The newest memeber of the Mermaid Family

Sue and Gary Bentley with our Mermaid Cottages family ( Gary is our accounting office and Sue is our "can do everything" gal) have adopted a beautiful new dog! Ace comes from Marantha Farms which is an amazing adoption/ animal rescue group dedicated to helping injured, abused and abandoned animals find their forever homes. Isn't that a great expression! Your forever home! Sue and Gary recently lost their two dogs, Misty and Charlie - both who had lived long happy dog lives . Ace is- in Gary's words- the perfect dog! Loving, knows his name, happy to sit by Gary all day long while he's working and just "happy to be here". He knows how lucky he is to be rescued!



Visit http://www.maranthafarm.org/ for more details on this non profit organization and when you can- use http://www.goodsearch.com/ which is a new search engine and on line shopping mall that donates 50% of its revenues to whatever charites you designate every time you search ( so we hope you'll designate marantha farm) .



And next time you call Gary's office for anything - be sure you ask him to tell Ace hello!

Bobaritaville and hamburgers truly in paradise

Dinner tonight was so incredibly simple, yet truly a perfect experience. Dinner was on the dock of Bobaritaville, the Tybee home of two very special people, Bobby and Suzanne . A couple of years ago they renovated a 1970's home and turned it into a cozy, comfy, beach house full of art and whimsy from their beach travels all over the world. But the crown jewel to their home which already has a full deck view of the marsh and Horsepen Creek, was the dock they completed last year. The dock goes out for what seems like miles to access Horsepen Creek. At the end of the dock is the tin roof covered pavilion to kayak, boat or BBQ. Tonight was the spur of the moment cookout consisting of hamburgers and chips. Simple, easy and perfect. Wonderful people, Jane and Joe, Maureen and Tony, Bobby and Suzanne and they graciously included me as they so often do. The afternoon rains that covered the island had moved on and the winds were blowing strong from the south which meant all the bugs and humidity were gone. The egrets were out fishing, the tide was high and the sky and clouds a show unto it's self. See the gorgeous pictures above! Thank you Bobby and Suzanne for always being the perfect host and hostess!

Mermaid Sighting #3

This Mermaid comes to us from a garden in Illinois courtsey of one of our recent guests, Sari Monaco , a columnist with The Charlotte Observer. Thank you Sari!

Nancy Smith's Cook Book Review

We now have two good friends who are pulished writers! Everyone by now should know that Mary Kay Andrews latest book made the New York Times Best seller list (www.marykayandrews.com ) but now another wonderful friend, Nancy Smith who we blogged about earlier this spring, just had her cook book reviewed by the Rome News! We love her cookbook so much, we want to share the review. Congratulations Nancy! You can buy the cookbood here on the island only at SeaSideSisters Coastal Cottage Style Shop !www.seasidesisterstybee.com

From Rome News TribuneSunday, June 29, 2008LOCAL AUTHOR PROFILE - NANCY SMITH 06/29/08Email this story to a friendName of Author: Nancy Smith Name of Book: “Cooking on Tybee Time” About the Book: Nancy Smith has always saved her recipes, typing them out on index cards long before a computer database was used for such things. But when friends started asking for the recipes to some of her delectable dishes, it was time get them all together. “People kept asking so I decided to have them published,” Smith said. The book includes more than 288 recipes Smith has tweaked and modified to give each her special touch. From a refreshing cucumber and onion spread to candied sweet potatoes to her famous pepper jelly, Smith has poured all her years of cooking into one book. But the pages are filled with pictures as well, not of the dishes but of Smith’s paintings and most importantly, her friends. Colorful snapshots of close friends and family can be found throughout the book’s pages. “I decided I didn’t want to take pictures of food,” she said. “These recipes aren’t just words on a page to me. They’re about family gatherings and fun get-togethers and quiet evenings. They’re about people enjoying meals. So I sprinkled in pictures of people enjoying life and enjoying food. It’s more personal that way.” About the author: Smith and her husband, Bill, share their time between Rome and Tybee Island. She has cooked all her life. A Rome native, she prepares her country dishes for her family to enjoy, but nothing makes her happier than having friends come over for dinner. Incidentally, the recipe for Bill’s favorite dish — meatloaf — is on page 68.

Sea Turtle Nest #2

Big News! Our 2nd Sea Turtle Nest was laid this week on the north beach- right by the trash cans. Tammy Smith, our sea turtle project coordinator relocated the nest to up by the dunes to give them a better survial chance. Be sure you're visiting the Marine Science Center website for more details on the project. http://www.tybeemarinescience.org The babies will hatch in about 60 days from when the eggs were laid. We'll keep you posted on more nests and hatching.

Mermaid sighting #2!

