The Breeze April 2020

POSTPONED EDITION ONLINE
Go to www.lowcountr ybreeze.com
1

2007-2019
Let 4M be the difference in your roof!
2

A NATURAL HABITAT for a RARE BREED of OWNERS
Here in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, you can occasionally catch a glimpse of
the rare Spring Island owners in their natural habitat. See how naturally they swing
their golf clubs and effortlessly ride on horseback. They gather in groups to marvel at
their wondrous setting and celebrate artistic offerings. They are very welcoming to new
members and are very much at peace in this place they call home.
SPRINGISLAND.COM 843.987.2200
3

Notes From
The Publisher
Where do we start? Well, for one
thing we are all in this together!
Everyone, and I mean everyone,
all over the world, are impacted
in so many ways. When will it be
safe again? When can I go back
to work? How are we going to
make ends meet financially?
Will our retirement investments be
intact? We have concern for our elderly relatives,
like the Aunt Jackies of the world. How do we counsel our
children and curb their fears of not understanding? So many
more!
Life must go on, babies are being born, we are finding new ways
to buy groceries, we really don’t need to take so many trips in
the car, the internet is even more indispensable. Boy do I need
a haircut…some things will just have to wait.
Look at what good will follow! Educating our kids will change.
The way we do business will change. The closeness of helping
others will be the norm. When friends are going to the grocery
store they take turns shopping for their neighbor. Wash hands,
disinfecting every time you go out and when you go home.
Exercising at home and eating to boost your families immune
system is a daily practice now. Pick up the phone and call
those that you know are alone. Social media has never been
more important, to keep people informed, to visit with friends,
to send something that puts a smile on peoples face. Social
distancing will work.
Blessings to Doctors who are going above the call of duty,
volunteering outside their specialty to help, working beyond
their energy. Nurses are sacrificing their family time to be safe
and help others. First re-sponders are doing so much to help.
Not their normal job but by reaching out into the community
and helping those who can not help themselves. We look
forward to the postings from our Mayor and local government.
We feel safe without their help
Don’t watch the news all the time. Take a break and do things
at home you haven’t done in years, and keep your mind active.
Depression is not allowed! Families will come out the other side
closer, more loving and understanding what is their purpose in
life, and be better off for it.
After 219 uninterrupted issues, The Breeze is going on-line. We
know it is doing our part. Spread the word, we have a full issue
with great stories and features for people of all interests to
enjoy. When we come out of this, the COVID postponed issues
will be printed and celebrated. Stay with us and let us know
what you are thinking, send us your experiences. Let’s work
together!
Be strong and somehow we will find a way. God Bless everyone!
PUBLISHER
Randolph Stewart
randolph@lowcountrybreeze.com
843.816.4005
EDITOR
Alec Bishop
843.812.1034
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
Tatiana Barrientos
tatianab@lowcountrybreeze.com
832.757.8877
COPY EDITORS
John Samuel Graves, III
Frank G. Schuetz Jr.
W.W. Winston
BUSINESS MANAGER
Nickie Bragg
843.757.8877
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Meg Van Over
Hulya Bakca
Nicole DiMeglio
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Andrew Peeples
Kimberly Blaker, Michele Roldan-Shaw
Eugene Cashman III, Patricia Branning
Frank G. Schuetz Jr., Tom Poland
Sandra Graves, Amber Hester-Kuehn
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Alec Bishop
alec@lowcountrybreeze.com
LIFESTYLE
Kimberly Blaker
PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART
Sandra Graves
The Breeze Archives
Our Readers & Friends
CORPORATE OFFICE
12 Johnston Way, Penthouse Studio
P.O. Box 2777
Bluffton, SC 29910
843-757-8877
The Breeze is published by The Bluffton Breeze, LLC. All
rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced or stored for retrieval by any means without
written permission from the Publisher. The Breeze is not
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accepts no responsibility for the contents or accuracy of
claims in any advertisement or editorial in any issue. The
Breeze is not responsible or liable for any errors, omissions or
changes in information. The opinion of contributing writers
do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine and its
Publisher. All Published photos and copy provided by writers
and artists become the property of The Breeze. Copyright
2020. Subscriptions are available at a cost of $65 per year.
4

CONTENTS
APRIL 2020, VOLUME 18, NO. 4
FEATURES
08 Coronavirus Covid-19
12 Grandpa Guilford’s
Horseless Buggy
18 Rare Ridley Turtle Nest
22 Amazing Snakes of the Lowcountry
Gene Cashman
Strange Days
26 Supplements 101
30 Yes, Dogs Do Get Depressed
32 An Artist Paints
Bioluminescent Creatures
36 Pinesap and Black Magic
42 Celebrate Easter Outdoors
With a Festive Spread
46 Live Music - Canceled
Pinesap and Black Magic
48 Strange Days
DEPARTMENTS
12 History
18 Environment
24 Your Corner
29 Tide Chart
40 Restaurant Guide
42 Reciepes
46 Music
44 Environment
On the Cover: Corona Virus
By: Sloka Poojary
5

30th Anniversary!
CRAFTSMANSHIP ONE HOME AT A TIME
General Contractor in Bluffton, SC
Commercial • Industrial • Residential
843-683-7873
www.dhabney.com
6

YOUR LOWCOUNTRY SECTIONAL SPECIALISTS!
In-Home Design Available!
Featuring A Full Range of
Flexsteel Furnishings For Your Home.
Recliners • Sofas • Sleepers • Sectionals
Home Office • Bedroom • Dining
Locally
Owned
&
Operated!
PURCHASE
of $500 or more
PREVIOUS SALES EXCLUDED
EXCLUSIVE
Limited Time Offer
Total purchase value must exceed $500
or more for offer to be valid. For one
time use only and can’t be used
with any other offer or discount. This offer
must be presented to sales
associate prior to time of sale.
EXPIRES April 30, 2019 (BB)
@
Moss Creek Village Furniture
843.837.4000
Mon - Sat 10 - 6 • Sun 1 - 5 • 1569 Fording Island Rd
(HWY 278) • Bluffton • www.MCVFurniture.com
7

We are not qualified to provide advice to our readers about the coronavirus. Through web searching with the U.S. Surgeon
General, WebMD.com, the CDC and several other sites we feel that it would be appropriate to list some information that
we found. We all know about social distancing, wearing a mask, washing hands and staying self quarantined. We hope
you will find this useful.
The coronavirus can live for hours to days of many surfaces and air up to 3 hours. There is still lots to learn and the
researchers do not know how heat, cold or sunlight affects how long it lives on surfaces.
Person-to-person transmission is the most common way of contamination. While it’s possible that people who touch
surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus and then touch their mouths or eyes can also become infected, this may
not be the main way the virus spreads, the CDC said. So disinfectant wipes can only go so far.
MATERIAL EXAMPLES
Metal
Doorknobs, jewelry, silverware
Stainless Steel Refrigerators, pots, sinks
Wood
Furniture, decking, flooring
Cardboard Shipping boxes
Copper
Pennies, mugs, pots
Plastics
Containers, seats, backpacks , phones, keyboard
Aluminum Cans, foil, bottle
Glass
Glasses, mirrors, cups, windows
Ceramics Pottery, mugs, vases, dishes , toilets, sinks
Paper
Letters, magazines, newspaper
Food
–
Water –
LIFESPAN
5 days
2 to 3 days
4 days
24 hours
4 hours
24 hours
2 to 8 hours
Up to 5 days
5 days
Varies from a few minutes to 5 days
Does not spread. Wash fruits and vegetables.
Wash hands after shopping
Has not been found in water. Local treatment
filters and disinfects.
8
What You Can Do
To reduce your chance of catching or spreading coronavirus, clean and disinfect all surfaces and objects in your home and
office every day.
After you visit the drugstore or supermarket, or bring in takeout food or packages, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds
with soap and warm water.
Sources: Deseret.com, WebMD.com, U.S. Surgeon General, CDC.gov, SCDEHEC

THINGS THAT SUPPRESS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
LACK OF SLEEP
Not getting enough sleep can make you more likely to catch
viruses or germs. And you also may take longer to get better.
That’s because your body can’t make as many infection-fighting
cells and proteins called antibodies that help defend against
illness. Your body releases certain proteins that help the immune
system, called cytokines, only during sleep.
LOW VITAMIN D
You may know you need it for strong bones and healthy blood
cells. But vitamin D also helps boost your immune system. You
can get it in eggs, fatty fish, and fortified foods like milk and
cereal. Sunlight is another key source.
ANXIETY
Stress and worry aren’t great germ fighters. Just having anxious
thoughts can weaken your immune response in as little as 30
minutes.
CERTAIN MEDICATIONS
They include drugs to treat allergies, arthritis, lupus, IBS, and
organ transplant. Corticosteroids are one example, as are TNF
inhibitors for inflammation and chemotherapy for cancer. Talk
with your doctor before you adjust any prescription medication.
TOO FEW FRUIT AND VEGGIES
These foods may help your body make more of the white blood
cells you need to fight off infections. Fresh produce and nuts
and seeds pack a lot of zinc, beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and
E, and other nutrients you need for a healthy body. Plant-based
foods also fill you up with fiber, which helps lower your body fat
percentage, which can strengthen your immune response.
MARIJUANA
Smoke from pot can inflame your lungs. That means coughing
up colored mucus called phlegm and a higher chance of lung
infections.
HIGH-FAT DIET
Oils can hinder germ-fighting white blood cells. And high fat
diets over time can upset the balance of bacteria in your gut that
can help immune response. Being obese seems to make you
more likely to get the flu and other infections, like pneumonia.
9

