought the rest of the crew. Katie and gang arrived mid-morning, and we were off in the sunny morning to visit Holfwell-Broadfield Plantation, about a ten minute drive from our home. It is an old coastal rice plantation, and a state park. We had fun touring the old buildings and had a yummy picnic under a live oak tree. Back to our home for baby naps and hanging out. Evening brought us going to dinner at B&J's-a local seafood, any kind of food place. All of us ate well. All twelve of us. It is hard to believe we have 12 folks in our family. God has blessed us with ten children. Enjoy a picture of our grand babies. Have a great time in Disneyworld, Sartin gang. Have a great week Olliff crew! We love you all.

Here they come......

Sea BreezesReady, set, here goes, here come the grand babies, all FIVE (5)...Blake and gang are coming tomorrow evening, on their way to Disney World to go camping. We are so excited. Katie and her babies are coming for the day on Saturday, so chaos will be transpiring. How I look forward to these hours with all these children I love who aren't our children, but the children of our children. Scripture mentions seeing your children's children. What a blessing. We are so blessed. They add so much joy to our lives, these children of our children. I am so glad we had children. They are blessings and gave us grandchildren to be further blessed. Thank you Lord for these blessings that come in little boy and little girl packages. Please give us the energy and good health to continue to enjoy and love them. Amen.

Tobias Waldemar Sartin 1994-2009

Sea BreezesTobias "Toby" Waldemar Sartin passed away quietly in his backyard under a pine tree on September 25, 2009 in McIntosh County, Georgia. His best buddy, Trooper was by his side. Toby was 15 years old. He was born January 21, 1994, in Memphis, Tennessee, puppy of sire Eileens Garth Man and dam Arts Little Reba. He was the largest red long haired dachshund in his litter. Toby was registered with the American Kennel Club on January 13, 1995. His funeral service was held Saturday, September 26 in his backyard. After the burial, Trooper slept by the grave for a long while, tears rolling down his old eyes. This writer did not know dogs wept.
As a puppy, Toby spent his first four years in Dyersburg, Tennessee. He received his early education at dog obedience classes in Dyersburg. He took the class twice; the second time he won a fourth place trophy in the class.He always liked the trophy displayed low, so he could admire it. Toby was known for his love of himself, his toys, and sitting pretty and mooching. He hated cats and other dogs. He never bit a stranger. He only bit his own family. He also loved to sleep and burrow into beds. He never really cared much for house breaking. He loved the beach, walking and riding in the basket on the bike. He liked eating anything off the floor. He licked dishwashers and loved full garbage cans. One time he fell into the upright kitchen garbage can with his tail hanging out, still eating the stale food at the bottom. He loved water and baths.He loved his chew bones, but never really enjoyed them as he carried them around the house trying to hide them, so no one else would get them. He trusted no one or no thing. Toby was gay. We called him Sweet Boy. He and Trooper were known in the family as "The Boys". Toby was blessed many times at the annual "Blessing of the Pets" on St. Francis of Assi Day at many Episcopal churches, his family attended over the years, but he continued his nasty lifestyle of biting and poop eating. Toby moved to St. Simons Island when he was three and lived on the island until he was 12. He took to island life immediately. He loved the sea breeze blowing his red fur and was a common site walking the St. Simons beach sporting his orange and white Tennessee cap. He was known in the community as Island Dachsund. He hated every dog he met. He loved to be in the yard with Pillus, and he loved running off. When he was four, his family adopted mutt Trooper and the boys became constant companions. Besides Trooper, Toby leaves his grieving mistress, Phyllis, Pillus, as he called her and her husband Harold and boy Patrick, and girl Katie and boy Blake who all loved and hated him in their own ways and also their spousea and children, whom he tolerated. He also leaves many other friends from years past who loved him.Toby was handsome until the end. He was still red, slim hipped and could go up and down the stairs. He stilled howled in the night and kept everyone up. He still drew blood at the vet, the vet's blood. on every trip. Oh, he hated vets too. To his Pillus, he was loyal and loved. She loved his tenacity, his vibrancy, his stubborness and his playfulness. She will miss her sidekick who even sensed her mood by her very change in breath. He loved her with his very heart and soul, even though he bit her just two days prior. They walked many a mile together on road and beach. Tob could still do a couple of miles up until age 14. The last walk together, Pillus carried old Sweet Boy and wept the entire walk. How do you say goodbye to a friend, a love? Not goodbye, old friend, just until we meet again in the road and beach that has no end, only, rainbows and sweet sea breezes. I love you Toby. Rest in God's Sweet Peace.

