The Angel Oak Tree is a Southern live oak located in Angel Oak Park on Johns Island near Charleston, South Carolina. It is a southern soldier that has stood guard over the south for hundreds of years. Native Americans, slaves and immigrants from many other countries have taken shelter from it's enormous limbs. The stories this old oak could tell would fill a book as large as it is. How many lovers has sat on its branches, or evil plots has it heard? It is a living monument to survival. To see this massive soldier is free and worthy of a visit.Who knows how many more years this majestic wonder has left... According to several sources, this ancient tree is approximately 1,500 years old. That would make it about 1,100 years old when the Pilgrims first set foot in North America. It is said to be one of the OLDEST living organisms East of the Mississippi River, which makes standing in the shadows of its massive canopy a great honor. This tree has survived natural disasters like the Great Charleston Earthquake of 1886, the Hurricane of 1893, Hurricane Hugo in 1989, and countless humans climbing it's branches over more than a dozen centuries. It stands 66.5 ft (20 m) tall, measures 28 ft (8.5 m) in circumference, and produces shade that covers 17,200 square feet (1,600 m2). Its longest branch distance is 187 ft. in length. The oak derives its name from the estate of Justis and Martha Angel, and local folklore tells stories of ghosts of former slaves appearing as angels around the tree. Recorded history traces the ownership of the live oak and surrounding land, back to the year 1717 when Abraham Waight received it as part of a small land grant. The tree stayed in the Waight family for four generations, and was part of a Marriage Settlement to Justus Angel and Martha Waight Tucker Angel. The Angel Oak Tree - Charleston Tree 3688 Angel Oak Road, Johns Island, SC 29455 Hours 9-5 Mon- Sat, 1-5 Sunday Phone 843-559-3496 This past weekend I spent Saturday, January 24th and Sunday January 25th at the Frampton Plantation in Yemassee, South Carolina as a guest of the South Carolina Lowcountry Tourism Commission. I was there to raise money for the Diann Shaddox Foundation. The "Frampton House" property was part of an original King's Grant to the Frampton family in the 1700s. In 1865, General Sherman's troops burned the plantation house and all the farm buildings that stood on this site. In 1868, John Frampton rebuilt the present charming Lowcountry farmhouse and continued to work the land, which is now the home of the SC Lowcountry Tourism Commission. Saturday morning began rainy and windy with the ground saturated from the storms the night before. I arrived around 9:00 that wet morning to find beige A frame canvas tents dotting the grounds of the old plantation where Union and Confederate soldiers had spent the night. 19th-century cannons made by Lt. Colonel Vernon Terry were placed in front of the old plantation home. As the morning moved on the rain clouds seemed to be racing across the sky as the warmth of the South Carolina sun began to shine down upon the Plantation. For me though, since my tremors go wild in cold and I couldn't seem to have enough layers of clothes on I sat quivering from Essential Tremor and the cold. The plantation home became busy with soldiers and visitors scurrying and preparing for the Battle of Pocotaligo to take place later that day. Members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans: Charles Jones Colcock Camp 2100 and the 144th New York State Volunteers, whose ancestors fought at the 1864 Battle of Honey Hill In Ridgeland, SC were present to represent Union and Confederate soldiers at the Battle of Pocotaligo reenactment. In the quietness of the afternoon The Battle of Pocotaligo began with the firing of the cannons echoing across the valley shaking and rattling the old plantation home. The original Battle of Pocotaligo was fought on May 29, 1862 near Yemassee, SC. The Unions objective was to sever the Charleston and Savannah Railroad to isolate Charleston. During that battle, the Union lost 2 & 9 wounded, and the Confederates lost 2 & 6 wounded. The second Battle of Pocotaligo was on October 22, 1862 and once more, the objective was to sever the railroad. In both battles, the Confederate soldiers were able to keep the Union soldiers from the railroad. Sunday was a picture perfect day that started out cool but warmed into the high 50’s. Each day I was able to meet and talk with so many people to explain about the Diann Shaddox Foundation’s mission to bring awareness for Essential Tremor, the largest movement disorder. I was able to meet Ann, James, Pat, Claudia, Brittany, Bob Rogers, Lt. Colonial Vernon Terry, and so many others. Not only did I get to enlighten so many about Essential Tremor, I also learned so much about history. I was very pleased that so many young people were there and interested in talking to historians. To witness how people lived sleeping in tents and their entertainment, (not the computer or cell phones) listening to guitar playing and singing at night by a campfire, and reading books or telling stories by the light of oil lamps was wonderful. It was a couple of fascinating days. To learn more about the reenactments go to: Sons of Confederate Veterans: Charles Jones Colcock Camp 2100 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sons-of-Confederate-Veterans-Charles-Jones-Colcock-Camp-2100/462176950559213?fref=photo & 144th New York State Volunteers, Saturday January 24, 2015: Diann Shaddox Author to raise funds for Diann Shaddox Foundation will be at the 2015 re-enactment Battle of Pocotaligo Civil War hosted by the Sons of Confederate Veterans: Charles Jones Colcock Camp 2100 and the SC Lowcountry Tourism Commission at Frampton Plantation in Point South! Please stop by, visit and get your signed copy of “A Faded Cottage” a SC love story about an artist with Essential Tremor & “Whispering Fog” a time travel. The event is hosted by the Charles Jones Colcock Camp #2100 Sons of Confederate Veterans, Ridgeland, SC. Frampton Plantation is part of the Lowcountry Tourism Commission. #SCLowcountry#CivilWar #Yemassee For information go to: https://www.facebook.com/pages/SC-Lowcountry-Tourism-Commission/147593725273609?fref=ts Growing up my grandmother had a huge pink camellia bush/tree in her front yard just like this one in the picture. The camellia would be covered in the most beautiful pink blooms at the end of December/first of January. It was the most beautiful site in the dead of winter. Many years a pure white snow would fall blanketing the camellia making it look like a beautiful handcrafted lace tablecloth. I miss seeing that camellia, but I will always have my southern dreams. Happy memories & winter to all. 