Monday, June 14, 2021

Monday, June 14, 2021

Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2004. This was Mattie's second trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The previous year Mattie was more interested in the house's garden hose than going to the beach. He was also frightened by the sound of the ocean and wasn't wild about stepping into the sand. By the second year, Mattie was one with the sand and realized it was a medium he could use to build all sorts of things. Mattie had a natural inclination to put things together and he also had a way of getting you involved in his building process. 

Quote of the day: Today's coronavirus update from Johns Hopkins. 

• Number of people diagnosed with the virus: 33,469,661 
• Number of people who died from the virus: 599,924

This morning, I woke up to this sighting. This truck is part of the sea turtle patrol. Do you see the two trails from the water through the sand? These are mother sea turtles who come ashore at night to lay eggs. The people dressed in orange check on nests and work hard to protect these turtle spaces from human interference. 

The Island is serious about their turtles, as they have a no light and flashlight policy after 9pm anywhere near the beaches. As apparently lights can disorient the mother turtles from coming to shore, and therefore, she can land up laying eggs in the ocean, which will prevent the eggs from hatching. 

Today, we did a ten mile bicycle ride around another portion of the Island. I believe there are like 60 miles of bike paths here. Along our journey, we visited the Vanderhorst Mansion, which is the oldest home on Kiawah Island. The approach to the house is remarkable! Almost movie quality. 

Down a picture-perfect tree lined drive and across a perfectly manicured lawn lies an expansive plantation house whose history dates back centuries. The Arnoldus Vanderhorst Mansion was the main residence on a South Carolina plantation that, at different points in time, extended across the whole of Kiawah Island and was bordered by the Kiawah River, the Stono River, and the Atlantic Ocean.

The island was settled by the English in the late 1600s, and the property changed hands several times until 1771 when it was willed, and divided into two, to Mary Gibbes and Elizabeth Vanderhorst (wife of Arnoldus Vanderhorst), by their grandfather John Stanyarne. Stanyarne had acquired Kiawah Island in 1717 and raised cattle and indigo on the island plantation in the 1700s.

The mansion! 

The Vanderhorst family was established in South Carolina towards the end of the 17th century. Gen. Arnoldus Vanderhorst was a Revolutionary War hero, Charleston mayor and South Carolina governor from 1794 to 1796. During the Revolutionary War, Vanderhorst served as a colonel under General Brigadier Francis Marion; Marion is remembered as the "Swamp Fox," one of the fathers of modern guerilla warfare. The 18th century period film, The Patriot, was structured around Marion's military feats.

This is what the bike paths look like. Frankly I think living here, one can't help but be healthy and in shape, since it is such a pleasure to be outside. 

The Island is known to have 300-400 alligators on it. Clearly this is ONE of them! This four foot fellow was right by the side of the bike path. 

The outside of our condo unit. The back side faces the ocean. 

Last night we made fresh Mahi Mahi. We bought the fish at the local farmer's market. I turned the left over fish into a salad today. All the fruit I tossed in the salad was also from the farmer's market. I have never tasted better peaches and cantaloupe. 

The view from our deck!