Archive for the ‘Golf’ Category

Ready, Set, Go— Now Is The Perfect Time To Lock In Your Week At A Cape Charles VA Vacation Rental House

Friday, March 21st, 2014

SnowflakeIt probably seems a bit counter-intuitive to be planning reservations for a warm, sunny summer vacation in the midst of all this cold, snowy weather which seems like it has been making East Coast life miserable for eons.   Or maybe not.  Definitely planning can take the mind to a better place, sort of like warming one’s hand on a hot cup of cocoa on a cold winter afternoon brings a smile to the face, it just feels good. When I was a child, my mother used to pull out her seed catalogues on a wintry Sunday afternoons and work on her garden plan. Not that she had such a huge garden but she had it organized down to a T– what needed to be rotated to a new spot, what plants complimented the other, where to stick insect repelling marigolds, she planned it all in detail, usually changing her mind numerous times before she was satisfied.  But it seemed to me that she enjoyed working on her garden project most on a really cold, miserable day– and in Ohio, unlike on the Eastern Shore,  there are a whole lot of really cold, snowy, icy winter days !  Just like back to the future, she was mentally transported  from winter’s wind and ice to the cool  days of Spring, outdoors in the sun, in her garden.

Simply Relaxing The Shore WayBut, I digress, my point being that planning one’s vacation is a task  that offers a lot of fun in the execution.  Just deciding where to go is key and offers lots of opportunities for on-line exploration of  lots of great places– for instance, not that I’m biased of course, the Eastern Shore of Virginia.   Naturally a lot depends on the type of vacation one is looking for.  If its  bright lights and  loud music, then the Eastern Shore isn’t the place. But if you’re looking for a quaint, restful area with lots to do,  the Shore is a great place to enjoy a unique coastal vacation experience.  Not only can you enjoy our pristine natural beauty, there is nearly an endless list of fun things to do, from “A” for artists galleries to “Z” for zesty clam dip.

Savor sunset strolls on our uncrowded beaches, feel the exhilaration of  kayaking our to our string of off-shore Barrier Islands. Charter a boat for a deep-sea fishing expedition.  For golfers, the Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus Signature courses which front along the Chesapeake Bay in Cape Charles offer opportunities to challenge your game on some of the most beautiful waterfront courses on the entire East Coast.  Or check out our museums and art galleries, treasure hunt on the beach or in one of our antique shops.  Get wet swimming, clamming or crabbing.  Explore our quaint little towns, visit a vineyard and winery, check out our Wildlife Refuges or State Park.   Or just chill out on the porch, gentle breezes blowing, book in hand, letting  the stresses of everyday life disappear.  And at Blue Heron,  we call this “Simply Relaxing The Shore Way.”

Beach chairs tide out

Sunset with Bikes and people on deck 6a Surfer golf cart Seagull close resized

Edwards 002This year the Blue Heron Realty Co. vacation rental department is introducing a new vacation rental home, “Seashell Cottage“,  located   just a quarter block off the soft sand beach in the little Victorian town of Cape Charles, VA.   Seashell Cottage offers 4 bedrooms, 2 and a half baths plus a 3 rd floor loft overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.  Its open floor plan, comfortable furniture and close proximity to the beach make this a great vacation home.  And the wrap-around porch is perfect for outdoor dining and soaking up the dazzling sunsets.  Check it out at www.blueheronva.com, click on the Vacation Rental section under “Listings”  and  give us a call at 757-678-5277 to reserve your vacation week at one of our great vacation rental beach homes.  From a cozy in-town cottage to a beach home on acreage in the country,  the Blue Heron Realty Co. vacation rental agents can help you select the best home for your needs and budget.

 

A New Cape Charles Vacation Rental Home, Introducing “Beach Villa”

Thursday, April 25th, 2013
Sand beach at "Beach Villa", a Cape Charles VA vacation rental home

Relax on the soft sand beach at “Beach Villa” on Eastern Shore Virginia

We get a lot of calls  here at Blue Heron Realty Co. for a vacation rental home with lots of seclusion but with lots of amenities too and that’s usually  a hard order to fill.  However, we  have just acquired  “Beach Villa”  as a Cape Charles VA area vacation rental.  This exquisite villa style home,  sleeping 10, offers  water views galore plus old world charm and the use of its  37 acres with beautiful Virginia Eastern Shore  Chesapeake Bay waterfront.  Best of all,   Beach Villa offers a gorgeous  sand beach, private to the owners and their rental guests, offering wide soft, soft  sands, glittering in the golden sun, perfect for relaxing under a beach umbrella, book in hand, some sweet Southern-style  ice cold tea in the cooler.  And as you wade from the beach into the Bay, the salty Chesapeake  waters start out quite shallow but  gradually reach swimming depth so bring your mask and snorkel to check everything out.   Surrounded on two sides by a pristine little freshwater lake,  imagine waking up  in the serene environment of this home  to the calls of  seabirds overhead  and  waterfowl out on the lake.  Love jogging ? Imagine the pleasure of making lazy circuits around 37 acres surrounded by such natural beauty.  Surely this is a  vacation opportunity extraordinaire.