...CONTINUED
TOO LITTLE TIME OUTDOORS
Sunlight may energize special cells in your immune system
called T-cells that help fight infection. But being outside brings
other benefits, too. Many plants in the woods make phytoncides
and other substances you breathe in that seem to bolster your
immune function.
SMOKING
Nicotine from cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or any other source
can weaken your body’s ability to fight germs. Yes, vaping counts,
too. And it’s not just the nicotine. Other chemicals in e-liquids
seem to suppress your immune response, especially when you
inhale them through vaping.
GRIEF
There is some evidence that sorrow, especially if it lasts a long
time, can depress your body’s immunity. The effect can linger for
6 months, but may go on longer if your grief is deep or doesn’t
ease.
LACK OF EXERCISE
Regular aerobic exercise appears to help your body fight illness
caused by viruses and bacteria. That’s in part because it helps
blood get around your body more efficiently, which means
germ-fighting substances get where they need to go.
ALCOHOL
Just overdoing it once slows your body’s ability to fight germs for
up to 24 hours. Over time, drinking too much blunts your body’s
ability repair itself. That may be part of the reason you’re more
likely to get illnesses like liver disease, pneumonia, tuberculosis,
and certain cancers. If you use alcohol, try to keep it to one drink
a day for women and two drinks for men.
NO SEX
Good news! Weekly intimacy seems to help boost your immune
system compared to those who have it less often. Sex raises
levels of a germ-fighting substance called Immunoglobulin A,
or IgA. But more may not always B better. Couples who had sex
more than twice a week had lower levels of IgA than those who
had no sex at all.
10
Sources: Deseret.com, WebMD.com, U.S. Surgeon General,
CDC.gov, SCDEHEC.com

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11

Grandpa Guidford’s
Horseless Buggy
By: Andrew Peeples “Bluffton Boy”With Permission:
Mildred Peeples Pemberton (Andrew’s Daughter)
In that long-ago time
when I was a small boy
there were only three
or four automobiles
in Bluffton. Two of
the owners of those
horseless buggies
were Grandpa Guilford
and one of my uncles
whose name I’d better
not mention, because
the first time my uncle
drove his automobile
up the main street it
ripped the porch off
Prince Riley’s barber shop, took a corner off Hagar
Gadsen’s fence, and made Old Man Stone’s mule
throw him out of the saddle and then run four miles
into the woods before anybody could stop him.
Standing in the front door of our store on the
main street, Papa gave those noisy “machines” a
jaundiced eye. “They’re nothing but a luxury,” Papa
said. “The only advantage one has over a buggy is
that it can get you to the poorhouse faster.”
The poorhouse was in Beaufort, 70 miles from
Bluffton, and since nobody in our family was in a
hurry to make the trip over there we did without an
automobile for a long time.
“ Yes,” Papa said, “an infernal automobile is a
luxury. And you children need learning more than
you need luxury, and you can’t have both because
it’s too expensive.”
I guess Papa was right, because the way it turned
out in the end he had to educate nine boys and
three girls—with four of us in college at the same
time for eight straight years—and it took a lot of
luxury to pay for all that learning.
Still, I would have gladly swapped my future
learning for the luxury of an automobile like
Grandpa Guilford’s chain drive, buggy-wheel
model that cranked on the side and had a folding
top like the one on our buggy.
Uncle Charlie Guilford, my mother’s youngest
brother, did the driving for Grandpa Guilford.
Uncle Charlie had had a lot of driving experience.
He had been driving Nancy, Grandpa’s longlegged
runaway chestnut mare, for years, and he
said a gasoline engine under a hood was a cinch
compared to Nancy between the shafts. When
Nancy was running away, he said, she was a lot
faster than any automobile made, and if he could
hold Nancy in the road he didn’t see why he would
have any trouble with an automobile.
I don’t know how much Uncle Charlie knew about
automobiles. But I know he knew more about
runaway horses than anybody else in Bluffton,
because he said he did. Runaway horses,” he said,
“are the best kind. One that won’t run away every
now and then isn’t worth his medicine salt.”
Calhoun Street Looking North
12

I saw Nancy run away one Sunday morning. It broke
up a hell-and-damnation sermon in the Methodist
Church on the main street. Grandpa and Grandma
Guilford were sitting in the front pew that Sunday
morning, and I think they thought Uncle Charlie
was sitting somewhere behind them. But he
wasn’t. He was in the buggy driving Nancy.
I was in the church that morning. I was sitting at a
window watching Uncle Sam Groves smoke a cigar
on his front porch. I saw Uncle Charlie just as soon
as he started riding around the loop. We used to
call the main street and the back street to the east
and the two end streets between them the loop. It
was just about a mile around the loop
I could see Uncle Charlie every time he passed the
church. He was flicking the buggy whip on Nancy’s
rump and grinning, and I had a feeling that Nancy
was getting ready to run away. It got my mind
off the sermon, which was too loud and too long
anyway.
Uncle Charlie was circling the loop the third time
when Nancy broke to run. I heard her coming
around Mrs. Weatherson’s corner. It wasn’t hard
to tell a buggy turning a shell-street corner on two
wheels.
Grandma Guilford heard it too, because she looked
back trying to see I guess, where Uncle Charlie was
sitting in the church. I would have shaken my head
sideways to let her know that he wasn’t there at all,
but the buggy was already in front of the church
and I had to look quick to see it go by.
Nancy was running like a horse with a pine burr
under his tail, except that her tail wasn’t clamped
down tight; it was flying straight out over the
singletree. Her ears were laid back on the top of
her blaze-face head and I could see the white in
her eye. The buggy was swaying like a kite’s tail
in a wind storm, and Uncle Charlie was sawing the
reins and the grin on his face was all the way
back to his ears.
I heard feet shuffling in the rear pew, and I
didn’t have to look back to know that it was
Tom Niver and Ollie Lowden. They always
sat back there so they could sneak out ahead
of us other boys any time something exciting
happened.
Mr. W. J. Fripp, who rang the bell for church
and Sunday school and took up the collection
every Sunday, woke up and blinked his eyes,
and the preacher up in the pulpit thought Mr.
Fripp was winking at him, I guess, because
the preacher cut his sermon right off and
said, “Let us sing together hymn number
something –or-other, ‘Stand Up, Stand Up
For Jesus!’ “ And by the time the buggy came
around Mrs. Weatherson’s corner on two
wheels the second time, Mama was playing the
organ and everybody in the church was standing
up, and that was when I crouched low and went
out.
As soon as I got to the bottom step I saw where
Tom Niver and Ollie Lowden had gone. They were
in the next block watching a commotion alongside
of Gus Miller’s fence, and I tore out in that direction
as fast as I could run.
Right off, I saw what had happened. Nancy had
swerved the buggy up against the fence and a
wheel hub had caught in a crack between two
palings and brought Nancy to a dead stop. Uncle
Charlie had jumped to the ground and grabbed
Nancy by the bridle with both hands and was trying
to keep her from rearing up in the shafts. She was
foamy wet and trembling all over, and she was
whickering and snapping her big teeth and trying,
I guess, to bite Uncle Charlie’s head off.
13

Uncle Charlie was still grinning. But it wasn’t all
the way back to his ears like it was before, because
Gus Miller and his wife were raising Cain about the
hole in the fence.
Uncle Charlie was trying to tell Gus Miller and his
wife that he just wanted to see if he could stop
Nancy before she ran out of breath. The fence, he
said, was the only thing he could think of to stop
her with. He said he couldn’t fix the hole today on
account of it was Sunday and he wasn’t allowed
to work on Sunday; he would have to come back
first thing in the morning and fix it. But Gus Miller
and his wife kept on raising Cain, even after Nancy
quieted down and Uncle Charlie got back in the
buggy and drove off toward home.
I don’t think Papa ever rode with Uncle Charlie
in Grandpa’s buggy. But he rode with him in
Grandpa’s automobile one time. The way it
happened, or at least the way I heard it told, Papa
practically had to ride in that automobile whether
he wanted to or not.
Papa had been in Charleston several days serving
on a federal grand jury or something and had
returned by train to Hardeeville, expecting to ride
the remaining 18 miles home in the mail buggy.
Bluffton didn’t have a train because it had a river
and two steamboats.
Having no choice, Papa climbed into the back seat.
He locked his grip on the floor between his feet and
asked Uncle Charlie to stop grinning until they got
home. But it was asking too much, because Uncle
Charlie was born the night of the big earthquake
and his funnybone, Grandma Guilford said, would
never stop shaking.
The kerosene headlamps outlined the road about
two feet ahead of the car. Their main purpose,
Uncle Charlie said, was to let things see him coming
so they could get out of the way in time.
Papa suggested that Uncle Charlie blow the bulbhorn
all the way, but Uncle Charlie said the engine
made more noise that the horn, unless he squeezed
it with both hands at the same time, and Papa said
never mind.
The clay road had been scraped that very day and
was smooth as glass. As they sped through the
night at nearly 12 miles an hour, Papa decided
that Grandpa’s automobile was roomier and more
comfortable than our buggy. He lighted a Charles
Denby cigar and leaned back in the seat, and pretty
soon he was puffing up the idea of a few thousand
dollars invested in a “machine” to replace Mack
and the old buggy.
Without warning the car came to an abrupt stop
with the front wheels high off the ground and
the engine choked into silence. A bellowing bull
floundered from under the axle, scrambled to his
feet and ran off into the woods with his tail higher
than his head.
“Fool bull,” grinned Uncle Charlie, “would have
seen those headlights if he hadn’t been dead
asleep and looking the other way.” Then he picked
up his grip and got out of the car.
“You fellows go ahead with that infernal machine,”
He said. “I’ll walk the rest of the way home.”
It was a long time after that before we could even
mention automobile to Papa again.
Jessie Peeples
Calhoun Street
14

Asian Bistro
Aunt Chilada’s
Black Marlin Bayside Grill
Bucci and Murray’s Pub
Frankie Bones
Flatbread Grill
Giuseppi’s Pizza & Pasta
Holy Tequila
The Lodge
Mangiamo’s
One Hot Mama’s
Deliver y Hours Monday-Sunday
11AM – 9PM
Dockside
Rockfish
T.J.’s Take & Bake
The Other Sister’s Wine Bar
Wild Wing Cafe
Yummy House
Our digital library is always open.
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and more. Free with your library card!
15

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and sculpture by Kevin Palmer and Wally Palmer
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16

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Arrivals
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accessories
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Mon - Sat 10-6 • FOLLOW US! M @Gigis.Bluffton P @GigisofBluffton
17

