* SLEEP NUMBER BED * !!!!と手頃なビーチアパートメント

Cathy J. Sakas is a well-known regional coastal naturalist specializing in tropical and sub-tropical marine and terrestrial habitats. In other words, she loves the nature of the southeast coast and thinks the barrier islands of Georgia are the most beautiful in the world! After landing in Savannah in 1970 to attend Armstrong State University, Cathy eventually ended up on Tybee in the early 90's and rented the downstairs of the house that she would later name Cottage of the Octopus Lair. Cathy's landlady had told her that she would never sell the house, but after a year of seeing how much Cathy enjoyed and cared for the cottage, the landlady wanted her to have it. As soon as Cathy purchased the Lair she surprised her former landlady with a dozen red roses in appreciation. A few years before purchasing the Lair on a trip to Africa, Cathy met world-class award-winning artist Mary Jane Volkmann and they stayed close friends from then on even though a half a world apart. In 2005 Mary Jane moved her family from Namibia back to the US to Gainesville, Florida and very soon thereafter came to visit Cathy on Tybee. Mary Jane took one look at the Lair's south facing wall and the wheels began to turn. Over the Fourth of July week of 2005 Cathy and Mary Jane spent seven days from sun up to sun down working from scaffolding to draw and paint the coquettish fish, sassy octopus, impish seahorse and magnificent pink jelly creating the landmark ocean life mural that adorns the south-facing wall. A local television station documented the progress each evening on their news broadcast. Cathy and Mary Jane are planning to make more art at the Lair, so stay tuned for that event!

When I first rented the Lair I immediately saw the potential it had. I just loved the coziness of it and the layout. As soon I bought it I made renovations and added my own personal touches using the beauty of nature. I enjoy the outdoors so much that the screened front porch literally became my office. I wrote the scripts for my two natural history series, Coastal Naturalist, for Georgia Public Television on that porch in the rocking chairs and have written several more papers and programs there too. For years Little Green Herons raised their chicks in a nest in the top of one of the palms and I watched their progress each day until they fledged. How wonderful to see them venture out on the long fronds and then finally take their first unsteady flights!

Living on Tybee has been such a great joy. I like to run and walk and since the beach is only a few minutes from my doorstep, I take advantage of it. There is nothing like taking a walk in the morning to see the sun rise like a bright orange ball out of the ocean. I appreciate all that nature has to offer and seeing the stars reflected in the ocean's surface and the moon rise out of the ocean are pretty spectacular events too. Of course the pelicans flying just above the waves is a phenomenal sight to see and watching ghost crabs scurry into their burrows in the dunes is always intriguing. I love eating at the restaurants on Tybee because most have open-air seating, so I can continue enjoying nature while I dine in comfort.