Tee'd off during the Ice Storm

Closing the Ravenel bridge for multiple days because of ice really messed things up for Charleston in February.  Businesses were crippled, schools were closed and everyone was irate about the way everything was handled.  I wasn’t happy about it myself.  The thing that was talked about very little during the whole debacle was the time we were fortunate enough to spend stuck at home with our families in the middle of the week.  I became daddy day care as my 18month old son and I finger painted, built blanket forts and played every game imaginable to pass the time.  It wasn’t until the second episode of the ice apocalypse that I realized the time I took for granted.  My brother invited me to play with him in the Northern Trust PGA Pro Am.  Luckily my travel plans were not delayed because of the storm.  We were paired to play with PGA elite Jim Furyk.  While everyone in Charleston was once again stranded at home because of ice, I was playing golf in 75 degree weather at the Riviera Country Club in California.  I learned two things during this wonderful trip.  First, my golf game could use some work.  Second, when you receive advise from a former US Open Champion golfer you should listen.  Furyks advise, “Slow down, take your time and enjoy the moment.”  He was mostly talking about my golf swing, but I took it to heart.  Furyk could not have been a more personable person to spend the day with playing golf.  He talked constantly about his wife and kids, his own father and his unending passion for all sports.  He made me realize how fortunate I was to be invited by my older brother to spend a few days reconnecting with each other.  He told me to talk my time on my golf swing, but I realized that isn’t the only thing I need to take my time on.  He helped me understand that being stuck at home with your toddler when you have a long list of things that need to get done at work is a blessing.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

" If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants." - Isaac Newton    Some may remember the Oasis Album standing on the shoulders of giants I think more toward the quote of Isaac Newtown.  Nevertheless every time I look at this picture of Myers my son and me at the beach I think of the this quote. As he turns 1 year old I continue to reflect how my life has changed in the last year.  My wife and I have new priorities, new expectations and certainly a new appreciation of the word, "free time."  I have learned most that our actions are a direct representation of what we will receive in return for those actions.  Sometimes that makes me happy, other times scream and more times than not, I now smile.  I am more thankful today than ever before for the opportunities, lessons and example my parents set for me.  I am inspired to do so for my own children.  I hope this lesson reflects my continued appreciation of my colleagues, friends and customers.

My Rockslinger is born!

Our newest addition to the Fieldstone Center team arrived on Monday, July 23, 2012.  Myers Henderson is ready to get his hands dirty.  I am now the proud father to my first child, a beautiful baby boy.  Every morning he stares out the window hoping to get a ride in daddy's truck.  For now, I think I will restrain from dipping his brand new monogrammed onesie into the pluff mud and let mom wine and dine him for awhile.  I am better at changing diapers anyway.  I will continue to post updates on my blog, because this kid is just to cute for words and his mom and I are so happy to have him in our lives.

Charleston Race Week

In the mix with 275 other boats and many distinguished professional sailors from around the world, Charleston Race Week was a blast. You could say that our boat "Sugar Magnolia" didn't have a chance but our skipper David Hackney was certain to make an impact on the race course. A local knowledge of the Charleston weather patterns and tides was about all we had in our favor. Statistically, our 12 man amateur crew was overmatched against the big boys. We finished the first day of sailing on Friday in 11th place. The conditions were more favorable for our J-130 on Saturday and Sunday and we made some progress on our fleet. If you asked our crew they would exclaim that we won the party following the races. We drank and danced with our toes in the sand till the sun went down each night. The race director Randy Draftz was quoted in the Post and Courier estimating that the attendees consumed "260 gallons of Goslings Rum." I will admit that our crew staked a fair share in the feat. The weather was gorgeous and being out in Atlantic Ocean Friday, Saturday and Sunday and enjoying the sunsets over the city skyline was fantastic. If you have never experience a Patriots Point party of nearly 2000 drunken sailors you need to mark your calendars for next year's Charleston Race Week because it is sure to be a good time. I put up a few more photos on my blog.

Polar Plunge 2012

Ringing in the New Year Folly Beach Style....

There was a crowd at the starting line this much larger than in years past due to the wonderfully warm weather on New Years Day. 

We made a mad dash for the ocean because for the first time in years the temperature was pretty nice.  About 50degrees or so.

I believe the best part about this tradition is the characters that you see throughout the event.  I have never been to an event in this town where the age ranges from 5-60 and everyone is out having a good time. We met up with an old man wearing a dress and a wig and I have to admit the costume took the cake for me. 

I on the other hand was dressed as a pirate and took to the sea navigating my way to the ocean for an ice cold dip in the Atlantic. 

My wife remained dry but was a very patient and supportive photographer this year. 

We may not have been the best dressed but I have to say we had the most fun.

Hopefully the beautiful afternoon is a sign of good times to come in 2012!!!

Charleston to Bermuda Race 2011

So I turned 30 years old on Sunday and don't feel much different but somehow realized that my 20's flew by so fast. They were fun and I feel like I have made a lot of progress in the growing up category but I didn't have one of those chalk in up on the bucket list for the defining moment of my 20's. That's not completely true I guess. October 4th, 2008 wasn't a bucket list item but by far the defining moment of my 20's. I married the girl of my dreams and after our wedding she convinced me to move to Charleston. The first three years of marriage have filled my life with a whole new appreciation for life. I have opened my mind up to things that I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be experiencing. My wife introduced me to life on the water. Living near the ocean and its beauty is a powerful experience. Being out in the middle of the ocean in a small boat takes you back hundreds of years to more primitive times. You are all of a sudden less powerful and have a whole new appreciation for your surroundings. My attention is now drawn toward to the wind, the changes in the tides, and the phases of the moon. My curiosity toward my surroundings is constantly spiked.





