The Bluffton Breeze February 2014

FEBRUARY The Bluffton Breeze

2014 February 2014

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February 2014

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Inspiration from The Founder Sally was only eight years old when she heard Mommy and Daddy talking about her little brother, Georgi. He was very sick and they had done everything they could afford to save his life. Only a very expensive surgery could help him now . . . and that was out of the financial question.

She heard Daddy say it with a whispered desperation, «Only a miracle can save him now.»

Sally went to her bedroom and pulled her piggy bank from its hiding place in the closet. She shook all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Tying the coins up in a cold-weatherkerchief, she slipped out of the apartment and made her way to the corner drug store.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her attention. . . but he was too busy talking to another man to be bothered by an eight-year-old. Sally twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. She cleared her throat. No good. Finally she took a quarter from its hiding place and banged it on the glass counter. That did it.

“And what do you want?” the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. “Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,” Sally answered back in the same annoyed tone. “He’s sick . . . and I want to buy a miracle.” “I beg your pardon,” said the pharmacist. “My Daddy says only a miracle can save him now . . . so how much does a miracle cost?” “I beg your pardon,” said the pharmacist.

“My Daddy says only a miracle can save him now . . . so how much does a miracle cost?” “We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I can’t help you.” “Listen, I have the money to pay for it. Just tell me how much it costs.” The welldressed man stooped down and asked, “What kind of a miracle does you brother need?” “I don’t know,” Sally answered. A tear started down her cheek. “I just know he’s really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation.

But my folks can›t pay for it . . . so I have my money.

“How much do you have?” asked the well-dressed man.

“A dollar and eleven cents,” Sally answered proudly.

“And it’s all the money I have in the world.”

“Well, what a coincidence,” smiled the well-dressed man.

A dollar and eleven cents . . . the exact price of a miracle to save a little brother. He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents.”

That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, renowned surgeon, specializing in solving Georgi’s malady. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn’t long until Georgi was home again and doing well. Mommy and Daddy were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

“That surgery,” Mommy whispered. “It’s like a miracle.

I wonder how much it would have cost? Sally smiled to herself. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost... one dollar and eleven cents... plus the faith of a little child.

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The

Bluffton Breeze The magazine of Bluffton FOUNDER Donna Huffman

PUBLISHER Eric Einhorn ericblufftonbreeze@gmail.com EDITOR & SALES Randolph Stewart randolphblufftonbreeze@gmail.com 843 816-4005 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joel Zuckerman, Michele Roldan-Shaw, Amber Hester Kuehn, Barbara O’Connor, Maestro John Morris Russell, Donna Huffman, Jane Skager, Michael Mavrogordato, Jevon Daly, Donna Huffman, Luke Peeples, Estella Saussy Nussbaum, Jeanne Saussy Wright, Gene Cashman PHOTOGRAPHERS & ARTISTS Ed Funk, Eric Horan, Margaret Palmer, Art Cornell, Doug Corkern, Chris Hefter, Amiri Farris, ART DIRECTOR Jane Skager PRINTER Accurate Lithography CORPORATE OFFICE 12 Johnston Way, Suite 300 P.O. Box 472, Bluffton, SC 29910 The Bluffton Breeze Magazine 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 permission from the Publisher. The Bluffton Breeze Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited materials and the publisher accepts no responsibility for the contents or accuracy of claimes in any advertisement in any issue. The Bluffton Breeze Magazine 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 Bluffton Breeze Magazine Copyright.

This month we pay a special tribute to the Gullah culture and its influence on art, music and nature conservation.

Breeze H i s t o r y

May River Spiritural Singers in front of St. John’s Church C. 1932 This article was reproduced from the March 10, 1932 Bluffton News Letter. This months piece on the book “Gullah Psalms” talks of Luke Peeples love of Gullah Spirituals and his connection with The May River Singers comprised of singers from the various churches in Bluffton and his love and recording of the music and lyrics of these traditions..

We feel sure Luke was present at this event and we wanted to share it with our readers. Enjoy this piece of Bluffton history. If anyone has past members of their family listed we would love to hear from you.

Friday night an audience of approximately 400, comprised largely of names prominent in Charleston and Savannah social registers, were delightfully entertained at Campbell A. M. E. Church with a spiritual concert-contest. The program, sponsored and arranged by Miss Caroline Huger, was the first of its kind given in Bluffton, and was acclaimed as the most successful entertainment ever presented here. An admission charge of twenty-five cents netted the three participating churches nearly eighty dollars, and it wad estimated by the doormen that fifty dollars more, could have been realized if there had been room in the church to accommodate the large number that was forced to remain on the outside.

Each of the three choruses, composed of twelve singers, sang eight songs, after which prizes, offered

by Miss.Huger, were presented by James Lynah of Savannah. The judges with Mr. Lynah were Miss Margaret Stiles and Mrs. Olmstead.

Campbell A. M. E. church won first prize, a sixteenpound home-cured ham. The members of this group were” Patsy Williams, Revecca Stoney, Patsy Stoney, Estelle Johnson, Lottie Taylor, Maggie Brown, Jeanette Brown, Lula Grant, Elizah Grant, Bill Grant, Jake Johnson and George Brown.

The songs sung by them were in the order as follows: “John Saw The Light”; “Give Me that Old Time

Religion”: “Rasling Jocob All Night Long”: Noah Hist The Window”; “New Horn Gwine To Blow Dat Day”, “Don’t Mind Dying, If Dying Was All”; “Stand On The Wall of Zion”; and “Hold The Light’.

Second prize, a water pitcher, engraved with a cluster of grapes, was awarded the Zion Baptist Church, whose chorus was composed of Janie Chaplain, Sylvia Williams, Mammie Kinloch, Ida Broyles, Julia Fergueson, Julia Posey, Susannah Gadsen, Ophelia Phoenix, Geneva Bruin, Martin Allston, and James Haynes.

Third prize, a beautiful altar cloth, was awarded St. John, the Baptist Church. The singers of this group were: Amie Kinloch, Celie Carroll, Maggie Graham, Marriah Cogswell, Bertha Brown, Othelia Grant, Daugher Cogswell, Louis Graham, John Johnson, James Jenkins, Samuel Graham.

An individual prize offered the most outstanding dramatic singer in the three groups was won by Janie Chaplin of Zion Baptist Church.

This dramatic character, with a blue gingham dress on and a red cloth tied around her head made wild and oftentimes dangerous gesticulations with a large stick, which she held in her right hand, as she encouraged the other members of her group to “get the sprit” and “sing”. Her singing was loud and melodious, and with her freakish body movements as she sang and shouted, she was indeed a colorful personality that offered a major part of the evening’s entertainment.

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Breeze F e b r u a r y T i d e s Tide chart is calculated for the May River Sa 1

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The lunar month is the 29.53 days it takes to go from one new moon to the next. During the lunar month, the Moon goes through all its phases.

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Breeze E n v i r o n m e n t

A Cultural Bond with Nature

By Amber Hester Kuehn

In the farthest recess of the South Atlantic Bight, the South Carolina and Georgia Coastline is a temperate haven for wildlife and culture. Whether you consider the term ‘Lowcountry’ geographically, because of the low elevation of the region, or culturally, because of the distinct manner that it represents, or both…you are correct.

Clearly, it is no coincidence that nature and culture overlap in this area. From Gullah to Good ‘Ole Boy, you will find a connection to nature. Today, hand in hand with our environmental authorities, Gullah leaders are setting the tone for conservation.

Let’s take a quick step back: The first English speaking settlement in South Carolina was established in 1670. But it was not until the 1700s that the fertile Lowcountry, with its swampy topography, mild winters, and long hot summers similar to regions on the West African Coast, got an introduction to rice cultivation. Slaves from Angola and Sierra Leone were imported for their prior knowledge of rice farming and resistance to mosquito bourn illnesses.

Through the combination of African culture and European influences with a deep focus on the land they were bound to cultivate, the Gullah culture was born. Just to clarify: ‘Gullah’ typically refers to cultural descendants in South Carolina while ‘Geechee’ refers to those in Georgia. However, they are nationally accepted as the same culture.

For years, rice was the crop of choice in the Lowcountry. However, Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin in 1793, made cotton king. Fifteen years later, international slave trade was banned in the United States, but the Gullah culture at that time was well established, and with it came an integral dependence on the natural bounty of the Lowcountry.

“Hunnuh mus tek cyare de root fa heal de tree.”

(Must take care of the root to heal the tree) -- Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah Nation

If ever there was a doubt that the Gullah community based their culture in nature, refer to this slogan for the Gullah Geechee Sea Island Coalition.

The roots, environmental stewardship, represent grass roots education and land preservation and the tree represents the Gullah culture.

Adapting to bureaucracy in this day and age can be challenging, but the Gullah community is being proactive by anointing passionate leaders and making their voices heard. There was a time when it was easier to get a point across by giving animals a voice and telling stories based on the movements and habits of wildlife. Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Possum, Brer Buzzard, Brer Terrapin, Jack Sparrow (a tattle tale sparrow), and Cooter (a smarter than average turtle) …to name a few, are characters created by Gullah storytellers observing nature in the Lowcountry. The prefix “Brer”, meaning Brother, epitomizes the Gullah’s familial bond with nature. Most of these stories are retold for pure entertainment or lessons to avoid harm, although some have a moral element based on scripture– “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Luke 6:31, Matthew 7:12).

How did we come to know these stories through Uncle Remus? An illegitimate son of an Irish immigrant, author Joel Chandler Harris put down his best recollection of the tales he heard told by slaves on Turnwold Plantation, Eatonton, GA in 1862.

Harris was 13 years old when he started working for room and board as an apprentice for the plantation owner’s local newspaper.

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J.D. Peeples / Guscio Store Calhoun Street

by Margaret Palmer

Estella Saussy Nussbaum & Jeanne Saussy Wright

By Michele Roldán-Shaw Long-time residents of Bluffton still fondly recall strolling down Calhoun Street and hearing strains of piano music drift from a little wooden house next to the J.D. Peeples Store, now known simply as The Store. Up until quite recently the last teardown timbers of this house lurked in a thickety lot, all a-tangle with vines, the house’s inhabitant long-gone; some even claimed they could hear ghostly melodies echo forth on still hot nights. Truth or tall tale, it points to the enduring legacy of Luke Peeples—composer, poet, Bluffton eccentric, and savant with a touch of the mystic. He is well remembered for his musical gifts, and in particular his dedication to celebrating and preserving the Negro spirituals that wove such a beautiful strand into the audio backdrop of oldtime Bluffton life. Now Luke and his work are the subjects of a loving book called Gullah Psalms, published this year by two of his nieces.