RARE RIDLEY TURTLE NEST!
By Amber Hester Kuehn
Last year at this time, I was finishing
preparations for the 2019 sea turtle nesting
season. There is so much to do: Deep cleaning
and annual vehicle maintenance check on the
Jeep and John Deere Gator, activating Verizon
accounts for the iPads to collect data, firing
up GPS and PIT tag scanners to make sure
they are charged, purchasing latex gloves and
flagging tape, inventorying DNA collection
vials, washing towels, evaluating the bamboo
poles from last season, cleaning out the shed,
planning for staff training, attending the annual
SCDNR permit holder meeting in Charleston,
producing printed educational materials,
organizing summer turtle talks, meeting with
Turtle Tracker group to collaborate on public
awareness, Town Council meetings to revise
the Lighting Ordinance, and the list goes on….
18

I entered the beach at Coligny in my
2 wheel drive ford escape, barely
making it through the soft sand. I
drove a half mile up the beach and
stopped where I saw 3 lifeguard
vehicles and about 100 onlookers. I
got there just in time to see her cover
her nest and turn toward the sea
for the long haul back to the water.
Something was not quite right. She
was small and moved much faster
than a loggerhead. The carapace
(shell) was grey and round instead
of brown and teardrop. It wasn’t
just early, it was rare. Many juvenile
kemp’s ridley sea turtles swallow
fishermen’s hooks or get struck by
boats while they are hanging out
off of our coast. I have transported
injured kemp’s to the South Carolina
Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Care Center,
but this was the first adult I’d ever
seen. To our knowledge, this was
the first time that a kemp’s ridley
has ever nested on Hilton Head and
only the 4th to nest in the state of
South Carolina. They are the most
endangered of the seven species.
One major contributing factor is
that they naturally nest on only one
beach in the world, Rancho Nuevo
in Tamaulipas, Mexico.
19

It is a 17 mile stretch of beach, just slightly
larger than Hilton Head Beach. Without the
Endangered Species Act to protect them
in Mexico, they continued to be a source of
food. By the mid 1970’s this species was close
to extinction. The crisis prompted scientists
and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
to convene for a solution. Between 1978
and 1988, several kemp’s ridley eggs were
transported from Rancho Nuevo to South
Padre Island, Texas. The “head-start” program
aimed to incubate the kemp’s ridley eggs in
South Padre Island sand placed in Styrofoam
coolers, raise the hatchlings until they were
about a year old and release them on PAIS
(Padre Island National Seashore), a unit of the
National Park Service System that preserves
the longest stretch of barrier island beach in
the USA. At this age, their size allows a higher
chance of survival from predators. Some of
the hatchlings were marked with a living tag
(a graft of white plastron onto carapace and
vice versa). This looks like a white spot on
a grey shell. The first head-started turtles
documented nesting in the wild were located
at PAIS in 1996, and were from the 1983 -1986
year classes. We know from this study that
the age of reproduction for a female kemp’s
ridley is about 10 years old. Loggerheads reach
sexual maturity at approximately 30 years old.
Our visitor did not have a living tag nor a PIT tag
(passive integrated transponder or microchip).
She is a rare blessing and a wild mystery. Her
nest, Nest #1 laid April 26, 2019 had 121 eggs in
it and hatched with 95% success. I wish I knew
where her other nests were laid last season, but
I’m just glad that she is expanding her options.
I will expect to see her hatchlings return to
Hilton Head in 2029!
Sea Turtle Patrol HHI is a 501c3 nonprofit, whose
volunteer mission is to monitor Hilton Head Island
beaches for sea turtle nesting and hatching activity
annually, May through October, to promote the
existence of these endangered species and to
spread awareness of their struggle through public
education and outreach.
20

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21

AMAZING SNAKES
OF THE
LOWCOUNTRY
By Michele Roldán-Shaw
We share this land with a remarkable variety
of snakes, from the rare and deadly coral
snake to the harmless and beautiful scarlet
kingsnake, both of which sport similar colored bands.
Do you know how to tell them apart? “Red touches
black, friend of Jack; red touches yellow, kill a fellow,”
goes the old rhyme to help you keep track. But there is
so much more to learn! This month we are highlighting
a few of our favorite species in conjunction with an
upcoming presentation at Hilton Head’s Coastal
Discovery Museum on Wednesday, April 22nd at 2
PM. Tony Mills, education director for the LowCountry
Institute, will show live specimens and discuss the
natural history of many snakes common to our area.
Cost is $7.00 per person and reservations are required
by calling 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or online at www.
coastaldiscovery.org/calendar of events.
Rather than fearing all snakes, understand the
important roles they play in our ecosystem and learn
how to identify the poisonous ones! These include
copperheads, cottonmouths (or water moccasins),
Rough Green Snake
coral snakes, Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes and
timber (or canebrake) rattlers. But keep in mind that
out of an estimated 7,000–8,000 people who suffer
poisonous snakebite each year in the United States,
only about five die. (By contrast, nearly 40,000
people are killed annually in car crashes.) The most
important safety precaution is simply to be mindful
as you move through their habitat. If you get bit, do
not try to bleed or suck venom out of the wound. Call
9-1-1 and stay calm and still as possible while waiting
for help to arrive in order to not accelerate the spread
of venom throughout the body. If possible, position
the bite at or below heart level. Try to take a picture
of the snake from a safe distance with your camera
phone, or at least remember how to describe it. Never
attempt to capture or kill snakes! Unfortunately, this
is the circumstance under which a great majority of
snakebites occur. Whenever possible, leave them
alone and they will do the same for you.
Kingsnake
This gorgeous and fascinating reptile gets its name
from the ability to eat other snakes, including
poisonous ones because it is immune to their venom.
Kingsnakes themselves are nonvenomous and kill
their prey of rodents, lizards and birds by constriction.
Different subspecies vary in coloring from all black to
black with white or yellow bands, or in the case of the
scarlet kingsnake, brightly colored bands of black,
yellow and red that mimic the poisonous coral snake
(see rhyme above.)
Rough Green Snake
Kingsnake
This secretive, forest-dwelling snake so perfectly
mimics a slender green vine that it can be difficult to
spot in the wild. But seeing that sleek, emerald green
body curl its way through the branches is a real treat.
They eat insects and are incredibly docile, usually
allowing people to approach and gently handle
them.
22

Corn Snake
This arrestingly beautiful snake looks like something
out of the Jungle Book and is popular in the exotic pet
trade for its looks and mild temperament. Its bright
red and orange bandings with black-and-white “piano
key” pattern on the underbelly make it an absolute
showstopper. Corn snakes are harmless to humans
and help control populations of mice and rats.
Corn Snake
Rate Snake
Rat Snake
One of the largest snakes in the Southeast, they can
reach upwards of seven feet. Despite being powerful
constrictors, they pose no threat to humans and are
actually very helpful in keeping down the rodent
population. (Although they are also known as egg
thieves, giving them their other common name of
chicken snake.) They are great climbers and swimmers
and can be seen in all sorts of habitats from barns to
woods or even in the river. Rat snakes vary in color
from black to grey to brown, either banded or solid,
while our local variety is yellowish and gray striped.
Black Racer Snake
Black Racer
These glossy black snakes are extremely fast and agile,
which can be startling when they suddenly shoot off at
close range. But like all snakes, they prefer flight and
will only fight when cornered. This is a very common
species here but can be hard to tell apart from other
black snakes.
Copperhead
The most common venomous species in the
Lowcountry, their banded coppery orange and brown
camouflages them perfectly in the leaf litter. They
are not aggressive and the venom is less potent
than rattlesnakes or cottonmouths. Fatalities from
copperhead bites are extremely rare.
Copperhead Snake
Cottonmouth Snake
Cottonmouth
Common to swampy freshwater habitats, these snakes
get their name from the bright white lining to their
mouth, which they will show in a “gaping” display to
warn before striking. Their heavy, dark colored bodies
are hard to distinguish from nonvenomous water
snakes except for the triangular head and elliptical
pupils (but we don’t recommend getting that close.)
Keep a respectful distance from snakes and they will
happily let you go about your day!
23

24
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25

SUPPLEMENTS 101:
STRENGTHENING AND
PROTECTING YOURSELF
FROM DISEASE
By Michele Roldán-Shaw
These days with the extended cold/flu season
and frightening outbreaks of coronavirus,
everybody’s looking for ways to protect
themselves. This includes turning to home
remedies and natural options that bolster the
immune system and make us less vulnerable to
infection. We consulted the experts at Bluffton
Pharmacy, our first local drugstore established
by hometown favorite Jim Sauter in 1988 and
recently passed down into the expert hands
of Rob Vaughn. They continue to offer custom
compounding and friendly service to area
residents and their pets, and they even took
time in the midst of the coronavirus threat to
share some of their most trusted over-thecounter
remedies and supplements to promote
general health. Adding these simple daily
immune boosters, vitamins and minerals can
save you money (and pain!) in the long-run by
supporting your body’s own natural defenses
to ward off viruses and harmful bacteria that
plague our world today.
Zinc: A vital trace mineral occurring naturally
in many foods, zinc is nonetheless a common
deficiency. It’s so important to the body and immune
function that supplementing it is always a good
idea. Particularly during cold and flu season, adding
a high-quality zinc tablet or liquid zinc sulfate to
your daily regimen can protect you from all the
little nasties going around. If you still find yourself
coming down with something, taking a megadose
of zinc at the first sign of symptoms can keep it at
bay, or at least shorten the duration.
26

Oregano Oil: The healing properties of this
aromatic herb have been known for centuries.
Essential oil of oregano is loaded with antimicrobial,
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties,
making it a valuable tool to fight infection,
particularly of the respiratory system. Capsules and
tinctures can be taken internally, and a few drops of
pure essential oil can be added to diffusers to purify
home and work environments of airborne bugs.
Calcium and Vitamin D: Most of us know
that calcium is vital to bone strength. In fact, our
bones contain 99% of the calcium in our bodies.
But the calcium intake from foods and supplements
may not get properly absorbed and utilized by the
body without vitamin D in tandem. We live in a
sunny climate so getting vitamin D from outdoor
exposure may be sufficient. But if it’s not for
whatever reason, turn to a good supplement.
Vitamin C: While everyone knows vitamin C is
important and a great tool to fight against common
sicknesses, are we really getting enough of it? Most
fruits and veggies contain at least some vitamin C,
especially oranges, tomatoes and kiwis, and many
other foods are enriched with it. But adding it in
supplement form is still a great way to give yourself
extra support. The folks at Bluffton Pharmacy
recommend about 2 grams of vitamin C per day.
Vitamin B: This is one of the most powerful and
effective supplements for increased energy. Better
still, it has been shown to have a balancing and
stabilizing effect on moods, reducing the impact
of stress, anxiety and depression by supporting
the brain and nervous system. A good vitamin B
complex can do wonders for your overall wellbeing.
Elderberry: This age-old remedy has gotten a
lot of buzz lately as a wonderful immune booster,
especially for children. A daily spoonful of naturally
sweet and delicious elderberry syrup is the ideal way
to protect kids during cold and flu season—which
nowadays seems to last all year round—by keeping
them strong enough to fend off the constant germ
exposure they face at school and daycare.
Prevagen: An over-the-counter drug
formulated with apoaequorin, it has been shown
to aid memory by promoting brain function.
Interestingly, apoaequorin is a protein that comes
from a specific type of bioluminescent jellyfish.
27