The Power of One Picture

Sea Breezes Amazing, the power of a picture. I just sat looking at the above picture, and here comes this blog. Last weekend Katie and her gang came to visit. After they left, we collapsed from fatigue. That girl does that to me. She always has. She was born running and has never stopped. Her go go go is one of the things I love best about her. So this post is for you, Katie. You are beautiful. I think every mother secretly hopes to have at least one daughter. I only got one and also two beautiful boys. But as I said, this post is about Katie. A daughter is special to a mother because, after all, we mothers are daughters ourselves.We had a chance to make it better, or so we hoped. We swore our relationship with our own daughter would not have the conflicts we had with our own moms. And so we tried. But alas, the conflicts came, but so did the joys and the sorrows and the decisions. One day, my little girl became a young woman, a high school graduate, a college graduate and a fiance, and a wife, and a mother and heck, I had to sit down and rethink the whole mother daughter thing all over again. She is having way too much fun being a mother. Did I have that much fun mothering her? As I look back, she was a handful. She was such a bright kid, diligent in her studies and overachieving on everything she did. She was popular, a top swimmer, and lovely dancer. She was a cheerleader and HOMECOMING QUEEN. She was a leader and nominated to every committee for community service and church activities she could be. And to boot, she had great hair and a fabulous shape. Where did this kid come from? She really was the perfect child in every way. Oh yes, we had our battles. She was the spiciest kid in our home, full of attitude and drama. We used to say we felt her breeze go by. One Saturday morning she came in complaining of boredom, and she had already done three activities. She has always had an uncanny decorating and style sense. She has compassion for people and animals. She has been on mission trips to Europe. One not so long ago morning, she called me from Poland, afraid to go into the concentration camp. "Should I, Mom?" she asked. "Go", I advised. "You may never get another chance." She called the next day, glad she took my advice and had a life-changing experience. She has made new, dear friends in all our many moves. She is an advisor and confidant to her friends and colleagues. She is a master teacher who genuinely cares for her students. She is the mother I tried to be to her and more. She is having more fun mothering. She doesn't analyze each moment in her life like I do. She just does it. She is decisive, yet unpredictable. She wears her self confidence like a beautifully tailored suit. Katie is beautiful. I shot this picture of her and Greg at the beach last weekend. The more I looked at how beautiful this only daughter of mine is, the more I started on this thought process for this blog. Katie married a man who loves her beyond himself. She has two children who couldn't be any cuter or perfect. Her faith in God is strong and growing. My daughter is my best friend. I think she has many best friends, but I hope she counts me as her best 59 year old friend. Katie Susan Sartin Olliff-Happy early birthday sentiments from a sentimental Mom. Amazing, the power of one picture.

Where Did August Go?

Sea BreezesWhere did August go? Why is time flying by so fast? I love August. It's my birthday month, Harold's birthday month, and granddaughter Henley's birthday month. August is hot; I love hot. August still means summer;I love summer. So where did August go? Is your life rolling by fast forward like mine? I have go to figure this out. I have got to slow all this down. Now, how? September crept up on me like a new pound of body fat. Can I slow down my job? Well, no, the school day has a way of running by fast. If I'm not teaching, I am planning on things to teach. I shouldn't enjoy my job as much as I do, but laughing with and at kids all day makes the day fly by. What about my time working out, I like that too, and that flies by. I could stay in that pool forever. What about my time at home? I love my home and I love piddling around it. That time flies by too. What about time at church? I love that too and wish I could work there. That time disappears quickly too. My time with friends and family is so fun and goes too fast. What is wrong with me? I love everything about my life. I love my job, my ten children, my marriage, my church, my family and friends, my home and everything in between. God, I love my life, can I live forever?? I can slow this busy life down by savoring each and every second. St. Paul told us to give thanks in all situations. Whatever and where ever you are dear readers, pause and give thanks, and savor the moment. Life is endless joy, in Him. Thanks be to God. I am going to say hello to September and pull out the fall decorations. After all, September is already here.

Where Did We Spend Harold's Birthday Day?

Right here on St. Simons Beach is where we spent today!!

Sea BreezesToday was Harold's birthday. I baked him a yummy pound cake last night with Splenda. We thought it turned out great. We were church skippers today, as Katie calls it. After breakfast, we put the top down on the Spyder, loaded the beach chairs and sunscreen and headed over to St. Simons for a lovely day at the beach. The weather was perfect, blue skies, high tide, light sea breeze....and we sat, sunned and played in the waves. For dinner we had steak, twice baked potatoes and fresh green beans and garden tomatoes. He said he had a great birthday. Happy Birthday, sweet hubbie, I love you.