“It was always my mother’s wish that her brother’s music be published,” said Jeanne Saussy, co-author of Gullah Psalms along with her sister, Estella Saussy Nussbaum. “So one day before Luke died in a nursing home, my mother said to my sister and I, ‘Go by the house and see if there’s anymore music in there.’ The house was in terrible shape—in fact I fell through the floor trying to get to something—but we found a locked chest of drawers and thought ‘Here are the family treasures.’ So I went and got a skeleton key, but there was nothing

except clothes and all these letters—and there was the story.”

It marked the beginning of a nearly two-decade quest to piece together the intricate histories behind Luke’s piano pieces—unique arrangements of traditional hymns and Gullah spirituals, as well as original compositions inspired by people and events in Bluffton. Luke had the gift of perfect pitch.

At age four he saw a piano for the first time, and stood spellbound while his aunt played it; then, to the amazement of his family, he proceeded to sit down and copy note for note the entire piece she’d just finished. As an adult he could hear a cock crow, a thrush sing or a church bell toll and transpose the sound into notes on his piano. He could even render the rhythm of oars being rowed by oystermen on the May River. Jeanne recalls of her uncle, “He couldn’t carry on a conversation without explaining it to you on the piano.”

Luke was a trained concert pianist who graduated with honors from the Atlanta Conservatory of Music, yet he shunned the spotlight in favor of returning to Bluffton to help run the Peeples Store. Following a powerful dream he had about an old black oysterman singing a hymn in the cemetery, Luke realized his life’s work was right here at home. He began haunting the shadows of black churches and praise houses around Bluffton, leaning against trees with

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PSALM OF MAUM CELIE 1950s

Luke was behind the barn chopping wood for Mama’s old iron stove. The freezing December winds swept up the cove, chapping his hands and face.

From across the cove came the unmistakable bray of Gus Bruin’s, donkey, Atlas. On Atlas lay the burden not only of plowing and composting the gardens of the village, but also of braying forth whenever he divined the impending hunger of his master’s twice-widowed neighbor, Maum Celie. “Sen some soup fuh Celie soon,” was his urgent call. Knowing the importance of the donkey’s call, Luke dropped his axe and rushed into the kitchen to find Mama.

notebook in hand till far into the night, listening to music that spilled out from prayer meetings and shouts. Though segregation in those days prevented his entering the churches, the black community knew and appreciated his interest and would alert him if a special ceremony were to take place.

Whatever he heard he transcribed faithfully—both the melodies and the Gullah lyrics. Later he turned these notations into brilliant arrangements for piano and voice.

Luke also spearheaded the creation of a group called the May River Spiritual Singers, consisting of black choir members from various churches. They gave a highly successful concert for society folk in Savannah in order to raise money for the restoration of a deteriorating black church in Bluffton. This is just one of many poignant tales told in Gullah Psalms.

“It was an act of love,” Jeanne said of writing the book. “We had the time of our lives going up and down the road, looking through archives, visiting cemeteries. So many people opened their doors to us because we were part of the Peeples family.”

The book will be interesting not only to students of music or black history, but to anyone who cherishes the nostalgia of bygone years in Bluffton, when everyone was your neighbor and the river was a common bond. Each chapter is a story, an engaging narrative that threads together local history with Luke’s personal musings, character sketches of his Gullah friends, invaluable descriptions of such forms of worship as the ring shout and “seeking in the wilderness,” and of course the inspiration behind the music. Please enjoy the following excerpt from Gullah Psalms:

As she had done so many times before in response to the old mule’s call, Mama reached for her time-mellowed willow basket. She filled it with a bowl of simmered beef and vegetables, a napkin full of hot biscuits and a bottle of cane syrup. After lining the basket with crumpled newspaper, she handed it to Luke and hurried him out the kitchen door.

Walking briskly toward Maum Celie’s, Luke’s thoughts were filled with memories of his dear old Negro friend. Celia Cheney Ferguson Carroll must be in her nineties now, he thought, although her exact age was a matter of speculation. What was known was that she was born on Christmas Day at Mont-

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pelier Plantation, site of the present-day Palmetto Bluff. She lived alone in her humble cottage with its’ haint blue shutters and doors, a color the Gullahs believed would ward off evil spirits. Her sole companions were a scrawny brindled cat and a frizzled voodoo cock, whose feathers curved backwards in a grotesque way—also known to ward off evil spirits.

In earlier days, Luke and Maum Celie could be seen cruising the shiny oystershell streets in the evenings, walking the one-mile loop around the village. Maum Celie would lean on Luke’s arm for support, their heads together, sometimes humming, sometimes singing and sharing stories of life and music. On many occasions, Maum Celie would give Luke the words to old spirituals that he would write down. Luke especially loved hearing her tell of her dreams and their interpretations that she received through a gift known as “Mother Wit.” This spiritual gift of collective wisdom, an inherited knowledge given to certain women of African descent, enabled her to see the unseen, hear the unspoken and dream truths unimaginable—all coupled with the wisdom to interpret.

She claimed her dog could see haints, and it was well known that her spirit worked through Gus Bruin’s donkey, Atlas, to summon neighbors to her side in times of distress.

As an herbalist or root doctor, Maum Celie could treat ailments with her hoodoo medicine and many locals relied upon her knowledge. Using natural ingredients located in the woods and riverbeds near her home, she dispensed her medications to anyone in need. Mothers would bring their children to her for her Jimsey Weed mixed with turpentine to cure worms, always to be followed with a dose of castor oil. She used sugar and spider webs to stop bleeding; and water, vinegar and mud to set broken bones. Elephant Ear leaves reduced fevers, fiddler crabs cured whooping cough and a mixture of Palmetto berries, Prickly Ash and Poke Weed cured just about everything else.

A faithful member of St. John in the Wilderness Church, Maum Celie could be there anytime the doors were open, singing, praying and “giving her determination.” Luke recalled the night back in 1932 when the May River Spiritual Singers performed, the way her face glowed in the lights as she sang her praises to her Lord, certain that the money from

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the concert would keep His building open for many more years to come.

Upon approaching her garden gate that day, Luke was overcome with a deep sense of foreboding.

There was no smoke rising from her chimney, as was usual. She was not sitting on the front stoop with her cane-stemmed clay pipe perched between her lips. Was he too late in heeding Atlas’call?

Luke’s experience that day became the inspiration for one of his best poems, later set to music. As Luke carried the old willow basket back home, his thoughts were of Maum Celie, her life of trials and tribulations, but a life lived with a deep unwavering faith. The basket, though empty, was filled with an inspiration from his dear friend.

A song began to develop in his head, dedicated to Maum Celie. “Trus’in in duh Lawd” would develop into what Luke thought was the most complete piece he had ever created. In the introduction, Luke incorporated Atlas’ braying and throughout the piece are syncopations depicting Maum Celie moving about. He called it a South Carolina Lowcountry psalm. A decade passed before he put the poem with the music, alternately calling the slightly different versions “Twice Filled the Willow Basket,” “Psalm of Maum Celie” and “Trus’in in duh Lawd.”

From the poem “Twice Filled the Willow Basket”: Gone is my husban’ to Gawd udduh planet, Gone is my chillen dem to be wid ‘m deh; Gone is my healt’, but by grace I kin stan’ it Trus’in’, trus’in’ in duh Lawd.

Gone is my fence pos’ an’ gone is my gate, Gone is my fowl dem an’ gyahdn an’ pig; Gone ev’yt’ing mos’ I had ‘cep’ my fait’ An’ trus’in’, trus’in’ in duh Lawd.

In duh Lawd I’s trus’in, Trus’in’, Trus’in’, Trus’in’ in duh Lawd.

Gullah Psalms is available at Stock Farm Antiques iand Heyward House Historic Center Bluffton.

Breeze F e l l o w s h i p AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL Cambell Chapel A.M.E. 25 Boundary Street, 757-3652 Sunday School 8:45am Worship:10am ASSEMBLY OF GOD New River Worship Center Hwy 170 & Argent Blvd. (next to ESPY) 379-1815 Sunday: 10:30am Wednesday 7pm BAPTIST First Baptist Church of Bluffton Boundary at Church Street, 757-3472 Sunday School: 9am Worship: 10:30am & 6pm First Zion Baptist Wharf Street 757-3128 Sunday School: 9am Sunday worship: 10am May River Baptist Church SC-170, North of US 46, 757-2518 Sunday School: 9:45am Sunday Worship: 10am & 7pm St. John’s Baptist Church 103 Pritchard Street, 757-4350 Sunday Worship: 11am St. Matthew’s Baptist Church SC Highway 170, 757-3255 Sunday Worship: 11am Indian Hill Baptist Church Hwy 278 next to Eagle’s Point, 757-2603 Sunday School: 9:45am Sunday Worship: 11am

Bible Missionary Baptist Church Goethe Road Community Cntr, 815-5523 Sunday Worship: 11am Bible Study: 6pm CATHOLIC St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church 333 Fording Island Road, 815-3100 Sat. 4pm, 6pm Sun. 7:15am, 9am, 11am, 5pm, Espanol 1pm Mon-Fri 6:45am Chapel, 8:30am Church ANGLICAN The Church of the Cross 110 Calhoun St, 757-2661 495 Buckwalter Parkway, 757-2662 Sunday Worship: 8am & 10am

Church of the Palms United Methodist 1425 Okatie Highway, 379-1888 Sunday Worship: 10:30am St. Luke’s United Methodist Church SC Highway 170 near Sun CIty, 705-3022 Sunday Worship: 8:30am and 10am

Lowcountry Presbyterian Church US 278 and Simmonsville Road, 815-6570 Sunday School: Adult 9:40am, Child 10:30 Sunday Worship: 8:30am & 10:30am

The Episcopal Church of Okatie At St. Luke’s Baptist Church Hwy 170 and Snake Road, Worship: 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday, 8:30am GREEK ORTHODOX

Grace Coastal Church (PCA) 1425 Okatie 15 Williams Drive (off SC170), 379-5521 Sunday School: 11am Sunday Worship: 9:30am NON-DENOMINATIONAL

Holy Resurrection Church at St. Andrews Catholic Church 220 Pickney Colony Road, 837-4659 Orthros: 9:30am, Liturgy 10am

Live Oak Christian Church Bluffton High School Auditorium 757-5670 Kidstreet: 9:15am, Worship 10:15am

JEWISH Temple Osah Shalom at Lowcountry Presbyterian 278 Simmonsville Road, 705-2532 Shabbat Worship 3rd Friday of month, 8pm

Lord of Life Lutheran Church 351 Buckwalter Parkway, 757-4774 Sunday School: 10am Sunday Worship: 8am, 9am, 11am

Bluffton United Methodist Church 101 Calhoun Street, 757-3351 Sunday School 9:45am Sunday Worship: 8:45am & 11am

PRESBYTERIAN

EPISCOPAL

LUTHERAN

METHODIST

Lowcountry Community Church Bluffton Campus: 801 Buckwalter Parkway, 836-1101 Sunday Worship: 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES Kingdom Hall, SC 46, 815-4455 Sunday Public Talk: 9:30am & 3:30pm Spanish Public Talk: 12:30pm

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LowCountry Symphony

By Maestro John Morris Russell Conductor Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra Cinncinati Pops Orchestra 20 www.blufftonbreeze.com

Do you hear it?

