The painting on our cover is 'Shell Series #12' by Mary Carol Kenney, selected for Biennale 2023, the 28th National Juried Exhibition
opening in May at the Art League of Hilton
Head Gallery. For more, see page 11.
April 26 – May 9, 2023
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Lowcountry Weekly is published every other Wednesday and distributed throughout Beaufort County at various restaurants, retail locations, hotels and visitor’s centers. The entire contents of Lowcountry Weekly is copyrighted 2023 by P. Podd Press, LLC. No part may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany all submissions expected to be returned.
Greetings, dear reader, from a hotel room near the San Francisco airport. We fly home tomorrow at 6 am – shudder – and I’m trying to get a jump on a mountain of work after a week of benign neglect.
I’ve told y’all about my mixed marriage, right? Me, a small-town girl-next-door from Alabama? My husband, an international man of mystery – okay, Army brat – born in San Francisco?
Somehow, this unlikely formula has held up for almost 23 years, and this weekend, we attended a family reunion with Jeff’s West Coast cousins in Woodland, a little town outside of SF not so different from my own in Alabama.
But first, we spent a few days in The City.
That’s what they call it out here. The City. Call it anything else, and you out yourself as an outsider. “San Fran” is barely tolerated. Never say “Frisco,” ya rube.
I have loved The City ever since Jeff first brought me here 25 years ago. I was a girlfriend then, not a wife, so it was all very sparkly and romantic. He bought me a black velvet hat from a hippie shop, introduced me to Thai food, cable cars, wild parrots, and vertiginous streetscapes. I learned all about underground transit, Giants baseball, cold weather in July, and churros.
Throughout our marriage, we’ve returned every two or three years, usually with our daughter in tow. This year, it was just the two of us – first trip since before the pandemic –and I was anticipating some of that old romantic sparkle.
But I was wary, too. Like most of you, I’d heard some things about San Francisco over the past few years. How it had decayed. Come to ruin. Gone to pot. Etcetera.
I’d heard there would be hypodermic needles littering the streets, which would be paved with feces and flooded with urine. I was told there’d be homeless people camped outside our hotel, and a criminal around every corner, waiting to steal my purse.
I’d braced myself for an apocalyptic nightmare. It never materialized.
We stayed down near Fisherman’s Wharf, in a sweet boutique hotel I was smitten with over 20 years ago. It was a very expensive treat for us back then, and it’s far more affordable now. Not because we got rich – though we’re slightly better off than we were as newlyweds – but because they’ve had to lower their prices.
And those lower prices were just one of many “perks” – though I hate to call them that –that we, as tourists, were able to enjoy in the current, beleaguered iteration of this iconic American city. Another was smaller crowds. Fewer people. Less hassle. And, from our perspective, cleaner, more orderly streets.
We saw no needles, no feces, no urine –nor did we smell them – and there were no homeless encampments near our hotel. Not only did nobody steal my purse, but the people we encountered – locals and tourists alike – were more gracious than ever before. It almost felt like a different city. A friendlier city.
Back in 2016, I opined on San Francisco in a column that became forever notorious in our family when my daughter’s AP English teacher embarrassed her by using it as an example in her classroom. (An example of WHAT I was never quite sure!) In that piece, I wrote:
“Fair or not, New Yorkers have a reputation for being brash and no-nonsense. But what’s up with San Francisco? As much as I love that beautiful city, I never quite feel like it loves me back. No matter how often I visit – and since it’s my husband’s hometown, that’s fairly often – I’m always thrown by the way people pass each other on the street so brusquely, without greeting or even acknowledgment. People don’t make eye contact. Exchanges are terse. The city prides itself on its humanitarianism and its great well of tolerance – those values are proclaimed from signs and posters and tee-shirts all over town – but to me, it always feels like everybody’s a little ticked off. There’s a low-grade hostility in the air.
“Maybe it just feels that way to outsiders? Or maybe just to certain outsiders? Maybe San Franciscans take one look at me – and hear my “hey, y’all” – and recognize me as one of those people . . . the ones who are forever mucking up that utopia they envision just beyond the horizon. A Southerner.”