Probiotics: Taken daily, these beneficial
bacteria help regulate digestive health by restoring
balance to natural flora in the gut. Available in liquid
and capsule form, they are especially important to
take after you have been on antibiotics.
Turmeric: Another item trending now that fully
deserves the hype is turmeric. This bright golden
root has been used in Asian cuisine and medicine
for thousands of years but has only recently caught
hold in the U.S. Its anti-inflammatory properties
make it a vital aid to people struggling with chronic
pain from arthritis, injury, swollen joints and so
many other conditions. Turmeric is extremely
easy to take as it comes in capsules, tinctures, tea,
powdered spice, fresh root, and topical ointments.
CBD: Relatively new to the market is CBD,
a non-addictive, non-psychoactive compound
derived from the hemp plant. It comes in many
targeted formulations to help with sleep, anxiety,
depression, chronic pain and other conditions. It is
even available for pets!
Pineapple: The enzyme bromelain, found in
significant quantities in pineapple, helps reduce
swelling and inflammation. This makes it a helpful
supplement for people suffering from arthritis or
recovering from injury or surgery.
Multivitamins: The good people at Bluffton
Pharmacy can’t stress enough how beneficial it is
to take a good multivitamin daily. Unfortunately,
most modern diets have become nutritionally poor,
leading to deficiencies responsible for a host of
health conditions. It's difficult to get these vitamins
without supplementing, but finding multivitamins
specifically formulated for men, women, children
and the elderly is easy.
Benadryl: Always good to keep on hand for
mild allergic reactions.
28

Tide chart is calculated for the May River.
APRIL TIDES
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty — that is all
ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”
— John Keats
29

Yes, Dogs Do Get
Depressed
Here’s Why and
What You Can Do
By Kimberly Blaker
As most dog owners will attest, dogs do feel a range
of emotions. They may not experience sadness
quite the same as humans because dogs lack selfconsciousness.
But they can experience anxiety and
depression, says Dr. Carlo Siracusa at the University
of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, in
“Do Dogs Feel Sadness?” by Kate Hughes.
The development of dogs’ emotions is equivalent
to that of a two or two-and-a-half-year-old child,
according to researchers. So the sadness they
experience is less complex than that in human
adults. For example, human adults can feel sad
or depressed as a result of ruminating about their
failures, imperfections, or something they did or
didn’t do. Since dogs, like very young children, lack
self-consciousness, they don’t experience this type of
sadness. Nonetheless, dogs can experience sadness
or get depressed for a variety of other reasons.
Causes of depression in dogs
Because dogs are social animals, receiving a lack of
attention, or being left alone for long periods can
affect their mental health. When dogs are confined
to a crate or bathroom for extended hours, it can
lead to depression. So allow your dog to spend as
much time with family as possible.
Similarly, a lack of exercise can also cause depression.
This can be particularly problematic for pets that are
crated or confined to small areas for many hours at a
time. While crate training for puppies is beneficial for
housebreaking, they should never be crated for more
than 4 hours at a time without an extended break.
Once your puppy is housebroken, a crate can
provide a cozy spot for your dog with the crate left
open. But dogs need companionship, exercise, and
stimulation, which they cannot experience in a crate.
So as your dog grows, limit confinement and when it
is necessary, preferably to a larger room.
Also, find out how much and what types of exercise
are appropriate for your dog’s breed and age, and
make sure your dog regularly gets the exercise it
needs.
Another cause of depression in dogs is when a family
member is depressed. Recent studies have found
dogs recognize human emotions. In May 2012, a
study was published in the Animal Cognition journal.
The study found dogs responded more strongly
when people were crying as opposed to talking or
humming. In this case, the best remedy may be to
get treatment for yourself or the depressed family
member, which should alleviate your dog’s sadness.
30

with rewards for positive behavior. This is not only
better for their emotional health, but it’s also more
effective.
Finally, certain medical conditions, such as thyroid
problems can cause depression. If your dog is
depressed, and especially if there’s no apparent
reason for it, have your dog checked out by your
veterinarian.
Signs your dog is depressed
Dogs also experience depression when they lose a
family member, whether it’s another pet or human
companion. Sometimes dogs improve if a new pet
is introduced, but not always. When a dog loses its
owner, this can be particularly devastating.
An interesting 2013 study was reported by CBS
News online, in “Study: Dogs bond with owners
similar to babies with parents.” Researchers
observed that the “secure base effect” phenomenon
that’s experienced by babies also occurs in dogs.
Like babies, dogs are more likely to interact with
things and other people when they feel the secure
presence of their caregivers. If your dog has lost a
beloved family member or caregiver, those closest
to your dog should intervene and give it extra love
and attention.
Another cause of depression in dogs is punishment.
Animal behaviorists say when dogs are repeatedly
punished with shock collars or other physical
means, dogs come to feel helpless. Not only can it
cause aggression in dogs, but it can also cause dogs
to withdraw. The best method for training dogs is
The most common symptoms of dog depression are
similar to those in humans. They include:
sleeping more than usual
withdrawal or hiding
loss of interest in food
loss of interest in things it previously
enjoyed, or inactivity
paws
excessive licking, particularly of their
self-mutilation (in more severe cases,
often related to separation) anxiety
What to do if your dog is depressed
First, if you suspect any of the reasons above is
causing your dog’s depression, try to remedy the
situation that’s causing it. This will often resolve
your dog’s sadness. But if your dog doesn’t improve,
an antidepressant can help, particularly in anxious
dogs. Dogs are prescribed many of the same
antidepressants as humans. But always talk with
your veterinarian before giving one to your dog.
31

An Artist Paints Bioluminescent Creatures
By: R. S. Perry
“You light up my life!” is a line from an old song. This is an emotional state for us humans but many living
creatures, including some in South Carolina, can produce light throughout their bodies—a condition called
bioluminescence. Bioluminscence is their solution to living in the dark. Such creatures produce light utilizing
an enzyme, luciferase, which reacts with molecules called luciferins and oxygen. Eighty percent or more of all
deep sea marine creatures are bioluminescent.
In South Carolina bioluminescence is found in
squid, glowworms, zooplankton called nocticula,
dinoflagellates, comb jelly, bacteria, some forms
of fungi and in the common fireflies most of you
caught as children. Dinoflagellates are tiny marine
plankton that drift on the surface of the ocean,
causing sparkles of blue-green light on the surface
layers of water. The best place to see this marine
phenomena is at night at the water’s edge on tide
flats. Bioluminescence often occurs in late summer
and some think it to be associated with red tides.
The firefly squid uses counter-illumination
camouflage to produce light to match their
backgrounds in both brightness and wave
length. They produce light with bioluminescent
photosphores on their downward facing surfaces,
reducing the contrasts of their silhouettes against
the background. Theses photosphores are round
organs that appear as luminous spots. Some have
lenses, shutters, color filters and reflectors. The
vampire squid, a deep sea animal is bioluminescent,
with light organs all over its body that can flash
or glow. It ejects glow-in-the-dark mucus when
stressed.
Bioluminescent Dinoflagellate
32

The 8-20 inch common squid can be found in South
Carolina waters and like its cousin, the octopus,
belongs to the cephalopod group of animals.
Budd Titlow, the author of Seashells, wrote that
“a cephalopod looks like it was designed by a
committee.” Their 8 arms are directly connected to
their heads which have a complex brain. They have
two kidneys, three hearts, blue blood, and a highly
developed nervous system. Their functional eyes
have lenses and retinas, and are similar to human
eyes. Eight of the short arms of the squid are used
for handling prey and the 2 long arms for mating.
Its tentacles will regrow if eaten by predators.
Male squids change color patterns on their body to
attract females. It can disappear in a flash. It can
also throw out a purplish ink called melanin through
its rectum to confuse predators. Squids are some
of the fastest swimmers in the ocean. They are fast
enough to catch most fish and swim fastest when
going backwards. They like to swim together in
groups.
The small common squid spaws about 100 eggs
which seem to have a nasty taste as they are seldom
eaten by predators. However, the giant squid (which
can grow to be 70 feet long in the deep ocean) must
guard her eggs. After she lays them she will not eat
while on guard duty. After her eggs hatch she is
too weak to defend herself and predators swoop in
and eat her. She is the favorite meal of the sperm
whale. Researchers use radio tracks on whales
to determine the migratory patterns of the giant
squid.
The common piddock, pholas dactylus, is known for
its bioluminescence and was investigated by Raphael
Dubois, (1849-1929), a French pharmacologist
known for his work on bioluminescence and
anesthesia. In 1887 Dubois discovered luciferin
after he noticed the piddock’s blue green glow. He
was not, however, the first to notice this glow.
Glowing banquets by the Romans were popular
in the first century. The Roman statesman Pliny
wrote about Romans eating raw piddock which
“glitter both in the mouths of persons masticating
them and in their hands…if the flesh is chewed and
held in the mouth, the breath becomes luminous
and looks like real flames.” Pliny also described the
bioluminescence of snails, jellyfish, lantern fish, and
glowworms. Pliny died in the eruption of Mount
Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii.
Firefly Squid
33