Turn off the TV; unplug the laptop and power off the phone.

Do you hear it?

Walk outside, get away from the road, find a quiet sunny spot, sit and LISTEN.

At first, it’s the breeze you notice, accompanied by the sound-textures of live oak leaves, palmetto fronds and the gossamer whispers of spanish moss. After a minute or two the gentle chirps of songbirds are revealed, accented by crow calls and chattering squirrels. Even the rhythmic lapping of the incoming tide and rustling salt grass create their own groove. On any day, in any quiet spot, the music created from the confluence of land, marsh and ocean is alluring and ever changing: from the effervescent and melodious aviary of spring, to the powerful tone-poem of a late summer thunderstorm and autumn’s sparkling midnight chorus of crickets and katydids.

love letter to my heart’s home. I have dreamed of this concert for years; a musical event that celebrates who we are and what makes our region so very special in the world of music. This is OUR music--as palpable and as enduring as Dixieland is to New Orleans or Bluegrass to Kentucky.

February’s Lowcountry Celebration features the Orchestra in a way most people have never heard-from film soundtracks to spirituals, jazz, blues, opera and rock n’roll. Our musicians are remarkable in their ability to switch gears between musical styles and consistently crush peoples stuffy,

This is the Lowcountry symphony--the sound-world that envelops our lives and brings joyous communion to all who take the time to listen. It is also the soundtrack that has inspired musicians, composers and performers for hundreds of years to create music that is as unique as our locale. You can hear our music sung in family kitchens and afternoon church services, and performed in major motion pictures around the world. You can hear it in the hurricane voice of James Brown or the ebullient solos of Dizzy Gillespie and you can hear it in the vivacious performances of The Lowcountry’s Orchestra: the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra.

I fell in love with the music of the Lowcountry as a young conductor working as an associate with the Savannah Symphony Orchestra. Though classically trained, I had always lived by Duke Ellington’s mantra: “If it sounds good, it is good”. I found here a musical legacy and style that was rich, deep, hypnotic and captivating, and have carried it with me wherever I go. Any Johnny Mercer song gets me misty-eyed; a rousing gospel chorus gets me estatic. Now, many years later, as Conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra I am also back in the Lowcountry as Music Director of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, and have created a musical

pre-conceived notions about what symphonic music is about. This is a joyous group of folks who love bringing ALL music to life and sharing it with EVERYONE. Jazz pianist Lavon Stevens; the premier singer of Gullah traditions, Marlena Smalls; the remarkable Hilton Head Dance Theatre; and eight young violin virtuoso’s in a HHSO debut performance, create a musical event that will change The Bluffton Breeze

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peoples minds about what an orchestra and a community can achieve together.

And what about the music, OUR music?

At the heart of the HHSO Lowcountry Celebration is the music of Gullah traditions, with its roots in the pentatonic modes of west Africa. Ever play on the black keys of the piano? That’s the pentatonic scale. With those five notes you can play just about every, single spiritual ever created. I say “created” because no one ever wrote them down--most have no single composer--these melodies were passed down from one family to the next in multiple variants, many of which can be traced to traditions right here. A musical seed of hope brought here from another continent, the spiritual was buried deep in the loam of slavery’s terror and over many, many generations blossomed into America’s the greatest musical legacy. Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Deep River, Eziekiel Saw the Wheel, Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho and hundreds upon hundreds of spirituals all share the same pentatonic musical DNA--you can plunk them out on the black keys--even Kumbayah (“Come by here” in Gullah), which, musicologists concur, was created on Hilton Head Island.

George Gershwin, like so many others was seduced by music of the Lowcountry--his opera “Porgy and Bess”, arguably America’s greatest opera, was inspired by melodies he heard on Folly Island while composing there the summer of 1934. Why do Gershwin’s songs, like “Summertime” or “Aint Necessarily So” still resonate so deeply with people around the world? It’s because their musical roots find their way to the universal truths expressed in Gullah traditions. Marlena Smalls, the world renowned singer, educator, actress and leader of the Hallelujah Singers has shared these Gullah traditions, quite literally, around the globe, and makes her symphonic debut with the HHSO at our concerts.

For folks who are movie buffs, you might know that Marlena played the role of Bubba’s mother in the legendary film Forest Gump. I was living in Savannah when it was filmed there, though I don’t think anyone realized what a huge hit it would become.

The images of Savannah and the Lowcountry in the movie were nothing less than stunning, yet for me, the film’s soundtrack really galvanized the feeling of being in such a special place. Alan Silvestri, one of Hollywood’s most eloquent composers, created a score that was wistful and sentimental with out the saccharine excess for which many film scores are guilty. It is also just plain gorgeous--with lush orchestrations. The orchestrations are most important--the

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composer’s or arranger’s choice of instruments to play any give note, melody or phrase. What would the opening theme of Forest Gump be like if the sparkling piano and flute duet in the opening were played instead by pipe organ and saxophone? The same exact notes as the original but played on very different instruments would probably transport you to Scranton, Pennsylvania as opposed to Chippewa Square.

We’ll also be performing the original orchestrations of Pat Conroy’s film The Prince of Tides, composed

by James Newton Howard. James is another A-list composer and we’ll be perfroming his original orchestrations. Just to be clear--our orchestra will be playing from copies of the identical parts that were used to record the soundtrack. Every note, every nuance that you heard in the movie you’ll hear in the concert, live. How cool is THAT? Of course you won’t see any of the images from the film, but you can just drive to Beaufort and see it for real. We’ll also perform from the original parts to the 1989 film Glory by James Horner and excerpt a portion of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 which was used in a seminal scene in MY favorite Lowcountry film by Pat Conroy, “Conrack”.

As in all our concerts at the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, there is always an element of surprise and delight. For those who have discovered, or re-discovered us, we are building a wonderful musical family together. If you have never attended a HHSO concert before, this is a great way to re-awaken the music within you and embrace the sound-world we call home. The sound of the Lowcountry symphony is always there, you just have to listen.

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The Gullah in the Blues

By Jevon Daly

Gullah music traveled across the ocean via African people and landed in the south many years ago.

Anyone who has lived in the Lowcountry has seen “Gullah Gullah Island” on tv and heard songs like “Binyah Binyah”.

Slang in music has always really interested me and I consider myself a student of all different forms of folk music developed in America. Gullah music employs quite a bit of sophisticated musical tools also. A “round” is something u might hear in early folk music like “Row Row Row your Boat” . Stadium rock depends on another staple of the Gullah music; the ‘call and answer’. Can u imagine life without “Twist and Shout” ? ‘Blue notes’ that sound off or wrong to the ear became part of the fabric of jazz developed by Louis Armstrong and bluegrass creator Bill Monroe.

Give “Blue Moon of Kentucky’ another listen. All these things were heard first in Gullah songs.

The music of the Gullah people made it way up in the hills of North Carolina too. Roscoe Holcomb and Tom Ashley obviously heard it somewhere. These two men pioneer the use of the banjo. Where did the bluesy sound come from?? This is the argument that has been going on since Gene Autry rode into

our living rooms singing cowboy tunes when my dad was a kid.

Where DID the blues come from? { Does anyone have George Carlin’s number?} The blues was born out of hard times, and the Gullah people lived it.

Rituals involving music were all they had to entertain themselves during the nighttime. It is said that white plantation owners eavesdropped and “borrowed” ideas and sounds. Sure, it wasn’t called the Blues way back when, but it sure sounds like it to me.

Making sure i heard the real thing,I watched the McIntosh County Shouters concert performed live for the Library of Congress. Reading about the “Ring Shout” helped me too. I heard ‘call and response’ , ‘blue notes’, and calls, cries, and ‘holler’ type singing.

As a guy brainwashed by his father with the music of the Grateful Dead {thank God}, I found myself later listening to blues giants Muddy Waters and Son House . When I listen to the “Shouters” I hear the shouting, boisterous style later adopted by Delta Blues singers to lift their voices over jukejoint crowd noise without any amplification.

Thank God for the music of the Gullah People.

The Bluffton Breeze

February 2014

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Breeze B l u f f t o n B u l l e t i n B o a r d

Playful and loving Chopper would make the perfect addition to your family. Chopper’s crossed-eyes look goofy at first but that look will warm your heart after you get to know his beautiful personality. Great with other dogs and with children. Call 843-645-1725 or email info@palmettoanimalleague.org

The Chamber is accepting applications and sponsors for the April 12 “Taste of Bluffton” Call 757-1010

Free Advice! Third Tuesdays Events Hosts a Panel of Experts in a Local “Shark Tank” Forum (Without Teeth) from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

400 Buckwalter Place. (843) 540-0405

Farm fare from Bluffton and beyond, every Thursday 2pm to 7pm Farmers Market was voted the most celebrated Market in SC and 11th in the USA!

Rambler’sLife: TheSouthReloaded Michele Roldan-Shaw www.ramblerslife.com

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For future announcements on the Bluffton Bulletin Board call the Breeze at 843 757 8877.

Bluffton Methodist Church

is proud to host this Concert of the renowned Children’s Choir Thursday Feb. 20th at 7pm. For reservations www.blufftonumc.org or call 843.757.3351

Birding at Pinckney Island

Spring bird watching at Pinckney Island led by birdwatchers from the Museum, starting March 5th at 7:30 am. Future walks are March 26, April 9, 23 and May 14 and 28.