Our newest mermaid sighting! This handcrafted whirly gig mermaid whirls and twirls at the whim on the wind atop a sign created to remind you to slow down........ She lives in front of the Enlisted Men's Mess Hall directly behind Officier's Row. John Mellancamp and family are her neighbors and the home right in front of the mess hall is called "Tara on Tybee." The lighthouse shines above her and she's happy as can be.

Shorty of Shorty's Woodcrafts created her by hand in Bethany Beach, Delaware- he's a 80+ year old former Ice Capades skater- read all about his fascinating life!
www.capegazette.com/saltwater/slagleshorty092104.html

Technology on our little island

I was recently asked to submit a story to a radio station about how technology improves a vacation. I asked our Mermaid Cottages Technology Concierge , Michael Bodine for his comments on how Technology improves the island life, be it a weekend getaway or year round residence. Here is what he had to say:

"We also have wifi in many of our hotels and restaurants, plus the library and City Hall are equipped with wireless – the latter so that reporters (and visitors) can file their reports from meetings before they even turn off their laptops. Our campground offers wireless services at no additional charge as well.

We have two places that rent electric vehicles that people use on the island – one place rents electric bikes and the other small electric cars (golf carts, actually).

This evening we have folks going out to nearby Oatland Island Education Center to learn about the possibility of an off-shore wind farm for power generation.

I taught one of our residents how to use RSS – every page of the City’s web site produces an RSS feed, and she now gets instant notification whenever anything new posts on the web site. She reads, then posts Council Agendas to an email list along with notes on what issues folks should be concerned about! We also have links to whale sightings, live surf cameras, and to other outdoor recreational interests.

My partner in crime at City Hall is also a volunteer fireman, and we are both intimately involved in emergency preparedness training and details. Our City computers are on a rack that can be wheeled into an emergency trailer and driven off-island in the event of a hurricane. We have both SMR (push-to-talk, emergency services radios) as well as maritime VHF radios for communications if needed, and an automated method for warning citizens of impending weather emergencies is in our new budget for next month. We televise our City Council meetings over cable access channel.

And, of course, modern day electronics crop up everywhere – kayakers into the marsh creeks have GPS systems that track their path on the way in, so they can quickly find their way out when the tide turns!

None of this is all that remarkable except you would expect to find less of it on a small barrier island with only about 3500 full time residents!"

Thank you Michael! BTW- Michael is on call 24/7 to help any of our Mermaid guests with their technology needs- or just to get your laptop to work! Visit his website www.rammb.com

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Mermaid Sightings Number One!

The very smart and clever and extremely talented Miss Linda Bray has decided I need to showcase " Mermaid Sightings" . So consider this your open invitation to email me ( diane@mermaidcottages.com) any pictures of wonderful mermaids you discover in your life's journey. Since this is Linda's big idea and she just returned from a week in Jamacia , she wins the award of Mermaid Sighting Numero Uno. From the stunning ocean front resort in Negril, Jamacia called Tensing Pen is the Rasta Mermaid. Linda ends all her emails with her life's philosophy "All of life is a journey; therefore, pack lightly and travel broadly."

Waiting in Line

One of the favorite places for our visitors to eat when they come to our area is Paula Deen's Lady and Son's Restaurant. We all love Paula and love how much she supports and cares about the Savannah area and all the people here. The Today Show this morning just did a feature story about waiting in line and how people are attracted to waiting in line- because they know it must be good if that many folks are willing to wait! The Lady in Son's was one of the places they showcased because the average number of people that wait in line- even now in the heat of the summer- is 50 people!!! Visit their website to see some mouth watering pictures of their true southern food! www.ladyandsons.com and be sure to visit ( and wait in line!)

A joy of summer- The ice cream truck!

Sunday was the longest day of the year. Summer is officially here. Today is Tuesday and I know that summer is here because I am sitting at my desk working away. Answering my mobile phone, my office phone and even my blackberry phone . Everyone is trying to find a vacation rental home for 4th of July weekend. The price of gas hasn't affected our travel one bit- at least not for this weekend!

Those of you reading this who've already secured your home are to be congratulated! There are dozens of less fortunate folks who did not have the planning skill that you've exhibited who are extremely disappointed because they are not going to be able to stay at a Mermaid Cottage this holiday weekend! AND will miss seeing our fabulous 4th of July fireworks show on the beach!

But back to my purpose for writing.... I'm sitting here working and then I heard the sound. I am a child of the suburbs, but my urban friends have told me the same sound played in their streets while growing up. Baby Boomers ( like me) Gen X and even Gen Y know this sound. The ice cream truck jingle!

We actually had an ice cream truck on the island today! Right down Chatham Ave she drove! But she was too fast and I was too slow and couldn't get out of my seat, and on the street fast enough to buy a dreamcycle or drumstick... Go to these websites and listen to some of the ice cream truck sounds! Great summer fun! http://www.songsforicecreamtrucks.com/ http://www.icecreamtrucks.com/ http://www.sweetpetesicecream.com/

Hopefully she'll be back tommorrow with that happy sound playing!

