A Rough Day gives way to a Beautiful Sunset!

Today was a very rough day professionally but this beautiful sunset gives me hope and belief that tomorrow will be a better day. A 12 Veranda Beach Drive rooftop view of a fantastic sunset.

We are truly blessed to be a part of paradise.

Veranda Beach has the best sunsets on the island!

Love the yellows, oranges, and purples.

Even Squirrels Relax in the Slow Country!

Fripp is truly a magical place.

This squirrel relaxes in the tree outside our kitchen window.

Just like a child. They can sleep anywhere.

Happy Birthday Joe Moody!

Happy 55th Birthday Joe!

McKensie, Pam and Samatha say Happy Birthday!


The Moody Family
Pam, McKensie, and Joe

Pam enjoys a Fripp Island feast!
Beer and Fried Chicken!
Yum! Yum!


Irene and Rick Simons celebrate with Joe!


Kaye gives Joe his birthday card and "gurr" broom.

Happy birthday Joe

55 looks pretty good!

Joe's family from KY join the celebration at the "Point"

Sand Sculpture Contest on the Beach

Part of the Independence Day celebrations on Fripp Island is a sand sculpture contest on the beach. Here is my vote for the best sculpture.

"Elvis and the Shark"

Happy Independence Day!

I hope that everyone had an opportunity to spend the day with family and friends on this our nation's most important holiday. We spent the day on the beach with our "Beach People" friends. The beach was packed with people as Saturday was change over day so I think we had a lot of people who stayed the day and others who arrived early. Late in the afternoon the tide began to encroach upon our tent giving sufficient reason to pack it all in and head to the house. We had invited our friends Rick and Irene Simmons and their son Richard over for a light supper and to watch the fireworks from our rooftop crow's nest. We were enjoying dinner so that we didn't advance as quickly as we had anticpated, so we had to pause dinner to watch the fireworks show. The moon was nearly full and the moonlight reflecting on the ocean was quite beautiful. We have the highest vantage point on the southern end of the island and can rest comfortably in our chairs while watching the fireworks over the driving range of the Ocean Creek golf course. After the fireworks we came back in the house for a dessert of grilled peaches, brie, and a wafer cookie. That was accompanied by Rick's homemade Limoncello http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limoncello.

A very nice ending to a great day.

Our National Anthem

I picked up this video from YouTube of the "Cactus Cuties" singing the national anthem. If you haven't heard them perform click on the link to see their performance on the 700 Club on July 4, 2008. They are fantastic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PItHw8a7MIQ&NR=1

Preparing for Independence Day!

We are all dressed up for the Independence Day Weekend and here on Fripp the island is alive with vacationers and families of residents. It is easy to tell the visitors. They blatantly break the rules. Under aged kids driving golf carts, golf cart drivers not using hand signals to make turns, feeding the deer, speeding, driving on the golf course after hours, and drinking and driving. It is a big revenue weekend for the Fripp Island police force. All that aside the "Beach People" are planning a big day on the beach for Saturday with friends and their families. One of our friends, John and Teresa, have 17 children and grandchildren coming to their house. WOW! Our contribution will be our highly desired Pimento Cheese for the beach on Saturday and yes I will share the recipe. Enjoy.

Pimento Cheese

8 oz of Sharp Cheddar Cheese

8 oz of Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 1/2 cups of Dukes Mayo

1 - 4 oz jar of diced Pimento drained

1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp. finely chopped onion

1/2 tsp. red pepper flake

Grate cheeses using a box grater. Do not buy pre-shreaded cheese. We've tried it and the texture just doesn't work.

Mix with remaining ingredients and store overnight so flavors can develop.

Feel free to add additional onion and red pepper flakes should you like a bigger kick to your cheese or additional mayo should you like your cheese spread wetter.

On Saturday night we have invited our friends Rick, Irene, and Richard over for a light supper and to watch the fireworks from the roof top deck. As promised here is the menu.

Menu

Watermelon Salad with Feta, Walnuts and a Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Crab Meat

Steamed Shrimp with Old Bay Seasoning

Grilled Peaches with Honey, Brie, and a Waffle Cookie

Enjoy your weekend!

Pat Conroy Cookbook

Pat Conroy is one of Fripp Island's and Beaufort, SC's most famous residents. He has written many books about life and growing up in the low country. I am a big collector of cookbooks and have bought scores of this book to give away to family, friends, and professional colleagues. I love to read cookbooks. Especially those that tell a story. This one doesn't disappoint. In every chapter Pat recounts the many interesting events in his life and how food always plays an important role. I highly recommend this book to all of you who like to read cookbooks.

From the Rusoff Agency, Pat's publicist website, http://www.rusoffagency.com/authors/conroy_p/patconroy_cook/patconroy_cookbook.htm_

Author Anne Rivers Siddons is quoted as saying, "THE PAT CONROY COOKBOOK is more than just that. It's a virtual Ode To Joy. Read it; cook from it. You will eat better than you ever have in your life, and will know more about Pat Conroy, perhaps, than he would ever tell you."

If you are interested in an autographed copy, the Beaufort Bookstore 2127 Boundry Street, Beaufort, SC, 843-525-1066 usually has them for sale.

Fripp Island

Check out this YouTube video about Fripp Island, South Carolina. It is really well done. Island Realty produced the video. We hope you too will come and discover this place we call paradise!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwP9AqiMddI&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Edestinationfripp%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded

12 Veranda Beach Drive

We have decided to put this little piece of heaven on the market. We are trying to get closer to our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in Richmond, Va. If you are interested in owning your own piece of paradise let us know! Check out our YouTube tour!

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7008E9E8FFCE21A9&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&v=rMAOPyW5pxc

This is an aerial view of the south end of Fripp Island. This is the Veranda Beach area were our house is located. Ours is the one on the right side of the photo with the "Crows Nest" on the roof.

This is a view of the ocean from our "Crow's Nest" on the roof of our house on Fripp Island. We have the only home on Veranda Beach with a roof top view of the island.

Springtime on Fripp!

We are back after a very long winter! This is the first sunset picture of the spring season. We plan to spend as much time here as we can this year. This has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Kaye and I spent the day on the beach today with our friends Rick and Irene. The sea breeze is still quite cool and if you are under an umbrella it can be quite cool. You have to spend some time in the sun but at these temperatures you can and will burn very easily.

Another Beautiful Veranda Beach Sunset!

Here comes Hannah!

Tropical storm Hannah is expected to reach Savannah at 2pm on Friday. Fripp Island will be on the northheast side of the storm and will suffer from the from the largest storm surge. Winds are currently forecasted to be 75 mph when it makes landfall. We plan to stay until Wednesday to prepare the house. We expect that the house will be fine but the storm surge will be of major concern. More to come as we know more. For more information go to http://www.weather.com/.

Pray that the impact will be minimal....