Aerial view of "Beach Villa", a beachfront home near Cape Charles VA

“Beach Villa” offers old world charm on 37 acres near Cape Charles VA

With 3 bedrooms and 3 and a half baths plus a day bed in the sunroom, there is plenty of room to catch up on some sleep  in this nearly 4000 sq. ft. home. Large great room with living and dining room groupings plus a   gourmet kitchen make conversation with your group a breeze. The gas log fireplace in the living area is perfect for cool fall evenings.  Sliding glass doors lead from the great room to the spacious fieldstone patio overlooking  beautiful flower beds, the lake and the Bay, the perfect spot for a steaming cup of morning coffee.   Paneled den and enclosed sunroom provide additional space for just relaxing, letting the mind and body unwind in this gorgeous setting.  First floor master suite, so convenient, with a master bath which includes jacuzzi tub with marble surround.   Everything about this home is top of the line, you will not be disappointed by selecting this home for your vacation.

Witcher living room CG              Witcher master CG               Witcher kitchen

Aqua Restaurant at Cape Charles offers fine and casual dining on the Chesapeake Bay

Be Sure To Try The Delicious Seafood At Aqua Restaurant During Your Stay

Nearby amenities include Kiptopeake State Park, Eastern Shore Wildlife Refuge and the Rails to Trails jogging/biking trail. The historic little Victorian town of Cape Charles is less than 10 minutes away and offers restaurants, shops, art galleries, marinas,boat ramps, train rides,  special events, holiday parades, etc.,  as well as Palmer and Nicklaus Signature 18 hole golf courses.   The Eastern Shore of Virginia is a terrific spot for a relaxing, low-key vacation, for what we like to call ” Simply Relaxing The Shore Way“.  From A for Artist Galleries to Z for Zesty clam dip,  there is nearly an endless list of things to do and see here on the Eastern Shore.   Savour sunset strolls on the beach,  kayak to our unique off-shore Barrier Islands, charter a deep sea fishing trip, treasure hunt in our antique shops,  attend a live performance at the Palace Theatre, ride horseback along waterfront trails, explore our little coastal towns, visit a local winery,  get wet clamming, enjoy a superb seafood meal at Aqua Restaurant,  see the artifacts of yesteryear at the Barrier Island Museum.  ( By the way, the Tall Ships Cape Charles Festival will be held this year the weekend of June 14-16,  an exciting event for adults and kids alike. Three tall sailing ships will be in port offering open deck tours and day sails, the Navy’s USS  Tornado will also offer tours, individual owners will be there with their sailboats, skipjacks and antique “buy boats”, the harbor will be bursting with great stuff.  Plus loads of other activities  are part of this Festival, it’s a really fun-filled event. )  But whatever you do, memories of your Simply Relaxing  Eastern Shore Vacation  will stay with you forever.  To reserve your week at Beach Villa, email us at easternshorevacations@blueheronva.com or call 757-678-5277.           (Posted  by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134  Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)

Time To Start Planning Your Eastern Shore Summer Vacation

Thursday, February 28th, 2013

Charming Historic Cape Charles

We just finished adding a new house, “Seahorse Retreat”  to our vacation rental roster (see them all at www.blueheronva.com/vacation_rentals/ )  when it occurred to me that planning an Eastern Shore Virginia summer vacation in the near aftermath of a record breaking blizzard on the East Coast is reminiscent of one of my favorite childhood books. Anyone who has read  “The Little House On The Prairie”  series by Laura Ingalls Wilder will likely remember the winter delights described of pouring over seed catalogues, winds howling outside, fire crackling inside, planning the spring garden, imagining the delights of fresh cantaloupe, tomatoes, sweet corn. It was a necessary task but it was also pure, unvarnished pleasure, mentally transporting them to a future time of warm weather, outdoor breezes and chunks of crisp, cool watermelon. Meanwhile, the reality was that Pa would soon have to wade out into the driving snow, through Lord knows how many heavy drifts, to get to the barn to milk the cows, holding on to the rope stretched between the house and the barn so as to not get disoriented, lost and frozen to death within 40 feet of the front door. I loved those books about settling the West,  practically wore them out with re-reading, especially “Farmer Boy”, what a wonderful world it seemed to be.  And I longed to be able to have a big piece of apple pie for breakfast, just like Almanzo almost always did, redolent with sweet spices and covered in heavy cream. But, different time, different place, and in general, pie was not allowed on my childhood breakfast table. ( Happily, now that I am nearly 100, I can have pie for breakfast if I want to. So let it be known that from time to time, for breakfast both Hubby and I do indulge in a thick slice of Kate’s Kupboard’s delicious apple pie, fresh from her warm and cozy Belle Haven, VA bakery, topped with an ample wedge of sharp cheddar, gently heated in the toaster oven, accompanied by a fresh cup of steaming hot vanilla hazelnut coffee. And I won’t even disclose how old I was before it finally dawned on me that I didn’t have to continue to eat the crusts on my bread if I didn’t want to, such is the force of habit of childhood instruction. )

