September is the time for...

 

Tropical Storm Idalia Passes 

Here we are in the first week of September and have witnessed our first run in with a hurricane/tropical storm. I am extremely happy to say our community faired very well, with small losses of branches and a little debris. Let's remember not to be too complacent about our weather situation here in Indigo Hall and surrounding areas. We do live a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean and can very easily be subject to very extreme weather conditions. Always heed the warnings given, keep your eyes on your neighbors, pets and family members in the storm path. If in doubt, do the safe thing and travel away from the affected area. For more information, please click here.

Now That's Interesting

Ever hear of a Resurrection Fern? I never did before this month, so let's take a look.

This remarkable plant can lose about 75 percent of its water content during a typical dry period and possibly up to 97 percent in an extreme drought. During this time, it shrivels up to a grayish brown clump of leaves. When it is exposed to water again, it will “come back to life” and look green and healthy. The plant gets its name from this supposed “resurrection,” but it never actually dies during the process. By contrast, most other plants can lose only 10 percent of their water content before they die. Fronds are typically 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 centimeters) in length.

This fern is found throughout the Southeast, as far north as New York and as far west as Texas. Due to its ability to withstand drought, it can be found in a variety of habitats, but it needs a host plant or other substrate on which to anchor itself. Resurrection ferns often favor oak trees. 

The resurrection fern is a type of epiphytic fern, which means it grows on top of other plants or structures and reproduces by spores, not seeds. The spores are housed in structures called sori on the underside of fronds. Although resurrection ferns grow on top of other plants, they do not steal nutrients or water from their host plant.

In 1997, the resurrection fern was taken into space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery to watch its resurrection in zero gravity. What a amazing plant, and best of all...we have them right in our neighborhood. (NatureServe Explorer, United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Illinois Plant Palette.)

Authors Personal Corner

RJ Kennedy

With extreme happiness, I want to wish my grandson Robert James Kennedy IV, (or as we call him... RJ) a very happy one-year (or 12 months for the official baby age people) birthday. He was born 9/10/2022 and has brought me great pride and joy. Don't tell him, but there is going to be a big swagoo party for him and his Dajie (that's me) has a surprise for him in about 17 or so years. Hmmmm... I'm thinking College of Charleston.

Somewhat a Casual Glance

So, a question that does get some traction over in Fresh Fields is what is going on with this build site called Seafields? Have the builders jumped ship, ran out? Will the construction start up again? If not, will this big pile of overgrown weed infested fill dirt have something else put on the site? Well, I have found some information that may help understand a little of what is going on.... read below. Link to the actual website is after the article. 

Ziegler Closes $212,930,000 Bond Financing For Seafields at Kiawah Island, a new Life Plan Community (Cision prweb.com)