Call 843-689-6767 ext 223 for info. and many other activities monthly.

GERMAN ROMATICS

Sunday, February 9, 2014 4 pm Monday, February 10, 2014 8 pm John Morris Russell, Conductor Leonardo Colafelice, piano, 2013 Hilton Head International Piano Competition Winner Weber Oberon: Overture Beethoven Piano Concerto No.3 Brahms Symphony No. 2

The Low Country Pickleball Classic Sat. March 29th and Sun. March 30th Sun City Hilton Head Pickleball Lowcountry Boil Fri. 7 PM. Meet players from all over the Southeast

This wildly funny play is the sequel to the Broadway hit Boeing-Boeing. Get ready for a collision course of mistaken identities and outrageous infidelities!

SPONSORED BY WHHI & The Island Packet

LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES Evening Turtle talks and walks with Amber Kuehn will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings June through August. Please call 843-6896767 ext 223 to make your reservation. Cost is $20 adult, $15 child (no children under 4 years of age)

NC Dance Theatre Lyrical contemporary ballet at its most breathtaking!

SPONSORED BY Bluffton Sun and Dorothy A. & Frederick K. Beard

The Bluffton Breeze

The Rat Pack is Back!

Relive the days of the Rat Pack and see this award-winning Las Vegas show…4:30 & 8pm.

SPONSORED BY Anthem Media

February 2014

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The Chancellor’s

higher learning formula Higher learning is fundamental to Bluffton’s future and satifies our life-long quest for stimulation. USCB has grown in leaps and bounds, and now not only boasts true Baccalaureate status, but is shaping thought leadership in academic fields that are particularly relevant to the Lowcountry. Ask anybody how this happened and there is always one name that comes up as the driving force: Chancellor Jane Upshaw.

Mathemetician. Visionary. And somebody who never ever takes no for an answer!

Interview by Eric Einhorn USC, USCB. How does this all work?

The university of South Carolina system is made up of eight institutions with three different levels. Columbia is the research institution. It’s actually USC Columbia but it gets called USC all the time. Then there are comprehensive institutions where we award Baccalaureate degrees.

-- USC Beaufort (USCB) and USC Aiken. Baccalaureate means we are accredited and have degree programs across the spectrum – from liberal arts to professional fields. The third level is what’s called Regional Campuses – they can only award associate degrees. That’s what USCB used to be.

And you took it to Baccalaureate status? Where did that all start?

I had been a faculty member and in 1994 we received the gift of land. I realized we needed to put in place the infrastructure to start raising money to build the campus and was named the first Director of Development.

For Beaufort as a whole or the Bluffton campus?

It’s more complicated than that. In 1959 when the university wanted to reach out they came to Beaufort because we are furthest from Columbia. There was no

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access to baccalaureate education in the Lowcountry.

However there was a building in Beaufort that had belonged to old Beaufort college -- and that was the second oldest higher education system in the state chartered in 1795 and opened in 1804. The only college older was Charleston. At that time there was no accreditation so the citizens sent their kids to Harvard and Yale. But it closed in 1861.

Because of lack of funding?

No because of the civil war!! [“Dummy” unsaid…much laughter].

And so there was the 1862 building that became USCB in 1959 with a campus surrounded by the Beaufort River and the historic district. We first taught courses at the high school.

Then we were in an office building until 1990 when we moved into our current site.

When you got going at the new site did you help stimulate the growth of Bluffton?

No. But we are certainly a part of it. Remember, the rationale for developing this campus had a lot to do with providing secondary education to our gated

communities -- Sun City in particular. In fact the governor of South Carolina promoted lifelong learning as part of a quality retirement.

Now that you’re established are you challenging better-known universities? Or do you pride yourself in your differences?

While we work at fulfilling the needs of the region we differentiate ourselves in important ways. For example we have a hospitality management program – where students have the opportunity to make the integration between learning and practice broader – and develop together a mutually beneficial brand for hospitality.

We could put students in a “living lab” in Hilton Head – and have them become part of great events like the Heritage and Concord d’Elegance and the wine and food festival.

is our playground?

Exactly. And with all due respect, we have the economic power here, and the university is not going anywhere.

The real growth and development will be here. This is where the big economic driver is and will be.

And from the standpoint of the University?

Beaufort is specialized as an arts school and what will be in Hilton Head will be specialized in hospitality and event management.

Back to differentiation: What about other things that are relevant to the region?

We have a marine biology program with a major called Coastal Ecology and Conservation. We have a collaboration with the Vagabond crews. Our students

That’s smart in a practical sense -- like having a cooking course aligned with a 3 star restaurant in Paris? But traditional universities offer students immersion in a “higher place”. Is this a more modern approach?

It is. Because we are a regional university and we exist to respond to regional needs. You can study hospitality management at Columbia. You can study tourism at Clemson. But you can’t have the living lab experiences.

Hilton Head is not a place where you find a lot of kids all year round – will they come from all over?

Yes. They would stay in the condos and apartments that aren’t lived there from September to May, because they’re rented out over the summer.

Are you really saying that the residents of Hilton Head wouldn’t drive to a Bluffton campus?

Probably not -- they don’t want to drive, and they think that bridge is as far from here to California! [Laughter]

Ultimately this feeds local talent to businesses – and creates jobs for students?

Exactly – for example with Concours d’Elegance we arranged to have an intern all year long to learn what’s necessary to make it a world-class event. And by the way it attracts 14,000 visitors! You build the restaurants and businesses but you also bring youth and vibrancy and energy to the island. Hopefully we would not only do this through our management program but also through continuing education – which we could market and get great value across the nation and possibly even the world.

So you want to leverage the relationship between Buffton and Hilton Head. Is there a dependency?

Bluffton is what it is in terms of growth because of Hilton Head. We can live in Bluffton and be in Hilton Head.

Use the good about Bluffton and remember that we are the tail that wags the dog now!

You would then agree with our premise that Bluffton is a great town to live in and to a degree Hilton Head

gather real data in the Calibogue Sound -- about such things as the sounds dolphins make, the migration of fish and how they sound like when they’re mating.

Essentially we help promote the health and wellness of the habitat.

Does this actually help our fishing industry?

What makes the Lowcountry special is the fine line we have walked -- and we have to be very careful about it … we want policies and growth in place that continue to allow the environment to be protected.

Is the fine line that if we push it too far it takes a long time to recover?

If ever it is recoverable! Having our students being a part of the process whether it’s about water quality or the coastal ecology and conservation is critical.

Anything else that’s a standout for USCB?

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We have over 125 human services programs in Beaufort county and we developed a program that prepares young people to give back and participate.

It’s an interdisciplinary degree between sociology and psychology.

That’s a first?

We are the only Baccalaureate institution with this human services program in South Carolina!

Talk about running the ship. You are a doctor of mathematics. That’s a beautifully precise subject.

Now you come to an institution that is multi-faceted -- how much of running this is about precision?

My degree is in theoretical mathematics – that’s about creative problem solving. Being able to look at the information and say “here’s a way forward that is logical and makes sense” is what mathematics is all about.

But mathematics doesn’t lead to human solutions.

No – but remember it’s not about me, it’s about the team. Everyone at this institute is a builder –that’s why they come here.

To do all you’ve done you must be some kind of mover and shaker!

I heard you were pretty forceful in getting the University to grow!

I beg to differ! What I am is a committed citizen, believing passionately in education and I love the place where we live.

How much of being a chancellor is about diplomatic skills? Are you just a natural with people?

You either have or need to develop people skills. We have a beautiful place with beautiful buildings, but at the end of the day what we really have is the people doing what they are doing.

I think I’ve always been a people person. As an only childyou had to reach out to get friends to fill the gaps that those with bigger families have. But you still have to continue to learn because being diplomatic and strategic and making smart choices, smart decisions is critical.

Talking of decisions. You have been part of Bluffton’s development. It’s a minor miracle that we have no buildings that make us say OMG what were we thinking let’s pull them down? Plus we have all those tree-lined roads. Was that luck or good planning?

No that’s a conscious decision. You have to believe in the live oak and the power of the flora and fauna as well as the water to be here. I talked about differentiating our institution. It is the beautiful trees, the flowers and the water that draw you to this place – in many ways it’s our differentiator -- and hopefully everything we do doesn’t mess it up!

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Bluffton is becoming a center for young families to grow. Do you feel that at the university?

We’ve had huge growth – now we’ve reached a plateau and stabilized. When you’ve grown 146% being stable for a while is kind of a good thing. Growing at 10% every year hard to sustain.

Does sport paly a big role at the university?

It absolutely critical to a Baccalaureate institution– in a fun kind of way – because it’s how we reach out to the community and generate support.We have golf, cross country, baseball, softball and women’s soccer.

You have three campuses or University centers -- do they fully complement each other?

Beaufort is specialized as an arts school and what will be in Hilton Head will be specialized in hospitality and event management.

Where do we teach digital skills?

All here in our computational science program. Which is another place where we are innovating. Our mathematics and computer science faculty came together to determine the wave of the future. The idea is that computational science and data analytics will be able to answer really pressing question utilizing the power of computers, the beauty of mathematics and the huge opportunity of big data.

So numbers will rule?

This goes beyond numbers. There are a lot of data sets that are about words or medical records and we haven’t done the analytics to help us figure out the future in terms of the protocols we need to use to get to the appropriate answers.

Out of interest, has mathematics moved on from what you studied?

The body of knowledge has grown exponentially but the theory of calculus is still as beautiful as it was 30 years ago! But now there’s a whole new brand of game theory -- is not just important for Xbox or casino games -- but the way do business.

Do you play games for fun?

Absolutely bridge, solitaire – I love card games.

I assume you’re the Bluffton champion?

I don’t have time to do that (laughter) Could I be if I had the time? I can’t let myself do that t because I can’t exercise the self-discipline!

There an addiction?

Absolutely

No doubt you can count cards?

Absolutely

I’ll remember to avoid playing with you.

From Your Written by J

Valentine

ane Skage

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r

The Bluffton Breeze

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February 2014

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Breeze P o i n t s o f I n t e r e s t

LIVING LONGER. IT’S NOT AS SIMPLE AS YOU THINK!

OK. So we all know that the stats are dramatic. Our current life expectancy in the US is around 79.