Meet our favorite summer visitors - Fiddler Crabs

My daily walks with the dogs takes me past Tybee Tides and Doodlebug Cottage on Venetian Drive. I love the marsh views, enjoy seeing all the visitors riding their bikes, keep an eye out for the many birds feeding in the marsh, listen for the clacking oysters at low tide but during the summer the real treat in the summer time is the return of the FIDDLER CRABS!!!

Our little crabs are either Mud Fiddlers or Atlantic Marsh Fiddlers. When summer heat is here, the crabs are out in full and walking along in front of Tybee Tides or Doodlebug, you can see them by the dozens as they've come out of the marsh onto the wooden sea wall and marsh grass.

Here is some fun info about these little guys:

What do fiddler crabs eat?
Fiddler crabs feed on algae, bacteria and decaying marsh plants.
Fiddlers eat by picking up sediment and scraping it with their mouths to remove food particles.
They often eat in a puddle of water to help separate food from sediment.
Females have the advantage over males for finding and eating food because both their claws are small and dexterous. The adult male's major claw inhibits the feeding process.

How do fiddler crabs reproduce?
In summer, fiddler crabs mate about every two weeks.
The male fiddler digs, maintains and defends a tidy, cylindrical burrow.
To find a female partner, the male stands next to his burrow—often along with other males standing next to their own burrows—while females walk past. He waves his major claw to attract the female's attention.
If a female is interested, she will stare at the male for a short period of time. The male then runs toward the female and runs back to his burrow, repeating this motion several times until the female either moves on or follows him to the burrow.
If the female follows, the male partly enters the burrow and drums the edge with his claw, then leads the female inside, plugs the entrance and returns to the female to mate.
The female incubates her sponge, or eggs, for two weeks, then returns to the surface to release them into the water, where they hatch and develop into juveniles.

Other facts about fiddler crabs:
The male's enlarged major claw is not for fighting predators, but primarily for finding a mate and discouraging rivals.
Adults molt once or twice per year. During its soft-shelled period the fiddler remains near or in its burrow.
If a male loses its major claw, the remaining claw grows to the same size as the lost claw and the claw it regenerates becomes the smaller claw.
Fiddler crab burrows may be up to 2 feet deep.
Though the male's major claw is large, fiddlers are not especially dangerous to handle. But be careful—their claws can break off easily.
Unlike blue crabs , fiddlers breathe oxygen from the atmosphere.

Fiddler on the Creek Cottage

We have a wonderful little cottage on S. Campbell Ave named Fiddler on the Creek now available to rent! This very small pet friendly cottage is able to hold three guests and comes with a dock on the Tidal Creek called Pearl's Place or Barnacle Palace ( depends if you ask Pearl the yellow lab or Katie the owner- Pearl think's it her home and these pictures support her case!). You can kayak right off the dock during high tide and dogs can also jump in the marsh -at their own risk.

And of course Tybee Tides and Doodlebug are always available as well where you can see the daily parade of Fiddlers enjoying their summer days!

Southern Living Top 10 Budget Getaways.....

Look at what Southern Living just said about our little coastal community! We're number two on the Southern Living Magazine Travel and Vacations Top 10 Budget Getaways!

SouthernLiving.com http://www.southernliving.com/southern/travel/weekends/article/0,28012,1734483-2,00.html!

Love at 52 1/2 years of age....

This is my Sex and the City Carrie Bradshaw style blog entry. ( and for those of you who haven't gone to see the movie yet- what are you waiting for! http://www.sexandthecitythemovie.com/ ) My friend Ann George and I have known each other since literally the day we were born. Our mom's were in the same hospital and Annie was born either the 4th, 5th, or 7th of October and I was born either the 8th , 9th, or 10th- neither of can quite remember each other birthdate, but we know we were born a few days apart. Our parents were school teachers in Maryland and they knew each other, Ann and I re connected in High School, also went to the University of Maryland, but then lost track until I ran into her a few years ago in the Delta Crown Room in the Atlanta Airport. And fortunately have stayed in close contact ever since. We've vacationed together, had great times together, cried together and just been around for each other as much as our lives and schedules allowed.

Ann has never been married. She's had some good boyfriends, zillions of guy friends and many, many dates- some of which are stories that make your laugh till your stomach hurts. She threatens to write a book about some time. And you will want to read this book!

But now in the second half of her life and after dating and dating, Ann has found a great love AND they're getting married this fall! This is the happy ending that every single girl of a certain age ( or maybe just every single girl) waits to hear about. The Urban Legend/ Myth that you heard about a friend of your sister's cousin - but this time it's someone you actually know!

