A Living Museum, Cherished and Preserved

I stayed too long in the Battery and stopped someone to ask where I could find a grocery for dinner. By that time it was dark and I hadn't made provisions for dropping anchor. I wasn't too concerned however, and I needn't have been. It's a funny thing I've learned about (most) people. If you expect the best from them, they often deliver. I selected sushi from one of the largest and best stocked Harris Teeter's I've been in. I was a little worried that Food Lion and Piggly Wiggly would be my choices. When checking out I asked the cashier if she knew where I could park my van for the night. I hastened to acknowledge the signs in the parking lot prohibiting overnights. "Oh, that doesn't mean anything. Ask a manager. They'll give you a pass." I did and she did. Put the pass on my windshield, gave Danny a long walk, caught up on emails and called it a night. The store was open 24 hours and walked by a securityguard . This morning I wanted to go back to the Battery, but first, coffee. In the daylight I saw clearly that this was no average building. I asked an African American bag boy if I was an historic building. "Yes, it is. Built in 1670. Harris Teeter just expanded the back of it. It was the railroad station". "Isn't it great they preserved it?", I commented. Then, almost as an afterthought, he said: "Yes. They brought the slaves into Charleston here". "Maybe they shouldn't have preserved it," I said. "Well", he responded with a bright smile, "It IS historical!" Look for the long, low bldg in the photos. Later I parked and walked around "The Market". I couldn't find any identification of what it was used for. About that time a Charlestonian decided to chat me up. He introduced himself as Mike. I found out that the locals know it not as the "Market", but the"Slave Market". I asked what it was used for. He said, "Not what people think it was used for. Have you ever been to a Farmer's Market?" "Yes, I love Farmer's Markets." "Were they selling farmers there?" "OoooKkkkk, so what DID they sell here?" "The slaves came from the plantations with goods to be sold and then bought what the owner's needed to go home with."

All Who Wander Are Not Lost....

How true. I don't know who said that but I'd like to know. Today was wonderful. I found the Wilmington I left, virtually unchanged at the foot of Market Street. The historic downtown area was built on the banks of the Cape Fear River. Not much has changed in spite of the passing of almost 29 years. It's had a face lift here and there...haven't we all...but the biggest change is now they are touting free range chicken and Kona coffee. Oh, and there's a water taxi both downtown and in Wrightsville Beach. Live jazz, attractive boutiques and The Cotton Exchange is still there...see the 2nd floor courtyard in photo. When I left on 17 South I was gifted with a great view of the city and across from it the battleship USS North Carolina, permanently docked for the tourists' pleasure. But not this tourist...my eyes were on Charleston, one of the South's great cities. Boaters needn't have anyone explain the sign above, but then again the warning isn't for the boaters, it's ABOUT them. What it says, in plain English, is that no one has been able to stop boaters from emptying their black water tanks at the docks. Fish and other edible critters, notably shrimp, love to feed on it. If you then catch and eat those shrimp, Hep C is about the BEST you can hope to contract. Which reminds of a warning I once received from a friend....don't eat those gargantuan shrimp served on the Caribbean cruises...use your imagination....yikes! As I left North Carolina behind, I saw a sign outside Georgetown, SC that read: "Jake braking is Prohibited". What the heck is "jake braking"? Google knew. It means using the engine's compression to slow the vehicle. This has been banned because it results in a very loud chattering, or machine gun, sound. This delights the child in me...seeing things I haven't seen, learning things I never knew....very cool. Soon names and words you only see in South Carolina began appearing. "Francis Marion" aka "The Swamp Fox". He was a Brig General in the Revolutionary War who knew the marshlands like the back of his hand and used them to confound and defeat British soldiers on his turf. The Brits gave him the nickname as he usually struck at night and then disappeared into the misty swamps. "Gullah" traditions, culture, history, and cuisine. The Gullah language is a mixture of Elizabethan English and African languages. It was developed on the slave coasts in South Carolina and Georgia and is still spoken today. Want to know more? Go to www.knowitall.org/gullahnet. "Lowcountry". No, I didn't forget to separate the words. The people who inhabit the Lowcountry run the two words together. Lowcountry encompasses South Carolina's coastal counties and includes Charleston, Beaufort (BEW-fort), Hilton Head Island and the other Sea Islands. Shortly I spotted the twin sails of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge which spans the Cooper River between Mt. Pleasant and Charleston. Opened in 2005, it is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the country. At the peak I glanced tenuously to my left at the city. Low lying except for the many church spires, it was covered in a gray haze and looked totally uninviting. Had I never seen Charleston before, I might have kept driving. Luckily I know it as one of the most carefully preserved of all Southern cities. Nicknamed "The Holy City" due to those spires, it was appropriately honored as the best mannered city in the US. I'll second that. People greet you on the streets, strike up conversations, offer assistance and look you in the eye. I exited on Meeting Street at the same time the students from the College of Charleston spilled out noisily on the narrow streets. Though the day was fairly cool, they skated, jogged and engaged in lively horseplay dressed in shorts. I crawled carefully toward the historic "Battery". This is a park and walk city. Ditch the car and get ready to savor a town not in decay, but kept vibrant and exciting by it's residents...most of whom view it with reverance. Can you say Rhett Butler? Charleston is not to be missed even if you have no interest in the Civil War. In Battery Park is a statue looking out over Charleston Harbor which reads: "Count them happy who for their faith and their courage endured a great fight". On April 12, 1861 the Civil War began with Charleston's Confederate artillery firing on Union-garrisoned Ft. Sumter which surrendered 34 hours later. You don't need much imagination to relive the glory days of the city. Many of the mansions built facing the harbor still remain in almost perfect condition. The style of architecture is peculiar to Charleston. Raised entry doors, broad and long porches angled to capture cooler breezes off the water. I noticed that many of the doorways are lit by gas lanterns, burning day and night. The photos don't begin to capture the spirit, energy and pride found in "The Holy City".

