As an almost-50-year-old rookie runner, these mantras have come in handy, helping me make it through tough workouts or remember my form and focus during a big race. I used words like “believe”, “trust” and “relax” to make it through two half marathons and my first full marathon recently. The word “believe” reminds me that I can do anything, but first need to believe that I can do it. “Trust” means I’ve completed countless hours of training, so I can trust that I’m prepared for the moment. “Trust” also means  I’ve asked God to carry me when I’m too tired. And “relax” is a reminder to relax my shoulders. Otherwise, my shoulders end up somewhere near my ears when I get anxious during a run. Not pretty.

I read about a guy whose running mantra is “relentless.” He actually yells it out loud during a race, instead of repeating it in his head. Not really my style, but this sport has changed me a bit so, who knows, maybe I’ll start yelling to the crowd soon. Reminds me of a dog with a bone that just won’t let go.

You don’t have to run to know the power of the words in your head. Imagine if you repeated the words “I can’t” or “I’m afraid” over and over. Not exactly the results I’m shooting for. This got me thinking… that word (RELENTLESS) means to never give up. Kinda like the company I work for. In the toughest market in history, we’ve not only grown, we’ve thrived. How did that happen? Unyielding perseverance. Success like this does not just happen. It has to start with a thought, a plan, and a RELENTLESS attitude.

You are what you eat. You are what you think. You can survive in spite of health issues, bad weather, and negative opinions. What do you choose to think about?  What do you choose to be?

On your next visit to Independence, plan to have some fun too! Strap those kayaks to the roof of your car and do some paddling while you’re here! If you don’t want to travel with your kayaks, there are plenty of rental opportunities for you as well. Our Delaware State Parks have kayaks available to rent, and they even run guided tours!

Living at Independence puts you very close to an abundance of kayak destinations.  Whether you are interested in paddling through the ocean, the bay, rivers, or lakes, we have it all just minutes away.

We hope you’ll enjoy one of the many outdoor activities that Lower Delaware has to offer active adults like you! See you soon!

You’ve attended grand openings before so you know what to expect, right?  Well, this one will be double the fun with TWO spectacular homes to tour at Breakwater.  On Saturday, October 15th from 11:00 to 4:00, you’ll have the opportunity to explore our newest Courtyard Series home – the Kingfisher – along with the Salt Meadow, our long-anticipated Twin Home.

Your Kingfisher tour will provide you with a unique opportunity to learn about Schellter™ Advanced Building Science first-hand.  Exploring the home will be like visiting a gallery where you can see, hear, and feel the impact of high performance features.  Learn even more by walking through our homes in various stages of construction to get the behind the scenes view of Schellter™ Advanced Building Science.

We hope you’ll stop by for a tour or just to enjoy some of the great food, beverages, fun, and surprises that make Schell Brothers events so special.  It’s the perfect way to gear up for the Jazz Festival in Rehoboth that weekend!

OK, now, be honest – when you saw “two-for-one” in the headline, did you think we were offering two homes for the price of one?  Well, not quite, but we promise some special grand opening incentives that will have you smiling!  And, how about the latest interest rates?!  These low rates are sure to change in the future but one thing’s for sure: Breakwater is one-of-a-kind and homesites are dwindling.  There’s never been a better time to come out and meet your future neighbors.   See you soon!

As a native to the State of Delaware, it wasn’t until this morning that I realized how fortunate we are to have such beautiful wildlife, state parks, & water canals surrounding our Schell Brothers Community at Sunset Harbour.  The Sunset Harbour team rose early this morning before heading into work, to tour the areas of Bethany Beach, Ocean View, Millville, & Fenwick in order to truly capture a description of what surrounds the Sunset Harbour community.

Sure, Sunset Harbour already offers boat slips, waterfront properties & water canals, but did you know the Bethany Tennis Club is just ½ mile down the road from Sunset Harbour?  Play one game with friends after a hot summer day, or early before breakfast to get your fitness on.

Quillen’s Point, at the end of Sunset Harbour’s road, is home to the Mason Dixon VFW, with spectacular views of the Indian River with plently of kayakers enjoying the day.

Just around the corner, about 2 miles from Sunset Harbour, is Fresh Pond State Park.  This beautifully designed State Park is not only perfect for walking/running trails, or nature-seeking, but it also can take you straight into North Bethany.  Holt’s Landing State Park is a few more miles away, and may be Ocean View’s best-kept secret, allowing for walking trails, spectacular water views, and of course, you’ll see the rare wildlife from time to time.