But, mea culpa, I digress. My original point being that the actual planning of one’s vacation is a necessary task, but one that brings a lot of pleasure. Deciding where to go is certainly the first step and deciding what house to pick is great fun. I want to give a shout out to the Eastern Shore of Virginia as a great vacation place and to Blue Heron Realty Co’s vacation rental homes as the cream of the crop ( Review  them at www.blueheronva.com/vacation_rentals/ )  depending, of course, on the desired atmosphere.  If one is looking for bright lights, loud music, thousands of people on the beach,salt water taffy and souvenir shops every step of the way, Virginia’s Eastern Shore is not the place.

Visit our scenic beaches

On the other hand, if what you’re longing for is a place for total relaxation in a low-key coastal area, with plenty to do if you want to but if you feel like just hanging around the front porch, book in hand, iPad at the ready, then you can count on the Eastern Shore as a terrific place. I can guarantee no bumper to bumper traffic, horns blaring, no overcrowded sidewalks, no blankets 2 feet in every direction from yours on the beach.

Our Pristine Barrier Islands

Just a beautiful, relaxing area, little historic towns to explore, sparkling low density beaches to enjoy, cool blue waters to swim, plenty of boat ramps and fishing piers to try out, miles and miles of coastline to kayak, our off-shore pristine Barrier Islands to explore, the freshest of succulent seafood to savor, Palmer and Nicklaus golf to keep you swinging, horseback riding through country trails to indulge your inner cowboy, an easy pad to launch a Williamsburg/Busch Gardens day trip from if the mood strikes, cute shops, terrific restaurants for fine or casual dining and friendly people. From A for “Antiquing”  to Z for “Zesty clam dip”, you can have a memorable vacation on Virginia’s Eastern Shore,  it’s Simply Relaxing The Shore Way.

Seahorse Retreat

And I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to 2 of  the Blue Heron Realty Co.  new vacation rental homes–– “Seahorse Retreat” and “Sun and Sand“. “Seahorse Retreat” is a charming, cozy nest for two, beautifully decorated in a — you guessed it, a seahorse motif.

Sun & Sand

A second floor walk-up unit located right in the heart of the Cape Charles historic district, it offers 1 bedroom with comfy king-sized bed, a well outfitted full kitchen, separate dining room and a living room which opens onto a veranda with views of the Cape Charles harbor. And it’s only about a block to the beach and boardwalk. “Sun and Sand” is a 4 bedroom, 4 full bath West Indies style home of nearly 3000 sq.ft. , with some views of the Chesapeake Bay. Comfortable coastal style furniture, a king sized bed in the master suite, queen sized in the others. Within easy walking distance to a sparkling soft sand beach, it also offers access to a large swimming pool/tennis courts complex and is within 5 minutes one of the Shore’s finest waterfront restaurants. More information on reserving these and other prime vacation rental homes is available on the Blue Heron Realty Co. website, www.blueheronva.com, select Vacation Rentals on the Listings pull-down menu or side navigation bar.    ( Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA )

Unwind In This Romantic Lindal Style Cedar Beach Home For Sale On The Eastern Shore of Virginia

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

What could be more relaxing than unwinding at sunset on the deck of your Chesapeake Bay beachfront home,  surrounded by rolling dunes and serenaded by the soothing sounds of waves lapping against the shoreline  and seabirds calling overhead ?   On Virginia’s Eastern Shore, a beach home is all about a sense of fun, of embracing a new way of life,  of  kicking back, breathing in the tangy salt air, listening to the seabirds call,   focusing on the spectacular views donated by Mother Nature !    Especially so in this Lindal  style cedar beachfront home offering the casual elegance and  real livability that  turns a mere house  into a  longed for retreat, one’s very own sand castle.   Nestled on about four acres of  sparkling sand dunes  dotted with sea oats waving in the breezes,  gnarled maritime pines and  striking  yucca plants,  this custom 5 bedroom, 4 1/2 bath  beachfront beauty is all about immersing in a nature-inspired lifestyle.  With over 2200 sq.ft. of balcony and multi-level open decking dedicated to outdoor living,  perfect for fresh air entertaining or just basking in the sun,  and a huge hot tub beckoning  star gazers or moon watchers at night,  folks  may never want to come inside !