Piddock
Piddocks glow blue green when a protein they
contain called pholasin comes in contact with free
radical chemicals. Dr. Jan Knight and Dr. Robert
Knight are using piddocks to identify coming
illnesses. The Knights’ company isolates pholasin
and mixes human blood with it to measure the
amount of light released from the mixture. The
free radicals produced by white blood cells—when
they gear up to fight bacteria and viruses—indicate
a coming illness long before the human notices he
is sick.
The angel wing clam, found in South Carolina
waters, is often confused with the piddock because
it looks so much like it. The angel wing clam gained
fame in a 2005 movie, Sahara, because it was said
to glow in the dark. Apparently the Angel wing
(cyrtopleura costata) was mistaken for pholas
dactylus, a piddock. This error was pointed out on
the internet. Angel wing clams will glow if exposed
Angel Wing Clam
to ultraviolet light but none will glow from their
own internal sources.
The ocean comprises more than 90% of the living
space on earth. Complete darkness commands the
deep sea below 3,280 feet. The pressure of the water
at a depth of 7 miles is about 2 tons per square inch.
Most animals who live in this deep produce light
through chemical reaction. At least l,500 species
of fish are known to be bioluminescent. One of the
most interesting is the angler fish.
The angler fish is a deep sea fish of the order
lophiformer. National Geographic says this is the
ugliest animal on the planet. There are 200 species
of them, most of whom live in the lightless bottom
of the sea, up to a mile below the surface. They are
carnivorous. The Angler fish can swallow prey two
times the size of its body due to its wide mouth.
Some Angler fish can grow over three feet in length.
34
Angler Fish
Most adult female ceratioid
angler fish have a luminescent
organ, the esca, at the tip of a
dorsal ray, which is thought to
lure prey in dark waters. The
source of the luminescence is
symbiotic bacteria living in the
esca. The male of the species
does not have the luminescent
organ because, the male, when
young, latches onto a female
and physically fuses with her.
He connects to her skin and
blood and loses his eyes and all
his internal organs except his
testes. A female will carry six or
more males on her body. (I am
not making this up!)

The proteins responsible for biofluorescence are
known as fluorescent proteins. A specialist in green
fluorescent proteins, Mark Zimmer, writes about
one of earth’s earliest bioluminescent creatures, the
crystal jellyfish. It appeared five hundred million
years ago when species with eyes first occurred on
earth.
Biofluorescence is a form of light emission that,
unlike bioluminescent, does not involve a reaction
between chemicals. It is an exchange of high
energy blue light for low energy red and green light.
In Zimmer’s book, Bioluminescence, he claims
that the proteins responsible for biofluorence are
being utilized for many medical advances. Work
with these proteins has been regarded as highly
important to 21st century medicine. Nobel Prizes
have been awarded to two groups of scientists,
one in 2008 and one in 2014, for their research on
biofluorescent proteins.
Such proteins are used as a microscope to image
objects smaller than half the wavelength of light.
This allows scientists to explore at a subcellular level
the causes of Parkinsons, Alzheimers, Chagas, Bird
Flu, Dengue Fever, Malaria, cancer, heart disease,
and HIV. Scientists hope that this research will lead
to discoveries about these diseases with the goal of
finding cures and treatments. Harnessing the glow
of bioluminescence in medical applications is a 21st
century medical advance. “You light up my life!”
may soon mean more for us humans than just an
emotional state!
Mauve Stinger
Comb Jelly
Please visit my website, cronesinger.com. My work can also be viewed on dailypaintworks.com.
Go to the Artists tab and search for R. S. Perry.
35

Pinesap &
Black Magic
By Tom Polland
36
In the 1960s I scampered up pines like a squirrel and
dropped green prickly cones to Dad who placed them
in croaker sacks. He had a fledgling business selling
pinecones to the forestry folks. Growing pines, a new
cash crop, raged across the Southland and harvesting
pines was big business. Still is, but it’s much more
sophisticated with mechanical harvesters that let one
man fell a tract in no time at all.
Back when I gathered pinecones, Dad worked both ends
of the spectrum operating a small pulpwood business
with two fellows, Sam Turner and George “Whammy”
Elam. Southern yellow pine was a big deal and paper
mills smashed and ground pines into fibers and soaked
them in a chemical broth. Wood turned into pulp and pulp
turned into paper. Thus did the term, pulpwood, come to
be. The next time you sneeze into a tissue, understand
that you’re sneezing into a log. That napkin across your
lap? A pine once upon a time where perchance a chatty
flock of siskins held court.
Felling pines was much harder in Dad’s day. In sultry air
heavy with the scent of pines, like a spilt vat of Pinesol,
men wielding chainsaws dropped trees, limbed them,
and cut logs into eight-foot lengths. Eight feet only but
they weighed a million pounds. Dad, slight of build, a
mere 160 pounds, depended on strong men who could
hoist and heave logs onto his truck. A man capable of
throwing pine logs onto trucks was a force to reckon
with but he’d better watch out. A sticky, tricky business
it was. Resin, viscous and amber, stuck to whatever and
whomever it touched, and on top of that yellowjackets
could attack most anytime. And always you ran the risks
of saws kicking back and chewing into your flesh and
bones and trees crushing you. It was a brutal, dangerous
way to earn a dollar, but dark and mysterious threats
were about as well.
Whammy would often fall ill, which frustrated Dad to
no end. His crew was at a serious disadvantage if one
man failed to show up for work. Whammy would tell
Dad, “Someone put a root on me. My stomach is full
of lizards.” And that’s how George Elam earned the
nickname Whammy, that term for a hex or curse.
Though mightily strong, Whammy succumbed to lizard
in the stomach maladies because black magic works.
It’s nothing to dismiss. The key to its morbid success is
faith. If victims believe they’re under a spell then for all
practical purposes they are, and Whammy was, but he
didn’t die from voodoo, just natural causes years later.
College and adulthood relegated my pinesap-black
magic memories to utter darkness. Then years later in
Beaufort County of all places Whammy popped into
my consciousness as I stood beneath Lowcountry oaks
heavy with Spanish moss talking with High Sheriff Ed
McTeer. McTeer, a white man, studied root medicine

so he could better deal with its practitioners and their
spells. The high sheriff had no choice but to become a
white witch doctor because people were dying from
black magic outright and sometimes when a root doctor
gives a patient “medicine” that inadvertently poisoned
them. Well, you fight fire with fire. McTeer took up
conjuring.
The high sheriff witch doctor had tales to tell about his
battles with Dr. Buzzard and his conjuring with victims
under a curse. Here is but one. A witch doctor put a
“blue root,” or curse, on an old woman and death was
knocking on her door. McTeer arrived at the woman’s
house and donned blue sunglasses, a sure sign he was a
root doctor. He spoke. “I know that there is evil working
in this place. I feel it in my bones.”
McTeer told the crowd gathered around the woman that
he would cure her. He went into a trance, wildly circling
the yard mumbling incantations. Suddenly, the woman
sat up. As she did, McTeer bayed like a wild dog and
jumped over to her steps where he yanked the offending
root out and waved it over his head for all to see. The
crowd shrank back in fright but turned jubilant when
McTeer tossed the root into the estuary. McTeer, of
course, had planted the root to guarantee his conjuring
would be a smash hit.
A week later McTeer paid the woman a visit. She was
back to her old self. But what if he hadn’t intervened?
Most likely she would have wasted away, believing her
time had come courtesy of a whammy.
I was driving a stretch of highway near Edisto Island, a
Lowcountry postcard. The road shot through a tunnel
of live oaks heavy with Spanish moss. Rounding a curve
I came across a shanty painted sky blue, “haint blue,”
which supposedly wards off evil spirits. The door was a
vivid blue. Down the road a small bridge lay ahead. Just to
its right stood a dead tree with blue bottles hanging from
its limbs. Sun struck blue brightened the Lowcountry
landscape. And the payoff lies in the glittering light: the
dancing colors mesmerize spirits who enter the bottles
only to be trapped for eternity. Some say it’s the wind
whistling through the bottles that entice spirits to enter
where escape is impossible.
I don’t know that Whammy lived in a haint blue house
or had a bottle tree. I’ll wager he didn’t as those belong
to the Lowcountry province and not eastern Georgia’s
piedmont hills.
I had a brush with voodoo myself down in New Orleans
when I walked into a voodoo shop on Bourbon Street
one December afternoon. It was late and blue light
fell across this low-slung city by the Mississippi. A
strange place this shop with voodoo dolls and amulets
suspended from the walls and ceilings. Incense filled the
air, hazy, aromatic, threatening. I found a book, Voodoo
& Hoodoo, and took it to the sales clerk. Suddenly,
the proprietor, a dark-haired woman, appeared from
nowhere making a scene.
37

“Are you going to kill someone? I’m not selling you this
book if you intend to kill someone.”
“No,” I said, “just researching the subject.”
People in her dim, cramped shop turned toward me to
see what a murderer looks like. Of course, she sold me
the book. The proprietor’s reaction was a marketing
stunt I’m sure. Death by voodoo, though, that was utter
nonsense. Or is it?
On page 115, I found an ominous section, “To Kill
Someone.” Right off, the book states, “not much killing
is done anymore. It is just too expensive—up to $500 in
good times.” For those who can’t secure the services
of a shaman, the book shows the layman how to do it
himself. Now this book carries a 1978 copyright, so I’d
say the cost for a fatal whammy today ought to run
about $1,300. Now some of you are thinking... “Hmmm,
I wonder just what a death hex is like?” Here are three.
Use them with great caution.
Take a photograph of the intended victim and nail it
face-side down against the north side of a tree. For the
next nine mornings drive a nail into the photograph. The
victim will become progressively weaker and die on the
ninth day.
Obtain a lock of the intended victim’s hair as well as his
or her photograph. Bury the two together, in mud or a
moist area where the objects will disintegrate quickly. As
they disintegrate, so will the victim.
Get a sock belonging to the intended victim. Put
graveyard dirt in it and bury it under the victim’s front
steps. In three weeks the victim will be dead, having
mysteriously withered away.
If Whammy were here he’d tell you to watch out, that
voodoo is alive and well, and it is. So, how you feeling
these days? Got enemies? Anyone asked for your
photograph? You’re not missing a sock are you? What
about your hair? Where do you get it cut? Don’t give
anyone a reason to put the root on you. You never know
who’s got their mojo working, and the high sheriff died in
1979, so no one’s coming to rescue you. Life is a journey.
Make it a long, good one. So far I have, and I hope you
do too.
James Edwin McTeer
(1903-1979) was Beaufort
County Sheriff for 37
years. When he was
appointed sheriff to fulfill
the unexpired term of
his father in 1926, he
was 22 years old and
the youngest sheriff in
the United States. His
law enforcement career
included interactions with
murderers, nudists,
bootleggers, and root doctors from 1926 through
1963 when he lost the election to former South
Carolina Highway Patrolman L.W. Wallace.
Being Sheriff was a part-time position at the time
so he also pursued selling real estate through the
Beaufort Realty Company and later founded the
McTeer Realty Company in 1947. His other business
interests included raising cattle at Coffin Point
Plantation. For a time he was president of the
Beaufort Museum, was active in the Beaufort County
Historical Society, the Chamber of Commerce, and
Rotary Club and was a Freemason.
He married Lucile Lupo of Dillon County in 1928.
Together they had five children. He was granted a
leave of office during World War II while he served in
the United States Coast Guard from 1943 to 1945. He
was assigned the position of Commanding Officer of
the 6th Naval District in charge of the Beach Patrol.
Herbert Ravenel Sass described Sheriff McTeer in The
Story of the South Carolina Lowcountry (1956) as “a
man of imposing stature, he is well liked for his warm
personality and courteous manners. It is by men such
as he, that progress is promoted, communities built,
and the best interests of the public are preserved.”
The plaque on the McTeer Bridge crossing from
Port Royal Island to Lady’s Island describes him this
way: “legendary lawman, author, spellbinder and
raconteur.”
Compiled by Grace Morris Cordial, MLS, SL, CA, Senior
Librarian in charge of the Beaufort District Collection,
Beaufort County Library (SC).
Tom Poland is an author from “Georgialina”. He
writes about the South, its people, culture, land,
natural wealth, and beautiful detritus — ruins and
abandoned places. He has been awarded the Order
of the Palmetto — The highest civilian honor in the
State of South Carolina.
Visit Tom’s website at www.tompoland.net
38

