Bird watching from Doodlebug Cottage!

Doodlebug Cottage sits right across the street from Horsepen Creek Marsh and Tidal Creek. The bird watching is incredible ranging from herons to song birds. Another great experience is you can hear the oysters clacking during low tide and sometimes hear and see the dolphins when they come back to feed in the marsh. The screened front porch stretches across the entire front of the home with lots of comfortable seating. Sunsets are the daily show- and it's free!

A special thank you to Dick and Jane who were our "snowbird" winter guests at Doodlebug and took these pictures for us. They'll be returning again next winter and we'll look forward to more pictures from Dick!

And here's a reply from another Doodlebug Cottage regular and bird watcher as well as a Tybee Local AND real estate professional in case you're ever looking for your own piece of paradise!

"Great photos. I hope they had a visit from the osprey while they were there. It begins when all the little birds start making tons on noise to the point you know something is happening outside. As you go on the porch to inspect the clatter you can see the little song birds dive bombing the osprey as he (maybe she) lights from the top of one pine tree to another looking for food in the creek. The biggest thrill is when you watch long enough to see the dive from the tree top to the water, then out with a big fish and a trip back home to Horse Pen Creek tree tops for dinner or maybe to feed the nest. I think Osprey’s love 12th street. Many times we have been sitting on the beach to see one dive into the ocean and come out of the water with a fish and fly right down 12th street with its dinner dangling from it’s clutch. Ain’t TYBEE grand. "
Cindy Meyer, CRSSeabolt Brokers/Harry Norman Realtors912 313 4799CMeyer@SeaboltBrokers.com

Tybee Welcomes the Tour de Georgia

Yet again, Tybee's sights and sounds never cease to amaze me. A quiet Monday morning turned into the kick off event for North America's premier, professional cycling event - the Tour de Georgia http://www.tourdegeorgia.com/ The start of their 5 day , 660 Mile race across Georgia began on Tybee Island . The race began in downtown Tybee and part of the route included 2nd Ave and Butler Ave which meant that over 100 professional cyclists rode ride past several of our homes including Sea Glass, Nora's Cottage, Sea Largo, Surf Puppy and M. Paddy Cakes! The street cleaners came first and professionally cleaned these streets ( they are spotless!) and then the police cars led the way, followed by the riders, then all their support crew in cars and motorcycles followed. The route was closed to everyone else so they were driving over 50 mph on our little streets following the riders. TV cameras, Photographers from all over the world, cow bells clanging ( which is how you cheer in professional cycling events!) all lined the street route. What an exciting and spectacular hour!

Susan Kelleher ( one of the owners of two of our homes - Sea Breeze House and Inlet Breeze) and one of the Sea Side Sisters owners and I were both interviewed by the local NBC TV station about the impact of the Tour for Tybee. Click here for the video! Tour de Georgia Economic Impact - News - WSAV.com - Savannah / Hilton Head We'll keep you posted if this race will kick off on Tybee again next year. What a great way to spend a spring morning!

Google Maps now on mermaidcottages.com

We have just added an incredible new feature to http://www.mermaidcottages.com/ - Google maps including satelitte mapping! When you go to our website, click on Questions (located at the top of the website ) and then go to Tybee Map. You have a choice of either the newly updated Printable Map ( which has all our homes listed now) or Google Map of Mermaid Cottages. The Google map will show you exactly where your vacation home is located, how to get there from your home and even the actual satelitte view from space! Isn't technology amazing???

We're always trying to find ways to make planning your holiday as easy as possible and this should be yet another way to help accomplish this goal!

Sea Largo Cottage

The two owners of Sea Largo Cottage just left after a week long spring break visit. The story of this cottage one that gives us all hope. They don't mind me sharing their story...... Judy and Cathy went to the same high school over 30 years ago in Doralville, GA ( the Atlanta area). Tragically both lost their husbands way too young about two years ago . After the sudden loss of Rich ( the love of her life) Judy, who had worked as a corporate meeting planner in Atlanta for years, decided to go back to her roots and become a teacher again. She lives in the small rural community of Lake Hartwell , Georgia and on the first day of her new job, she looked across the teacher's conference room and saw her friend Cathy from high school who she'd not seen in over 30 years!!! Cathy had also recently lost her dear husband and is a music teacher. They re kindled their friendship and have lots of common interests from bike riding, dogs, boating and a love of the beach! They formed a business partnership and purchased Sea Largo cottage last year and continue to enhance this already perfect home. One of the pictures shows Mrs. Jones- a great piece of folk art created out of Jones soda cans and now hangs on the Sea Largo screened porch. This cottage is a Jane Coslick Orignal and has all the special Jane touches!