Fred is- in the words of my sister- The Tim Russert in Ann's life. He's just a very good man. He's an adult. He's committed to Ann, loves Ann, wants to take care of her ( and will allow her to take care of him) and wants to be there and grow old together. He's been through great loss in his life and understands how rare and truly special a woman like Ann is and wants to cherish and love her above all others...

I share this ( with Ann and Fred's permission ) because I want everyone to know that great adult love truly is possible. Here is the best Fred story that when Ann shared this, we knew he was the one and deserved all the joy Ann will bring to his life. Ann broke her ankle last year and really was in a bad way. Her annual family trip involves going to the Outer Banks of North Carolina with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving. Fred knew how important this was to Ann and volunteered to drive Ann ( who was in a wheelchair) her Mom ( who has alzheimer's and really didn't know where she was) , Ann's golden retriever , Annie ( who can be very skittish and bark, snap and growl) in a rented mini van from Annapolis to the Outer Banks.... a good solid 8 hour drive. And did so with great humor and safe driving! Now this man is the man we all want by our side when the times get tough!

Congratulations Ann and Fred!!! We're very, very happy for you both!

June 20th "National take your dog to work day"

Today is the day to take your pet to work . http://www.takeyourdog.com/ is the official website for all the details! Danny and Max are lucky ( or maybe I'm the lucky one) because they are at work with me every day. In fact, they do keep me on track with my fitness program- if they aren't walked in the morning by 9AM, Danny will bark and Max will just sit there and look at me with his big brown eyes until I notice him,get up, put on his harness and head out. Same routine happens around 5PM, another walk before dinner! Nothing like a dog to make your feel guilty!

The Today Show ran a story this morning about companies that offer this as a perk for their associates . Increased productivity and creativity were two pluses mentioned by companies that are pet friendly for their teams. And one CEO even said that his dog was so important that he will only consider a pet friendly hotel or vacation destination when he travels! Music to our pet friendly cottages and homes! View the video clip from the show.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25280623#25280623

Shrimp, Shrimp, Shrimp, Shrimp!!

I adore the movie, Forest Gump for many reasons. Two big reasons , the movie was filmed in our beloved Low Country- both on Fripp Island, SC and of course downtown historic Savannah and how much Bubba talked and talked about all the ways to prepare shrimp. Like Bubba, I could cook shrimp a zillion ways and never be tired of eating them.

Cause for celebration - Summer time is here and that means our shrimp boats are out fishing right off our coast . We have two types of wild local shrimp that we harvest- white shrimp and brown shrimp. The BROWN SHRIMP are here now! And in the words of Rachel Ray- Yum- Oh! The brown shrimp are only found in the summer time when the shrimp boats can work right off shore . These shrimp love the salt marsh and sea grass and are big, fat and brownish in color. And Sweet! We wait all year for the brown shrimp to be here.

There are two places to buy shrimp right off the shrimp boats here on the Island. Lazeretto Creek Seafood is open 7 days a week from 9AM- 6PM , 912 786 8920 and is located right beside the shrimp docks. When you first cross the Lazeretto Creek Bridge coming on the island, , you make your first right and follow the road along the marsh till you get to the little fishing village. Captain Mike's Dolphin Tours, Cafe Locos, Dewey's all are here. You can also buy shrimp fresh off the boats from Jamie at Bowie Seafood- located at the first stop light on Tybee , 912 786 8211 . You can't miss her building- it's white with red shutters with crabs and shrimp cut outs. AND she has a Leonard Miller whirly gig seafood art creation in her parking lot- look for this great local folk art !

There are two websites to go for more details on Wild local shrimp - http://www.wildgeorgiashrimp.com/ and http://www.wildamericanshrimp.com/

Here is my receipe that I prepare for as many of my family and friends as possible. Easy, delicious and show cases our wild georgia shrimp to their full advantage!

Roasted Tomatoes with Shrimp and Feta

Makes 6 servings

5-8 large tomatoes cut into eighths ( I buy from Davis Produce - their "killer tomatoes"

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of fresh garlic

1 teaspoon of sea salt

1 tablespoon of fresh ground pepper

2 pounds of medium shrimp ( buy with the heads on and then peel)

1 tall sprig of fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

1 cup crumbled Feta Cheese

1 package of whole wheat pasta ( any type of noodles are fine) cooked firm and drained.

Pre heat oven to 450 F. Place tomatoes in large baking dish. Pour olive oil and garlic over tomatoes. Sprinkle salt and pepper and toss.Place fresh sprig of rosemary on top Roast in oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, take off rosemary sprig, add shrimp,lemon juice, feta cheese and toss. Back in the oven for 15 minutes until shrimp are pink. Remove from oven.

Pour over pasta, add dried fresh rosemary, more fresh ground pepper to taste and sprinkle more feta cheese on top. Serve hot and be prepared to share this receipe.

Ideal Bite : tips for a greener lifestyle!