The numbers from old times don’t even come close: 26 in the Bronze Age. 30 in Medieval Britain with two thirds of children not getting past 4 – dropping the average significantly (if you made it to 21 your expectation went up to 47!) In the early 20th century the global average was 31. Then things suddenly started improving – in leaps and bounds.

So we can attribute this dramatic improvement to medicine, right? And better diet? That’s what everybody talks about. Of course medicine is a major factor. Disease prevention, diagnostics, drugs all get children through tough times, and keep older people going and going. Better diet – well maybe. Yes, we seem to have surpassed eras of mass starvation excepted in the undeveloped countries. But take a look around at the quantities people are eating and it’s not so self-evident that diet is working in their favor!

Then there are factors that are less obvious. But in their small significant ways they have made their own contribution. Some are intuitive (oh, of course!!) others may surprise you. Here’s a list of things we’ve discovered (and feel free to email us with your own observations or hypotheses):

By Randolph Stewart COWS: In the Midwest once had the worst outbreaks of malaria from mosquitoes, due to the damps lowlands and melting snow, which was a perfect breeding ground for these deadly pests. Once the Midwest soil became exhausted farmers started raising cows.

The mosquitoes preferred to suck bovine instead of human blood, and malaria in humans became less prevalent.

COTTON: Typhus, a disease spread by lice, was one of the biggest killers in history. Body lice, which carried typhus, thrived in wool, the material used for clothing for many centuries. Once cotton, which is easier to clean and dry, came along typhus deaths decreased greatly.

SHOES: Hookworm and dysentery thrived, infected and killed millions of people who walked barefooted through feces from infected ground from the latrine or thru cow fields. Once shoes became affordable and manufactured in mass quantities and worn and outhouses were used these diseases began to disappear, yet it is a killer of tens of thousands today in Africa where people do not have

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shoes or sanitary outhouses.

Thanks to whoever invented the toilet.

AIR CON: Heat is a ki l l e r. In 1995 a Chicago heat wave killed over 700 people in one week.

These people did not have air conditioning. With the invention of the air conditioner we can now endure extreme conditions at home and in our workplace. There are many places in the world that do not have this luxury and thousands are still dying, especially infants and old people in the undeveloped countries.

SATELLITES: The Galveston Texas Hurricane of 1900 killed 8,000 people. In 2008, hurricane Ike hit Galveston. With satellites we could see it coming, allowing 1 million people to evacuate, although 100 people who stayed were killed.

TOOTHBRUSH AND TOOTHPASTE: Dying of a tooth abscess was slow and painful. The bacterial infection limits the ability to eat, colonized in

the body and kills you with sepsis. Thanks to the toothbrush and toothpaste with fluoride (as well as fluoride in the water) this is now a rare way to go.

ALUMINUM CANS: Throughout history millions have died from eating spoiled and contaminated foods as there was no way to preserve them for longer periods of time. With the advancement of aluminum cans, food can now be stored for longer periods of time and the risk of bacterial infections from contamination has been eliminated and has extended our lives.

SCREENS: Houseflies carry deadly diarrheal disease, and mosquitoes carry malaria. In 1861 the idea of the use of wire mesh, used to process foods, was advanced to use in windows. By the 1950’s parasitic diseases were largely eradicated in part by the widespread use of screens. Thank goodness we can now sit on our porches and enjoy ourselves safely.

BOTTS’ DOTS: These are those reflectors that we see between the lanes on the highways. Elbert

Botts, a DOT Chemist in California is attributed with the invention that helps us see the lanes in the dark and rain and is attributed to saving thousands of motorist lives. Botts died in 1962, four years before the dots were put into use.

OIL & WATER BASED PAINT: Prior to 1978 threequarters of the homes built in the US contained lead based paint. Lead is a major source of poisoning for children and can affect adults. Even low levels of lead in children resulted in retarded mental and physical development, learning disorders, behavior problems and reduced attention span. Lead can cause abnormal fetal development in pregnant women. Lead poisoning also causes increase

blood pressure in adults. Now that we have gone over to oil or water based paint these hazards no longer exist.

FIBERGLASS & ISONENE FOAM INSULATION: Asbestos has been used and mined for 4000 years.

It was used to resist fire, strengthen earthenware pots, electrical insulation, housing insulation, fireproof drywall, roofing, lawn furniture, caulk, vinyl floor tile, and hundreds of other industrial uses.

With the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9/11 more than 1,000 tons of asbestos were released into the air. We have now determined that exposure to asbestos results in lung disease and cancer and most developed countries have now banned the mining and use of asbestos.

CALL 911: Every building in Beaufort County, with the invention of the GPS (and the satellite), is now known to all Emergency Services. It goes without saying how many people’s lives have been saved with the 911 services nationwide.

DISPOSABLE DIAPERS: Infant mortality in past centuries has been high for a number of reasons.

Diapers caused many infections by leaving them on too long and not cleaning them properly. With the invention of disposable diapers the sickness in infants and mortality rate has been decreased greatly (even though our landfills have millions of tons of non-biodegradable plastic).

BEER BOTTLES: In the old days our favorite pastime was drunk from clay or wood mugs that were not clean, or copper mugs that contained arsenic and corrosion and toxins that created negative health effects. With the invention of glass we can now enjoy this popular beverage without the worry of long-term negative health benefits except for your liver problems!

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Breeze O V E R T H E B R I D G E S Breeze O V E R T H E B R I D G E S *Wheelchair accessible event.

HILTON HEAD *Jan. 22-Feb. 9 SHIPWRECKED! This hair-raising tale of a high seas adventure populated by exotic islanders, giant sea turtles, and a monstrous man-eating octopus is based on actual events.

Told by three actors with lots of theatrical magic. South Carolina Repertory Company, 342-2057, 136B Beach City Rd., HHI. Tues.Sat. 8 pm, Sun. 2 pm. $32 (Seniors $30, FlexPass $27) *Feb. 1 GULLAH CELEBRATION - TASTE OF GULLAH. Food and entertainment with HHI Gullah community, taste Island gumbo, conch stew, sweet potato pone, fried fish and more. 843-2557304. Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, HHI. Noon-4 pm $12 per plate *Feb. 1-23 18TH ANNUAL HILTON HEAD ISLAND GULLAH CELEBRATION showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Gullah people and on Hilton Head Island, Walter Greer Gallery, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, HHI. Gullah Celebration, 843-255-7304, 10 am-4 pm, Mon.-Fri Free *Feb. 4 GULLAH CELEBRATION - FIRST AFRICAN BAPTIST CHURCH - FAMILY & FRIENDS CELEBRATION. “Looking Back in Our Gullah Heritage” Local singer, praise dancers and historic dramatizing and speaker on Gullah History. 70 Beach City Rd., HHI, 843-681-6427. 7 pm Free will offering *Feb. 5 BEAKS FOR ALL OCCASIONS Program will look at the diversity in form and function of bird beaks, with a strong emphasis on birds of the Lowcountry. Coastal Discovery Museum, 689-6767, 70 Honey Horn Dr., HHI. Reservations required. 3-4 pm $7 *Feb. 9-10 “GERMAN ROMANTICS” Weber - Oberon: Overture, Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.3, Brahms - Symphony No. 2 Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra with Leonardo Colafelice on piano.

842-2055. First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Pkwy., HHI. Sun. 4 pm, Mon. 8 pm $25, 40, 50 *Feb. 14 DEAS GUYZ Buffet dinner, silent auction and dancing at the Hilton Head Beach & Tennis Resort, 255-7303, 40 Folly Field Rd., 7 pm – Midnight $3 *Feb. 15-16 GULLAH CELEBRATION - Gullah and African crafts, cultural demos, traditional Gullah foods and musical entertainment.

Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Dr., HHI. Rain Venue: HHI Middle School, 55 Wilburn Road, HHI. 11 am-5 pm Adults $5, Youth $3

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*Feb. 17 LUNCH WITH AUTHOR: NANCY HORAN, author of Loving Frank, one of the best books of 2007. Her new work of historical fiction Under the Wide and Starry Sky, tells the improbable love story of Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson and his tempestuous American wife, Franny. USCB Lunch With Author, 521-4147, Sea Pines Conference Center, HHI. Reservations required. Noon $42 (includes lunch) *Feb. 19 THE ACE BASIN is one of the largest undeveloped estuaries along the Atlantic coast. Al Segars of the SC Dept. of Natural Resources will talk about the 350,000 acres. Coastal Discovery Museum, 689-6767, 70 Honey Horn Dr., HHI. Reservations required. 3-4 pm $7

*Feb. 22 GULLAH CELEBRATION GULLAH MEN WHA COOK Delectable dishes prepared by all-male cooking teams representing various local churches, non-profits and caterers from the Lowcountry. St. James Baptist Church, 209 Dillon Rd. HHI. 843-2557304 11 am-3 pm $5 *Feb. 23 GULLAH CELEBRATION - MARSH TACKY HORSE EXHIBITION FEATURING THE BLACK COWBOY FESTIVAL. Event showcases the Marsh Tacky Horse and the award winning Black Cowboy Festival Rodeo. Adjacent to St. James Baptist Church, 209 Dillon Rd., HHI, 843-255-7304. Noon–3 pm $5, Kids $3 *Feb. 23 COOKS AND BOOKS Unlimited food tastings from top chefs! Signings by Lowcountry authors! Chefs’ competition, cash bar. Lowcountry Literacy Marriott HHI Resort and Spa, 843-8156616. Tickets: Markel’s Gifts, Burke;s Pharmacy, Christie’s Hallmark, Le Cookery. 11:30 am-2 pm Tickets in advance $20/ $25 at door *Feb. 23-24 “PAT CONROY POPS!” Musical scores inspired by Conroy’s Lowcountry books. Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, First Presbyterian Church, 842-2055, 540 William Hilton Pkwy., HHI, Sun. 4 pm, Mon. 8 pm $25, 40, 50 *Mar. 1 SHORE NOTES ANNUAL SHOW Featured Shore Notes quartets – Coastal Rhythm and Just One Night. Enjoy an evening of great a cappella music! Guest performances by Live Out Loud and Shrimp ‘n Grits. Hilton Head Shore Notes, 705-6852 (Barbara) or 342-3939 (Susan) Seahawk Cultural Center, H. H. High School, 70 Wilborn Rd., HHI. 7 pm $20 *Mar. 3 THE RAT PACK IS BACK Relive the days of the Rat Pack with Las Vegas’ most famous entertainers and their live big band! A Vegas based show that tours nationally. Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 842-2787, 17 Shelter Cove Lane, HHI. 8 pm $50