It hasn’t been like that this time. And my husband and I have been trying to figure out why. Why have things been so much better on this trip, when we expected them to be so much worse? Because make no mistake – according to all reports, things are demonstrably worse in San Francisco. For those who live here, I mean.
The homeless population has increased dramatically, the crime rate is way up, and the worst parts of The City – particularly The Tenderloin – are worse than ever. We saw none of that, but what we did see – and it was astonishing – was empty building after empty building in the commercial district downtown.
Margaret Evans“Let’s stroll over to Maiden Lane and find somewhere chic to have lunch,” Jeff suggested on our first day here. (I think that might be the first time I’d ever heard my husband use the word “chic.” It was rather adorable.) We had nothing to do until the Giants-Dodgers game that night, and we were just meandering, enjoying a plan-free day.
Well, not only was there nowhere “chic” to have lunch on Maiden Lane – the heart of SF’s fashion district – but there was virtually nowhere to shop. Almost every building had a boarded-up door featuring a “For Lease” or “For Rent” sign. It was shocking. And there were plenty of other streets just like it.
There’s no way a city with this much empty commercial space can hope to get its homeless situation or crime rate under control. Not when it’s bleeding tax dollars. And, of course, businesses don’t want to invest their tax dollars in a city with such a terrible homeless situation and crime rate.
It’s a self-perpetuating cycle, and it’s vicious. I have no idea how our beloved San Francisco will pull out of it.
All I know is that we did our part this week by adding to the tourist economy. And I’m trying not to feel guilty about the fact that this failing, falling-apart San Francisco felt more “utopian” to me than it ever has.
Jeff thinks maybe it’s because those who haven’t left The City – who decided to stay, or had to –have pulled together in solidarity, becoming a kinder, gentler population.
There may very well be something to that.
But it might be even simpler. I tend to think that fewer people just make for happier people. Less pushing. Less shoving.
More forced eye contact. Smiles that need reciprocating. Pleasant greetings you just can’t ignore. Suddenly, instead of a milling crowd – a faceless mob – you find yourself among fellow human beings.
I even trotted out my “hey, y’all” a couple of times this week. Nobody seemed to mind a bit.
Years ago, my first experience with “woo woo” arrived at my little brick cottage in Kentucky in the form of a tape by Indian-born American author, physician, and speaker, Deepak Chopra. Remember tapes? Like I said, this was years ago.
Amid morning yoga in my sunlit living room, his words began to make sense to me. He was talking about relationships, my first toe-dip into the vast ocean of a topic that still fascinates me. And I remember his saying that if you’re in a relationship that feels comfortable to you, there may come a time that in a reach for intimacy, for testing the waters of trust, you reveal something about yourself that perhaps not many people know about you. Something you might be embarrassed or ashamed about. That kind of revelation, said Chopra, takes courage. What if the other person is horrified and leaves, never to be seen again? Well, since they
failed that particular litmus test, deeper feelings likely could never have happened anyway though you may take a bit to get past it emotionally.
But what if he or she is surprised but simply accepts your confessed issue as a fact about you, as a part of you? They may be honored that you trusted them enough to be honest. If that happens, there’s every chance your relationship will grow.
When I heard what seemed to me to be a particularly wise perspective, something I’d never thought about nor heard from any other source, it sounded like truth and became a part of my life values, a kind of spiritual journey foundation. Not religious, mind you, but spiritual. A concept I could build upon, could keep in the cupboard of ideas to explore, and could eventually adopt as my own philosophy from which to grow my self-worth and embrace the path I was on the earth to follow. I’d like
to say that I understood all that at the time, but I’d be lying. Instead, that experience was a tiny ray of light that felt right enough that I still remember it. A brick in my base.
The gist of the concept that alternativemedicine advocate Chopra presented was that we humans are all individuals, we all behave in our own separate ways, and we all observe life through our own filters determined by our life thus far. It’s the reason that memoirs can be controversial, because two different members of the same family often remember precisely the same incident from two completely differing perspectives. One person may recall in a positive light, while the other’s recollections bring up negative emotions. Put simply, we’re all different.