We Have Liftoff!

Under a cloudless blue sky I left Virginia Beach yesterday morning. As agreed, I just left....no goodbye's. Despite my eagerness to begin my adventure, I struggled with leaving Noel and Ava. One light touch of Noel's head, one more look at a sleeping grandaughter, and I was gone. I had a few more things to leave with Celine. We unloaded them into her home and went to breakfast at Panera. We were seated next to the front door and so were able to see all who entered after us battling a gusty wind. I was to fight that same high wind all day but it provided entertainment as well as a challenge to keep the van on the road. At the last minute I decided my route. Once upon a time if you wanted to drive south through some of the most picturesque and historical Southern towns, you automatically headed for Route 17. When Bob's partners forced the sale of WFOG in 1979, Bob endured a non-compete clause. We first took the boat down the Intracoastal for a few months, then came home to Virginia Beach where he was completely bored without running a radio station. A friend of his owned one in Wilmington, NC and offered him a consulting position. He took it and we lived in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach for a year. In 1980 we were living in a beach home with an eighteen month old, Lucia, and our Samoyed, Chimo. The town was small enough to be compared favorably with "Mayberry, RFD". I remember walking into the post office to pick up the mail one day and being greated with "You got a letter from Canada today". Mind you, I had never had a word with this man so I was just a little thrown off. But the town was friendly and we enjoyed our time there. And so, I opted for the "Great Nostalgia Tour" and headed down Rte. 17 into North Carolina. I love North Carolina. It's a beautiful state, delivering beautiful beaches with high surf (and a dangerous undertow) and rolls west to the Great Smokey Mountains. It has everything. That brings me to my favorite definition of N.C.
"A vale of Humility between two mountains of Conceit". Although no one in South Carolina has ever offended me, you gotta love it!
It didn't take long to realize that my "Great Nostalgia Tour" was so long in coming that there's not alot to be nostalgic about! The two lane Route 17 so revered in my memory looks a lot like I-95 in several places. The road that once meandered through small towns has been replaced except in a few stretches. Crossing the Perquimans River (per-KIM-uns) I saw white caps; not often seen this far inland. Through the dormant peanut and soy fields there was another result of the ferocious wind....dust funnels. By the time I reached Edenton, I wanted a break. "Historic Edenton" sounded good. I headed for the harbour which the town has enhanced with a park for children and four legged children. The entrance salutes the Confederate Army. A bronze CSA soldier stares down at you. The wind almost blew me off my feet. A clean, playful wind. A warm day. Then I saw it! The civic league moved a decrepit and stunningly beautiful lighthouse to it's new home in the park where it remains on the trailer until funds are found to complete the project. Believe me, the photo doesn't capture the reverence you feel when seeing it for the first time. I drank it in and moved on. There are two field cannons standing sentry over the harbour. This town is representative of the conflicted loyalties found in many states...both Southern and Northern. The churches sent their bells to a foundry in Richmond VA...capital of the Confederacy...and had them recast as the cannons you see in the photo. They were used to protect the harbour from Northern intruders and their sympathizers. At the same time, Edenton had a strong Underground Railroad.
When I left, I stopped to read the inscription on the statue of the soldier:

"Our Confederate Dead

1861-1865

Gashed with Honorable Scars,
Low in Glory's Lap they Lie,
Though They Fell,
They fell like Stars,
Streaming Splendour through the Sky"