SAVANNAH *Jan. 31-Feb. 9 GREASE Go back to the days of loud cars, big hair and summer lovin’ with classic songs. Savannah Theatre, 912-233-7764, 222 Bull St. Thurs-Sat. 8 pm, Sat. 2/8 3 & 8 pm, Sun. 3 pm $37.45 (Group of 20 $30, Coupon $34.24, Kids $18.19) *Feb. 5 HAIR This exuberant musical about a group of young Americans searching for peace and love in a turbulent time features an extraordinary cast and unforgettable songs. For mature audiences. Johnny Mercer Theatre at the Savannah Civic Center, Broadway in Savannah, 912-651-6550, 301 W. Oglethorpe Ave. 7:30 pm $30-55 *Feb. 6 SAVANNAH BLACK HERITAGE FESTIVAL: GOING WEST - AFRICAN AMERICANS AND “THE GREAT MIGRATION” WESTWARD IN THE 1870’s. Beverly Jenkins, leading writer of African American historical romance fiction, specializes in 19th century life of African Americans. Telfair Museums, 912-7908802, 207 W. York St., Sav, 6:30 pm. Free *Feb. 8 COLUMBIA CITY BALLET PRESENTS: ALICE IN WONDERLAND A ballet that will take you into the mind-bending, magical fantasy of the fairy tale classic. Savannah Civic Center (Featured Events) Johnny Mercer Theatre, 912-651-6550, 301 W. Oglethorpe Ave. Sav. 5:30 pm $18-38 Feb. 9 GEORGIA HISTORY FESTIVAL FREE SUPER MUSEUM SUNDAY Over 50 cultural institutions throughout coastal Georgia. www.georgiahistory.com 912-651-2125. Noon-4 pm *Feb. 9-15 FREE WEEK AT JEPSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS Warhol/JFK Prints, interactive video sculpture, fiber art, slavery/ freedom in Savannah Telfair Museums, 912-790-8802, 207 W. York St., Sav. 1-4 pm Free *Feb. 13-16 SAVANNAH BOOK FESTIVAL. Savannah Book Festival Headliner: Scott Turow, Keynote Address: Mitch Albom, Closing Address: Eben Alexander, MD. Trustees Theatre, 216 E. Broughton St., Sav. 912-525-5050 Feb. 13 & 14 - 6 pm; Feb. 16 3 pm. Tickets available at Savannah Box Office $15 for each event MAIN FESTIVAL DAY, Sat., Feb. 15, offers free and open to the public presentations and book signings by 36 authors at venues in and around Telfair and Wright Squares in Savannah’s Historic District. 9 am - 5 pm Free *Feb. 14-16 I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE This hilarious musical comedy about that terribly wonderful, simply complex thing called love is a romp through our everyday relationships. Savannah Theatre, 912-233-7764, 222 Bull St. Fri. 8 pm, Sat. 3 & 8 pm, Sun. 3 pm $37.45 (Group of 20 $30, Coupon $34.24, Kids $18.19)

*Feb. 20-23 & Mar. 1-2 THE SAVANNAH TENORS Dynamic male voices blending music and comedy to produce a unique theatrical experience – featuring songs from classical to current pop hits. Two hours of the most inspiring music of all time! Savannah Theatre, 912-233-7764, 222 Bull St. Thurs.-Sat. 8 pm, Sun. 3 pm........$37.45 (Group of 20 $30, Coupon $34.24, Kids $18.19) *Feb. 21 “HANDEL’S MESSIAH” with The Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus and Halle, Germany, State Opera soloists. SCAD Box Office, 912-525-5050, Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, 222 East Harris St., 7:30 pm $36, 60, 100 *Feb. 26-28 AMERICAN TRADITIONS COMPETITION.com Singers perform songs from works of America’s song masters.

Savannah Theatre, 222 Bull St., 912-233-7764, 5 pm & 8 pm $15 & up BEAUFORT *Feb. 12-16 BEAUFORT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. The BIFF 843-522-3196 Beaufort Film Festival is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Forest Gump with Gump-themed events.

BIFF has been named the “Coolest Film Festival in the World” Thirty new films will be screened with the audience voting for favorites.

University of South Carolina Beaufort Center for the Arts, 801 Carteret St., Beaufort. Times vary. Daily passes available.

Single film ticket $8 *Feb. 21-23 SAME TIME NEXT YEAR This romantic comedy follows a couple as they agree to meet every year for 24 years.

USCB Center for the Arts, 521-4145, 801 Carteret St., Beaufort.

Fri, Sat. 7:30 pm, Sun. 3 pm $22 (Seniors $20, Students $15) *Feb. 27 & March 2 “BEETHOVEN BASH” Violin Concerto: Yuriy Bekker, soloist, & Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony No. 6. Beaufort Symphony Orchestra. Purchase in advance online at TIX.com, or by calling 800-595-4849. USCB Center for the Arts, 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort. Thurs. 7:30 pm, Sun. 3 pm $37.50 BLUFFTON *Feb. 8 METOPERA – LIVE! presents “Rusalka!” A mermaid trades her voice to a witch for a chance to win the heart of the human prince she loves. Cinemark, 757-2859, 106 Buckwalter Pkwy., Bluffton 12:55 pm $24 (Seniors $22) Encore: Feb. 12, 6:30 pm $22 (Seniors $20) *Feb. 20 LONDON’S ROYAL BALLET presents SWAN LAKE! Cinemark, 757-2859, 106 Buckwalter Pkwy., Bluffton.

7-10 pm Adults $15 (Seniors & students $14, Kids $13)

The Bluffton Breeze

February 2014

39

New wine pointers for a new year

By Michael Mavrogordato Writing a column at the beginning of the year is not easy. Thanks to the holiday season parties, travel and family fun, my wine consumption increased exponentially which is another way of saying that I have succumbed to quantity over quality. Wine is a sneaky potion because it folds naturally into the rhythm of life and to re-boot the senses, I need to return to fundamentals. So instead of reviewing wines this month I will cover topics which should reinforce your confidence in wine tasting.

Global characteristics

As a reminder I started these columns with my four pillars of wine -- acidity, alcohol, fruit and tannins.

(For whites, drop the tannins) I also mentioned that a truly balanced wine would have all four dimensions in check, but that modern wines tend to push the alcohol and fruit, to the detriment of tannins. This push, for the lack of a better term, I will call the globalization of wine because there is a “ global” style. To quote Michael Broadbent, one of Britain’s great wine writers: “As for reds ... the aim is to produce an anonymous, deeply coloured, full of fruit, soft, sweet and easy to taste wine which appeals to wine retailers and a gullible, and uninformed public, the new global clientele”.

These are harsh words, even condescending, but the fact remains that the majority of the wines available in Bluffton are “ global” in style, and frankly there is

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nothing wrong with this because many of them are very good indeed. The fun part, however, is to find the outlier: that wine which jolts our senses because it is so distinctive of the varietal or the region. Going forward, I will try to label a reviewed wine as “global” or not, and for the record, the wines that I have reviewed to date and which are not “global” in style include: Clos de Coutel ( French malbec), Elyssia (Spanish cava) and Moet & Chandon Brut Imperiale (Champagne).

If you liked any of these, consider yourself slightly unconventional. If you didn’t, I’m still doing my job because you’re learning to understand your bias!

The added dimension of color

It was not a week after my first column appeared when a friend scolded me for not adding a fifth pillar to wine appreciation: Appearance. Wine buffs go to great lengths to inspect the color, hue, clarity, limpidity, intensity and the legs of a wine.

For example, with reds their color comes from the action of alcohol on the skins, which in the beginning will be a deep purple. As the wine ages it will turn a deep red (about four years) to reddish brown after roughly ten years. This progression varies greatly by varietal, but since the vast majority of red wines are made, reviewed and consumed within three years of harvest, many of the attributes can’t yet exist, or are difficult to detect.

Nonetheless, here is a cheat sheet showing the extremes of wines: -- Clarity: Cloudy/dull vs. brilliant;

-- Depth of color: Watery vs. deep

-- Color (Whites) green tinge vs. pale/deep yellow -- Color (Reds) Purple vs. red brown -- Viscosity: water vs. oil.

These extremes are associated with both good and mediocre wine, but don’t take them too literally because major exceptions do exist. For example, a chardonnay aged in oak (particularly if made “ sur lie”) will take on a golden hue, while the same varietal aged in steel vats will look pale in comparison. Both methods, however, can deliver excellent wine.

To observe any of these attributes, tilt the glass and pay close attention to the top ½ inch of wine, particularly near the rim, and finally, if you really want to check the color of a red wine dip the corner of a paper napkin into the wine.

Finally, the legs (or tears) in wine are attributable to either high sugar and/or alcohol, and are not necessarily indicators of quality.

Quality checks

Although I could argue that the globalization of wine amounts to making wine generic, it has also brought a huge benefit called quality control. Wine making today is a hygienic, honed science and it is very rare to encounter a “bad” bottle.

Breeze W i n e W i t h i n R e a c h glue, mold or a damp basement. The quicker you smell something truly odd, the more likely the wine has gone bad. The moment you swirl the glass to oxidize the wine and release the fruit (even bad wine has residual fruit and alcohol), your chances of identifying the obnoxious smell will become much harder…..an old French sommelier trick. On the other hand, if you have just ordered a wine by the glass, your biggest enemy will be oxygen. Unless the bottle was vacuum sealed, the wine will have become flat with hints of vinegar.

Practice makes perfect

The moral of the story is that as you become more confident with wine, and particularly with the style or varietal you prefer, you can use your knowledge to your advantage.

The next time you buy a wine which you know you enjoyed in the past, take the time to go through the steps above. Ninety-nine percent of the time the wine will not be damaged, but the process will teach you the look and smell of the wine as it comes out of the bottle (remember not to swirl at first!).

Assuming all systems are a go, swirl with abandon and then try to commit to memory the “nose” of the wine you like because I’m convinced our noses are hardwired to the brain, and won’t forget what pleases us.

The last step is to knock it down with a good mouthful, but this time, please don’t continue with abandon!

Cheers.

But it’s good to double check.

When you have just ordered a $40 bottle of wine, you may take these simple steps to ensure that the wine has not been damaged:

The cork must come out smoothly, and the wine stains up the sides of the cork should not be more than a 1/4-inch long. (crystals on the bottom of the cork are ok). If the wine is less than 10 years old, and the cork crumbles, send it back.