There is a wonderful daily website you can sign up for to receive "green living" tips on how to enhanace your life and help our earth. Today's tip involoves keeping our dogs and cats clean and flea free! Enjoy- and if you'd like to sign up for your own daily tidbits go to http://www.idealbite.com/ for more details.

Today's Tips from their website:

Does your pet smell like absolute scum?
The BiteThat’s ruff. But no need to lie, cheat, or steal to clean ’em up; instead, just tame your best-loved brutes with organic shampoos, breath-fresheners, and flea-fighters.
The Benefits
· Keeping ne’er-do-well creepy-crawlies crawling elsewhere. Natural but effective treatments keep fleas and other pests at bay.
· Putting health fur-st. Many conventional pet cleaning products use pyrethroids, known brain toxins.
· More pet-table coats. Most commercial cleansers contain more than 50% ethyl alcohol, which dries out Fido’s skin.
Personally SpeakingJen's cat Froggy is so into getting brushed that Jen once accidentally brushed him 'til he was completely naked on his right shoulder blade.
Wanna Try?
· Cyber Canine Herbal Ear Cleaning Blend - clear ear goo with natural oils such as chamomile and goldenseal ($15/1 ounce).
· Only Natural Pet All-in-One Flea Remedy - use its nontox minerals on your pet, on the carpet, or in your yard to get rid of fleas ($15/8 ounces).
· Cloud Star Buddy Wash - rub-a-dub-dub, all natural suds that smell like lavender ($10/19 ounces).
· Bowser Breath Herbal Breath Drops - just a few drops of this fennel, parsley, and peppermint formula knocks out dog breath ($5/.5 ounces).
· Evercare Magik Brush - lint-roller that removes fur from your duds - and you dont have to replace the lint tape all the freakin' time ($3).
This tip submitted by Kristen Weinholtz.

Updates on our favorite southern writer- Mary Kay Andrews

We've talked before about our favorite southern writer, Miss Mary Kay Andrews, but let us brag some more about her! Yes, she's still a NY Times Best Selling author, but there's lots going on in her life!

She and her wonderful husband Tom ( or as she says, Mr. Mary Kay), have finally purchased their first beach cottage here on our quirky little island. Breeze Inn ( yes for her many fans, named after the run- down beach motel in her book , Savannah Breeze, was officially purchased last Friday. It is very, very appropiate that Mary Kay is hard at work on her newest novel, The Fixer Upper because this cottage will be a work in progress for several monthes.

On top of all this excitement, she was just photographed and interviewed to be in the Spring 2009 issue of Paula Deen's magazine, which is now the highest circulating food magazine in the world, surpassing even Bon Appetitt.

Be sure to go to Mary Kay's website and read her very entertaining Blog and stay current with all the events in her life. http://www.marykayandrews.com/

Marlin Monroe's Surfside Grill and Paula Deen!

Monday night dinner with my friends Brooke and Susan was at the wonderful Marlin Monroe's Surf Side Grill. WOW! What a great experience!!!! The restaurant is located on the beach right in front of Beach Side Colony on Butler Ave. This is the only restaurant where you can walk in right from the beach, over look the ocean and smell the sea air while you're eating. The moon was almost full tonight, the food very yummy- conch fritters, Oysters, Fish Tacos and Mojitos . We knew we were in good company when as we were arriving, Paula Deen, her husband Michael and another couple were leaving. Paula and Michael both gave us a big smile, said hello and looked liked they'd just had a GREAT MEAL! This is a couple who knows good food and a big, contented smile was all the endorsement we needed!

Check out this special place to eat , relax and enjoy the good life while visiting us here on our coastal sea island. http://www.marlinmonroessurfsidegrill.com/

Luke Russert honoring his dad

I continue to watch all the tributes given by so many people to remember Tim Russert into the night and then first thing in the morning..... This morning's Today Show began at 7AM with Matt Lauer talking with Tim's beloved son , Luke. This 22 year old man had incredible grace, composure and just enough of his Dad to let everyone know that he and his mom were doing as "good as can be expected" but to also know he knew how loved he was by his father. And isn't that what we all really want? To know we are loved and cared about above everything else?



I've heard from so many of you who read my blog to let me know you felt the same way as I do about Tim. His funeral will be Wednesday @ 4PM EST, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The service will be private, but MSNBC will be allowed to broadcast the service because the family knows how beloved Tim is and people want to mourn along with them.



This picture was taken at the end of the Sunday Meet the Press yesterday when Luke went up and touched his dad's chair, just to feel his dad's spirit one more time. The entire conversation with Matt can be heard by going to www.msnbc.com .

Honoring Tim Russert

One of my favorite people has died. I never met him, but I sure felt like I knew him. The incredible Tim Russert.