Remembering that is the point of this particular column. Sometimes it’s way too easy to cling to your own beliefs, feelings, and behaviors and to those of your “tribe,” to stay in your comfort zone and to completely discount how someone who’s different than you embraces life. To judge without understanding. Differences may appear obvious, as in race, dress, actions, language, or speech. At least on the outside. Much like seeing an iceberg in chilly northern waters and thinking that it’s not too big, when in fact the huge heft of it is floating underwater and can’t be seen from the surface.
Not unlike a muscular high-school quarterback that embraces Buddhism. Who would know? Or a popular actress that in every People mag photo is pretty, talented, and ever-smiling at her handsome husband while in public . . . the man who abuses her just as her father did behind closed doors. You just never know what sort of looking-atlife filters are in place. What secrets the underside of another person hides.
A quote without attribution crossed my path recently and made an impact. It actually inspired me to write this column.
“Be kind. For everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”
Obvious and literal examples of this could be veterans with PTSD, victims of abuse, bullied kids, and folks with mental and/or physical challenges. These issues are not always obvious. When encountering another person who’s behaving in a way that makes you uncomfortable, unless the situation is dangerous, do your best to give them the benefit of the doubt. They may appreciate your kindness.
by Katherine Tandy Brown
All of this chat about being a good person takes me back to thoughts of the 1960’s, the age of flower children, free love, weed, muddy Woodstock, and making peace not war. In retrospect, the overall idea seemed like a good one. Well, perhaps except the idea of not taking responsibility for much, but hey, as I understand, it’s hard to be high and focus at the same time. The portrayal of that mystical era was right on target in Forrest Gump, a film Pollyanna here has watch untold numbers of times. So much of the ‘60s music spoke of caring about others – “Love the One You’re With,” “Imagine,” and of course, “Get Together,” by the Youngbloods.
Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another right now.
Honoring the fact that each of us has an underside, whether or not anyone perceives their own or not, is a strong first step in being kind. Staying present, being aware, and not assuming by outward appearance can lead to at least understanding that we only know the side of anyone they allow us to see. Someone’s underside can be an Achilles heel for them, difficult to get past except with expert professional help, and sometimes even that doesn’t do the job.
But whatever you do, give your fellow man the benefit of the doubt. As are most, that phrase is a cliché for good reason. Consider the underside and be kind. You absolutely never know whose life you may change for the better nor what positives you may glean from the experience.
The poet Rumi nailed this one: “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about.”
The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has issued the permit for construction of the long-awaited, fully-funded section of the Spanish Moss Trail to cross from Smilax Avenue over Ribaut Road into the village of Port Royal.
“The Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail have been working on this project for the past five years,” said Dean Moss, Volunteer Executive Director of the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail. “The importance of our nonprofit’s advocacy work cannot be understated. We have been a liaison for this essential section of the Trail among the multiple sales of the former State Ports Authority property. We are excited for the more than 100,000 people a year who will soon be able to enjoy this highly anticipated extension of the Trail.”
The permit issued by SCDOT will enable the Trail to follow the alignment of the old railroad.
The Trail expansion will start at Smilax Road where the current Trail ends and cross Ribaut Road with a pedestrian-controlled stop light called a HAWK signal. The crossing will be next to Pender Brothers and Martin Landscaping. The Trail will then continue down the old railroad right-of-way about ¼ mile until it reaches a private driveway coming in from Ritter Circle. From there, the Town of Port Royal and the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail will install appropriate signage to direct
Trail users into the Village, the Sands Beach and other Port Royal shopping, dining and recreation attractions.
Because of the cost of crossing Ribaut Road, this section of the Trail is a relatively expensive section of the Trail. Its construction is being funded by a combination of sources including a State grant arranged by Rep. Shannon Erickson, a Beaufort County 3% Accommodation Tax Grant, the Town of Port Royal and significant private donations from
There will be two more sections of the Trail in Port Royal. The Town of Port Royal will continue to work closely with the new developers of the former State Ports Authority property to continue the Trail through this waterfront property towards Shellring Ale Works and Fishcamp restaurants. Then, they will concentrate on bringing the Trail to its termination at the Sands Beach.
