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The modern world somewhat melts away the second you enter Anne Acker’s workshop on Talahi Island.

Sure, the silent hum of an air-conditioning unit might catch your ear, but your eyes are more than likely focused on the array of harpsichords that inhabit the space, including one at the moment that might be the oldest-known examples of the instrument in the United States, dating back to 1794.

One near the door though is much more modern only in the fact that it was built by Acker over the course of two years. The buyer is from San Diego and will be getting their personally-designed harpsichord from Acker after she gives the new girl a few plucks at her concert, “A Baroque Celebration,” on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at St. Francis of the Islands.

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“People know they have to wait for me,” she said regarding the long process of making the instrument.

“It takes time. You can’t rush these out and do a good job.”

Acker has been specializing in building, restoring and playing harpsichords for a while now. “I got into the early keyboards because of a lack of satisfaction with achieving the music in my head on a modern piano,” she said.

“I love modern pianos too, but I don’t think they do what you need for a lot of compositions. So what happens is, you get notes, but you’re not hearing the music anymore because something has been lost.”

Acker perfected her playing and restoration skills while raising two children, and now says she can play everything from the Elizabethan era to the 20th century. “In fact there’s one 20th century piece in the (Baroque Celebration) program,” she said.

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“The earliest is from a book published in 1551, and then it goes all the way up to Fritz Kreisler. Violinists actually wrote some pieces in the style, and so my violinist and I have done some of those. She was playing modern violin then, so we said, ‘Let's see how it sounds on the Baroque violin and the harpsichord.’ And it worked.”

Acker will be accompanied by Marcy Brenner on the viola da gamba and Ann Cafferty on the baroque violin on Tuesday. She said the other instruments will teleport you as much as the harpsichord will once the performance starts.

“(Marcy) was a professional in Europe for a very long time and the viola da gamba, of course, is a predecessor of the cello and has lots of strings, and has a different tone,” she said. “They go together well and the same thing with the Baroque violin. It’s different, and different playing styles as well.”

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Outside of the music, it’s difficult not to be transfixed by the design of the instrument, which Acker put together and painted herself. She said the client and his wife wanted flowers and sent her many pictures of different flowers along with grape vines, which they also loved. Flowers along with different birds, butterflies and insects dance along the instrument while grape vines string around gold bands along the edges.

There’s no real time difference, she said, between the construction of the instrument and the painting. They both require patience.

“(Laser-produced patterns)...They’re too perfect,” she said. “Straight lines, evenly spaced. There’s little bits of unevenness (in hand-crafted pieces) that make things more beautiful in my opinion.”

Those imperfections and hand-crafted elegance fits hand-in-hand with her Baroque program as the intonations of the music along with ambiance of the space will surely send people away from 2023, even if for a little bit.

“You’re handling dynamics with texture…it’s almost like a lute-type effect (with the harpsichord),” she said as she admired her work.

“I love big pianos, but this is the sound they heard when they were composing these pieces, and it makes a difference.”

IF YOU GO

What: Savannah Baroque presents A Baroque Celebration

When: Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Where: St. Francis of the Islands, 590 Walthour Rd.

Cost: Free

SAVANNAH, GA MARCH 3, 2023 On Monday, Feb 20, 2023, students, teachers, and parents of St. James Catholic School in Savannah Georgia, received a heartbreaking email from their principal. Ms. Barbara Golden, their beloved 6th grade teacher, had unexpectedly passed away. Ms. Golden spent 48 years mentoring and teaching students in the Catholic Diocese of Savannah. She spent 46 years (1977 – 2023) teaching the 6th grade at St. James Catholic School.

Upon hearing the news, 7th grade student Elena Quick (12), a quiet budding artist, thought to herself, “there was no way I was going to let Ms. Golden just be gone”. Full of inspiration, Elena decided she had to ‘do something’. Over the course of the next week Elena began to sketch. The sketch became a drawing. The drawing became Elena’s first ever portrait. “It didn’t matter if you were the most popular kid – or the most quiet – Ms. Golden truly SAW every student she taught.” said Elena Quick (12) “There is an American Artist named Edward Hopper that said – “If I could say it with words, there would be no reason to paint.” I’m still working on “saying it with words” – but when I found out Ms. Golden passed, I knew the one thing I could do was paint.”

Elena’s Mom posted Elena’s art on social media along with a dedication that Elena wrote:

“I was inspired to paint in an impressionistic style because of the impression Ms. Golden had on me, all my classmates, and every student she ever taught. With each stroke,I hope you see the students that she taught here, the way she saw and inspired us.”

Looking ahead, Elena said she will continue studying art as she has hopes of attending Savannah Arts Academy for high school.

Young Elena’s painting will be on display at FINE ARTS NIGHT at Saint Vincent’s Academy on Monday, March 6, 2023 from 6:00 – 7:00 PM. From there, the painting will be on display in the Saint James Catholic School library until the end of the 2023 school year, where it will join various works of student art and writings in honor of Ms. Barbara Golden. At the end of the school year the painting will be given to Ms. Golden’s son Will Martin as a gift to the family.