Don’t bother smelling the cork because it will offer no further clues. Instead, have the waiter pour a small amount, but do NOT swirl the glass or sip the wine.

Use your nose to detect something which is quickly obnoxious, such as vinegar,

Fifty Shades of White? Yes there are more than you can imagine -- and it can be argued there is no such thing as “white” wine! Here are five to illustrate the point: The deep yellow-gold hue of a moscato. A softer gold from California chardonnay. The pale flinty color of New Zealand sauvignon blanc. The greenish glow of chenin blanc. And the stronger green that gives Portuguese “vinho verde” its name. All modestly priced, found at Krogers and Big Jim’s. Enjoy.

The Bluffton Breeze

February 2014

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Breeze RRestaurant Breeze e s t a u r a n t GGuide uide AMIGO’S, MEXICAN BELFAIR TOWN VILLAGE 815-8226 MON-SAT 11-9

CORNER PERK, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, COFFEE, TEA BRUIN & BURNT CHURCH 816-5674 M-F 7AM-4PM SAT 8AM-3PM, SUN 9AM-2PM

BLUFFTON BBQ**, BARBEQUE PORK & RIBS PROMENADE 757-RIBS WED THU FRI SAT 11-Whenever

DIMARE’S STEAKHOUSE & ITALIAN CUICINA BLUFFTON RD 815-6900 TUES – SAT 4:30 -10PM

BLUFFTON FAMILY SEAFOOD HOUSE** 27 DR. MELLICHAMP DR. 757-0380 LUNCH/DINNER MON-SAT 11-9

DOWNTOWN DELI, BURGERS& SANDWICHES DR MELLINCAMP 815-5005 MON-SAT 8-3

BRITISH OPEN PUB, PUB, SEAFOOD, STEAKS SUN CITY & SHERIDAN PARK 705-4005 MON-SUN 8-9 SUN BRUNCH 8-1

FUJIYAMA, SUSHI/ASIAN CUISINE BI-LO CENTER 706-9907 MON-TH 11AM-10PM, F/S 11AM-10:30PM, SUN 12-10PM

BUFFALO’S, CONTEMPORARY PALMETTO BLUFF VILLAGE 706-6630 LUNCH MON-SAT 11-4

GUISEPPI’S, ITALIAN KITTIES CROSSING 842-8333 MON-SAT 11AM-10PM SUN 11 AM-9PM

CAHILL’S CHICKEN KITCHEN**, SOUTHERN HIGHWAY 46, 757-2921 LUNCH MON-SAT 11-3 SUPPER THU-FRI-SAT 5-9 SAT BREAKFAST 7-12 SUN BRUNCH 9-3

GRUBY’S, NEW YORK DELI OKATIE VILLAGE DRIVE 705-4190 SUN-MON 8AM-8PM

CAPTAIN WOODY’S**, SEAFOOD, SANDWICH, SALADS PROMENADE 757-6222 MON-SUN 11 - 10

INN AT PALMETTO BLUFF, CONTINENTAL PALMETTO BLUFF VILLAGE 706-6500 DAILY 7AM -10PM

CLAUDE & ULI’S BISTRO**, FRENCH MOSS CREEK VILLAGE 837-3336 MON-SAT LUNCH & DINNER

JOE LOVES LOBSTER, SEAFOOD & SANDWICHES 2915 N. OKATIE HWY. RIDGELAND, SC Mon-Sat: 11:30 am-2:30 pm Thu-Sat: 5:00 pm-08:00 pm

KATIE O’DONALD’S, IRISH AMERICAN KITTIES CROSSING 815-5555 MON-SUN 11AM-2PM

CORKS WINE CO.,CONTEMPORY, TAPAS THE PROMENADE, 815 5169 MON 5-10 TUES -SAT 5 -MIDNIGHT

**For more information see ad in the magazine

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LA HACIENDA, MEXICAN KITTIES CROSSING 815-4540 MON-THU 11-10 FRI 11-10:45

MAY RIVER GRILL**, SEAFOOD/CONTEMPORARY MAY RIVER RD., OLD TOWN 757-5755 MON-SAT 5-9 DINNER TUE-FRI 11:30-2 LUNCH MOON MI PIZZA 15 State of Mind Street 757-7007 Mon-Sat 11AM-10PM MI TIERRA, MEXICAN DR. MELLINCHAMP 757-7200 MON-THU 11-9 FRI-SAT 11-10 MULBERRY STREET TRATTORIA, ITALIAN HWY 278 837-2426 TUE-SAT 11-3 & 5-10 SUN 10:30-9 OKATIE ALE HOUSE, AMERICAN SUN CITY 706-2537 LUNCH & DINNER 7 DAYS A WEEK

SAKE HOUSE, BEST BUY PLAZA ASIAN FUSION/SUSHI 706-9222 11:30AM-10PM, SUN FROM 12PM SIGLER’S ROTISSERIE & SEAFOOD, SHERIDAN PARK CONTEMPORARY 815-5030 MON-SAT 4:30-9:30 SIPPIN COW CAFÉ**, DELI SANDWICHES/SWEETS MAY RIVER ROAD 757-5051 TUES – SAT 7AM – 3PM, SUN 9AM – 2PM TAVERN 46, AMERICAN BLUFFTON ROAD 815-2327 MON-FRI 11AM-11PM SAT-SUN 9:30AM-9:30PM THE COTTAGE, BREAKFAST & LUNCH CALHOUN STREET 757.0508 BR. 8-11AM, LUNCH 11:30 - 3PM, SUN 8-2PM

OLD TOWN DISPENSARY, CALHOUN STREET 837-1893 MON-SAT 11AM-2AM SUNDAY BRUNCH

THE VILLAGE PASTA SHOPPE, ITALIAN DELI 10 B JOHNSTON WAY (across from Post Office), 540-2095 TUES-FRI 10AM-6PM, SAT 10AM-4PM

PINO GELATO CAFE, CONTEMPORARY, DESERTS BRIDGE CENTER 837-2633 MON- SUN 12PM-10PM

TRUFFLE’S, CONTEMPORARY BELFAIR VILLAGE 815-5551 DAILY 11AM-10PM LUNCH & DINNER

POUR RICHARD’S**, CONTEMPORARY BLUFFTON PARKWAY 757-1999 MON-SAT 5:30 - 10

VERITAS RESTAURANT, CONTEMPORARY 163 BLUFFTON RD UNIT F. 815-6900 Behind Bluffton Pharmacy MON-SAT 5-10PM

R&D WINE BOUTIQUE, WINE & FOOD BEST BUY PLAZA 837-3747 THURS TO SAT, 11:30AM TO 9PM

VINEYARD 55, 757-9463 CALHOUN STREET CONTEMPORARY MON-TUES 4-CLOSE WED-SAT 11-CLOSE

RUAN THAI CUISINE, AUTHENTIC THAI BELFAIR TOWN VILLAGE 706-3636 M0N-SAT 11-3 LUNCH -MON-SUN 4:30-10 DINNER

WILD WING CAFÉ, PLATTERS, SANDWICHES HWY. 278 837-WILD DAILY 11-1:30 AM

The Bluffton Breeze

February 2014

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Discover the new chef-owned restaurant.

Hand made brick oven pizza!

The flames of a real brick oven deliver the unbeatable Moon Mi Pizza. Our fabulous Full Moon pizzas are made from the best ingredients. There’s even a whole wheat pizza -- and it’s not just for health nuts!

You’ll love the buzz in our legendary barn right in the heart of Old Town Bluffton.

Calhoun Promenade 15 State of Mind Street 843 757 7007 www.moonmipizza.com

Veritas means truth.

We promise truly great food created by a chef with a calling.

We serve exciting seasonal dishes in a warm, inviting atmosphere.

Please come to enjoy it all!

163 Bluffton Road, Unit F | 843.815.6900 | www.veritasbluffton.com Behind the Bluffton Pharmacy.

“The best lobster roll I’ve ever tasted” The authentic NE Lobster Roll The original in the Lowcountry.

The best parts of the lobster -only knuckles and claws.

New Restaurant Opening in February 2915 N. OKATIE HWY RIDGELAND, SC ON THE CORNER OF ARGENT ROAD AND HWY 170 NEXT TO THE SHELL STATION

See our new menu items: www.joeloveslobster.com Like us on Facebook

The Bluffton Breeze

February 2014

45

Breeze G o l f

Back by “Unpopular Demand” -- More golfers we like to avoid!

There is no shortage of golfers we’d prefer to avoid. Their antics can turn a pleasant day into a trying one, and make us think we might have had a better day cleaning the attic, sweeping the garage or shopping for curtains. We are still a little ways from prime golf season, but as springtime slowly approaches and the season commences in earnest, Misfits like these are starting to rear their annoying heads all over the Lowcountry:

1 THE FAIRWEATHER FAIRY

Remember the lame one-liner popularized by the late Bob Hope?

He used to say, “I play golf in the mid-‘70s. Any warmer than that and I won’t go out.” This is the essence of the Fair-weather Fairy. He claims to love the game, but the atmospheric conditions have to be just right for him to actually participate. If it’s too warm or cold, too soggy or arid, too cloudy, gusty, humid, hazy, foggy, muddy or dusty, he’ll pass. If the greens have been topdressed, aerated, verti-cut or punched, forget it. If the fairways are dormant, over-seeded or sketchy, don’t bother calling. If it’s Super Bowl Sunday, Masters weekend, U.S. Open week or Breakfast at Wimbledon, he’ll pass. He’s a distasteful combination of diffident and difficult, which is really too bad. Because the three or four times a year when the weather is perfect and he’ll actually come to the golf course, he’s a pretty good guy.

THE SPACE CADET

This unfortunate fellow leaves his mark in all walks of life, on and off the golf course. You’ll see him aimlessly circling the mall parking lot, looking for his vehicle, in extreme moments of desperation asking passers-by if they’ve seen a white Honda hatchback. He’s been known to miss airline connections even though he arrived at gate 27 in plenty of time. He was in terminal ‘B’ instead of terminal ‘D.’ He’ll go to the baseball field to pick up Junior after practice, though his wife told him pointedly to fetch Missy at her music lesson. On the course it’s more of the same. Though he’s the only guy in the county still playing with fluorescent Top-Flites, he’ll hit the wrong ball at least twice a round. Don’t ask him to keep the scorecard, he’ll screw it up. Don’t ask him to drive the cart, he’ll end up at the wrong hole. Don’t ask him anything, except: “Isn’t there medication available for people in your condition?”