But when they do finally decide come inside,  what dramatic beauty awaits.   Soaring cathedral ceilings, walls of windows,  an open and flowing floorplan.  With  the home’s  east-west orientation,  it’s easy to follow the sun all day.  From the soft light in the  breakfast room  at sunrise to mint juleps in the great room at sunset glow, this home is  light filled and airy.  The large great room focal point is a  towering two story floor- to- ceiling  fireplace and massive  hearth constructed of custom selected stone in  eye-pleasing  rose and grey hues.  The architectural design on the waterside consists of three “prows” , each of which creates a feel of a particular living space yet essentially  it is one large light-filled open living space,  a  “great room”  in every sense of the word, with a sitting- conversation area at one end and a dining area at the other.   An abundance of windows on each wall of  the prows and sliding glass doors leading to the decks bring the outdoors inside, the golden sunshine,  the dazzling views of  blue Chesapeake Bay waters,  the sparkling sand beach and the glorious skies at sunset,  sun slipping below the horizon,  painting the water in vibrant hues of reds and golds.

A  large master suite carries on the theme of high ceilings and  beautiful windows and also includes doors to the deck . Guest bedrooms are upstairs, with a central guest sitting area, individual balconies and great waterviews as well.  Beautiful library/music room/den off the great room, a  cozy space  for curling up with a good book, soft music in the background.   Downstairs,  a  full walk-out basement with it’s own patio and outdoor shower, a library area, media room &  pool room,  extra storage for bikes, kayaks, fishing gear and other essential toys, etc., etc.    Truly, this  is a beach home that doesn’t just look like a beachfront home,  it’s a beach home where you really feel the sense of  sand and  blue waters  everywhere,  an inspiration inside as well as outside !   Located in a tiny beach neighborhood offering private pool and tennis club for residents.    Only 10 minutes from the historic little waterfront town of Cape Charles, VA offering a wide variety of amenites including shops, restaurants, art galleries, theatre, cultural events,  Palmer and Nicklaus signature  golf courses  and two deep water marinas.   Atttractively priced at $1,595,000.  For more information and photos on this property, visit  www.blueheronva.com  and click on beachfront  under the “listings” menu on the top navigation bar.

                       

(Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134  Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)

“Singing In The Rain” Redux- Our Fabulous Weather On Virginia’s Eastern Shore

Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

I was just sitting at my desk  last Saturday morning, rain drumming on the office roof, working on a little overdue  project,  feeling just a teensy bit sorry for myself  because we cancelled our trip to Carter Mountain Orchard in Charlottesville, VA ( www.cartermountainorchard.com ) because heavy rain was forecast for most of the day and I don’t like to drive in a downpour.  But I started feeling cheerier when one of our agents got a call from a customer who will be closing shortly on a home they just  purchased here on the Eastern Shore of Virginia , saying they were absolutely getting  hammered by snow,  falling  like  crazy  outside their home  overlooking  the Hudson River near New York City.   Snow in October, I  thought.  Wow, what a bummer  !   October is for enjoying fall foliage, driving to apple orchards,  sipping sweet-tart apple cider out on your deck on a beautiful fall afternoon or visiting  wineries to taste the new releases.  October is definitely NOT supposed to be for slipping and sliding on icy roads,  shoveling sidewalks or salting  down the front steps.   Or,  worst of all,  having your power off for days on end as proclaimed on the front page of the New York Times that Sunday– ”  Storm Leaves More Than 2 Million Without Power”.

Which brings me full circle once more to “Singing In The  Rain”  here on the  Virginia Eastern Shore.  Like last year, and the year before, and the year before that,  and indeed most of my nearly 25 years here,  when areas just north of us are being lashed by sleet, snow and high winds,  here on the Eastern Shore,  we are enjoying rain.   “Enjoying”  in the sense that it’s great to have  woods, fields and ponds  getting a good drink and water tables  being refilled — even though we might cancel trips so as not to have to drive  in heavy rain.   So many benefits, so few drawbacks !   Our moderate maritime climate, our fabulous weather,  is one of the many delightful aspects of life on the Eastern Shore.  A beautiful four season climate with long, pleasant springs and falls, the hot part of summer short with cooling breezes blowing off  the water,  the cold part of winter short  and moderate ( most winter days seem to be between 40 to 50 degrees outside) — by the end of February or first part of March,  farmers normally starting  plowing for spring plantings.  For avid boaters, golfers and beachcombers, it’s terrific– you’ll see them out and about all winter long,  “doing their thing”,  enjoying  every outdoor minute of   a  refreshing  45 degree winter’s day.