Last weekend my wife and I competed in the Dragonboat Charleston Festival at Brittlebank Park with her co-workers. The very last race was an extreme challenge for our team. We wanted to win so badly. As a storm was approaching and the tide coming up the Ashley River, we were faced with a nasty windy race against the current. Our team was very focused and got off the starting line first. However, as the wind howled in our ears and the splashing of our oars and boat against the tide, we started to get out of rhythm. We couldn't even hear our drummer. What started as a team effort ended as each individual forced their paddle into the water as hard as they could to keep the boat moving. We came in third, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort. We failed to consider as a team that rhythm and staying together was more important than our individual efforts and enthusiasm. The wind and tide were the catalyst for distraction or loss of concentration. Had we paid more attention to the weather we might have ended with a different result. This example may be blown a little out of proportion but it made me realize the powerful forces around us that are much bigger than we are. Or bigger than 21 very focused paddlers are on a dragonboat.




This same realization is what made me decide that I wanted to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to Bermuda. Several months ago I was asked by a friend of mine if I wanted to sail with him to Bermuda in the Charleston to Bermuda Race. I knew my wife would not be a fan but I told him I would think about it. I will be the first one to admit that I don't have near the amount of experience needed to participate in this race but I believe my focus and diligence is going to help me in the end. I have gone over and over with my crewmate the safety precautions and feel confident in my abilities to make quick decisions under pressure. The thing that I am looking forward to most is growing in my appreciation and knowledge of the blue water. If my wife knew back when we got married that moving to Charleston would lead me to crossing off my first bucket list item of my 30's by sailing to Bermuda 777 miles in a boat she might have reconsidered. The only thing that would make the journey more special would be if she were there to do it with me. Feel free to check in on our journey across the Atlantic beginning May 21st at 1PM. You can track us here http://yb.tl/c2b2011. I will be on a J-130 Solarus.

Little known facts about Oysters

Have you looked at your calendars lately and realized that every other weekend is filled with the words oyster and roast. Community Sailing Oyster Roast at Bowen's Island, Boone Hall Lowcountry Festival, Sullivan's Island Oyster Roast under the Big Tin. It seems like a lot of monotony, but I look forward to every one of them. It involves eating drinking and socializing so count me in. However, all of this led me to the question of why? Why do we attend all of these oyster roast and why in the months that end in "R"

I have included some little known facts to think about thanks to the research of www.charlestonlowcountry.com. I hope you enjoy and I look forward to seeing you at the next oyster roast and maybe we can share a bucket together and some beer of course or if you want to take home the festivities, stop by our yard and pick out a firepit to do it in your own backyard...

Oysters Male or Female

There is no way of telling male oysters from females by examining their shells. While oysters have separate sexes, they may change sex one or more times during their life span. The gonads, organs responsible for producing both eggs and sperm, surround the digestive organs and are made up of sex cells, branching tubules and connective tissue.

What is that tiny crab we see in an oyster?

It is a species of crab (Pinnotheres ostreum) that has evolved to live harmoniously inside an oyster's shell. These dime-sized crabs, much sought after by gourmands, are not abundant.

How do pearls end up inside of oysters?

An oyster produces a pearl when foreign material becomes trapped inside the shell. The oyster responds to the irritation by producing nacre, a combination of calcium and protein. The nacre coats the foreign material and over time produces a pearl.

The "R" Myth

Folklore says that oysters should be eaten only in months with "r's" in them -- September, October, etc. However, oysters can be eaten 12 months a year. The notion that oysters should not be eaten in "r"-less months -- that is, months that occur during warm weather -- may have started in the days when oysters where shipped without adequate refrigeration and could spoil. But today all that has changed and we can enjoy oysters twelve months a year.

Oysters and Their Nutritional Value

Oysters are not only delicious, but they're also one of the most nutritionally well balanced of foods, containing protein, carbohydrates and lipids. The National Heart and Lung Institute suggest oysters as an ideal food for inclusion in low-cholesterol diets. Oysters are an excellent source of vitamins A, B1(thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), C ( ascorbic acid) and D (calciferol). Four or five medium size oysters supply the recommended daily allowance of iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese and phosphorus.

Health Tip

Because raw foods including oysters may carry bacteria, persons with chronic liver disease, impaired immune systems or cancer should avoid eating raw oysters.

Atlanta Showroom

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Outdoor Showroom a Success! The Fieldstone Center of Atlanta has completed their renovation and it is extraordinary.  We didn't hold back in the design or the features.  Now you can experience your outdoor world in real life not just on a blueprint drawing or a magazine picture.  The display includes sample walls for easy selection of materials.  We built two beautiful outdoor kitchens with all the bells and whistles.   Did you ever think that you would need a grill that produces 145,000 BTUs or a kegerator in your backyard?  We did.  And once you come take a look you will want one too.  We have built a see-thru fireplace with a water fall off the backside.  A large Koi pond, a stone bridge over a stream and a firepit on the kitchen island.  The Fieldstone Center managed to even create a recliner bench out of fabricated limestone.  Once our oyster pit is installed at our Charleston location it will be hard to keep you away.  Come down and take a look and if you are really nice we might even cook you something on our new grills or better yet - you can cook it yourself.