When you enter the realm of the World Golf Village, you will encounter many beautiful Southern Live Oaks. Before designing the thematic plant palette for the community, I went on a Tree Hunt to witness the majesty of the oldest and most grand and massive Live Oaks in the region. I encourage you to take a Saturday or Sunday break and go on the same hunt, for I know you will be pleasantly rewarded.

I suggest you start in America’s First City, St. Augustine. There you will find the Old Senator, a gigantic Live Oak persisting within the confines of the Howard Johnson’s Motel parking court, off of San Marco Boulevard. This tree is testament to the strength, adaptability and long-life characteristics that distinguish its species. No wonder that its wood was prized by ancient boat-builders.

Jock Ochiltree has been selling St. Augustine real estate at Davidson Realty for over three years now. Jock loves learning about the history of St. Augustine, so needless to say he really enjoys the presentations given for St. Augustine’s 450th anniversary celebration. A week or two ago he attended “Flagler’s Age of Opulence,” which shared Henry’s Flagler’s impact on St. Augustine real estate. Although Jock’s highlights were many, here are my favorite five tidbits of knowledge he shared!

1. Flagler first came to St. Augustine in 1878 (to improve his first wife’s health) and he hated it! He called it a “pest hole full of sick people.” They left immediately.

2. When Flagler eventually returned he built the Hotel Alcazar (pictured above), which has an underground pool that is fed by a 78 degree spring. Other Florida springs are only 72 degree.

3. The facade of the Hotel Alcazar – now the Lightner Museum – was never completed.

4. Flagler built the overseas railroad to Key West, which was the largest privately funded construction project in U.S. history.

5. Flagler didn’t make any money on developing Florida. He said he did it to give back to the community!

If you are interested in attending upcoming events for St. Augustine’s 450th anniversary, just ask Jock Ochiltree!

On June 5th we are kicking summer off right in the premiere active adult community, The Cascades! Not only can you tour attractive single family homes, but you can check out their 22,000 sq. ft. grand clubhouse, indoor and outdoor pools, bocce ball court, tennis court and all the other fun summer activities this community offers! So, come on out between 1 and 4 pm and see why it is called an active community for yourself!

Not only are we opening the gates of this beautiful neighborhood for your viewing, we are also offering an awesome register to win prize! At one of the open houses, you can register to win a night’s stay at The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village on July 2nd for the World Golf Village Community Fireworks show! With one of the largest fireworks displays in Northeast Florida right outside your window, you are sure to fully experience this St. Augustine golf course community. 

No one can explain life in The Cascades better than the residents themselves, so with the help of Jerry Shagam (a Cascades’ resident and friend of Davidson Realty) I narrowed down the list of why the neighbors say they bought and love to live in this spectacular active adult community.

1. Amenities: The Cascades offers a 22,000 sq. ft. clubhouse with indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, billiard room, card room, ballroom, tennis courts, and more!

2. Privacy: This is a gated community with 24 hour security

3. Activities: There are a myriad of diverse events happening every day. One neighbor says, “We constantly have to turn down invitations to do things or go somewhere. It’s great. If anyone is bored here, it’s their own fault.”

Both friends and colleagues have sung the praises of Dr. Ken Berry so I was looking forward to learning more about his practice.  Dr. Berry lives in The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village with his wife Michelle and their two children Davis (8) and Ava (4).  He opened his practice, The Village Chiropractic Center of Florida, at the West Town Center in World Golf Village about two-and-a-half years ago.

I am a chiropractic neophyte.  I’ve never been to a chiropractor and, since I don’t suffer from back pain, I never thought I could benefit from a visit to the chiropractor.  That’s just one of the misconceptions dispelled last week when I visited with Dr. Berry and learned that chiropractic medicine may help manage my migraines.  The other misconception was that chiropractic medicine is a patient driven alternative therapy that the medical community all but ignores.  Actually, a large percentage of the patients at The Village Chiropractic Center are referred by their physicians, and Dr. Berry works closely with several orthopedic, neurological, and family practices in Northeast Florida. 

Each month, we feature a WGV neighbor in our Resident Spotlight. This month, we are pleased to introduce you to Dee Fuchs. Dee moved into our St. Augustine golf course community a few months ago with her husband, Ken, and their yellow lab, Buffet. Meet Dee…

1. Would you rather be a great musician, artist or athlete?

Can I say “all of the above”? I love music, both singing and playing the piano, and wish I had continued honing my skills through adulthood. I love art and have dabbled in watercolors, oils, crafts and jewelry making over the years – perhaps I could have developed into a famous designer. I also would have liked to learn golf in my youth because I now love the game and the pleasure it brings to my life.

2. If you could have any view from your back porch what would it be?

I love my serene view of the lake with all its birds from my lanai here in WGV, so perhaps the perfect view for me would be a lake view in a tropical location, perhaps Costa Rica or near Iguazu Falls, with lots of foliage, flowers, birds, animals, with a mountain & waterfall in the background – quiet and peaceful.

3. What event in the past, present or future would you like to witness in person?

I have been blessed to have seen many spectacular events in my lifetime so this is a hard one. Perhaps the first walk on the moon, to be able to see its surface for the first time, look at the heavens and stars and back down at the earth.

4. Would you like a quiet life of safety or a life of great adventure and uncertainty?

I’ll choose adventure anytime!

5. What one goal do you hope to accomplish this year?

To meet people and develop friends in our new home here in WGV.

6. What one question would you ask a psychic about the future?

I’d rather enjoy each day as it comes.

7. Which is more important intelligence or common sense?

Definitely common sense, but having both is the perfect scenario.