For more information about Ms. Golden and her legacy click here.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Catalina Garcia-Quick

Mobile: 510-677-4433

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – Savannah, the southern city of the sea, is well known for its wild shrimp, crabs and wide variety of fish, but what about marsh hens?

Marsh hens are 15 to 20-inch sized brown water birds that live in the marshes of Savannah and other areas.

TV host Andrew Zimmern took a trip to the coastal crossroads of Savannah where he hunted for them in the first season of “Bizarre Foods” as part of his quest to find the world’s most unique tastes.

However, for some Georgians, eating marsh hens is common and has been on plates of families and friends as a fall tradition for years.

“I heard my grandfather talk about marsh hen hunting when I was a kid, and it was one of those things that kind of had an old timey mystique to it,” said John Howkins lll.

His grandfather John Howkins l spent part of his life across from Forsyth Park in the home that later became Fox and Weeks and then The Mansion. He also spent younger years in Jamaica and Bermuda, where he excelled at sailing.

“His love of all things on the water passes through his son, grandson and great grandson who all carry the same name through the four generations.” said Howkins dad John Howkins ll.

Also passed down, hunting marsh hens. “I was actually riding a jet ski one day when I was in my 20’s, probably mid 20’s and it was a high tide and I saw a bird pop up. It looked really gamey, and I thought ‘that’s probably a marsh hen’ and I started kind of researching it and got interested in it and sure enough it was a marsh hen.”

Howkins continued, “So I started asking some friends if they wanted to try for them and I realized that if the tide was right, it wasn’t too difficult. So, I had a successful hunt and started doing some yearly trips with different groups of friends and going after them.”

The tide is right to hunt marsh hens when the moon is full and the fall brings flood tides which allow hunters to get back to where the marsh hens live.

During high tide, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, and poling boats are able to get out of the creeks and rivers and back onto the flats.

“We’ve had a good time doing it with friends and family and you know, it turned out to be something that was accessible for me. My dad lives out on Wilmington Island, right on the water so it’s pretty easy to get out and do.”

Describing the taste Howkins said, it’s a gamier bird similar in taste to a dove.

“I wouldn’t say it’s the best waterfowl or bird I’ve ever tasted, and I would challenge anybody to give it a try in a couple of different ways to see what they think. That’s the reason for the “Bizarre Foods” episode, a lot of people don’t like them, and they taste gamey but, you know, it’s all in the preparation, like a lot of things. I’ve had them on the grill, wrapped in bacon and with cream cheese and jalapeno, which makes just about anything taste good and of course that’s a good way to eat them. You can fry them, and people fry them with gravy.” he explained.

This year, families may consider starting new customs such as tidal bird hunting for a special meal.

“I think for a lot of people it’s just kind of like a good fall or Thanksgiving tradition, you know, home for the holidays and you’re from Savannah or the Low Country area, you know, it becomes kind of like a nice thing you look forward to with your family and friends around the holidays.”

For those considering putting marsh hens on the dinner table this year, a hunting license is required, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division.

Until then Howkins has some advice, “Stick to fishing right now and dream of those cooler days in the fall when you can get on the birds.”

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For Do Savannah

“Savannah being the most haunted city; why don’t we have anything like this?”

Patrick Welsh is no stranger to the spooky side of Savannah. He’s the founder of the Paranormal Society of Savannah, the Scare Master for the Alee Terror Plantation, and the owner of Haunted Grounds Coffeein Midway.

As he said, for a city with such a haunted reputation, it’s strange that Savannah doesn’t havemore paranormal conventions. Welsh hopes to change that with Savannah Horror Fest Presents A Paranormal Convention on Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Alee Shrine, 100 Eisenhower Drive.

“We wanted to do it last August,” said Welsh. Unfortunately, his work with the annual Terror Plantationat the Alee Shrine in October got in the way of planning the convention. Now he’s training someone tohelp take some of that responsibility in order to better grow projects like Savannah Horror Fest.

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Taking on a convention is not the easiest thing to do, but Welsh is confident that he has planned a solidfoundation. “We’ve got a lot of personal friends and people we’ve just known that were like, yeah, man,let’s do something.”

Even though this is a first-year convention, Welsh has been able to put together an impressive guestroster, including “Paranormal State” investigator Heather Taddy. “We talked to her about this time lastyear, and she said she’d love to come to Savannah. She’s never been.”

William Mark McCullough will also be there. While he was known first as an actor, he’s now known forhis haunted home on that he based the film “A Savannah Haunting." “He grew up with one of [theParanormal Society of Savannah] team members. We were lucky to investigate his house numeroustimes before the movie came out. He’s good friends with us now.”

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McCullough will be joined by another cast member, Jaelyn Buffkin, who plays Alice in the film. Welsh saidhe knew Buffkin and her mother through Haunted Grounds Coffee. “Little Jaelyn’s come out to thecoffee shop a few times.” They’ve set up a table for her there to sign autographs and take pictures.When Welsh reached out about the convention, he said her mother was excited to accept the offer.McCullough and Buffkin will have a panel discussion about “A Savannah Haunting” and the home it isbased on.