With more than 100,000 residents and visitors enjoying the Spanish Moss Trail each year, this rails-to-trail greenway is now one of the recreational centerpieces for Beaufort County. With a current 20-mile round trip experience for residents and visitors, the Trail
offers a 12-foot wide, paved path, that is dedicated to pedestrians and bicyclists. The continued success of the Spanish Moss Trail is made possible through the FSMT with a network of sustainable partnerships, local government participation, and the generous funding from community-minded individuals. To support the efforts of the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail, tax-deductible checks can be made payable to: Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail (P.O. Box 401, Beaufort, SC 29901) or online at www.SpanishMossTrail. com. For more information on the work of the FSMT and easy navigation to the Trail, people can download the free Mobile App, The Spanish Moss Trail Mobile Guide (available on Apple Store and Google Play).
the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail. The Beaufort County Engineering Department will be administering and overseeing the construction contract and bids for this project.
“We expect the County to solicit bids very soon,” said Moss. “The Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail will continue our work to advocate and support the County’s efforts to move as quickly as possible and we are hopeful that construction will occur during the summer of 2023.”
My 5-year-old grandson had some big questions while visiting us during his Spring Break.
He started the inquisition by asking me when I thought I might die. He wanted a rough estimate for planning purposes. I was a little confounded. We were talking about Easter and death and rising from the dead, all mixed in with hunting eggs and serious discussions about the “real” Easter bunny versus the grandparents who hide the eggs in plain sight.
I told him I honestly didn’t know my death date, but it was far enough away that he didn’t have to worry about it. Because, it appears, he’s quite the worrier.
We then got on the topic of being left out. Some kids were excluding him on the
playground, and I took it like an actual physical blow to the heart. When my own daughters were left out, I liked to remind them that you can’t be invited to everything, not everyone wants to be your friend, is there anything YOU might be doing that could make them feel bad. And so forth. Same with any teacher/kid dispute, I always had the teacher’s back. But when my grandson describes his hurt to me, I roar up on my mama bear hind legs, ready to hunt down these kids and pluck the candy out of their Easter baskets.
Seriously, I thought I was done with this kind of pain. The kind where you must let people you love find out that the world can be cold and cruel and sometimes, unfixable.
I don’t want him to find out that not everyone laughs at his chicken jokes like his grandfather and I do, uproariously and repeatedly. It’s not my job to peel off the wrapping of the world’s hurtful ways. I’m here to indulge, adore and listen to his troubles, not fix them. Plus, I couldn’t lessen the hard, cold truth of being human, even if I wanted to.
He starts kindergarten in the Fall, and I feel a cold sense of dread that he’s going to learn about active shooter drills at the same time he’s coping with finding out that not everyone wants to be his friend. Lumping those two together doesn’t make sense, as if one is the same as the other. When it’s not. But this little worrier has no idea how much there is to really worry about. And I would wish it all away if I could.
GUEST by Carolyn Mason
Still, the “Mimi” in me is so different from the mom in me that I sometimes find it hard to even buckle their car seats with the fear of doing it wrong. I see danger on every bike ride and feel an almost paralyzing fear that something could happen on my watch.
So, when we were at the beach a few weeks ago and he yelled, “SHARK!!” I took the time to sternly talk to him about crying wolf. “What if there really was a shark in the little lake you made with a bucket? Nobody would believe you,” I tell him. He’s confused because I’m the spinner of stories that include fantasy wolves that save the day and playgrounds made from Cadbury chocolate and swimming pools filled with, “not diet Sprite but the real Sprite.”
He seems to take to heart most of my solemn lessons, probably because they are so few and far between. But when he yelled SNAKE while playing basketball, barefoot, in the back yard, with his baby brother, I stomped out there, ready to retell Peter and the Wolf. Until I saw the actual copperhead slithering at the edge of the court, agitated by these wild boys.
I scooped up nearly 80 pounds of boys and scurried to the house, moving faster than I have in a long time.
“Good calling, ‘snake!’” I told him, once I could stop with the adrenaline shakes.
“I thought you would like to know about it,” he said, looking at me, waiting for my reaction. He saved the day with his quick thinking, and I told him how much I admired his bravery and quick reactions.
Life in that moment was perfect. It was not going to be anyone’s death date that day, not even the snake’s.
Anne M. Kennedy and Traci L. Walter will be the Beaufort Art Association’s featured artists in May and June. The public is invited to meet the artists at a reception on Friday, May 5, from 5-8pm at the BAA Gallery, 913 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort, under the black awning.