On to Bertie (burr-TEA) County where the road abruptly returned to the familiar two lanes of old, cut through stands of feathery pines. The speed limit here was 20 mph. What I found interesting is that when I left VA Beach, gas was $2.65. No where in coastal NC was it less than $2.90, topping out at about $3.09. With a lengthy detour resulting from a brush fire, I reached Wilmington at 730PM. What a surprise...it is unrecognizable on the outer fringes. Completely built up. I went to Harris Teeter for dinner and retired to Cracker Barrel for the evening. I had planned before dark and find somewhere less commercial to lay my head for the night. When I saw that I was in a city I no longer knew, I went for the familiar instead. This morning brought bright sunlight and the desire to see how much the beach had changed. I'm sitting there now, overlooking the Intracoastal after touring. The Blockade Runner, The Bridge Tender, Roberts Grocery...all still there. Our temporary home? 765 South Lumina is still there, surrounded by more grandiose houses but looking good. The Holiday Inn, former site of great Sunday buffets, was razed and a new Holiday Inn stands in it's place. Yes, I realize that Holiday Inn and great food is an oxymoron. Finally I parked the van and ate a breakfast of coffee, crusty boule and cheese. I glanced across the street and into floor to ceiling glass on the second floor of a home with a baby grand piano facing the Atlantic. The sun was clearing the horizon and I envisioned the pianist beating back the pain with a vigorous concerto and a view of Eternity.

The Road Beckons

As the day approaches, I awake with a sense of excitement. I find it more difficult to sleep. My mind wanders during the day. What will the day look like when I leave Virginia Beach for my journey? How far will I get the first day? Who will I meet and what will I see? I plan to eat fresh, small meals from grocery stores. Most now have soup stations and salad bars. Warm bread and soup....hmmm. There is, too, a sense of loss at leaving Noel and Ava. At the same time, a feeling of joy, knowing that Lucia, Malakai and Jocelyn are waiting for me. Virginia Beach is enjoying that week of beach weather in February that I talked about earlier. All the windows and doors are open and a warm breeze clears the stale air in the house. In with the new, out with the old. New beginnings. The constant circle of living. Sunday, February 10th. A new week, a new chapter.

Madonna and Child, A Self Portrait

Taken Monday, January 14th. Today is chilly. It was snowing 30 minutes ago and now the sun is out. The house is quiet temporarily. New parents are often in awe of how the arrival of such a tiny human turns everyone and everything on it's ear. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. World without end.

Ava's first home is less than a mile from Chesapeake Bay. On a day like today the sea gulls congregate in the asphalt parking lots to capture a bit of the sun's warmth, reluctantly giving way to grocery shoppers' cars. The shoppers, in return, crawl slowly through the lots, respecting the birds' claim to the city. This time of year belongs to the locals. Restrictions are lifted on the beaches and dogs are allowed to swim and run until Easter, when the tourist season begins. Residents eat at the oceanfront now too, not to be seen during the summer. The sixth annual Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout ended this past weekend after 3 days. The field consisted of 286 teams of fishermen. There are many sport fishermen here and many commercial fishermen on the Eastern Shore. Ever eaten rockfish? (striped bass) Don't miss the chance. Light, sweet. In April, the annual "Shad Planking" takes place in Wakefield, VA , a few miles inland. The shad is an oily fish that runs in the spring. Planking refers to the custom of smoking the shad on wood planks over an open fire. The event has become a political ritual which in the past prohibited attendance by blacks or women. VA Governor Douglas Wilder was the first black man to attend, in 1977, while he was a VA State Senator.

Ava Grace Haislip

Of course she's beautiful! No, really. She is. She really, really is. Born at 6:11PM after a relatively short labor, she weighs 7 lbs and 11 ounces. She is 20 and a half inches long. We 3 grandparents stood with our ears to Noel's door, hoping to hear Ava's first cry. Most of the nurses who passed by us pretended we weren't there, but finally one of them told us we had to go back to the waiting room because "it's against hospital policy to have you listening to a delivery and besides, it's a fire hazard to have you in the halls". Um, hmm. Did we leave? Sure, and as soon as she disappeared we "ran" back. Finally the head nurse, who Doug called "Sergeant Carter", ran us off. After just another 30 minutes or so, we wandered back to the nurse's station in time for her to announce: "Your grandchild was just born. Give us 10 minutes to clean her up and you can go in." What a rush! 45 minutes later we did go in for hugs, kisses, laughter, congratulations, and many photo ops. The best photos will come later, but here are two from my cell phone. Noel is a natural and was enjoying dinner from P.F. Chang's when I left her. Her lovely little girl has been born into a world where she will be surrounded with love.