8. What do you think is the ideal age?

35

9. What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen?

This is a very difficult question because I’ve seen so many wonderful places and they are all so different from each other. From a standpoint of natural beauty, I would say either Alaska, Costa Rica or Rio de Janeiro. From a standpoint of man-made beauty, definitely Machu Pichu or Petra.

10. Would you be likely to survive alone in the wilderness?

Yes, at least for a good amount of time.

Here is a recipe for a successful venture on Cumberland Island – whether for your first trip, or many returns: Rise and ready yourselves and have a breakfast at your favorite spot.  Drive to St. Marys, arriving before 11:00 AM.  Check in at the Park Service water-front welcome center and proceed to get on the 11:45 AM ferry service to the island.  Depart the ferry at the Ice House Dock / Dungeness Dock on the island at about 12:20.  Gather up your party and strike out beneath the Live Oaks for the Dungeness Ruins.  Along the way, look for the wild horses, turkey, deer, the ubiquitous armadillo and myriad bird species.  Take the shore trail from Dungeness to the marsh-side boardwalk – then to the open dune system.  Cross the dune trail to the wide, wide beach.  Walk the beach and marsh-wrack line (looking for shells and other flotsam jewels), north to the Sea Camp boardwalk.  Stroll the boardwalk up to the Live Oak tree line – making sure to stop and linger in the open sun before venturing into the Maritime Forest.  Be very observant at this point and take it slow – for the transition from the open, squinty, harsh, wind-swept and sun-drenched beach environment to the sheltered, shady, cool, dark and quiet forest floor beneath the swaying Live Oak canopy is a remarkable and dramatic change.  Let it envelope you, enjoy it and open your senses to it.  Pick out a picnic table and serve yourselves your homemade lunch treats, along with a good (discreet) bottle of wine.  Afterwards, benefit from the Sea Camp facilities, freshen-up and embark on the Parallel Trail through a luxurious habitat of bent and twisting Live Oak canopies and an exuberant, green understory of Saw Palmetto, ultimately arriving at the Greyfield Inn cross island beach path.  Take the path, west, to the grounds of the Greyfield Inn housed in the former Stafford House, erected in 1909 (be discreet, signs say “guests only”).  Check out a few of the largest Live Oak trees on Cumberland Island which punctuate the Great Lawn of the Greyfield, they are truly magnificent.  Take the Main Road back to Sea Camp and the rest facilities at the dock.  Arrive by 4:15 so that you will not miss the afternoon ferry which departs sharply at 4:30PM.  Arrive home in time to change and go to dinner, where you can re-live your day and commit it to memory – you will certainly want to return many more times to discover all of the other benefits that time on Cumberland reveals.  Once you do, you will want to add Jekyll Island State Park, St. Simons Island, Little St. Simons Island, Sapelo Island National Estuarine Sanctuary and Tybee Island to your future explorations.  When you too fall in love with the Georgia Coast, you will want to make extra plans to get yourself onto Little Cumberland Island, Sea Island, St. Catherines Island, Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge, Ossabaw Island State Heritage Preserve and Wassaw Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Early on in the design and construction of World Golf Village, a series of out-of-town entertainment consultants were invited to “critique” our place and offer suggestions.  One of my favorite criticisms was that the place “was too green”.  I laughed at that and took it as validation that we were building an endearing and lasting landscape; one that was naturally inspired and would define our environment.  Through the years, I have nurtured and watched our landscape grow.  Today, our choice to feature our signature tree, the Southern Live Oak, throughout the grounds of World Golf Village is proving to be a great decision.
 
For me, my love affair with the Southern Live Oak began during my first family visit to Jekyll Island, Georgia in 1968.  Walking amongst the giant, moss-draped, old trees was ethereal.  The experience was imprinted in my mind, drawing me back to the Georgia Coast for the next 14 years.  Upon college graduation, I moved to the Coast and worked to preserve its beauty through the administration of Georgia’s Coastal Marshlands Protection Act of 1970 and the Shore Assistance Act of 1979.  For a year, I mapped 4,600 acres of the Georgia Coast for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife’s National Wetland Inventory.  I was privileged to have countless helicopter fly-overs for photography and surveillance.  I gained access to every one of the major barrier islands.  I was able to stomp around everywhere, even deep into the remote hammock islands of the great Altamaha swamp, to find native Indian pottery shards lying uncovered on the ground.  My immersion into the wilds, the marshes, islands and pristine beaches was thorough and complete.

Watch out bunny.  There’s a sly cat trying to move in on your Easter gig.  Congratulations to Buckaroo the Cat and his owner Lynn Whitley for winning our Easter Photo Contest.  The handsome feline edged out cute kids and adorable dogs for the grand prize.  We think his mini necktie sealed the deal, although his girth is impressive too.  From the looks of it, he may or may not share his $100 gift certificate prize to Kilwin’s with his owner. 

Thanks to everyone who participated!  Our photo contests are gaining steam and another is on the way soon.  So sharpen your claws!

I recently had the opportunity to see the new “Hubble” IMAX at World Gold Village as part of our Davidson Realty company outing. “Hubble” is the amazing story of what it takes to maintain the Hubble telescope and the incredible view of the universe that Hubble sends back to Earth.

From the very beginning, the Hubble had technical issues and since it was launched there have been several missions to improve the telescope. This movie mentions the previous missions to give people an idea of what it’s taken to maintain the Hubble, but focuses on the last mission to keep the Hubble in orbit. Large portions of the movie were shot by this Astronaut team. One of my favorite scenes was the shuttle launch, captured in the IMAX format makes you feel like you are sitting in the bleachers of Kennedy Space Center watching it live. The spectacular views of Earth from space are also incredible. It’s amazing to see how difficult the simplest task is for the astronauts working in their space suits; at one point the movie compares the delicate work of fixing the Hubble in a spacesuit to trying to do brain surgery wearing mittens.