So last Sunday, when we woke up here on the Shore to a beautiful Indian Summer day,  leaves beginning to turn, skies clear and blue, slight breeze, temperatures forecast to be about 65 degrees and sunny,  it was hard to imagine what it would be like to live  in parts of New Jersey with 15 inches of snow and no power,  or in New York with a state of emergency declared in 13 counties  or in parts of Massachusetts or Connecticut, buried under up to 27 inches of snow and electricity forecast to be off  for up to a week.  And I didn’t actually have to imagine it because the Weather Channel covered it all in full detail,  fallen trees, closed airports, stranded motorists, 9 dead, the whole sad story.   Then,  just as I was making  another  pot of coffee, I looked out the kitchen window to a beautiful fall sight,  called to my husband to bring my camera– out in our little woods, beyond the back lawn and overlooking the water,  was a small family of  deer,  just passing through,  about 6 of them,  stopping every few minutes to look around and sniff the air.  Deer in  shades of  tans and browns,  trees dressed in greens and hues of  reds and orange, all set against the deep blue background of  our  Chesapeake Bay inlet– that’s what October on the Eastern Shore of Virginia looks like to us.   New York  may have  “The Big Apple”,  Massachusetts may have Boston and New Jersey may have Atlantic City…. but the Eastern Shore of Virginia has fabulous weather, our glorious, beautiful,  do-your-outside-thing- most- anytime,  moderate maritime climate.  So,  once again,  it’s  “Singing In The Rain”,  not shuffling

(Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134  Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)

in the snow,  here on the Virginia Eastern Shore.

 

A Round Of Golf At Bay Creek Golf Resort And Lunch At Aqua’s- Father’s Day 2011

Friday, July 1st, 2011

Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus Golf Courses At Bay Creek Golf Resort

Father’s Day at our house is usually a fairly energetic affair, with kids, grand kids and dogs all  around.  A lot of the food is usually grilled-  last year,  beef fajitas,  grilled veggies  and Mexican style grilled corn served with black beans and a huge salad.  Plus a truly luscious  pineapple upside-down cake ( with vanilla Ben and Jerry’s, of course )  for dessert,  one of  the best I’ve ever eaten.  But this year two kids were out of town and one had another event.  So,  as Monty Python would say,  now for something different.  The result was a decision to play the front nine holes of  the spectacular waterfront Arnold Palmer Signature  course at the Bay Creek Golf Resort  community and then have lunch at Aqua restaurant,  which overlooks the Chesapeake Bay at Cape Charles.   This wouldn’t seem too unusual except that my husband doesn’t play golf  and I only play  occasionally anymore so the only people playing golf would be Eldest Daughter and Middle Daughter,  along with their respective  boyfriends.  But this was fine,  we both enjoy the beauty of the course and  watching the kids work on improving  their game.  About a thousand years ago,  before I had any children,  I played golf  several times a week,  had  a single digit handicap and was serious about the game.  Five kids and a real estate business later,  I’m just an old duffer but I still enjoy being out on the course, watching the kids play, zipping around in the golf cart, taking a few photos,  just enjoying the beautiful waterviews,  the amazing Bay Creek landscaping and the fresh salty breezes.

Putting Out On Arnold Palmer Hole # 1

Sunday dawned overcast,  looking suspiciously like rain and riding around in a golf cart in the rain is definitely not my thing.   But the hour- by- hour weather report indicated only a 10% chance of  precipitation  before 3 pm so we decided to go with the forecast  but bring rain jackets and umbrellas,  just in case.  By the 10:45 am tee time the sun seemed trying to peek through, not very hard,  but trying nevertheless.  The Palmer hole # 1 is a spectacular hole, a par 5,  459 yards,  heading straight west, with a green which is nearly right on  the Chesapeake Bay.  It’s my favorite hole, one of the longest and one of the most beautiful,  with a pristine natural feel,  the water,  the sea grasses, the shorebirds overhead and of course its  flower petal shaped massive sand trap,  creatively  designed  pits of deadly sparkling grains of ground rock that can easily cost an extra stroke or two.  And the impressive replica of Old Plantation Light  standing sentry over the green and the Bay, watching for fudgers and sailors.  Or maybe not.

 

Three Balls Sailed Over The Water But The Fourth Went Plop ! I Shall Not Say Whose…

By hole # 3  however,  the sun was definitely shining and the little wavelets along the Bay were shimmering, a lovely sight.  This is a tricky hole because of  its  water features — it’s easy to lose a ball or two here.   It was especially pretty that Sunday, the tall pines on the far side of the green reflected in the waters of the pond,  a flock of pelicans sailing by skimming just above the waves in the Bay.   As for the golfers in the group,  on this par 4,   336 yard hole– let’s just say  that three balls sailed nicely over the pond and onto the green but some body’s ball,  we won’t mention whose,  went plop and promptly sank.    And then on hole #4, overcast again and the beginning of a  sprinkle.   To make a long story short, the weather went wacky,  alternating between periods of sunshine and showers until we wrapped up after the ninth hole,  everybody starving and ready to slip over to Aqua’s for lunch.