Watching all the news shows that discuss the politics is one of my great passions. This year we have the world's best reality show on TV right now, the 2008 presidential elections. The constant background in my cottage is the various pundits discussing the ins and outs of the campaign. Tim was the favorite because it was watching that really nice guy, who also happened to be really, really smart talk about everything he knew.

But even more , I so admired this man that did seem to have it all- his wife of over 25 years is Maureen Orth, was one of my favorite writers for Vanity Fair magazine. He loved her, he loved his son, he loved his family. And he loved with a passion the life he had created for himself. You could see the incredible joy in his life everytime he spoke. And this year's campaign was just a little bit more fun because you were watching history in the making right along beside him.

Watching so many people who worked and knew him become so emotional was heartbreaking. Matt Lauer's tribute on the Today show yesterday made you cry because Matt could barely close he was so sad. "He knew he had won life's lottery and couldn't wait to share his joy." But of all the words shared, the words that affected me the most was by Kelly O'Donnell of NBC News who after she finished her tribute to her boss- she said- again- barely getting out the words - "Tim, you lived a terrifci life." And he did. Visit http://www.msnbc.com/ for more of the Terrific life of Tim Russert. He will be missed....

PS- One of Tim's Favorite organizations to support is the Boys and Girls Club of America- you can honor Tim by making a donation in his name by going to www.BGCA.org

48 Hours until Johnny Depp's Wedding....

The rumors are flying all over , when and where is the big wedding.... is it true or is it not true.... is it on the beach, is it at John Mellancamp's Officier's Row home, is it at Sandra Bullock's beach compound.... is it at Doc's Bar with Miss Sylvia playing with the band? Our very own Stephen Palmer of Tybee Island Wedding http://www.tybeeislandwedding.com/ was interviewed last night on our local TV station and as usual is extremely professional and will never share any of his client's wedding plans- be they a movie star or a Savannah local.... watch the tv clip to see what he does (or doesn't say.....) http://www.wjcl.com/ and look at the video! No matter, we wish our pirate friend a long and happy married life!

The Perfect Cottage Chandelier

She shimmers and glows with rainbows of color. Venetian glass from Italy blown into fruits and flowers glass jewels - sea foam green, ocean blue, the palest purple. This incredible chandelier conjures intimacy, emits warmth, beckons to come upstairs to the ultimate guest room. She was created in Venice, but found at the mecca for home decor ABC Carpet and Home (www.abchome.com) in the Delray Beach , Florida outpost. The annual storewide sale happened in December 2007 but she couldn't come to her new home until the Florida trip that was built all around bringing her back in Jan 2008. She sat on the dining room table for 2 months wrapped in miles of bubble wrap. Finally the tower that was built especially for her was complete and she was hung to show off her full glory! Mermaid Manor has her crown and the chandelier has her forever home. All is good in the world!

Mermaid Manor & The Tour of Homes

The Tour is complete, Mermaid Manor is back to normal which means dog toys everywhere, flip flops and sneakers on the front steps, the kitchen is in use for three meals a day, the office has papers and the computer running at full blast. But for one brief shining day, the cottage was at her absolute most perfect self! Here are some pictures of how the upstairs looked- absolute perfection. Thank you to Jane Coslick and her team- Nancy and Anna, Thank you to all the mermaids who jumped in to help iron all those sets of 100% linen curtains- Judy, Mary Lou, Kaye and Sue and thank you to everyone who bought a ticket to support the tour and especially raise money for Savannah's Hope House.

For more pictures on the entire tour, visit :

http://pixels.savannahnow.com/galleries/index.php?id=337883
Tybee Tour of Homes to benefit Hope House - photos by Sherri Simmons

Richard Leo Johnson

We were delighted to welcome to Mermaid Cottages, the famous photographer and musican Richard Leo Johnson and his equally talented wife, Jane. Richard and Jane took a recent mini get away from their home in Savannah and stayed at the Enlisted Men's Mess Hall. And Richard being Richard, couldn't resist styling the home and performing some of his world class architectural photography. Richard has been featured in Coastal Living Magazine, Cottage Living Magazine and numerous books. http://www.coastalliving.com/ http://www.cottageliving.com/ Enjoy these beautiful works of art by Richard!

Our First nest has arrived!!!

BIG NEWS! The first sea turtle nest has been laid! The nest was found this morning on the 6AM dawn watch right by the big curve and anchor. Because the nest was so shallow and in danger of being washed over by the waves, it was moved to the area in the dunes by the 9th street crossover slightly south. There were 119 eggs in the nest and they will be hatching in about 60 days. Stop by and look at the nest- there is yellow "do not distrub" tape around the nest to keep people from walking over the nest. We'll keep you posted on the next sea turtle nest discovery!