Do the Young Parents Realize?

The cousins reading at the Children's museum
Our dimpled doll!
Whit thinks he is as big as the rest!
Seconds after this shot, they group hugged and fell off the back of the rock....
A sprinkler park is a ton of fun for all the cousins
Can you feel the love of these cousins?....This is imprinted on my heart...
Our grandbabies are book crazy!!
Aunt Katie reads....forgive me Katie..its about the grandbabies..this pix
He looks so much like his daddy...
The face of a cherub....


Sea BreezesGrandparenting is a ton of fun and a lot of responsibility. Do the young parents, our children, know that? Do they know that we think about our grand babies all day and all night long and pray, pray, pray for them and love, love, love them? Do they know that we dream they live right next door to us? Do they know we wish we could be better grandparents? Do they realize we regret all the mistakes we made as parents but we also celebrate their grown up successes? Do they even have a clue? Do they know that in a flicker of an instant, we catch our own grandmother's smile in their baby's smile? Do they know we smirk when we hear them sing a song our own mother sang to us? Do our own children realize we don't really care that we don't get credit for how great they turned out as adults? Do they know how beautiful and perfect we think our grandchildren are? Do they realize how hard it is for us to keep our mouths shut about their parenting, although they are perfect parents? Do they realize how important and necessary it is for us to retell the same story? Do our "in-Love" ie. in-law children realize they are the answer to years of prayer and that we love them equally as we do our "we raised them" children? Do they even realize we only want to stay around as long as we can to love our grandchildren? I wonder if they realize? Enjoy the shots of all our grand babies. They are perfect and precious.

More Sapelo

Reynolds Mansion on Sapelo, view toward pool.
T!he grounds are incredible
The fountains surround the mansion and add such peacefulness and beauty.
We enjoyed the pool, built in a cruciform design. We felt like rich folks with our own mansion!
The front of the mansion looks over the pool and a one mile shell road to Nannygoat Beach.
The tile work on the patio...isn't it unreal?
The giant live oaks take your breath away!
You are looking at the walkway to Nannygoat Beach and open Atlantic Ocean.
I spent many hours just sitting here and soaking in this beauty.
Reynold's Mansion patio..we enjoyed several lunches and laughter on this patio.
The beauty never ends
The back of the mansion, this also holds the indoor swimming pool which is presently boarded over.. there are 18 carat gold tiles on the pool
This live oak is representitive of all of Sapelo and coastal
Georgia. We have several in our own yard. Do you wonder why we are in love with this paradise?

Sea BreezesHere is more about Sapelo Island. Sapelo is about sixty miles south of the center of coastal Georgia's very well-defined chain of barrier islands. Sapelo is 16, 500 acre and is Georgia's fourth largest barrier island. Except for the African American community called Hog Hammock a434-acre tract, the island is entirely state owned and manged. In addition to Hog Hammock, the island holds other entities including the University of Georgia Marine Institute, the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Richard J. Reynolds Wildlife Management Area. During the Archaic Period of pre-history (2,0000-500 B.C.) there was a large Native American presence on Sapelo. Sapelo's name is of Indian origin and was adapted by Spanish missionaries who adapted to Zapala. The Spanish missionaries were on the island from about 1573-1686.
During the colonial period of Georgia starting at about 1733, there was an agreement reached with the Creek Indians and Sapelo Island was included in a treaty that gave the island to the colony of Georgia. During the first decade of the 19th century, three men, at separate times purchased or inherited Sapelo and left their mark on the island. One was Thomas Spalding who built his own sugar mill and introduced the manufacture of sugar to Georgia. He also commissioned the building of the lighthouse. Spalding and his children owned 385 slaves on Sapelo in the 1850's. Spalding built the first south end plantation home, presently the Reynolds Mansion that I have pictured. That is where we stayed for our visit. After the Civil War, most of Sapelo was sold by Spalding descendants. In 1912, automotive engineer Howard Coffin bought the entire island, except for the black communities ,for $150,000. Between 19 22-1925, Coffin rebuilt the south end mansion which was originally built of tabby in 1810 by Spalding. In 1934, after the depression, Coffin sold Sapelo to Richard J. Reynolds who lived part-time on the island for thirty years. He also made major changes to the mansion. The outdoor pool was installed during the Coffin years in 1916. Enjoy the pictures of this historic home where I spent a few days with friends soaking in the mystic and beauty of long ago Sapelo.