Judy and Cathy offer a 5% educators discount year round as a small way of thanking their fellow teachers who work so hard in our schools. Be sure to let us know when you're making your reservation if you're an educator and we'll adjust the price. They hope you'll spread the word and let other educators know about Sea Largo!

The Tybee Dog Park needs your help

I know many of you who stay with us are dog lovers and some of you are lucky enough to bring your dogs on vacation. I also know how many of you LOVE the Tybee Dog Park. This wonderful park gives you a chance to exercise your dog(s), socialize with both locals and visitors to the Island and just have some fun! Everyone also knows about how very strict the City of Tybee rules are about dogs on the beach and zero tolerance on barking- both rules which Mermaid Cottages supports. No one likes dogs who bark constantly and not everyone is prepared to accept the responsibility of picking up after their dogs- which is the biggest worry of dogs on the beach. So the off leash dog park has been the perfect solution. Allows you to exercise your dogs and tired dogs don't bark- which makes everyone happy!

The City Council of Tybee Island just voted during this past week's session to remove the dog park. They are still working to find a solution for a new location that works for everyone, but nothing is firm yet. If you have any interest in this- click on this link http://www.wtoc.com/global/story.asp?s=8156222 and read this story and view the video. You may also contact Deb with the dog park: tybeedogpark@hotmail.com if you'd like to share your comments or reaction.

The Vintage Trailers are here!

Just when you think you've seen everything on this little island, the Sisters on the Fly ( www.sistersonthefly.com) roll into town. If you're around this weekend, you HAVE to make time to participate in this very unique, very quirky event on Tybee on Saturday from 11AM- 3PM.

This fun loving group of women travel the country in their vintage mini trailers which they have tricked out in various unique themes . They set up camp, drink margaritas and get to be cowgirls and beach bums for the weekend. No husbands or boyfriends allowed, just good old fashioned female bonding!

Susan Kelleher of Sea Side Sisters connected with this fun group last fall and along with the Tybee's River's End Campground and the terrific Woody, pulled together a tour of the trailers as a fund raiser for St. Michael's Elementary School here on Tybee. I went by to visit today and couldn't believe how cute this little trailers are!!! Check out one of the articles about this event on www.savannahnow.com/node/476240

Danny the Cup Cake eating dog....

Danny in the front yard of our home- Mermaid Manor. He loves to people (and dog watch) as our many island visitors stroll or ride their bikes down Chatham Ave. The best part of spring season is so many of our visitors are back and all riding bikes! We encourage all our guests to ride bikes while here on Tybee. What a perfect way to to be Green, exercise and mix and mingle with our locals and other visitors and enjoy Tybee at a slower pace. We recommend one place to rent your bikes - Tim's Beach Gear and the BEST place to rent bikes on the island if you don't want to bring your own. Tim will personally deliver your bikes to your cottage.

The sign on the gate was created especially for Danny and Max ( my two labs) by Lori Prell, a terrific regional artist based in Cocoa Village, Florida. The dogs are enjoying their "boat drinks" and the sign reminds people to close the gate behind them so the boys don't decide to charge out the gate and go visiting. Lori's website the Black Dog Gallery and she will custom design a sign for your home.

That's Max at the top of the stairs by the front door being the good dog that he is.

Danny is always ready to bark and dash out the gate , Max is just happy to be alive and be a dog on Tybee....

Thank you Alan Rubin for taking these pictures of the dogs and the cottage!

Sea Board House, Ocean Isle Beach, NC

I spent three days with my dear friend Lynda in Ocean Isle Beach, NC last week while attending the VRMA Eastern Region Conference in Mrytle Beach, SC. Lynda retired from her Corporate life in Atlanta and moved back to her home town region- Brunswick County in NC a few years ago and re created her life. She has completely restored an old ship builders cottage which sits on the banks of the IntraCoastal Waterway ( across from Ocean Isle Beach, NC) and created a home we all crave! Filled with her treasures from her travels all over the world as a corporate meeting planner and mixed with equally special finds from her yard sale and junking expeditions, Sea Board House is a nest to relax, be creative and re charge. Laurie Nelson, owner of Harris Nelson Designs ( www.harrisnelsondesigns.com) gave her expertise in the decoration and her creative genius touch is everywhere.