A Fine Father’s Feast At Aqua

On holidays and special occasion days,  Aqua  usually has  something out of the ordinary  and for Father’s Day they offered a very nice brunch buffet accompanied by specially priced Mimosas.   Lots of gorgeous fruit,  an omelet station with a wide choice of  ingredients,  some excellent home fried new potatoes with onions and ever so much more  for the breakfast lover.  For those ready for lunch, a carving station with a delicious grilled flank steak  and  a honey ham  accompanied by an especially flavorful mango salsa stood at the ready,  as well as  BBQ  ribs which were exceptional,  slathered with a particularly  tasty sauce,  enlivened with a subtle touch of cumin.  Goodies from nearby trays of relishes and grilled veggies,  including a delicious cold eggplant,  made a pleasing plate together with the ribs and a top notch ceasar salad.  Needless to say,  everyone found more than enough choices they really enjoyed and nobody left hungry, an understatement for sure !   One of the nicest things about eating at Aqua’s,  aside from the food,  is the lovely interior and the great views out to the Chesapeake Bay from the wall of windows which wrap around on three sides.  Sunday was no exception,  cloudy or not, the water was  beautiful as always and  we  enjoyed  watching boats come and go from the marina.   “The Present”,  a special Father’s Day gift that the kids all chip in together to give, was  presented,  especially lovely this year,  then ’twas time to head for home and a little walk with the dogs.

(Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134  Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)

Now Showing, The Bay Creek Golf Resort’s Spring Bloomers !

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

Week before last I made a quick trip to Bay Creek Golf Resort in Cape Charles, VA to take some photos of a new golf home listing there and was excited to see that  the  “Spring Bloomers”  show is  well underway.  It’s my favorite time of  the year at Bay Creek,  an amazing golf community built along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay featuring  show quality landscaping,  the time when the profusion of vibrant colors there is just absolutely wonderful, total eye candy.  The color begins with a large sculpted bed of  red annuals at the entry sign and just keeps on going from there,  on and on and on,  so just when you think you’ve seen everything,  something new turns up as you round a corner.  Living in a home in one of the 10 little  villages at Bay Creek in the spring  is sort of  like being at the Philadelphia International Flower Show,  gorgeous bloomers everywhere  you turn,  the ultimate floral color palette  ( FYI,  the 2012  Philadelphia Flower Show theme is “Hawaii, Islands of Aloha”,  I’m sure it will be spectacular !  www.theflowershow.com  )

The drive from the entrance towards the gatehouse is punctuated by a dramatic water feature,  a striking,  nearly lifesize bronze sculpture of a small  boat with a waterman, his son and their Labrador dog.   This  close knit group,  shown pulling in crab pots,  portrays  a centuries old scene of  a lifestyle  of  working the waters along  the Chesapeake Bay,  crabbing in spring and  summer,  oystering in fall and winter.  Landscaped with grasses and accented by a channel marker with an osprey nest atop,  this is my very favorite Bay Creek design,  it just feels so  “Eastern Shore Virginia”  as you pass by,  a vivid reminder and a tip-of-the-hat to the Shore’s  long coastal traditions.

Once through the gate,  the full force of the landscaping is accomplished by having single lane, one way roads with wide medians dividing the two lanes,  the medians actually being miles of  landscaped  beds planted with dozens and dozens of  varieties of  trees together with understory designs of  perennial shrubs,  flowers and ground covers.  The landward side of each lane is bordered with long rows of  trees,  pin oaks, pines,  crape myrtles and magnolias to name just a few,  most of which  which are surrounded by their own colorful beds including  a long row of  huge and absolutely gorgeous peoneys just beyond the gatehouse.   Additional flower power throughout is provided by the numerous varieties of  bulbs and annuals.  The superstars of spring,  the azaleas and camillias,  there  seemingly by the  thousands,  just doing their thing,  blooming  away,  a riot of  hot pinks and bright lavendars,  splashes  of brilliant orange here and candy apple reds there,  everything in lovely contrast to the various hues and textures of green foliages.   And beyond it all,  the cool blues of the Chesapeake Bay and sugary white sands of  its beaches complete the delightful rainbow of colors that greet Bay Creek’s  homeowners every spring.   So,  if  a Chesapeake Bay home offering a golf, beach and marina lifestyle surrounded by such natural beauty appeals to you, check out our website, www.blueheronva.com for currently available properties.

                       

(Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134  Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)

Blue Waters, Green Fairways, Golden Sands– Check Out This Fine Lot In Bay Creek Golf Resort, Cape Charles, Virginia

Friday, May 13th, 2011

Itching to hit the links and swing into some great Eastern Shore golf ?   What better way to enjoy a  relaxed  golf  lifestyle than to build a custom home on this large lot for sale overlooking a deep green fairway just minutes away from the shining blue waters of the Chesapeake Bay and the soft golden sands of Bay Creek’s several  miles of  beach  ?   In 2010,  Bay Creek Golf Resort,  a waterfront golf community currently comprised of  10 separate residential villages centered around an  18 hole Arnold Palmer Signature course and an 18 hole  Jack Nicklaus Signature course,  was chosen as  one of the top 50 golf resorts by GolfWorld and it was  the 12th ranked resort course in the US,   great praise indeed.   Located in one of  Bay Creek’s  most beautiful villages,  Heron Pointe,  this lot has a view of one of the little lakes  and its lovely waterfall which features a stunning large bronze sculpture of a blue heron ( of course, what else ) standing on a bronze log  in a  little pool just below the waterfall,  a special custom commission by the developer.