MAY RIVER THEATRE, INC.
presents
DIRECTED BY
JIM KADRA
PERFORMANCE POSTPONED
THE SHOW WILL GO ON
MARCH 26-28,
APRIL 2-4
AT 7 P.M.
MARCH 29 AND
APRIL 5
AT 2 P.M.
PLAZA SUITE
TICKETS ON SALE STARTING: MARCH 1ST
ON LINE - WWW.MAYRIVERTHEATRE.COM
ALL RESERVED SEATS
$27
THEATRE LOCATION
20 BRIDGE STREET,
ULMER AUDITORIUM,
BLUFFTON TOWN HALL
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL
843.815.5581
39

40
BLUFFTON
CALL FOR CARRY OUT MEALS AND TIMES
May River Grill**
1263 May River Rd.
(843) 757-5755
Toomers’ Bluffton Seafood
27 Dr. Mellichamp Dr.
(843) 757-0380
The Village Pasta Shoppe
10 B, Johnston Way
(843) 540-2095
Agave Side Bar
13 State Of Mind St.
(843) 757-9190
Alvin Ord’s of Bluffton
1230 A, May River Rd.
(843) 757-1300
Bluffton BBQ
11 State Of Mind St.
(843) 757-7427
The Bluffton Room
15 Promenade St.
(843) 757-3525
British Open Pub
1 Sherington Dr. #G
(843) 815-6736
Buffalo’s at Palmetto Bluff
1 Village Park Square
(843) 706-6630
Cahill’s Chicken Kitchen
1055 May River Rd.
(843) 757-2921
Calhoun’s
9 Promenade St.
(843) 757-4334
Captain Woody’s
17 State Of Mind St.
(843) 757-6222
Corner Perk
1297 May River Rd.
(843) 816-5674
The Cottage
38 Calhoun St.
(843) 757-0508
Downtown Deli
1223 May River Rd
(843) 815-5005
Farm
1301 May River Rd.
(843) 707-2041
Fat Patties
207 Bluffton Rd.
(843) 815-6300
Giuseppi’s Pizza & Pasta
25 Bluffton Rd., Ste. 601
(843) 815-9200
Hogs Head Kitchen • Bar
1555 Fording Island Rd., Ste. D
(843) 837-4647
Jim ’N Nick’s Bar-B-Q
872 Fording Island Rd.
(843) 706-9741
The Juice Hive
14 Johnston Way
(843) 757-2899
Katie O’Donald’s
1008 Fording Island Rd. #B
(843) 815-5555
Local Pie Bluffton
15 State Of Mind St.
(843) 837-7437
Longhorn Steakhouse
1262 Fording Island Rd.,
(843) 705-7001
Mellow Mushroom
878 Fording Island Rd.
(843) 706-0800
Mulberry Street Trattoria
1476 Fording Island Rd.
(843) 837-2426
Okatie Ale House
25 William Pope Ct.
(843) 706-2537
Old Town Dispensary
15 Captains Cove
(843) 837-1893
Peaceful Henry
181 Bluffton Rd #A101
(843) 757-0557
The Pearl Kitchen and Bar
55 Calhoun St.
(843) 757-5511
Pinchos
30 Malphrus Rd #102
(843) 757-4599
Pour Richard’s
4376 Bluffton Pkwy.
(843) 757-1999
Red Stripes: Caribbean Cuisine
8 Pin Oak St.
(843) 757-8111
Salty Dog Bluffton
1414 Fording Island Rd.
(843) 837-3344
Sippin Cow
36 Promenade St.
(843) 757-5051
Southern Barrel Brewing Co.
375 Buckwalter Place Blvd.
(843) 837-2337
Squat ’N’ Gobble
1231 May River Rd.
(843) 757-4242
Truffle’s Cafe
91 Towne Dr.
(843) 815-5551
Twisted European Bakery
1253 May River Rd., Unit A
(843) 757-0033
Sigler’s Rotisserie
12 Sheridan Park Cir.
843-815-5030

DON’T
MISS
RICHARD’S
Amazing, Nightly Creations
(by an Award-winning Chef)
Dinner 5:30 until 10pm
Tuesday through Saturday
R ESE R V ATIONS 843-757-1999 ENC O U R A GED
HILTON HEAD
CALL FOR CARRY OUT MEALS AND TIMES
Alexander’s
79 Queens Folly Road
(843) 785-4999
Annie O’s Kitchen
124 Arrow Rd
(843) 341-2664
Beach Break Grille
24 Palmetto Bay Rd, #F
(843) 785-2466
Bullies BBQ
3 Regency Pkwy
(843) 686-7427
Charbar Co.
33 Office Park Road, Ste 213
(843) 785-2427
Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte
8 New Orleans Road
(843) 785-9277
(843) 681-2772
CQ’s Restaurant Harbour Town
140 Lighthouse Rd, Unit A
(843) 671-2779
Dough Boys Pizza
1 New Orleans Rd
(843)-686-2697
Ela’s On The Water
1 Shelter Cove Lane
(843) 785-3030
Fat Baby’s Pizza and Subs
1034 William Hilton Pkwy
(843) 842-4200
Fishcamp at Broad Creek
11 Simmons Road
(843) 842-2267
Flora’s Italian Cafe
841 William Hilton Pkwy, Ste 841
(843) 842-8200
Frankie Bones
1301 Main Street
(843) 682-4455
The French Bakery
28 Shelter Cove Lane
(843) 342-5420
Gringo’s Diner
1 N Forest Beach Dr, Unit E-5
(843) 785-5400
Hudson’s Seafood House
on the Docks
1 Hudson Rd
Java Burrito Company
1000 William Hilton Pkwy, Ste J6
(843) 842-5282
The Jazz Corner
1000 Williamn Hilton Pkwy, Ste C-1
(843) 842-8620
Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar
841 William Hilton Pkwy
(843) 681-3474
Michael Anthony’s Cucina Italiana
37 New Orleans Road
(843) 785-6272
Old Oyster Factory
101 Marshland Road
(843) 681-6040
Ombra Cucina Rustica
1000 William Hilton Pkwy,
Suite G2
(843) 842-5505
One Hot Mama’s
7A Greenwood Dr
(843) 682-6262
Palmetto Bay Sunrise
Cafe
86 Helmsman Way
(843) 666-3232
Pomodori
1 New Orleans Rd
(843) 686-3100
Porter & Pig
1000 William Hilton Pkwy
(843) 715-3224
Red Fish
8 Archer Rd
(843) 686-3388
Relish Cafe
33 Office Park Rd, Unit 216
(843) 715-0995
Ruby Lee’s
19 Dunnagans Alley
(843) 785-7825
Sage Room
81 Pope Ave., Ste 13
(843) 785-5352
Santa Fe Cafe
807 William Hilton Pkwy
(843) 785-3838
Skull Creek Boathouse
397 Squire Pope Road
(843) 681-3663
The Studio
20 Executive Park Rd
(843) 785-6000
Sunset Grille
43 Jenkins Island Rd
(843) 689-6744
Trattoria Divina
33 Office Park Rd, Ste 224
(843) 686-4442
Vine
1 N. Forest Beach Drive
(843) 686-3900
Watusi Cafe
71 Pope Ave
(843) 686-5200
Wise Guys
1513 Main St.
(843) 785-8866
41

By Gene Cashman
By Pat Branning
Celebrate Easter Outdoors with a Festive Spread
The Lowcountry is a place where late afternoons
beckon us to gather on the porch and sit a spell.
A spring day outdoors is absolutely the best. Soft
cushioned wicker chairs invite us to linger awhile
over tall cold glasses of sweet tea. Nature sets the
stage for a perfect and casual Easter buffet where
everyone can relax in the balm of tidal breezes.
To get the gathering
started, hand each
guest a signature
cocktail as they
arrive. It’s warm
and welcoming and
allows you to show
genuine Southern
hospitality. What
says springtime
better than farm
fresh strawberries.
Rossini Bellini Cocktails
Serves 6-8
1 pound very ripe strawberries, hulled, halved
2 tablespoons sugar
½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 bottle Prosecco, chilled
Pulse strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a food
processor until smooth. Strain pulp through a sieve
into a large pitcher. Cover and chill.
Gently pour Prosecco into the pitcher with
strawberry puree. Stir very gently just to blend.
Pour into Champagne glasses and divide.
Be sure to have a buffet with “a gracious plenty.”
42