'Pink Perfection' This awesome Japonica is the most popular camellia in America. The dense upright plant is covered in masses of the dazzling perfect camellia blooms from late fall to early spring. A superb camellia for the garden! Today, January 14th, is my father’s birthday, a man I never met. A strange thing to be able to say you never met you own father. It was fall day that Sunday, November 20th when my father, a pilot, alone flew a stunt plane up into the blue sky for a few of his friends, as they, including my mother and brother stood watching. The plane's motor stalled and dove back to the ground. That one day changed many lives, including my own. Almost a month later I was born. I learned about my father from stories told from friends and family, that he was a very kind, generous man. This is the beginning chapter in my book of life, a chapter with only memories that have come from others, not my own, a chapter molding me into the person I have become. Happy birthday to my daddy, William. PaDud’s tales. Predicting the weather When I was growing up in a small southern town in Arkansas I had an older gentleman who lived next door. We called him PaDud, his name was Dudley. PaDud was able to predict when storms would be moving in. He would study the sky and clouds the night before and forecast the weather for the next day. He knew if it would be a hot summer or cold winter by how animals acted. I have to say he was correct or at least most of the time. We have heard of old myths, but they are just superstition, old wives' tales, and folklore, right? Or, are they the real way to predict the weather and how accurate are they. Scientists have always been skeptic, but a few weather experts say some superstitions have it right. Some people still use certain signs like rings around the moon, the shape of the clouds, an angry morning sky, a clap of thunder during the winter as weather predictors. Farmers have always depended on these predictions, clouds, moon, animals, for planting their crops and when it’s time to harvest them. Many farmers have depended on the Old Farmer’s Almanac for years and still talk about the folklore and superstitions. I did research when I wrote Whispering Fog, about folklore, myths, and superstitions the ones sailors have always believed in. Of course, the captain of the ship and the sailors used the stars to guide them, but they also paid attention to the sky. The color of the sky, the shape, size of the clouds, and which way the wind's blowing would tell them the weather forecast. Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky in the morning, sailor’s take warning This saying is known by most sailors even today. If you get up in the morning and the sky has turned red, it’s a good chance the seas and wind are kicking up, a sign that the ocean is going to be choppy. This means that the sun’s light is reflecting off the clouds and that could mean a storm system is building in the sky, approaching. There is some truth in this wives' tale. Seagulls’ movements This is another wives' tale that many sailors look for and live by; watching seagulls’ movements. The birds tend to know when a storm is coming in, so if seagulls start to move toward land in flocks, you may want to take a second look at the forecast. A halo around the moon as a warning of rain or snow The halo around the moon, the gentle white circle we sometimes see resting around the moon on cold nights, is caused by cirrus clouds. Cirrus clouds, (or seed clouds, that is what PaDud called them), are made of ice crystals rather than the water droplets that form most clouds. The cirrus clouds sit high in the sky and stretch thinly across the moon so thinly, that the moon’s light shines through and scatters, creating a halo effect. It is true that cirrus clouds could be the first clouds to increase in front of a storm system, usually a winter storm. A round topped cloud with a flatted base, carries rainfall in its face. Cloud formations, height, size, color and density do predict weather forecast. Thunder in winter signal snow seven to 10 days later Have you ever heard thunder in the winter, a strange thing to hear unless you are living in south Florida. Many people have said they believe in this old saying and if you hear thunder you can expect snow, but this is one saying I haven’t seen come true, even though people swear by it. It is uncommon to hear thunder in winter because there’s not a lot of humidity in the air. Rain from the east, two day wet at least. Most weather patterns travel from the west to the east, so this is a very interesting weather pattern coming from the east. If the moon shows like a silver shield you needn’t be afraid to reap your fields. But if she rises haloed round, soon we’ll tread on deluged ground. People from the beginning of time have used the moon to predict the weather. According to weather myths the shape, color and location of the moon can predicts weather patterns and how plants will grow. Farmers have believed in planting their crops by using the signs of the moon. They watch for signs of rain and storms. In the fall, farmers have used the harvest moon as the time to bring in their crops. Native American have many belief in how to predict weather by the moon. One belief is if the moon looks like it is tipped on its back, it is holding water that will not spill. If it is tipped forward the water will spill from it, in the form of rain. Holly berries shining red mean a long winter, ‘tis said. This saying is true, or that's what I believe. I have huge Holly bushes in my yard and we had 7 inches of snow one winter and the holly berries were shining bright red in the blanket of white. More old wives' tales Mourning Doves will coo waiting for more rain. Cobwebs in the grass mean rain. Pink clouds in the west at evening time means rain. Yellow streaks in sunset sky, wind and daylong rain is nigh. If horses are restless and shake their heads a lot, it means rain is on the way. Owls will hoot more at night if rain is on the way. Enjoy your day and look up at the sky. |