Next up for adventurers would be the ever-popular golf courses: Cripple Creek, Salt Pond, & Bear Trap, all only a few minutes from Sunset Harbour.  They’re a great treat on a beach vacation!

Venturing back ‘home’ at Sunset Harbour, we discussed the tasty local restaurants and delis in the area, that offer great year-round dining: Seafood, all-you-can-eat crabs, & upscale dining is easy to find in Fenwick & Ocean View.  No wonder the state of Delaware is called ‘the small wonder’… such beauty surrounds us & we are fortunate enough to be in the middle of it all!

If you weren’t at the Health Fair at Independence this past Saturday, you really missed out! Free screening for bone density, cholesterol, BMI, and blood sugar were available for residents and guests–and I had it all done!

The volunteers from Beebe were spectacular! A CPR class was held at 10 a.m. and 30 of Indy’s finest were in attendance and practiced what they had been taught. Doing 100 compressions in 60 seconds on someone’s chest is no easy feat!  We all had dummies on which to practice and before you jump to conclusions, let me clarify that I’m talking about the training dummies brought by the paramedics.  The big surprise at the beginning of the class was the donation of a defibrillator for our very own community! Everyone was shocked, pleased, and extremely grateful.

After the CPR presentation in the Yoga room, it was off to the Ballroom for lunch where 9 different outside caterers were serving their best vittles to win a spot on the Indy preferred caterer list. One caterer even brought its own photo booth with them! I bet you can’t guess who had his picture taken first! Everyone’s food was scrumptious and the residents actually voted for the best of the 9. Wow, was that hard to do! All of the votes had not been tallied as of this blog, but the winner or winners will be announced soon. The Ballroom was filled with 75 residents of this great community and 50 people outside of the community! It’s a good thing that most people had their screenings before lunch and the wine tasting took place. Guess who didn’t? UGH!

Hats off to Wendy Baker for putting this great event together for us! She’s become an integral figure in the community as Director of Activities in just 6 short months. Her efforts enabled everyone here at Indy, and those outside of this community, to experience an educationally healthy morning and afternoon–and the free lunch wasn’t bad either!

What a way to show your sweetie how much you appreciate them! Indy held a fantastic breakfast yesterday morning at the clubhouse to celebrate Valentine’s day.

42 people attended this affair and were treated to French toast, eggs, quiche, scalloped potatoes, ham, delectable sweets – and most importantly MIMOSAS!

Many recent homeowners came and experienced what life is all about here at Indy – and they loved it! The feeling of friendship and collegiality filled the halls of the clubhouse in the morning as Indy showed once again that its inhabitants sure know how to experience life as it should be. We just love our growing community and its wonderful people!!

Photos provided by Alvin and Harriett Smith.

Another fantastic event held at Independence this past Saturday, October 23rd! Indy put on an authentic Oktoberfest party like none you’ve ever seen!

A keg of Oktoberfest beer, bratwurst, knockwurst, German potato salad, roasted chicken, soft pretzels, and black forest cake made up the menu du jour. The food was outstanding!

A disc jockey supplied our music with a mixture of German songs and oldies but goodies! 82 people danced the evening away to fast, slow, and line-dance songs. Many people came in German costumes and it actually felt like you were in Munich for a night.

The event went on for nearly 5 hours and everyone left happy, with a full stomach, and with pride that we live in the very best community in Delaware! If you could have seen everyone arm in arm hoisting their glasses to “Ein Prosit”, a true sense of camaraderie was again visible that gives Indy that sense of true community and Schell pride!

One of my favorite things to do in June is pick local blueberries. Here in Sussex County, Delaware, there is a large blueberry farm near Dagsboro where you can go to pick your own berries. The fields are open 7 days a week. Here are some tips from a local:

• Wear a hat no matter how overcast.
• Spray your legs with bug spray.
• Take water to drink.
• Bring a bucket! The farm provides buckets for picking, but don’t forget to take containers to bring the berries home.
• Blueberries freeze well, but make sure you DON’T rinse them before you freeze them. Rinse them when you are ready to thaw and use them.
• They are sold by the pound. Here’s the best part: you can eat while you pick, and they don’t weigh you on the way out!

I use the berries for pies, muffins, pancakes and just plain old snacking. Close to home, fresh off the vine and supplying antioxidants that taste good – what a great way to spend an afternoon!

For information call 302-238-7043.

Happy picking!

Barbara Dean is a Sussex County native, born and raised in Lewes, Delaware. Barbara is the Controller at Schell Brothers and has been with the company for 5 years.