Bay Street Corn Pudding
5 eggs
⅓ cups butter, melted
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (15.25) can whole kernel corn
2 (14.75) cans cream-style corn
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 2-quart
casserole dish.
In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs.
butter, sugar and milk.
Add melted
Garnish with a few slivered almonds, lemon zest,
and a little pimento, if desired.
Whisk in cornstarch. Stir in corn and creamed corn.
Blend well and pour into prepared casserole. Bake
1 hour.
To prepare, wash thoroughly, then bend each stalk
of asparagus near the base. The end will snap off
just at the point above the woody part. Prepare an
ice bath; set aside.
Tie a bundle of the vegetables together with twine
and place, tips up, in a tall pot with 3 to 4 inches of
boiling water, covered. Add 1/2 cup salt.
Take them off the heat as soon as the tips become
tender, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the
stalks. The tops will have steamed, and the thick
bases boiled perfectly. Remove the asparagus and
plunge into the ice bath. Drain well, pat dry, untie
and transfer to a serving platter.
Calibogue Asparagus Salad
Serves 4
Asparagus is a true harbinger of springtime - perfect
for an Easter buffet.
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 ½ tablespoons champagne vinegar
pinch of sugar
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar,
and sugar. Season with a pinch each of salt and
pepper and whisk in oil. Add lemon zest and
tarragon; whisk to combine. Taste and adjust for
seasonings. Drizzle over asparagus, sprinkle with
lemon zest, a little piece of pimento, and slivered
almonds.
Classic Baked Easter Ham
1 (10 pound fully cooked whole ham
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups apple cider
43

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place ham on a
roasting rack set in a roasting pan and score
diagonally. Cover with foil and bake until warmed
throughout, 2 ½ to 3 hours.
During the last 45 minutes of cooking, make the
glaze. In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk
together brown sugar, mustard, apple cider vinegar,
and apple cider. Simmer until reduced by half, then
brush glaze on the ham every 10 minutes.
Remove ham from the oven and let it rest 15
minutes, then transfer to a serving platter with
apples and thyme.
This Italian cheesecake is lighter than traditional
cheesecake since it calls for ricotta instead of cream
cheese.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set rack in the middle
of the oven.
Butter and flour a 9 x 2- inch springform pan and tap
out excess flour. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
Lemon-Orange Ricotta Cheesecake
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds ricotta cheese, drained
1 teaspoon each orange and lemon zest
6 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Sift together the sugar and flour in a medium bowl.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, and whisk to combine. Add
the vanilla and salt.
Pour batter into a prepared pan and bake in the
center of the oven for about 1 hour. Make sure the
center is firm, and the point of a sharp knife inserted
in the center comes out clean. Cool completely and
chill before serving.
44

Patricia Branning: Southern Author
“My corner of the South will always be known
as the land of shrimp, collards, and grits - a land
of gracious plenty, where everyone is darlin’,
strangers say “hello” and someone’s heart is
always bein’ blessed.”
Southern author Pat Branning has created 7
coffee table cookbooks about our Southern
lifestyle, each filled with delicious recipes, stories
and fine art from the creeks and gardens of the
Lowcountry. Pat is the former Women’s Editor
for the WSB radio, Atlanta, where she broadcast
daily programs on food and entertainment. She
has lived and worked in Beaufort, Hilton Head
and Bluffton for the majority of her life. Books
are designed and published by her son, Andrew
Branning, a noted publisher and photographer
responsible for the food and landscape images in
the books. His work may be viewed at Branning
Fine Art, 3 Market Street in Habersham,
Beaufort.
45

Live Music – CANCELED!
By: Frank Scheutz
The COVID-19 pandemic is upon us. The Hilton
Head Symphony Orchestra (HHSO) season finale
perfor-mance of Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” has been
canceled. There are ongoing discussions about the
possibility of rescheduling a performance within
the 2021-2022 season. The performance was to
include the HHSO Chorus (HHSOC) and several
choirs from Georgia Southern University for a
spectacularly large number of performers onstage.
“Elijah” is a close second in popularity to Handel’s
“Messiah” in the world of choral music. Choral
singers have a particular fondness of this oratorio,
in general. And HHSOC members who were looking
forward to participating in the HHSO performance
are just as disappointed in the cancellation as the
HHSO and their audience must be. Let’s hope
there is a rescheduling of this event.
Beyond the HHSO cancellation, the pandemic casts
a large, dark shadow in the world of live music, effectively
bringing the in-person live music activity
to a grinding halt. State and local governments are
stepping up to develop policies and practices for
social distancing by limiting business activities and
numbers of people in gatherings. The result is the
lack of available venues, including: bars and clubs;
churches; concert halls; and more. Chances are, if
you live in the Lowcountry, you had plans to see
a live performance or expected to hear live music
when you went out to have a meal at a favorite
restaurant, but the music has been canceled or the
venue has been closed.
46
The livelihoods of many local musicians are being
eliminated for the present time. In fact, anyone
who lives within the ‘gig’ economy can be impacted
negatively, in addition to the employees who may
be laid off from temporarily or permanently closed
businesses. Nationally recognized musicians and
other per-formers are all impacted. To help offset
the loss of income, many musicians are turning to
online per-formances, and many are hopeful that
there might be some economic stimulus payments

38 TH
SEASON
19
20
HHSO.ORG
HHSO
CONCERT LISTING
to ease the burden of lost income. Online services are
being conducted by some religious organizations. And
online lessons are being offered on an expanded scale.
If you are already studying with a teacher, they may
be offering lessons online or by camera phone with an
application like Skype.
Musicians are also spending time practicing!
Woodshedding (‘shedding) is a term used to describe the
activity when a musician spends time in focused practice
by working on difficult passages in songs, im-proving
technique, or spending time in self-entertainment. It
seems there may be no better time to take up playing an
instrument, pulling out from the closet the instrument
you once began to study, or looking for some online
singing lessons, and using your social-distancing
downtime to get creative!
OPENING NIGHT
Sun, Oct 20, 2019 • 5pm | Mon, Oct 21, 2019 • 8pm
CONCERT CANCELED
STAY TUNED TO NEXT SEASON
RACHMANINOFF & FRANCK
Sun, Nov 17, 2019 • 5pm | Mon, Nov 18, 2019 • 8pm
A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS
Sun, Dec 1, 2019 • 5pm | Mon, Dec 2, 2019 • 8pm
DVOŘÁK & BARTÓK
and BEETHOVEN’S 4TH
Sun, Jan 12, 2020 • 5pm | Mon, Jan 13, 2020 • 8pm
MOZART & SAINT-SAËNS
and MONTGOMERY’S STARBURST
Sun, Jan 26, 2020 • 5pm | Mon, Jan 27, 2020 • 8pm
SUPERHEROES!
Sun, Feb 9, 2020 • 5pm | Mon, Feb 10, 2020 • 8pm
GRIEG & Vaughan WILLIAMS and
ELGAR’S ENIGMA VARIATIONS
Sun, Feb 23, 2020 • 5pm | Mon, Feb 24, 2020 • 8pm
WAGNER & RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
and BRAHMS‘ DOUBLE CONCERTO
Sun, Mar 22, 2020 • 5pm | Mon, Mar 23, 2020 • 8pm
GRAND FINALE: ELIJAH
Sun, Apr 26, 2020 • 5pm | Mon, Apr 27, 2020 • 8pm
Subscriptions/tickets are available at hhso.org or
by calling 843-842-2055. All concerts held at First
Presbyterian Church on William Hilton Pkwy.
47

STRANGE DAYS
By: Gene Cashman
48
There was a pause on the other end of the phone. “Well I
suppose,” a voice finally offered, “you just have to make
reasonable decisions. You know, wash your hands, and
keep away from people.” There was a chuckle, “yeah,
yeah. I hear you, but the President says we have it under
control.” There wasn’t much of a pause this time. “Dad,”
an agitated voice said, “this is an election year, and
anyways he’s not a doctor. Listen to the doctors. Turn
off cable news!” Larry shifted the phone from one ear
to the other as he fiddled with the television remote in
his hands. “Well that may be true, but what about all
those other viruses. Doesn’t the flu kill thousands and
thousands each year too?” The voice of his son was
calm, but persistent. “It does, but for some reason the
experts say this one is different. Just be smart. Okay?”
Larry motioned to his wife who had just walked through
the front door. “Got Jimmy on the phone,” he hollered
across the house, “come and tell him hello.”
“Mom? Mom?” Jim called out to his mother. He could
hear his mother and father talking through his phone’s
speaker but neither were talking directly to him. Finally
his mother’s voice came through. “Jimmy? You won’t
believe these stores. They are out of nearly everything.
Did you know this?” Jim patiently responded, “yes, mom.
There is a panic. People are rushing to stores to buy
essential items. This is why I told you to go last week.”
Jim could hear his mother call out to his father. “Jimmy
says we should have gone last week.” His mother’s voice
returned clearly through his earpiece. “Well, what do you
recommend we do, son?” Jim pushed down the sense of
dread building inside him. He exhaled and replied, “do
you have all your essential medicine? Do you have some
canned goods to make some meals?” Again he could
hear his mother turn and call out to his dad. “He wants
to know if you have all your medicine. We have plenty
of canned soup. He says we will need that.” Jim grew
impatient. He wished he could be there to help them,
but that was all but impossible. “Jimmy” his mother’s
voice returned, “we have medicine and soup. I will go to
the farmers’ market today to get some vegetables.” Jim
was only slightly reassured. “OK, mom,” he said, “please
keep clear of crowds and for goodness sake please stay
home.”
Jim hung up the phone with his parents. He looked at
the text messages on his phone. “N95 mask supplies
are non-existent. We are rationing,” one read. Another
said, “we recommend closing clinic. Entire staff exposed
to known case.” Jim scrolled back through his text
messages to the weekend before. There was a message
from his neighbor. He tapped it and smiled as it opened.
It was a picture from their cookout the night before. It
read “good times, buddy. I look forward to the next one.”