Lynda and I spent a day in Wilmington and Southport NC- both towns in their full spring glory. Azaleas, dogwoods and spring flowers blooming everywhere, the air warm but not humid, blue sky and big white clouds- there is nothing like springtime in the South- of that I am convinced!

I was in the area to attend the Vacation Rental Management Association Eastern Regional Conference, the professional association I belong as a vacation rental company. A great conference attended by over 200 Vacation Rental Companies all over the East. Lots of new ideas which you all will see on the mermaidcottages.com website very soon- including giving our guests a chance to review and then post their stay with us right on our website. If you'd like to post your review of a past visit to one of our cottages on the website , please let me know !

My Southern Living Magazine Great Adventure

Last week was an adventure of a life time! Southern Living Magazine ( as in the bible for most southern raised woman or wanna be southern women- you know- Northern by Birth, Southern by Choice girls like me...) came to Tybee to do a story on two of my cottages - Dutton Waller Cottage and Mermaid Manor.

Here's the background- about a year ago, Kendrah White, who owns Fabrika ,the amazing sewing and fabric boutique in downtown Savannah ( http://www.fabrikasavannah.com/ ) called to see if I'd be interested in helping her out. A magazine was interested in featuring her on custom made Slip Covers and since no one in the world has more slip covers then me- at least from her shop- she thought I'd be the perfect person to showcase her work. When you have two labs, lots of friends and family who come to visit and a passion for collecting old furniture from yard sales and GoodWill- then slip covers are a fact of life! Of course I said yes and when I learned what magazine this was- well excitement doesn't begin to explain my reaction.

So what began as a simple article on Slip Covers , turned into two full weeks of getting the homes ready - you know how it is- you always schedule a party when you want to finish all those little house projects. But did I mention, I had also undertaken a 6 month long project of turning the attic of Mermaid Manor into a master bedroom, master bathroom and office suite? And it was all going to be Green, Sustainable and Enviromentally Correct. So besides getting the homes fluffed, we were also finishing up a major project. Jane Coslick ( http://www.janecoslick.com/ ) who is involved in ANY home project I undertake , did her usual creative magic, on one day I counted 10 cars in front of my house while we were all working on getting the home done. Thank goodness Dutton Waller Cottage was already done and ready for the shoot, but Mermaid Manor- that was a miracle to complete! But we thrive under a deadline and the home was finished! Or at least enough for the photo shoot....

Right on schedule last Wednesday, the "A Team" from Southern Living showed up. And what an A team they were.....
Senior Writer , Julia Hamilton and Senior Photographer, Charles Walton, IV appeared at my door and began two full days of turning my pretty average but nice houses into homes that look like they belonged in Southern Living! Genius doesn't begin to describe their talents. Charles knew exactly what light to wait for in each room, how to show the small details of a chair or lamp, even figured out a way to pose Danny and Max in a couple of pictures! And yes, this is the same Danny who decided he needed to help himself to the perfectly baked cup cakes I'd made for the shoot. Good thing we didn't need all six because Danny was too fast for me and wolfed down that vanilla frosted masterpiece of a cup cake before I could stop him. Julia helped Charles with styling, feedback, encouragement and knew just what needed to be done. Then Charles , after working all day, went back to his hotel room and put together a slide show- set to music no less- of the day's photo shoot. OMG- I truly gasped when I saw the pictures!

The homes will be shown in the January 2009 issue and we won't have a clue about what photos are used till then, but you'll certainly be the first to know on this Blog when the magazine comes out!

AAA Home and Away Magazine and Tybee!

I've recently been receiving alot of emails and phone calls from folks in Ohio looking to visit Tybee for the first time. Turns out AAA's regional magazine did a big article on the magic of Tybee Island and features Jane Coslick and her cottage restoration, renovation and decoration. The article shows the outside of The Shrimp Cottage and the hand crafted sign by regional artist Pam Martin. This sign is a giant shrimp including copper wire shrimp whiskers! ( I guess that's what you call them!) The fact that Ohio has experienced a very long cold winter with huge amounts of snow has also encouraged folks to plan a spring break getaway, but the article does a great job showcasing what Tybee is all about. Look for the article on our website under "Fun Stuff" then Mermaid in the media. And we are looking forward to welcoming all our new and returning Ohio guests to our cottages!!