This post is a direct article quote from Cision prweb.com

Ziegler, a specialty investment bank, is pleased to announce the successful closing of Seafields at Kiawah Island’s $212,930,000 Series 2023 bonds. Kiawah Life Plan Village, Inc. (KLPV) is a South Carolina nonprofit corporation that was formed on December 7, 2020, to develop, own, and operate a senior living community on approximately 8 acres in Kiawah Island, South Carolina to be known as Seafields at Kiawah Island (“Seafields” or the “Community”). The Community will be a licensed continuing care retirement community and is currently planned to consist of 90 independent living units and 16 assisted living units as well as common areas and amenities including full-service dining, bar, bistro, outdoor infinity pool, fitness center, yoga, salon, physical therapy, wellness center, theater and various multipurpose rooms. Seafields is located adjacent to Freshfields Village, which is an open-air pedestrian village with a variety of stores, dining, events and entertainment located at Kiawah Island. KLPV will use the proceeds of the Series 2023 Bonds along with other available funds will be used to (1) finance and reimburse the costs of developing, marketing, acquiring, constructing and equipping a continuing care retirement community consisting of 90 independent living units, 16 assisted living units and associated common areas that will be located on an approximately 8.0 acre tract of land; (2) refund the outstanding Series 2021 Bond Anticipation Notes; (3) fund debt service reserve funds; (4) funded interest; (5) fund a portion of reserves; and; (6) pay the cost of issuance. The Series 2023 Bonds are fixed rate bonds and will be Issued through the South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority. The Series 2023 Bonds consists of $87.125 million of long-term fixed rate bonds, and $125.805 million of Tax-exempt Mandatory Paydown Securities (TEMPSSM) and taxable mandatory paydown securities (TMPSSM), totaling $212.93 million (collectively, the “Series 2023 Bonds”). Additionally, an affiliate of the developer will purchase a $3,770,000 taxable Subordinate Capital Appreciation Bond. Seafields and Kiawah Island is being developed and managed by BRP Senior Housing Management, a vertically integrated firm with capabilities in development, renovation, operation and restructuring expertise in both senior housing communities. Kiawah Island Real Estate is the sole real estate brokerage company for the Community providing both marketing and sales for prospective residents with a team of sales executives dedicated to Seafields at Kiawah Island. Rob Gall, Director, Ziegler Investment Banking, stated, “Ziegler is very proud to help provide construction financing for Seafields at Kiawah Island in a very challenging capital markets environment. The Community is solving a critical piece to the sea islands of Kiawah and Seabrook where seniors will now have the option to stay or live on the beautiful sea islands of South Carolina.” Todd Lillibridge, Chairman of the Board of Kiawah Life Plan Village shared, “The Board is pleased with the outcome of achieving a successful financing that was underwritten by Ziegler. We look forward to seeing Seafields at Kiawah Island serve as a vibrant addition to the community by providing residents and their loved ones with a place to live and enjoy their lives while the ability to remain in the community with their network of friends, family, amenities, and proximity to quality healthcare resources.” Richard Ackerman Senior Partner of BRP Senior Housing Management stated, “The completion this financing plus the earlier BANs financing is allowing us to bring best in class senior housing to Kiawah Island on a one of kind site. With 70 units reserved the project has wide acceptance in the market. Ziegler and the whole team did a great job given a tough market and a unique project. We look forward to an opening in the fall 2025.” Ziegler is the nation’s leading underwriter of financing for not-for-profit senior living providers. Ziegler offers creative, tailored solutions to its senior living clientele, including investment banking, financial risk management, merger and acquisition services, seed capital, FHA/HUD, capital and strategic planning as well as senior living research, education, and communication. For more information about Ziegler, please visit us at http://www.ziegler.com. 

About Ziegler: 

Ziegler is a privately held, national boutique investment bank, capital markets and proprietary investments firm. It has a unique focus on healthcare, senior living and education sectors, as well as general municipal and structured finance. Headquartered in Chicago with regional and branch offices throughout the U.S., Ziegler provides its clients with capital raising, strategic advisory services, fixed income sales, underwriting and trading as well as Ziegler Credit, Surveillance and Analytics. To learn more, visit http://www.ziegler.com.

Certain comments in this news release represent forward-looking statements made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This client’s experience may not be representative of the experience of other clients, nor is it indicative of future performance or success. The forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, in particular, the overall financial health of the securities industry, the strength of the healthcare sector of the U.S. economy and the municipal securities marketplace, the ability of the Company to underwrite and distribute securities, the market value of mutual fund portfolios and separate account portfolios advised by the Company, the volume of sales by its retail brokers, the outcome of pending litigation, and the ability to attract and retain qualified employees.

Ziegler Closes $212,930,000 Bond Financing For Seafields at Kiawah Island, a new Life Plan Community (prweb.com)

Maybe we will see some action, maybe not.... one can only speculate.

Neighbor of the Month

This month our Neighbor of the Month is our great friend Judy Grady. Judy lives at 7116 Indigo Palms Way and has been a Johns Island resident for a little more than 36 years. For her first 30 year, she passed the time of day on Kiawah Island, where she continues to see good friends and acquaintances almost every week. An avid bridge player, you can see the bridge groups cars parked in the normal bridge ladies' spots once or twice a month, depending on who has the game that week. For the past six years, Judy has been living here in Indigo Hall, the first 4 years as a renter, and becoming owner just a couple of years ago. Judy has two fantastic daughters, Marilyn and Amy, both living in Charlotte, NC, and three precious granddaughters Jensen, Sophie, and Liza. Of course, we cannot forget her wonderful dog Banji, "the best baby boy anyone could ask for". For several years, Judy has honored her late husband's legacy by being a proud volunteer serving the Heywood-Grady Tennis Charity.  