Anne M. Kennedy, Encaustic Artist
“My career as a Cytologist was defined by looking for the smallest changes in human cells, which was my art for many years. I now work in various media, but have found my true artistic calling with encaustics, a natural medium. Being a beekeeper, I use the wax from my bees mixed with the resin of trees and pure earth pigments to make my ‘paints.’ The sensuality of melted wax, the luscious colors, the feel of working with this difficult but forgiving medium has found a forever place in my heart. Excitement abounds when I view a blank substrate and plan my embellishment with this timeless medium. I am exploring the old and always looking to the future.” More info: AKennedyart.com
Traci L. Walter, Potter
“From my home studio on the salt marsh, inspiration surrounds me and influences my art. After many years as a painter, I found my passion for having my hands in wet clay, turning on the wheel, producing a form that expresses beauty and purpose. Clay has become my medium and canvas. Using my
hands to create functional pottery feeds my soul as I aim to bring my view of nature to each piece. Tranquil wading birds are carefully hand carved onto the leather hard surface of the clay; handmade stamps, tools, and found objects add texture to the surface. Pieces must dry slowly and naturally before first low firing in my kiln that readies the clay for glazing. A palette of food safe glazes and colored slip are carefully brushed on before the final firing. Intense heat produced during high firing strengthens the clay, melts the glaze, moving it over the surface, in and out of texture, where new colors emerge, unknown until I lift the kiln lid after cooling. Each handmade piece, unique and one-of-a-kind, becomes functional stoneware, safe for food, oven, microwave, and dishwasher.” More info: @JollyPigPottery
Tues - Sun: 11am-9pm
Representing artists from across the country, including South Carolina, the 2023 Biennale promises to be a showcase of exemplary artwork. The national call for entries attracted 639 artworks from 35 states. Top pieces were selected based on the originality of concept, composition, and execution. The exhibition, which is the longest-running national juried art exhibition in the area, will feature multiple media types including Oil, Acrylic, Pastel, Watermedia, Photography, Mixed Media, and Three-Dimensional.
Over $5,000 in prizes will be awarded to the most outstanding works, selected by this year’s Biennale Judge, Aline Ordman. Ordman is known for her vivid paintings and creative use of color. She recently won the top prize in the Pastel Journal 100 competition. She is an award-winning Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America, a Signature Member of both the American Impressionistic Society and the Oil Painters of America, and a Master Circle Pastelist with the International Association of Pastel Societies.
Ordman will be on hand to present the awards at a reception Friday evening, May 19, which is open to the public.
Ordman will also lead a discussion on her selection process during the Critic’s Coffee event on Saturday morning, May 20. The entry fee is $10 for the Critic’s Coffee and attendees can RSVP to gallery@ artleaguehhi.org.
Art League of Hilton Head presents the 2023 Biennale, 28th National Juried Exhibition from May 16–June 17, 2023, Monday-Saturday from 10am-4pm, Sunday from 12-4pm and 90 minutes before all Arts Center performances.
The Awards Reception is Friday, May 19 from 5-7pm, and is free & open to the public.
Critic’s Coffee will be held Saturday, May 20 from 10am-12pm, $10 entry fee. RSVP to gallery@artleaguehhi.org
Art League of Hilton Head Gallery located mid-island, inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, 843-681-5060, www.artleaguehhi.org
October, Mausam River, Maine by Lindee ReedFew American sporting events exist with the history and southern charm of the Kentucky Derby. If you love southern cooking, horses and the Derby, you’ll adore these delicious recipes to celebrate with on the first Saturday in May. Polish the mint julep cups, find that fancy hat, and pull out your finest silver, crystal, china and linens. It’s time to host a party!
The Kentucky Derby’s history began in 1872, when Meriwether Lewis Clark, grandson of William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame, traveled to Europe. Inspired by his travels, Clark was determined to create a horse racing event in the United States. After receiving land from his uncles John and Henry Churchill, the beginnings of the Kentucky Derby was born.
It’s well established that food is a central component of the Kentucky Derby. Every year, the con-cession stands at the Kentucky Derby sell about 142,000 hot dogs, 18,000 barbecue sandwiches, 32,400 jumbo shrimp, 13,800 pounds of beef, and 300,000 strawberries for traditional strawberries and cream. Mint juleps are made over 120,000 times during the event.
