IslandVibesIOP.com 25 If you’ve lived on Isle of Palms long enough, you’ve probably found yourself at The Windjammer once or twice. Maybe popping in for a concert, or perhaps just spending a sunny afternoon partaking in some refreshments after a busy beach day. What most people don’t know though is that the owner Bobby Ross is behind the scenes running a second (fluffier) operation at home. It all started with Isla, an 8-year-old chocolate lab who surprised everyone with a giant litter of 13 puppies. As adorable as a mountain of puppies is, it’s the kind of chaos you can only laugh about once it’s safely in the past. Isla handled it like a seasoned pro, the best spot on Isle of Palms. I was able to join the VFW Auxiliary Post 3137 because of my beloved father’s service in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. It’s one of only two Posts on the Coast. Mike and I get to hang out with our amazing veterans and their families while admiring God’s creation. After three years as the legislative reporter, I am now the chaplain.” Relocating to the island from New York seemed an easy decision when Mike presented the option to Kathy. Kathy explained, “Mike had lived in Charleston before we got married and loved it here. When we married in 1993, we lived in New York because I had the ‘real job with benefits.’ After we had our second daughter in 1998, Mike said to me, ‘If we move to Charleston, we will save enough money in property taxes that you can be a stay-at-home mom.’ It took me about an hour to pack!” How wonderful to call this little slice of paradise home. Here’s to many more years of memories for the Campbell family. To be frank, I’m not the biggest fan of winter or tourists for that matter, but somehow the odd combination of the two warms my heart. Whilst speaking of snowbirds, I want to be clear— I am not talking about the dark-eyed junco and its migration from Canada. We can certainly all agree that this particular species of bird that tends to migrate from the northern tundra to our warm and beautiful South Carolina coast following the winter solstice is a benign entity to our shores. However, what we may come to dispute after careful deliberation is the vernacular meaning of snowbird – the so-called migration of humans north of the Mason-Dixon Line to the warmer regions of our beloved Eastern Seaboard. Let us consider, for at least a moment, the benefits of said northern dwellers and their temporary residence on our fair isle. For one, the bleak and dreary winter months are somewhat unoccupied, desolate, if you will, on our island. The presence of human snowbirds brings not only much appreciated and needed commerce to our municipality, but also an opportunity for locals to demonstrate true, Southern hospitality. It is an opportune time to show our mutual disdain for the honking of horns, for example. It is also a wonderful opportunity to allow others to proceed ahead of us in line at our local grocery stores and the like. There are many ways to show Southern charm during the winter “snowbird” days, one merely needs to take a gander into their heart and it becomes easy, nearly effortless, if you will, to extend a bit of grace to our northern visitors. So, dear readers, before we complain, protest, grumble, make a fuss about our northern friends and their propensity to relocate during the darkest and coldest weeks of the year, let us consider how fortunate we are to reside on this island year-round. We are privileged to live on one of the cleanest beaches in all of South Carolina; let us not forget to take care of not only the physical needs of our island, but also the wonderful, spiritual aspects we might sometimes be inclined to take for granted. In short, don’t squawk at the snowbirds – neither avian nor human, as the case may be. PEOPLE & PETS TO BE FRANK, Stop squawking about Snowbirds Pet of the Month Isla and her island crew By Allyah Harrar while the Ross family managed it with plenty of coffee and rotating shifts. When it came time to find homes, they were very intentional about choosing the right families for each pup. Wanting them to stay close to one another, they found their furever homes in trusted locals and neighbors. So, while the siblings may have scattered across various homes on IOP, they still reunite regularly. Whenever their humans go on vacation, Uncle Bobby happily takes on the role of designated dog sitter. As much as Isla loves the family reunions with her now grown pups, she is also blessed to live with three of her daughters. Rue, Nellie and Maggie remain full-time residents along with their mom, Bobby and his wife Shirley. Rue is the self-appointed leader of the pack (at least whenever mom decides she is off duty for the afternoon). She is elegant, poised, stunning – and she knows it. Rue could be a show dog if she had any interest in getting a job, but for now she’s content just being adored by her IOP neighbors. Nellie was the runt of the litter. She grew up learning how to hold her own and still carries herself with a bit of spiciness to prove it. But beneath her sassy shell is the sweetest, softest heart and she loves making friends everywhere she goes. Maggie rounds out the pack as the protector. This girl is always one step ahead and thrives in her role of 24/7 security system (if security systems also demanded treats and belly rubs). Life with these gorgeous girls has made the Ross household feel like a home. They joke that sometimes it seems like they are living with a whole other family. Except this family eats all the snacks, sheds everywhere and has never even once attempted to use a vacuum. This story is just the beginning of Isla’s family saga. Over the next few issues of Island Vibes, we’ll be catching up with the owners of the other siblings from her litter of 13 and sharing what life looks like for the rest of the crew. Make sure to check back in next month; there is a lot more of this family to meet! -FRANK Island neighbors From Page 24. SCAN FOR A VETERINARIAN DIRECTORY! Kathy and Mike Campbell.
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