Sunday, May 3, 2009

A Southern Belle Does Derby Day By Way of Hell Hole Swamp



Hank and I enjoyed a wonderful Derby Day party in McClellanville on the porch of the James Hibben Leland House (1852), affectionately called Island Breeze by it's owners, Ellen and Bob. Ellen works with Hank. She and Bob threw a great party and we met so many interesting new people. Y'all know that I don't like just any old body but I'd love to cross paths with these folks again...of course they might not have liked me. Oh...who am I kidding...who wouldn't like ME! I probably ate a pound of boiled shrimp and really enjoyed a perfectly mixed mint julep (or two). . And yes...we did watch the race.

McClellanville is a perfectly delightful little little place. It just so happened that yesterday was also the Shrimp Festival and there were quite a few parties going on. I would venture a guess that there probably weren't very many people in town NOT attending a party.

On the flip side of the coin...we had to drive through the little town of Jamestown to get to McClellanville. Jamestown was having its own festival...The Hell Hole Swamp Festival. (Seriously, click on the link to read about "spitting kids and Miss HH Swamp...I am NOT even kidding you). They had everything from a free blood pressure screening to a whiskey still display. There was also a tobacco spitting contest and I'm hoping that tobacco was NOT what the kids were spitting. Unfortunately, it had just started to rain as we got there and I wasn't able to stop and buy my T-shirt. I'm thinking that next year we might want to enter Lorelai in the Miss Hell Hole Swamp contest. Hey...a tiara is a tiara. Click HERE to see a slide show from last year's parade. It's really quite good and I think captures perfectly what small town southern festival parades look like.

I'll tell you more about the ghost later...

12 comments:

  1. You find some interesting places! If I witnessed any sort of spitting contest, tobacco or the plain sort, I might vomit on the spot. Please do attend next year, so that you can blog for days about your experience. Just a hunch, but I have a feeling you'd find a lot of interesting folks at that festival.

    Oh, and I am happy you had a good time at your gathering, even if no one was spitting.

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  2. The party sounds like lots of fun with lots of good food! Sounds like you had a great weekend and plans in the works for next year!

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  3. ..."Entering Lorelai in the Miss Hell Hole Contest." You are just cracking me up! Girl, I KNOW these places exist in the deep South!

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  4. I adore ghost stories! Cannot wait...
    Lorelai will be so excited (or not).
    All of those weekend activities sound so southern and fun!

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  5. I'm all for the Mint Juleps, but I think that's where my involvement would have to end. I think I can guess what Lorelai's reaction will be to your suggestion. :)

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  6. Sounds like everyone had a great time, even those in The Hell Hole Swamp! What a name. I loved the pictures of the parade, they remind me of ours here in our little town. But really, spitting kids? This is too funny. We drive through an area in Florida alot called "Tate's Hell" Where do they come up with these names? I have to assume they are trying to keep people out. That, or they have some really bad PR people lol. Kathy

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  7. The SHRIMP festival sounds YUMMY!!!
    I hope you had the right horse in the Derby!

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  8. The derby celebrations sound wonderful.

    I'm lovin' the "a tiara is a tiara" statement. LOL!

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  9. Love it!

    I bet it was fancy and fun and beautiful!

    Please tell me you wore a big hat!

    :)

    regard HHSF.... gross! and hilarious!

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  10. Oh what fun. I love small town festivals. I would venture that even the Hell Hole festival would be alright so long as you stand clear of all spitting contests.

    I have always wanted to try a mint julep. They sound so refreshing.

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  11. The Derby festivities sound just fabulous Miss Belle, and the Hell Hole party? We love a good Ugly Dog Contest. Seriously.

    tp

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  12. I just found your post. I'm glad you had a great time in McClellanville. I thought you and you're friends might want to see my pictures and videos from this years shrimp festival - http://mymcclellanville.net/2009/05/06/33rd-lowcountry-shrimp-festival/

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