As one of the most upscale villages at Bay Creek,  Heron Pointe is home to a number of  luxurious properties.  Located in the area of  Bay Creek Resort where the Chesapeake Bay and Old Plantation Creek intersect,  it is the neighborhood where the influence of being surrounded by water is felt most vividly–  most of the Heron Pointe lots have some  saltwater views or front on one of its several freshwater lakes.  Indeed,  several of the most talked-about waterfront holes of  Bay Creek’s  Arnold Palmer Signature Course wind through Heron Pointe,  including  the famed holes # 1 and #3,  which have been called some of the finest golf holes  in Virginia.  Hole #1 is so impressive– as you look down the long,  long  fairway you see what appear to be  large white “petals” of  a  huge flower lying on the ground near the approach to the green.  A pretty tricky flower however,  sort of like a Venus flytrap,  because once you get caught in one of these  sand  “petals”  it can be quite difficult to get out,  as I’m sure as many a Bay Creek golfer will attest !    

Located just beyond the flower petal shaped sand traps is the elegant  reproduction of  Old Plantation Flats Light,  built by Bay Creek in 2004 as a a replica of  the unusually shaped original 1886 lighthouse which stood in the  Chesapeake Bay near Cape Charles for many years.   Sited in a small freshwater lake at the very edge of the Bay and the beach, this impresssive  reproduction features an antique  fog bell from a retired buoy and a new Fresnel fourth order lens.  One can stand on the lighthouse deck and by gazing east,  overlook  much of  Heron Pointe.  A glance south nets a great view of the  # 2 green on the Palmer course,  located just at the edge of the Chesapeake Bay, overlooking  the broad sand beaches.  Certainly the lighthouse is  a great place to stand and watch the ships go by on the horizon,  a grand place to enjoy the spectacular sunsets over the Bay. 

 And for the icing on the cake,  from this Heron Pointe lot it’s only a few minutes to the Chesapeake Bay marina,  clubhouse,  pool, tennis courts and the many other golf community amenities.  All this and a chance to enjoy the special beauty of the Eastern Shore comes as a complete package,  gift-wrapped and topped with a spectacular bow,  with the purchase of  this spacious 3/4th acre building lot in Heron Pointe,  most attractively priced at $149,000.  Visit the Blue Heron website and see more golf properties as well as beachfront,  boating,  historic and town & country properties at  www.blueheronva.com .

The First Flowers Of Spring 2011 On Virginia’s Eastern Shore. They’re Here At Last !

Monday, February 28th, 2011
Picture of deep pink camillias with golden centers and deep green leaves.

Such show-offs ! Early Eastern Shore of Virginia pink camellias with blazing gold centers, nestled among leaves of deep, deep green.

I’m not sure what it is about the first blossoms of Spring that I find so exciting,  invigorating actually.  We have such a moderate climate, 4 mild seasons,  here on the Eastern Shore of Virginia so it’s not as if we have suffered through 5 months of  the miserable freezing  weather that folks to the north and mid-west have endured.  After all, the temperature here is going to be nearly 70 degrees  today while a customer who just visited from Connecticut reported that it was snowing when they left to come down here last Friday !  And most of our winter days are sunny and pretty mild.  So really,  bad weather is  not the reason that seeing the camellias begin to bloom  puts a smile on my face every year,  but smile I do.  

Masses of pink camellia bushes at Bay Creek Golf Resort in first Spring bloom.

Throughout Bay Creek Golf Resort, masses of red and pink camellias have begun their annual Spring Show, delighting property owners and guests.

My  ” Camellia Watch”  starts not too long after New Year’s– about the middle of January I start to think, well– the camellias will be blooming pretty soon.  And by the middle of February I am truly longing for the bright reds and deep pinks of the very first flowers.  Near our Machipongo office we have a huge bush,  at least 30 maybe even 40 years old, which seems to have literally nearly a thousand blossoms every year,  in a very pale, delicate shade of  pink.  I have  several at home, both the fall blooming as well as the spring blooming,  but they are still small as camellias are  slow growers.  Number Three Daughter who lives in Cheriton, a tiny town about 5 minutes from Cape Charles,  has at least 10 amazing spring blooming camellias.  Their house was built about 1925 so their plants are  fairly old and quite large,  really more like trees than bushes,  unbelievably spectacular when they flower.  She has one variety which is quite unusual, a variegated red and white,  a  late spring bloomer,  and it puts on a real show every year !    ( I’ll post a picture when it blooms,  it’s worth seeing if you love flowers.)  One of my favorite places to see masses and masses of  blooming camellias is at  Bay Creek Golf Resort in Cape Charles, Virginia, which has just amazing landscaping throughout.  The  roads are built  with  one-way lanes  and wide  medians separate  the two lanes.   The medians are  lushly landscaped  with a huge variety of  showy plants that bloom throughout the spring and fall and  the colorful  “Knock-out”  variety roses which bloom here from early spring until very late fall.  Needless to say, the camellias there are simply gorgeous,  massed under tall pines and hardwoods. ( One of the benefits of buying a home at Bay Creek is that the landscaping throughout is so beautiful,   it’s just eye candy all the way home !  )   So, it’s official  !    The robins are here, a few gold finches have already been seen and the brightly colored flowers  of  camellia japonica  have stamped  their imprimatur upon the landscape.  Spring has sprung on Virginia’s Eastern Shore !      P.S.   Check out    www.easternshoremastergardeners.com   for some great gardening tips on gardening on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