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2

3

THE STATUE

Why does an average round at an average course take five hours on average? The primary culprit is this miscreant.

What she doesn’t realize is that she could tally the exact same 118 in four hours, even three-and-a-half, as opposed to five. But watching Tour pros stalking putts from all angles, observing them in animated consultation with their caddies, seeing how they play close and careful attention to the wind, the grain and the scoreboard, have had a deleterious effect.

What she hasn’t managed to process is the fact that the men and women she sees on TV every weekend can calibrate shots to within three or four yards on most every occasion, and each swing of the club can produce a paycheck variance worth many thousands of dollars. She, on the other hand, is lucky to get the ball airborne off the tee, rarely hits any shot further than 90 yards and plays for a nickel a hole. While the skills and the stakes aren’t in the same galaxy as her heroes, one thing is: The miserable pace of play.

Get Your Idea There Faster In a world of innovation, one thing is certain: The better the idea, the faster you need to get it to market.

A public-private partnership, with the support of Clemson University, the Don Ryan Center for Innovation offers an incubator program that provides the resources entrepreneurs, inventors and small business people need to assist them in their quest for success.

The center offers space and resources, and links participants to intellectual property, technology evaluation, product development services, seed financing, business mentorships, corporate relationships and hands-on consulting support.

Located in Bluffton the Don Ryan Center for Innovation is the catalyst you need to make your vision a reality.

Interested in being a business mentor and working with one our innovators?

Please contact us: Don Ryan Center for Innovation Buckwalter Park P.O.Box 2277 Bluffton SC 29910 www.ryan-innovation-center.com

843-540-0405 David Nelems, Director

dnelems@ryan-innovation-center.com

The Bluffton Breeze

February 2014

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Breeze G o l f C o u r s e G u i d e Golf Course

Designer, Course

Yds*

Rating*

Belfair Golf Club 200 Belfair Oaks Blvd, (843) 757 0715

Tom Fazio: East West

6,936 7,129

74.4 75.3

Berkeley Hall Golf Club 366 Good Hope Road, (843) 815 8444

Tom Fazio: North Tom Fazio: South

6,936 7,129

75.1 74.6

Chechessee Creek Club 18 Chechessee Creek Dr, (843) 987 7070

Coore & Crenshaw

6.606

71.8

Colleton River Plantation Club 60 Colleton River Driver

Jack Nicklaus Pete Dye

6,936 7,129

76.1 74.7

Crescent Pointe Golf Club 1 Crescent Pointe Dr, (843) 292 7778

Arnold Palmer

6,733

n/a

Eagle’s Pointe Golf Club 1 Eagle Pointe Dr, (843) 757 5900

Davis Love III

6,738

73.1

Hampton Hall Golf Club 89 Old Carolina Road, (843) 837 3131

Pete Dye

7,503

76.9

Hilton Head National Golf Club 60 Hilton Head National Dr, (843) 842 5900

Gary Player Bobby Weed

6,731

72.7

May River Golf Club, Palmetto Bluff 350 Mount Pelia, (843) 706 6579

Jack Nicklaus

7,171

75.4

Moss Creek Golf Club 1523 Fording Island Road, (843) 837 2231

George Fazio: South Tom Fazio: North

6,885 6,555

73.4 72.5

Island West Golf Club 40 Island West Drive, (843) 689 6660

Clyde B. Johnston Fuzzy Zoeller

6,803

73.2

Oldfield Golf Club 9 Oldfield Way Okatie, (843) 379 5052

Greg Norman

7,142

75.4

Old South Golf Club 50 Buckingham Plantation Dr, (843) 837 7375

Clyde B. Johnston

6,772

72.4

Pinecrest Golf Course 1 Pinecrest Way, (843) 757 8960

Rocky Rocquemore

7,489

n/a

Rose Hill Golf Club 4 Clubhouse Drive, (843) 757 9030

Gene Hamm

6,961

74.1

Sun City Golf Club 672 Cypress Hills Dr, (843) 705 4057

Mark McCumber: Hidden Cyprus Mark McCumber: Okatie Creek

6,946 6,724

73.2 71.9

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*Ratings for the longest tees

Course Notes The East course wanders through lakes and ponds and is very walkable. The West Course has subtle beauty with gnarled oaks, and sparkling lagoons.

The North Course is a marvel of tranquil lakes, bold fairways and challenging bunkers. The South Course offers a classic parkland golf experience.

A timeless golf experience nestled within a landscape of ancient, mossy live oaks and long-leaf pine forests.

Park and links settings for two of Golf Magazine’s top 100 courses. Pete Dye said it’s “the best I’ve ever built”. Home to the USGA Junior Amateur in 2015.

Generous fairways but challenging elevated greens. Beach bunkers create an island experience. Water holes and huge oaks. Great golf for great value.

Neither too long nor overly difficult with interesting boldly contoured greens.

The course is routed through pines, oaks and native coastal wetlands.

Relatively new, this links style golf course is well cared for and has generous fairways with challenging undulated greens.

A collaboration between two designers this course is well accessible in every way. Enjoy the challenging final hole flanked by a marsh and elevated green.

In the beautiful Palmetto Bluff compound, the course meanders through the May River Forest. Bermuda greens with undulating slopes are challenging.

The “Devil’s Elbow” courses are lined by magnificent oaks and tall pines as well as salt marshes that change with the tides. Good for all levels of golf.

The scenic design of Island West, with rolling fairways, elevated tees, preserved natural marsh areas, and large live oaks presents a magnificent experience.

The Audubon Certified course runs through canopies of live oaks, broad savannahs and soaring pines up to the banks of the Okatie River.

Rolls from an open pasture to dense forests, and views towards Hilton Head.

Most holes are surrounded by nature and the course has a lot of character.

Features tall pines, many challenging water hazards and picturesque holes.

It has a good practice facility and is a good value.

The course is enveloped in a peaceful setting of trees and blue lakes. It is well designed to be player friendly yet holds its challenges on the back nine.

Okatie Creek lets the casual golfer enjoy golf, while Hidden Cyprus offers greater challenges. Both courses capture the magic of low country beauty.

The Bluffton Breeze

February 2014

49

Love For All Things Bluffton

By Gene Cashman We all grow older and hopefully wiser as we navigate our way through life; accumulating a myriad of experiences that compact themselves dense as peat into the knooks and crannies of our soul.

For better or worse we are or become what it is that we love. It may be God, a member of the opposite sex, a certain beach or a boat, but when we fall in love, we tend to fall hard. Our display of love hangs upon the tongue and permeates all decisions we make. We overlook the bad parts and overstate the good. We daydream, spend gobs of money we don’t have, or even risk life and limb. Love is a many splendored thing; and in this case the object of my affection is a little town on the May River. For those that know Bluffton love Bluffton. To articulate and celebrate the esprit de corps I feel for Bluffton and in honor of this month’s love theme I took an informal family poll, “Describe why you love Bluffton.” What emerged was a bucket list of experiences that will neatly tuck themselves into the spaces of your soul and create or rekindle a lasting love for Bluffton.

10. Buy a boat. No one has truly lived until they

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buy a little fixer upper from someone’s front yard and then spend a fortune getting the trailer wheels unstuck from years of salt build up, the wood stain off the fiberglass or the dang motor to not overheat. One might think this sounds terrible and this would be true except for that one moment when all things finally come together. Whether it is Memorial Day weekend or a random Tuesday, when you find yourself with the wind blowing through your hair, face to the sun. In that moment you love life, not matter how much it cost.

9. Go Hand-line Crabbing. I don’t know what it is about raw chicken, a blazing hot sun and creatures that are pinching mad that makes me love so deeply. It is my experience that even the snobbiest of snobs fall in love with this low country treat after they slowly reel in the first crab.

8. Experience The Dump. Perhaps this will be an offensive to some in town, forgive me Chamber of Commerce, but I do love the dump. There was no greater joy than getting to ride with granddad to the dump. It was a wonderful menagerie of discarded treasures and filth. Televisions, couches, tree limbs, shot out refrigerators, a smoldering fire or two. It was the Smithsonian of my youth.

3. Take a Long Boat Ride. Tidal creeks and islands, the Calibogue Sound, Parris Island, South Beach, Dafuskie are all things I love to see by water. Dolphin playing in the wake, no matter how many times I see it, makes me as giddy as the first time I saw it.

It’s a little different now, but still a thrill for young boys; just ask my son.

7. Walk Calhoun Street. This is a no-brainer in today’s Bluffton; yet it has always represented the unique spirit and creativeness of the town. I especially love the summer farmer’s market. It truly is one of America’s great “streets.”

2. Kayak the river. If all you know about Bluffton is the outlet malls, then heaven help you. Please reference #10 on this list or find a local guide to take you in to the natural wonder that is the May River marshland at high tide and it’s exposed treasure at low tide. If Calhoun Street is one of America’s great streets, then kayaking the May River any season at any tide is one of America’s great experiences.

1. Meet a local. Bluffton has some of the most genuine, loyal, eccentric and just danged good people you could ever meet. Make a friend and find a reason to love the place for a lifetime.

6. Eat Local. The May River, in my humble opinion, has the sweetest shrimp and oysters anywhere in the world. Perhaps it is because I have been spoiled by the River, but I stand by my convictions. If I am so lucky, my last meal on this planet would be an October meal of fresh May River oyster and shrimp. In the day, the only restaurant I knew of was the Squat N Gobble.

These days you can eat local at any number of places. My personal favorites are Pour Richards, May River Grill, Cahill’s, Bluffton BBQ, and the Oyster Factory. I also recommend Scott’s Market; if for nothing else to have the opportunity to meet a real live butcher.

5. Wallow at the Sand-Bar or All-Joy. If there is a summertime pleasure greater than sitting chest deep in that warm river water with your closest friends after a long day or week at work please tell me. This activity is my happy place on cold winter days.

4. Watch a November Sunset. Put on a sweatshirt, grab your main squeeze, perhaps a glass of wine and find a reason to walk down to the Oyster Factory. This will ignite a love for nature, God, whomever you are with and life in general.

It is something to behold. A close second to this is to watch a blood moon rise over the marsh; either experience is a sight to see.

The Bluffton Breeze

February 2014

51

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