Sea Turtle Project update

Here's the updates on Tybee's Sea Turtle Season. As of Friday June 6th we have no nests to report. We had one false crawl- this is where the mother turtle comes ashore to lay her eggs but for some reason goes back to the sea. It may be too much activity on the beach or the lights are too bright from the land which caused her to go back.... Little Tybee did have the first nest layed, however the ghost crabs and the racoons got all the eggs.... The picture to the right shows what a turtle crawl looks like on the beach and the picture to the left is one of last year's babies who just hatched heading back to the sea. For more details on our sea turtle project, visit http://www.tybeemarinescience.org/ The state of Georgia has a total of 203 nests with Cumberland Island alone having 43 nests. We'll keep you updated!

The Day of Rest....

This great art is by the California Artist Fifi Flowers!

The Tybee Tour of Homes is done. Mission Accomplished! Details and pictures will be posted later today, but now lazying in bed with Danny and Max both fed and snoring ( it's time for their 8AM nap), listening to NPR's Sunday Weekend Edition ( http://www.npr.org/) and writing on my blog sounds like the biggest activity I want to accomplish right now!

Some friends stopped by last night after the tour to see how nice the cottage looked. The cottage was already becoming my home again after 10 hours of being picture perfect and one of my friends asked me what I did for fun when I wasn't working. I paused because I thought about how much I do work which is literally all day. But then I said- which is so true- my work isn't work. My life is on purpose. This is the island I chose to live. This is the cottage I created ( with a tremedous amount of help) to be the perfect nest to be happy. I realized that unlike so many people, I don't leave work to go home and have fun, everyday, all day long I am doing exactly what I want. I also realized that I love to Blog and if I had to tell people about my new hobby - it would be that I've joined the world of blogging. So many interesting things appear in my world every day here on Tybee, that it's great fun to share!

So, look for pictures and details later today about the tour and how truly beautiful my cottage turned out.

I'm also sharing a new blog and artist I've found as I continue my search for blogs which are whimiscal and ideal for our cottages. Look at this wonderful picture titled Day of Rest- was perfect for today! To learn more about this artist visit http://www.fififlowersdecor.blogspot.com/

Gotta go-

Will Shortz- you know- NPR's puzzle master is on and I have to try and solve the puzzles! Sunday morning fun at it's best! (http://www.willshortz.com/ )

The Early Dog Days of Summer

Summer is here - we went from a beautiful late spring ( cool nights) to the full blast of summer. All in literally one day! Saturday was late spring, Sunday was Summer

We are busy here in the Coastal Empire ( that's what all the TV stations call the Savannah, Hilton Head, Beaufort, Tybee area isn't that a great name! )
We're getting ready for the Tybee Tour of Homes ( 48 hours and counting) , we have a full group of guests in all our cottages, the phone continues to ring with new guests wanting to come visit- lots of fun work this week!

Something very fun for dog lovers this weekend- Christine Hall Photography is offering a fund raiser for the Savannah area dog adoption and support groups by taking pictures of your dog for a nominal price of $50 plus a bag of dog food. Christine takes beautiful pictures of children, families, couples- but look at this poster and how cute these dog pictures are! Danny and Max have an appointment with Christine on Sunday- we're meeting at 2PM on Sunday in the alley way behind B. Matthews in downtown Savannah. Appartently there is a gorgeous blue wall that Christine loves to shoot as a back drop. If you're interested, call her @ 912-897-9155.

The Shrimp are here!!!! OMG, we wait all year long for our big, fat glorious wild Georgia Shrimp to be harvested and brought to shore. The life of a shrimp is very interesting and we are delighted in the early summer when they're fat and juicy. We buy our shrimp right off the shrimp boats from Bowie Seafood or Lazeretto Creek Seafood. I buy shrimp with the heads on - they are the freshest this way and when you boil them, the flavor even more intense. The current issue of Southern Living Magazine http://www.southernliving.com/ has a terrific article on cooking shrimp in every possible way. And to learn more about wild local shrimp visit http://www.wildamericanshrimp.com/ .

And lastly, because I never cease to be amazed by all the wonderfully wacky people who show up on our island AND because I've learned how to use the two digital camera's that are now in my life ( thank you sissie!) - I'm taking pictures and posting them . This is my favorite picture of Margaret and Patches who along with husband Larry, stayed at Good Times Vacation Apartment. Larry and Margaret love to walk, Patches not so much. But because they hate to leave Patches behind , he rides along in the stroller. Margaret became a walking billboard for us as she sported her Mermaid Cottage Baseball cap as she strolled the island!

Becoming an Island Character

It starts slowly..... you never see it coming. You realize you live in a small town where being a character is a badge of honor. It's the whole Key West thing- you know - you're at the end of the chain of islands, can't get any further south- or in the case of Tybee- can't get any further East. It's where everyone has a story, some better stories then others, some sadder then others, but everyone has one.