Pet of the Month

This month our Pet of the Month is the love our great friend Judy Grady's life, Banji. Living was not easy for our little guy. He came from a miserable life being a collar chained, outdoor dog for two years. He was later rescued by a shelter in Summerville, where he finally found a loving home here on Indigo Palms Way. 

This young border collie has a fantastic disposition and is a joy to behold. 

As a Neighborhood Service

SNAKES - Steer clear from these guys

Welcome back to our little look into some of our not-so friendly co-inhabitants we live with 

This segment will help you identify the somewhat less known and less frequently seen dangerous snakes we live with. 

What is it and what should I do?

Please remember, there are 38 snake species in South Carolina, only six of which are venomous. 

Many snakes provide an important service keeping rodent and other pest populations under control. The venomous species tend to be secretive and are less frequently encountered. All snakes are nonaggressive when left alone. Click here to download the South Carolina Department of Natural Recourses Guide to venomous snakes of South Carolina (SCDNR) (image of download to the right). 

The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake is the largest rattlesnake species and is one of the heaviest known species of venomous snake with one specimen shot in 1946 measuring 2.4 m (7.8 ft) in length and weighing 15.4 kg (34 lb). However, other venomous snakes may rival this species in weight such as the much longer but more slender king cobra and the shorter but even bulkier Gaboon viper. Specimens over 2.1 m (7 ft) are rare, but well documented. 

The scalation includes 25–31 (usually 29) rows of dorsal scales at midbody, 165–176/170–187 ventral scales in males/females and 27–33/20–26 subcaudal scales in males/females, respectively.

The color pattern consists of a brownish, brownish-yellow, brownish-gray or olive ground color, overlaid with a series of 24–35 dark brown to black diamonds with slightly lighter centers. Each of these diamond-shaped blotches is outlined with a row of cream or yellowish scales. Posteriorly, the diamond shapes become more like crossbands and are followed by 5–10 bands around the tail. The belly is a yellowish or cream-colored, with diffused, dark mottling along the sides. The rattle at the end of their tail is made of hard loosely attached, hollow segments which break off frequently and are completely replaced when the snake sheds. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake inhabits upland dry pine forest, pine and coastal maritime forests, grass-sedge marshes and swamp forest, cypress swamps, and sandy mixed woodlands. 

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is found in the Southeastern United States from southeastern North Carolina, along the coastal woodlands through Florida, the Keys, and along the south beyond Alabama. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake frequently shelters by tunneling in gopher and tortoise burrows emerging in the early morning or afternoon to bask. Some research shows that these snakes spend less time underground during their active seasons. Like most rattlesnakes, this species is terrestrial and not adept at climbing. However, it has on occasion been reported in bushes and trees, apparently in search of prey. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake has the reputation of being the most dangerous venomous snake in North America.

What should you do? If you encounter a Diamondback rattlesnake, immediately back away. Try not to panic. Staying calm can help you make the right decisions and help you to stay safe. Most, if not all venomous snakes will not want to engage with you. They only defend if walked upon or cornered. The warning signal of the rattle may or may not be engaged, so stay vigilant. 

The Pygmy Rattlesnake (S. miliarius) is a small species, with adults usually growing to 40–60 cm (16–24 in) in total length (including tail). The maximum reported total length is 78.8 cm (31.0 in).

At midbody, the rows of dorsal scales usually number 23. The dorsal pattern consists of a series of oval or subcircular spots with somewhat regular edges. The spots on the flanks are mostly round and not much higher than they are wide. Belly pigmentation towards the rear is more limited to indistinct blotches found on pairs of adjacent scales. Juveniles' color patterns are similar to the adults, although they may be paler or more vividly marked, and the tips of their tails are yellow.

S. miliarius is found in the Southeastern United States from southern and eastern North Carolina, south through peninsular Florida and west to East Texas and Oklahoma. The type locality given is "Carolina". S. miliarius is usually seen in the summer sunning itself or crossing the road late in the day. The tiny rattle makes a buzzing sound that can only be heard from a few feet away. Some individuals are very aggressive and strike furiously, while others seem lethargic and do not even attempt to rattle. 