Jim’s smile vanished. “The next one,” he fumed aloud,
resisting the urge to add a bad word. A ding indicated
a new message. He tapped to open a text from his
infectious disease friend in Ohio. It read “you swamped?”
Jim thought about how to respond. The previous week
had been so long and so strange he didn’t know where
to begin. He began to type. “Between the coordination
of screenings for the general public, cancellations of
elective surgical cases, and the realization that a just-intime
supply chain has failed us...” He studied the words
before quickly erasing them. Jim instead typed, “I reckon
not as bad as you,” and tapped to send. He watched the
text message bubble churn. Finally it dinged. “Actually,
it’s been eerily calm. Like we are waiting on a storm to
come.” Jim smiled and said aloud, “more like a bomb to
explode.”
“How do you fight something
that you cannot see?”
Three lights on the conference phone blinked red,
indicating the call was on mute. “Is everyone here?”
Jim called out. One by one each incident command
team sounded off. “Incident commanders present,”
called out one person. “Logistics and planning present,”
called another. In all, eight teams representing the
ambulatory care needs of thousands of patients in the
community were present and accounted for. “Today’s
update pertains to preservation of personal protective
equipment. Shortages abound,” Jim bellowed so
everyone in the group could hear. “We will also address
updates to screening protocols and how to triage care
if our team members are exposed.” Jim took his seat.
An incident commander called out, “it is top of the
hour, please unmute the phone and be prepared for an
update from central command.” Jim exhaled as central
command took over the meeting for a moment. His
thoughts drifted. He thought of his family, hunkered
down at home and wondered when life might go back
to normal. He opened the news feed on his phone. The
headline read, “Mayor Orders Restaurants and Bars
to Close.” Immediately a text sprung up from his wife
asking if he could talk, that their nephew’s graduation
event had been canceled. Jim felt overwhelmed in the
moment by the flood of input and the constant desires
of those around him for a reassuring update. He noticed
the pain in his temples and the drainage in his throat for
the first time. He tried to recall if either had been there
when he was in the shower this morning. He couldn’t
remember. He was too mentally tired.
Jim dialed the number on the screening hotline from the
quiet of his office. It rang and rang without answer. He
hung up and dialed again. After the fifth attempt someone
picked up. “Please hold,” the voice demanded. The most
pleasant music came over the line. It was perhaps the
best thing about his day thus far. For a moment he sat
alone and listened to Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue play
through the phone. He thought about the discussion he
had with his wife about a vacation to France. He looked
at the photo on his desk of the children lined up on
the sandbar, smiling in the sunshine from the previous
summer. Abruptly, it all ended with a terse voice through
the speaker. “Have you traveled internationally,” the
voice firmly asked. Startled, Jim quickly answered. “No,
not at all,” he stammered. “You got a fever,” the voice
asked. “No,” Jim replied. “I just took it. I am 99.1.” The
voice continued undeterred, “you been in contact with
anyone that has tested positive?” Jim frowned, “not
that I know of, but frankly there are so many people
waiting on test results, I don’t have any way of knowing
that.” The voice didn’t even pause before responding,
“you are asymptomatic and fine to remain at work. If
your symptoms change or worsen call back or head to
the emergency department.” The line went silent. No
Gershwin. No clarity. No help. Jim sat back in his chair
and thought about all of the team members out there
taking care of people. “What a mess,” he said to himself,
“what a total mess.”
49

50
The indent command room was empty except for a few
leaders that lingered in conversation. Jim walked to
his seat and began to gather up his papers. “You look
exhausted,” a voice called out. It was one of his safety
officers, Matt. “Yeah,” Jim said, “it has been a very long
week.” Matt pushed a book across the table. It was
on well-being. “I have been giving a few copies to our
team members, wouldn’t hurt for you to be reminded
as well.” Jim smiled, “thanks Matt. In times like these
we all need to be reminded of what’s important.” Jim
stood to leave. Matt spoke up, “the team has been
tremendous this week. I hope you know that. This thing
has moved so quickly. They have all responded with the
utmost professionalism.” Jim smiled. “I am really proud.
They’ll need their rest, because I think this is going to be
a marathon.” Matt shook his head in agreement. “I think
so, but I wouldn’t want to make that run with any other
group.”
On the ride home Jim dialed his mom. “Jimmy” she
said warmly, “how’s my number one son?” Jim smirked.
It was what she always told him. He was also her only
son. “I am good ma, tired but good.” He could hear his
father in the background. “Tell dad that I am fine. Did
you all do what I asked?” Jim’s mother whispered into
the phone. “Yes, Jimmy” she said quietly, “we have our
medications and some extra food. I hid your father’s car
keys. He can’t go to the store now to marvel at the empty
shelves.” Jim laughed. He could picture the argument
that would take place at some point later in the evening.
“Good ma, good for you. Look, I need to let you go. Liz
is beeping in. I will call you later.” Jim pushed the button
on his phone and suddenly the voice of his wife came
over his car’s Bluetooth speaker. “Hey darling,” she said
sweetly, “you almost home?” Jim felt the tension ease
in his neck, “almost and not soon enough.” His wife
let a carefree laugh escape, “I know these are serious
times, but your children have made dinner. It was all I
could do to keep them entertained under quarantine.”
Jim chuckled, “I understand, as long as you are there it’s
all good.” Liz sighed, “that’s right. As long as we are all
together, everything will be just fine.” Just as Jim hung
up, his phone buzzed again. He glanced to see it was
an update from the health department. He tossed the
phone to the floor board, rolled down the windows and
turned up his radio. There was a beautiful spring sunset
and the air was warm. He wasn’t going to let anxiety
about the unknown rob him of any joy, at least for the
next fifteen minutes.

51

______________________________________________
Residential Design Urban Planning Preservation
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From Lowcountry Classics to French Country
Timeless Design with Attention to Detail
randolph@rstewartdesigns.com
12 Johnston Way Penthouse Studio Bluffton, SC
843.816.4005 rstewartdesigns.com
Consulting Engineers
Land Surveyors
Land Planners
Architects
Landscape Architects
Environmental Scientist
Savannah Office
Statesboro Office
7 Mall court (31406) 319 S. Walnut Street
P.O. Box 15179
Suite A
Savannah, GA 31416 Statesboro, GA 30458
Office: (912) 354-8400 Office: (912) 225-3373
Email: info@kernengineering.com
Fax: (912) 356-1865
www.kernengineering.com
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COLLETON RIVER
Johnny Ussery
MOBILE: 843.384.8105 • OFFICE: 843.757.7712
Johnny@UsseryGroup.com • www.UsseryGroup.com
COLLETON RIVER
ROSE DHU CREEK
163 INVERNESS DRIVE • $2,195,000
An absolute gem in Colleton River! Beautiful French
country home with spectacular views over the infinity
edge pool, marsh, and Port Royal Sound to the Atlantic.
Spacious chef’s kitchen and great room. 1st floor master
suite and separate study/office off the master. 4 upstairs
corner bedrooms plus flex space above the garage.
Elegant courtyard with French garden design.
22 INVERNESS DRIVE • $1,495,000
Rare opportunity! 4BR, 5FB, 2HB home overlooking
pool and spa, and golf views. Brazilian cherry hardwood
floors, 6 seat movie theater, elevator, 2 laundry rooms,
2 offices, master suite with his and hers baths.. Cook’s
dream kitchen, butler’s pantry, and wine cellar with
tasting room. Large screened summer kitchen with
fireplace and multiple built-in grills. Unparalleled quality!
55 ROSE DHU CREEK PLANTATION • $1,149,000
5 BR, 5.5 BA estate home on 2.34 acres can accommodate
a barn and horses. Master Suite with sitting area and
fireplace downstairs. Guest bedrooms upstairs along
with media room and second floor porch. Chef’s kitchen,
custom wide plank pine floors, and detached Carriage
House with BR, BA, living area, and kitchen above 3 car
garage. Plus lanai with pool and outdoor fireplace.
OLDFIELD
COLLETON RIVER
COLLETON RIVER
9 PONDHAWK ROAD • $1,090,000
Spacious 4BR, 4.5BA home has it all including a chef’s
kitchen w/ adjoining Great Room w/ fireplace. Office/
Study above the garage. Master Suite off of the Library.
Enjoy sunsets and the expansive view of Big Arrowhead
Lake from the back porch with fireplace. Situated on
corner homesite for added privacy. Dock just a short
stroll away for fishing, kayaking, or relaxing. A must see!
HAMPTON LAKE
19 ASHLEY HALL DRIVE • $879,000
The essence of southern Lowcountry ambience and
hospitality. Renovated by its current owners and shows
like a new home. Remodeled open kitchen with Wolf
and Sub-Zero appliances. Beautiful patio overlooking a
lagoon and fairway. Open floorplan including a keeping
room with stone fireplace. Master suite with luxurious
master bath and closet. Enjoy the Colleton River lifestyle!
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BERKELEY HALL
10 WHITEHALL DRIVE • $649,000
Like new home with awesome lagoon to golf views.
Open floor plan with kitchen/great room concept and
screened porch. Major renovation in 2015. New flooring
throughout, new roof, replaced hot water tanks, spray
foam insulation, new HVAC units, new front door, new
washer and dryer, new sliding glass doors to back porch,
renovated bathrooms, new fireplace, and much more!
BERKELEY HALL
6 GREEN TRAIL COURT • $549,000
Like new home. This two story beauty with open floor
plan has a 1st floor master suite including a large walk-in
tiled shower. 3 BRs upstairs plus a spacious loft and walkin
attic storage. Gourmet kitchen with granite counter
tops and a butler’s pantry. Storage galore with a huge
climate controlled storage room downstairs. Very private
with home backing up to a protected nature preserve.
74 CLIFTON DRIVE • $479,000
Much desired Lifestyle Home with sliding glass doors to
relaxing screened lanai with pool, spa plus built-in grill
and refrigerator. Open floor plan all on one level with 3
BR, 3.5 BA, plus office that could be a 4th BR. Kitchen with
granite counter tops and wet bar. The privacy of backing
up to a wooded area makes this a desired location and
great value. 2.5 car garage to accommodate golf cart.
14 WILLINGHAM COURT • $379,000
Arguably the best cottage in all of Berkeley Hall! $32,000
upgrades completed this fall! Original owners, never
rented, full maintenance details available. Newer
windows, hot water heaters, and 4 HVAC units. And best
of all, spectacular views of both the 9th and 18th greens
of the North Course. Won’t last long at this price and in
this “like new” condition!
CHARTER ONE REALTY
The One to Turn to for All Your Real Estate Needs
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