Swing Into This Luxury William E. Poole Designed Home Overlooking The Greens And The Chesapeake Bay In The Bay Creek Golf Resort at Cape Charles, Virginia

Thursday, January 20th, 2011

Homes  designed by renown architect William E. Poole are best known for two things– their warm and romantic living environments and the great attention paid to the myriad of  little design details that transform a house into a luxurious home.  I think  the Poole motto,  “Make The Place You Live The Place You Love”  really says it all.  And this exceptional Bay Creek Golf Resort home,  a classical   design  in the southern tradition,  certainly lives up to William Poole’s  fine  reputation as a remarkable  luxury home architect.

Front view of Heron Pointe luxury home at Bay Creek Golf Resort designed by William E. Poole

Located on an over-sized lot in the prestigeous  village of  Heron Pointe at Bay Creek in Cape Charles, Virginia,  this is a like-new home that boasts two excellent views.  To the east,  a stunning view of the  green on the sixth hole of the  Arnold Palmer Signature course.  ( Golf Digest has included   Bay Creek  on it’s “Best Places To Play”  list,  Golf Week on its “Best Courses You Can Play”  so overlooking a Palmer hole is a terrific location.)   The kitchen and breakfast room  are located on the eastern side of the house so you can imagine how beautiful it is at sunrise,  coffee in hand,  watching the sun peek over the  horizon,  pennant waving in the breeze,  green grass set against pink morning skies.  Or if you’re not an early riser,  how about the spectacular sunsets over the Chesapeake Bay from the western side of this beautiful home ?   The elegant full house length front porch is the perfect place for relaxing  with an iced tea,  refreshing breezes wafting by,  watching the setting sun paint the waters in shades of reds and golds.  Featuring 4 bedrooms and 3  1/2 baths,  this luxurious  home is one of the lucky few in Bay Creek Golf Resort that has both a golf course view and a Chesapeake Bay view,  truly a great  combination.

Spaciousness and natural light from the floor to ceiling windows make the great room so enjoyable

From the exterior brick to the interior five piece crown moldings, outside and inside,  top of the line materials and quality craftsmanship  were combined  with luxurious interior appointments  to make this a very special home.  The floor plan, open and airy,  with 10 foot ceilings on the first floor,  allows for casual  as well as formal areas — the formal dining room and library include lovely raised panel wainscoting.  I especially love the large  great room,  its amazing floor to ceiling windows really bring the outdoors in— the natural light is simply wonderful.  A  chef’s kitchen  ( with large center island features custom cherry cabinets,  built-in wine rack, granite counters and a very nice built-in wine cooler ),  stands ready for whipping up sumptuous feasts.  ( All appliances are GE Profile, the refrigerator front panel matches the cherry cabinets. )  Sugar and spice and everything nice plus much, much more can be stored in the huge walk-in pantry.  Spacious first floor master bedroom suite includes custom walk-in closet with built-in dresser, tray ceiling, custom windows with designer shades overlooking the golf course with double shower and double vanities in the bathroom.  Fireplace person ?   There are two.  Particular as to entry foyer  ?    A perfect size,  proceeded by an oversized door with leaded glass surround and overhead fan window.  Recessed lighting throughout.  And much, much more !

The state-of-the-art marina is just one of the many terrific amenities available to Bay Creek Golf Resort homeowners

And did I mention the other terrific Bay Creek amenities available to its homeowners in addition to the world class golf  ?    Miles of glistening sand beaches,  a new state-of-the-art marina,  multiple swimming pools, tennis courts,  amazing landscaping throughout,  shops, fine and casual dining, clubhouse, pro shop,  easy access by golf cart to all the shops, galleries, restaurants, etc.  in the historic town of Cape Charles, Virginia  ?   Truly,  for an alluring combination of  luxury and charm,  golf and water views,  sited on a large lot in one of the nation’s top 100 golf communities,  it would be very, very difficult to beat this elegant 4200 sq. ft. William Poole designed home in Heron Pointe village at Bay Creek Golf Resort  in historic Cape Charles, Virginia !  For more information and a personal tour,  give Blue Heron a call at 757-678-5200 or click  the link,  www.blueheronva.com/property.php?print=1&propid=841