Another actor on the guest roster is Courtney Gains, who is probably most recognized for his role asMalachai in the original “Children of the Corn” film. Gains is another acquaintance of a ParanormalSociety of Savannah team member.

Of course, there will be plenty of paranormal investigators and authors. “The other paranormal teamsthat are coming are ones that we’ve known or have worked with in the past. They’re really good friendsand a lot of them have interesting stories.” That includes Olde World Paranormal Society from FortWayne, Indiana, and Southern Heat Paranormal from Warner Robbins, Georgia.

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There will be also panels and workshops discussing paranormal investigations, equipment, and analyzingevidence. “That’s the fun part, too. Meeting somebody or asking questions so that you can further yourresearch and your knowledge of paranormal investigating.”

Welsh hopes to grow the Savannah Horror Fest and be able to attract bigger and more eclectic names infuture years. “We just want to share our experiences and share the love of paranormal investigating andghost hunting.”

If you’re interested in attending, tickets for Savannah Horror Fest start at $15 for the Saturdayconvention. Military members and children ages 12 and under are free. There are other packages thatinclude special events like a paranormal investigation at Graveface Museum with Heather Taddy.

For more information, go to SavannahScare.com.

IF YOU GO

What: Savannah Horror Fest

When: Saturday

Where: Alee Shrine, 100 Eisenhower Drive

Cost: Tickets start at $15

Info: SavannahScare.com

For Do Savannah

Fire is often considered one of the most destructive forces in nature. Still, as it turns out, they can be used as a force of good if prescribed correctly.

Prescribed burns are controlled fires intentionally started for the purposes of forest management. When underbrush builds up within a forestry environment, it causes the risk of wildfires to rise. Prescribed burns rid the forest of excess underbrush, keeping the odds of these fires happening low. But it can do that and so much more; prescribed burns also promote plant diversity by reducing the build-up of organic debris, thus releasing nutrients in the soil.

Even the Native American tribes, such as the Cherokee and Muscogee, used prescribed burnings to aid the growth of more crops by creating more open spaces for them. In addition, prescribed burnings also helped with hunting, burning away fallen tree branches and underbrush so hunters could move through the forest more silently. They can also help create new habitats for wildlife.

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As far as the animals who live in these environments are concerned, many in Georgia have adapted to fires in Georgia and, as a result, have no trouble leaving the area when prescribed burns are being performed.

Nonetheless, responsible burners take extra care to ensure that all animals present in the area have enough time to escape on their own before fully committing to the act.

Not just anyone can perform a prescribed burn, legally, anyway. To be allowed to perform a prescribed burn yourself, you need to get a burn permit, which can be acquired at the GATrees website, or you can even call the Georgia Forestry Commission at 1-877-OK2-BURN (652-2876). You can also contact the Georgia Forestry Commission for technical assistance if you're a landowner in need of help in creating a burn plan.

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Planning is essential to this type of work because, just like with anything involving fire, there are risks to enacting a prescribed burn incorrectly. "We look at multiple factors like wind, humidity, all of those things," said Susan French, Georgia Sentinel Landscape Project Coordinator.

"We make a plan that takes all of that weathering into consideration, such as the number of people we might need to burn an area, what our objectives might be for the burning; we take all of that into consideration when we're planning our prescribed burns and using it to do all of those things."

Many are completely unaware of this method of preventing wildfire, which is why the University of Georgia's Mary Kahrs Warnell Forest Education Center is hosting its annual Savannah River Fire Festival to help spread awareness about the concept.

This festival aims not only to educate citizens on prescribed burns but also seeks to entertain families with games, food, and even face paintings. "This will be our third year that we're hosting it at the Mary Kahrs Center," French said.

"I'm really excited to have it for adults and kids. There's a little something for everybody. And it's really promoting prescribed fire as a good fire and why it helps communities of Georgia, our forests, our wildlife species, so people can come and see a prescribed burn in action and also meet a lot of the organization agencies that are using it."

Organizations like the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Coastal Empire, Ogeechee Riverkeepers, Nature Conservancy, Savannah River Clean Water Fund, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division, as well as many more, will all be in attendance at the Fire Festival.

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These annual fire festivals have been going on for three years; each year, the Mary Karhs Center has grown and evolved since the events' initial debut. Last year, Forest Education Center saw 300 attendants at their last Fire Festival, 100 more than the previous year.

The Mary Karhs center has been hard at work doing TV interviews, digital billboard advertising, and social media campaigns to broaden its audience for its annual Fire Festival. "The ultimate goal of the fire festival is to get people to have a positive and fun hands-on experience with prescribed fire and to teach them all of the many things that benefit from it," French said. "It also allows people to meet their neighbors, get to see wildlife, and getting to kind of make some of those connections."

The Savannah River Fire Festival will be held will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mary Karhs Warnell Forest Education Center at 5960 Hwy. 17 South, Guyton, Ga., 31312. Admission will be completely free.