Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Latest:

30A Home Sales Year Over Year Comparison for 2022
The Style of Seaside
Will the housing market go down in Florida soon?
Seaside School Half Marathon + 5k Run
Best Things To Do On a Winter Vacation on 30A

Explore30A with Murray Balkcom

Murray Balkcom | 30A Real Estate

Search MLS
Sell Your Home
Events
Active
Neighborhoods
Food/Health
Style
Featured
LOCAL INTERESTS

Entertainment

Entertainment Events

ArtsQuest 2017 | Fine Arts & Music Festival

April 4, 2017April 4, 2017 Murray Balkcom art, CAA, music

Art and Music 30A at ArtsQuest 2017 | May 13-14, 2017 ArtsQuest 2017: Celebrating the 29th anniversary, ArtsQuest Fine Arts &

Pensacola, Florida—this is an era when the town is cobblestones, iron balconies, and men in straw skimmer hats. A trolley rolls down Palafox. Ships in the bay have smokestacks. It’s hot outside. Young Albert is a trumpet player. He has talent. His father, the attorney, calls him lazy. He says music is a dead-end profession. He says Albert won’t amount to anything in this world if he plays music. So, the boy works loading crates in the harbor. On weekends, he plays with the Salvation Army Band to keep his lips in shape. They’re a good band, they play hymns in front of the bank on Government and Palafox to raise money for the poor. The other side of Government Street: A couple shuffles the sidewalk. Man and woman, middle-age, dressed in ratty clothes. They have accordions strapped to their chests, and tin cups with rattling with coins. They wear darkened glasses. They are blind. They don’t often play on Government Street. Today, they’re hoping to earn enough to buy supper. The woman sings tunes she’s learned from the radio. She has a good ear. She can hear a melody once and play it. Albert and the band take a break to rest their mouths and replace fluids. The fellas remove jackets and fan themselves. This is Northwest Florida. The sun can melt a man like candle wax. “Ssshhh,” says Albert. “You hear that?” Everyone listens. “I hear it,” says Trombone. “Sounds like an accordion,” adds Bass Drum. The band is a curious lot. They go investigate. Albert stops walking. He listens to the music, then presses the mouthpiece against his lips to play along. French Horn finds a part to play, too. Snare Drum, Fluglehorn, and Tuba do the same. Soon, the boys have joined the blind woman’s song. Together, they play a secular melody—which has been strictly prohibited by the Official Salvation Army Rulebook, section 207-A, paragraph 3. It’s beautiful music. A big crowd gathers. Men in linen suits reach into pockets, tossing money. Women empty coin-purses. The blind couple smiles so hard, they almost crack teeth. So does Albert. They play until sunset. And I imagine Panhandle sunsets in the ’20’s were just as magnificent as today’s. When they finish, Albert gathers cash from the pavement. He collects piles of fifty-cent pieces, dollar bills, pennies. Six hats full. The blind woman thanks him. She cries. Albert cries. The band cries. Everyone cries. It’s more money than the couple has ever earned before. It was only one afternoon, a few hours in history. But it was more than that. Those who saw what happened would talk about it. Their kids would retell the story. And their grandkids—which is how I heard it. It’s a story that’s even outlasted Albert himself. A kid whose father said he wouldn’t be worth a damn in this world if he kept playing his god-forsaken trumpet. Well. Fathers don’t know everything.

Entertainment

Featured Local Writer – Sean Dietrich – Sean of the South

March 27, 2017April 11, 2017 Murray Balkcom Entertainment, Featured, Sean Dietrich

Sean Dietrich – “Sean of the South” “Sean Dietrich is a columnist, and novelist, known for his commentary on life

Alys Beach Entertainment Events

Digital Graffiti Festival | Alys Beach | May 19-21, 2017

March 25, 2017March 27, 2017 Murray Balkcom alys beach, digital graffiti, events

Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach 2017 marks the 10th year for Digital Graffiti Festival at Alys Beach, so mark your

Entertainment Events WaterSound Origins

International Ocean Film Tour | WaterSound Origins | April 1, 2017

March 10, 2017April 5, 2017 Murray Balkcom events, film, International Ocean Film Tour, watersound origins

International Ocean Film Tour ADVENTURE. ACTION. OCEAN LIFE. The International Ocean Film Tour kicks off its first ever American tour

Entertainment Events

Moutain Film on Tour at WaterColor, FL

July 30, 2014March 29, 2017 murraybalkcom 2014 Mountain Film, Entertainment, events, mountain film on tour

Mountain Film on Tour at WaterColor, FL Nov 7-8, 2014 – Adventure, Life Lessons and Environmental Messages brand this tour

Entertainment Food/Health Seaside

Emeril Lagasse at WaterColor and Seaside

January 14, 2013March 29, 2017 murraybalkcom Food/Health, Seaside, WaterColor

On the new television series for the Cooking Channel, Emeril’s Florida host Emeril Lagasse travels throughout the Sunshine State showcasing

Entertainment

Nashville Lifestyles Features South Walton

March 5, 2010March 27, 2017 murraybalkcom 30a, murray balkcom, nashville, nashville lifestyles, real estate, realtor, Rosemary, Seaside, songwriters, south walton, WaterColor, WaterSound

30-A Songwriters Festival Published by Nashville Lifestyles (Mar 2010) Hook, Line and Singers Dozens of award winning songwriters from across

Great Reads! Buy Now!

Best Repellant for Black Flies in South Walton

Search Beach Neighborhoods

Inlet Beach
Rosemary Beach
Seacrest Beach
Alys Beach
WaterSound Origins
WaterSound Beach
Prominence
WaterSound West Beach
Seagrove
Seaside
WaterColor
NatureWalk at Seagrove
Grayton Beach
Blue Mountain Beach
The Retreat
Forest Lakes
Santa Rosa Beach
Gulf Place
Dune Allen
Cypress Dunes
Point Washington
The Estuary
North Santa Rosa Beach
Botany Bayou
Freeport
Sandestin
Miramar Beach
Destin
The Preserve At Grayton Beach

Register for Updates

Email Address

First Name

Last Name

Phone Number (optional)

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate

30A Home Sales Year Over Year Comparison for 2022

January 9, 2023 Murray Balkcom

instead of seeing price drops, buyers are seeing strong pricing of 30A homes

Real Estate

Who Is the Best Realtor in the Greater 30A Area? Consider Choosing Murray Balkcom as Your Realtor

January 4, 2023 Murray Balkcom

Blue Mountain Beach Neighborhoods Real Estate

About Us

Explore30A.com
Selling Real Estate in the 30A and greater 30A area since 2003, Murray Balkcom has earned a reputation for maximizing buyers and sellers real estate goals and dreams. Here to serve! Contact Murray Balkcom today to learn how he can help you maximize your own real estate goals and dreams.

Useful Links

Greater30A.com
Explore30AHomes.com
ExploreDestin.com
Blog

Calculate Mortgage Payments

Total Purchase Price

Down Payment

Interest Rate

Length of Loan (Years)

Payment Period

Explore30A.com

Explore30A.com
Murray Balkcom
Broker Associate
MurrayBalkcom@gmail.com
30A Local Properties
35 Clayton Ln, Suite B
Grayton Beach, FL 32459