You notice that you really don't mind wearing a baseball cap to cover your hair ( but it better be a Doc's Bar cap or Tybee Bomb Squad Hat). You find that flip flops are your shoes of choice ( and some Tybee characters have found socks to wear with flip flops) You find reasons not to go over "The Bridge" to the "mainland". You really don't need that car because your fat seat beach bike - the rustier the better ( won't get stolen that way!) gets you pretty much where you want to go. You have the internet to order basically anything you want AND it gets delievered to your front door- so you find yourself happier and happier with a wonderfully simple life style!

And then it happens. You become one of the characters you used to point out to your friends with a giggle.... Yes, this happened to me yesterday. My summer island car- the 25 year old volvo with KiKi, DeeDee and Jeff also carries around Danny and Max, my two labs. And poor Danny has a terrible hot spot from scratching that grew over night and to keep him from scratching, he has to wear a collar. But because Dr. Maheny,my wonderful vet ( Island Vet Clinic on Wilmington Island- the best vets in the world!) felt that because Danny was an island dog, he needed a much more festive protective collar vs those boring white Elizabethan style collars. So Danny looks like he's wearing a life preserver and of course he rides in the front seat of the volvo- hence the tybee character I've become....

KiKi, DeeDee and Jeff

My darling daughter, Katie, is off on her summer vacation. This means driving up and down the Eastern Seaboard visiting grandparents, little brothers, family and friends. She drives a hand me down Volvo ( which she adores) but there is no air bags or AC. I couldn't let her drive such a car for thousands of miles, so she took my beloved Honda CRV and off she went. Which left me driving her very first car, the 25 year old Volvo station wagon with almost 150,000 miles AND no AC. But in this summer of high gas prices, I'm riding my bike as often as possible on Tybee and bundling my trips off island to conserve gas. So what the heck. That's what you do for your kids.



The first weekend of driving Katie's car, I knew we needed to take care of a few things. The first task was to fix her dashboard hula girl from Hawaii- KiKi. This poor girl was 8 years old and had lost her hula skirt from dancing too much. All that shaking had worn off the raffa skirt..... I didn't know quite what to do, but believe it or not, the answer appeared after enjoying a mojito down by the shrimp boats while my friend Karyn was here visiting from Miami . The North Island Surf and Kayak shop is located right beside Dewey's where we were having drinks. There on the shop counter were real live, honest to goodness hula dancing people direct from Hawaii ready to dance, shimmy and shake. I decided that if she was in a group of dancing people, no one would really notice her lack of a skirt! So DeeDee and Jeff joined the dashboard dance team and off we went. Jeff is named after Jeffrey Bundy Wahl of Miami who can teach all of us a thing or two about living life to the fullest, even if it means you're stuck in an un Air conditioned 25 year old volvo playing a ukulele!

Service Dogs

Danny is my beautiful golden lab ( he's half golden retriever/ half yellow lab) and was the last guide dog for the blind puppy I was raising. At 6 months the school found out Danny had bad hips ( guide dogs need to be physically and mentally perfect) and he became my personal pet. Many of you know I was lucky enough to work with two different guide dog schools - Guide Dog Foundation in New York and Southeastern Guide Dogs in Florida, helping raise puppies, help train prison dogs on weekends and now sponsoring a guide dog puppy yearly.

There was a wonderful story on NBC news tonight ( you can't help but love Brian Williams!) about Puppies Behind Bars where prisoners raise and train guide dogs and service dogs. As I always do when I see or read about these service dogs, I start to get weepy because I know how much these dogs will change a person's life. My dear friends with Marriott- CJ and Bev Jensen are the ones who got me started with raising puppies ( they are on their 13th puppy- their goal is to raise 26- naming each one thru the alphabet) and we had one Marriott team meeting where three of us had a guide dog puppy we were training!

Guide dog schools around the country have evoloved. It used to be that if a guide dog puppy didn't make it as a guide dog for the blind ( they called it a change in careers) they would become someone's personal pet. That's how Danny became my pet. But now, guide dogs who don't make are used in a wide variety of other service dog roles. The story on NBC news tonight was two fold- one talking about how prisoners are raising the puppies, but also how soldiers coming back and having stress problems are receiving one of these dogs as therapy dogs. They are also sending these service dogs over to Iraq to help the soldiers cope with the stress of war. One of CJ's dogs is now serving in Iraq.... helping these soldiers handle everything they are dealing with.

Every year Mermaid Cottages sponsors a guide dog puppy. Go to the Fun Stuff portion of the website and read about my two last dogs. The next puppy I'll be sponsoring will be named after Tony Petrea, Jr, a fine young man who lived and worked on Tybee and died far too young earlier this year. The puppy will be born in one of the August litters and we'll keep everyone posted on the puppy and details!

You can learn more about all these programs on http://www.guidedog.org/ http://www.guidedogs.org/ and http://www.puppiesbehindbars.com/