Waiting For Ava

There's an old saying repeated frequently by Tidewater residents: If you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes. Christmas Day was mild & sunny. December 26th was cold, with wind whipped rain blowing straight through you. Then sunny & mild again. Two nights ago it was 16 degrees. If 2008 is like past years, we can expect a week of beach weather in the middle of February. It rarely snows here, so the anticipation of it closes schools. Where exactly is "Tidewater"? It's the name used by the locals to describe the land mass encompassing Hampton & Newport News VA, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Portsmouth, south to the North Carolina line. For years progressive thinkers have tried to engineer a merger...to become one city, renamed "Tidewater". Doing so would bring many benefits to the area, not the least of which would be increased Federal funding. Unfortunately the years go by and not even the light rail envisioned for commuters from VA Beach to Norfolk has gotten off the ground. This area has yet another name..."Hampton Roads". In actuality, Hampton Roads is a body of water, but over the years people have referred to the combined cities as Hampton Roads.While waiting for Ava's birth, we've tried to follow a normal routine of shopping, cooking, running errands, working, etc. Danny is probably handling it the best, as you can see. "Don't worry! Be happy!" is his motto. Noel's due date was yesterday. She has a doctor's appointment Monday afternoon.

While we are waiting I should talk about Tidewater for those of you who don't know the area. The best way to describe it is "schizophrenic". In summary, "Tourist Tidewater", "Military Tidewater", "Old Guard Tidewater", and "Edgar Cayce Tidewater". If you are part of any one of these, you may not know much about the others...or care. "Tourist Tidewater" includes Colonial Williamsburg and that's good for an entire day, or two. Naturally "the Beach" (VA Beach) is a big draw. Families stay here & take day trips to Williamburg, Jamestown, Yorktown or the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The Virginia Aquarium is 3 minutes from the resort area, "The Strip". Whale watching excursions, bird watching. If you visit in July, take the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to Chincoteague for the annual pony penning as described in the children's book favorite "Misty of Chincoteague". The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, an engineering marvel, is one of the 7 man-made wonders of the world. That alone is worth the trip to the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Prior to the Bridge Tunnel's opening in 1964, you would have taken a ferry from Kiptopeke to South Hampton Roads. Crossing the Chesapeake Bay then was slow, but beautiful. An event to be savored. Speaking of savoring things, if you are wondering about the food in this part of the world...people who know good food describe this as a hot dog town. That said, there are a few restaurants of note. Ta-da! "Zoe's" VA Beach, "456 Fish" Norfolk, "Isla" VA Beach, and "Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro" at VA Beach's Town Center, the designated downtown area newly created by popular demand. That's only half joking. VA Beach has never had a downtown until recently. If you wanted a downtown, you had to go to Norfolk or Richmond or, better yet, to Washington, DC. DC also lays claim to the closest NFL team, so if you like pro ball, you're in the wrong town. And what beaches do the residents use? One is pictured above. As a tourist, you'd never find it and the locals want to keep it that way. Part of First Landing State Park, it is known as "Oyster Beach". You reach it by taking 64th St. off Atlantic Avenue. Or if you drive 45 minutes south of the resort area, you can enjoy Sandbridge Beach, another local preference.

On to "Military Tidewater". It co-exists comfortably with the other lifestyles here. Military families often return here at retirement. All branches of the service are represented with a few notable standouts: Langley Air Force Base, Oceana Naval Air Station, Fort Eustis, NAS/NOB. When the 2005 BRAC Commission recommended moving the Master Jet Base from Oceana the locals who have complained for years about jet noise took a big gulp and reevaluated their position. Withdrawal of this major installation would cripple the economy, perhaps permanently. Growing up here during the Cold War, I recall that this was the number one target of a nuclear strike.

One of my favorite parts of the US is eastern North Carolina, specifically, the Outer Banks...a fragile chain of barrier islands which attracts hurricanes like a magnet. From Virginia Beach, take Rte. 168 or take the Currituck Ferry from Knotts Island to 168. Call 1-800-BY FERRY to verify the schedule. Knotts Island is south of VA Beach but in North Carolina. No other part of North Carolina can be reached from there by road. Most popular annual event? The Knotts Island Peach Festival. In 2008 it will be celebrated on Saturday, July 26th from 10AM-5PM. It's a surprise to most people to learn that peaches can be grown this far north. Knotts Island is an anomaly. Don't care for peaches? They also grow scuppernong grapes, apples, pears. Some of the fields are "pick-your-own", which children love. And for the adults? There are two vineyards. Wine tastings are held on Martin's Farm where you can picnic overlooking the water. Further south are the Outer Banks. There you can see wild ponies graze peacefully in Corolla. The names of the towns in the Outer Banks are enchanting: Nags Head, Duck, Wanchese, Kitty Hawk, Hatteras Island, Ocracoke Island. If you are looking for a place to kick back, look here. I'll try to give you a tour on the way to California.