Since S. miliarius is unable to produce much venom, it is unlikely to be able to deliver a fatal bite to a human adult. (photo - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - public domain)

What should you do? If you encounter a Pygmy Rattlesnake, calmly back away. Try not to panic or make sudden movements. Rattlesnakes will warn you if you are not wanted. Keep your eyes and ears open. The rattle noise is distinctive and somewhat alarming.

The Coral snake are a large group of elapid snakes that can be divided into two distinct groups, the Old-World coral snake and over 65 recognized species of New World coral snakes. 

Experts now recognize that certain coloration patterns and common mnemonics—such as the phrase “Red touch yellow, kill a fellow; red touch black, friend of Jack,” which people sometimes use to distinguish between the venomous coral snake and the non-venomous milksnake ( see photo below)—are not consistent enough to be trustworthy. While any snake exhibiting the coral snake's color and/or banding pattern in the southeastern United States will almost certainly, in fact, be a coral snake, there are coral snakes in other parts of the world which are colored differently. Coral snakes in the United States are most notable for their red, yellow/white, and black-colored banding. However, several nonvenomous species in the U.S. have similar (though not identical) bandings, including the two scarlet snake species in the genus Cemophora, and some of the kingsnakes (including the aforementioned milksnakes.

No genuine coral snake in the U.S. exhibits red bands of color, in contact with bands of black, except in rare cases of an aberrant pattern. Thus, while on extremely rare occasions when a certain non-venomous snake might be mistaken for a coral snake, the mnemonic holds true. However, a red–yellow–black banded snake in the U.S. (whose red and black banding actually touch) is rarely a venomous coral snake. 

Coral snakes vary widely in their behavior, but most are very elusive, spending most of their time buried beneath the ground or in the leaf litter of a rainforest floor, coming to the surface only when it rains or during breeding season. Like all elapid snakes, coral snakes possess a pair of small hollow fangs to deliver their venom. The fangs are positioned at the front of the mouth.

New World coral snakes exist in the southern range of many temperate U.S. states. Coral snakes are found in scattered localities in the southern coastal plains from North Carolina to Louisiana, including all of Florida. They can be found in pine and scrub oak sandhill habitats in parts of this range, but sometimes inhabit hardwood areas and pine flatwoods that undergo seasonal flooding.

Milksnake

New World coral snakes possess one of the most potent venoms of any North American snake. However, relatively few bites are recorded due to their reclusive nature and the fact they generally inhabit sparsely populated areas. Even in areas that are densely populated bites are rare. When confronted by humans, coral snakes will almost always attempt to flee, and bite only if restrained. In addition, coral snakes have short fangs that cannot penetrate thick clothing although bites are possible through normal thin clothing. Any skin penetration, however, is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. (photo - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - public domain) (Milksnake - Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License)

What should you do? If you encounter a Coral snake, calmly back away. Try not to panic or make sudden movements. Coral snakes will make every effort to flee from you, unless harassed or attempted to be touched. Keep your eyes and ears open.

If you have any doubt of the specific type of snake you encounter, whether it be venomous or non-venomous, please use your good judgment, and just back away. Most likely, these guys are just looking for a place to hide, hunt and enjoy our hot weather. If you corner them, pick on them or just act like an idiot toward them, they will defend themselves and you may be in for a serious problem.

Our Next-door Communities

Looks like a new Harris-Teeter store is coming to Fresh Fields area. According to the Post and Courier, plans for the new Kiawah Island Harris Teeter store were ok'd for the 22-acre parcel of land behind Fresh Fields. This land was last used for the 2021 PGA Championship overflow parking. The Harris Teeter at Fresh Fields now is approximately 38,000 square feet, where the new proposed structure will be in the area of 54,000 square feet. I will keep you posted on upcoming developments. 

Until Next Month

Well, I'm not sure we got the whole story on this, but I'm almost thinking it's a photo of that old 1970's country rock band Roger, Pete & Jeff. Most likely their wives were somewhere in the same building, but perhaps, it wasn't their turn to keep watch on them...

Final Image of the Month

Thank you to my good friend Dara Lynn Fotias for allowing me to use her phenomenal photograph of an incoming storm at the Bohicket Marina. This image shows us low country folks how fast and fierce storms can unleash themselves on us. Again, thank you Dara.

Until Next month, Don't be a stranger