With the Kentucky Derby right around the corner, here are some of my new favorite Derby recipes.
1/3 cup fresh dill, plus additional for garnish
2 green onions, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt & pepper, to taste Place cream cheese, cucumber, dill, green onions, mayonnaise and lemon juice in a food processor until combined. Garnish with fresh dill. Makes 1 cup.
I’m always changing my Hot Brown recipe as I discover new ways to prepare and serve them. This new version is a Kentucky Derby Party champion!
For the mornay sauce:
4 tablespoons salted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish Salt and pepper, to taste
For the hot browns:
6 thick slices of bread (I used Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse
Hearty White Bread)
½ pound sliced roasted turkey breast
3 campari tomatoes, sliced
12 slices of cooked bacon
Paprika
Fresh chopped Italian parsley
Serve Benedictine with carrot sticks, celery sticks, sliced bell peppers and crostini. Or, spread on sandwich rounds to create delicious cucumber tea sandwiches.
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 4-5 inch piece of English cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and roughly chopped
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Whisk in flour and stir until the mixture turns into a roux (thick paste). Cook roux for 1 minute over medium heat, stirring frequently. Slowly whisk heavy cream into the roux and continue cooking over medium heat until the cream begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and stir in cheese until smooth. Season to taste
with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an oven-safe dish with cooking spray. Place bread evenly in dish. Top each slice of bread with sliced turkey and a couple of sliced tomatoes. Top each hot brown with the mornay sauce. Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven until sauce is bubbly and the dish is warmed through, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Cross two pieces of cooked bacon on each hot brown and return to oven for 5 minutes. Garnish with paprika and freshly chopped Italian parsley before serving.
Serves 6.
These yummy chocolate truffles are easy to make but fancy enough for your Derby Day table.
For the roasted pecans:
2½ cups pecan halves
1 tablespoon melted salted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
For the truffles:
2 (8.8-ounce) packages bittersweet chocolate morsels (3 cups)
2 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup bourbon
10 tablespoons heavy cream
1 (7.25-ounce) package butter cookies, crushed (I used Pepperidge Farm Butter Chessman)
By Debbi CovingtonPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pecans in a bowl. Toss with melted butter and salt until all pecans are coated. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes in preheated oven. Stir pecans and return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes or until pecans are toasted. Do not overcook. Cool completely. Chop finely and set aside. Place chocolate morsels, butter, vanilla and bourbon in a mixing bowl. Heat heavy cream until hot but not boiling. Pour cream over chocolate mixture and let sit for 30 seconds. Stir until mixture is melted and smooth. If mixture doesn’t melt completely, microwave at high heat for 30 seconds. Stir in crushed cookies and mix until well combined.
Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls (about 2 teaspoons per ball) and roll in chopped pecans. Place on baking sheets lined with parchment. Chill for 1 hour before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes 45.
Over 40 Holy Trinity Classical Christian School students will be performing in the 10th Annual Spring Production, Mischief Matters, on Thursday and Friday, May 4 and 5 at 6:00 pm at Praise Assembly Church, 800 Parris Island Gateway.
Mischief Matters is an original play written by Holy Trinity second grade teacher and Drama Department Head, Elizabeth Booman. Mischief Matters is a play for the whole family.
Booman writes in her introduction: “Mischief is brewing in the town of Dusseldorf, Germany, in the year 1364, where the townspeople are crushed under the heavy hand of a power-hungry mayor. To make matters worse, a mysterious infestation of vermin threatens to overwhelm what little happiness they have. When an ancient, magical object is discovered in the river of Dusseldorf, Paulus Leuthold, the son of the rival mayor, wonders if its power can defeat the forces of evil – or if its power is locked somewhere in the past. To
find the answer, Paulus must journey into the pages of history, back to the little town of Hamelin, where he is faced with startling truths
about his past, his future, and the future of all Dusseldorf."
Booman began writing plays for her family to perform when she was nine years old; she has loved theater and writing ever since. She wrote her first play for non-family members in 2012 when the need arose for a school Christmas program. Since then, she has written, directed, and choreographed 20 more plays for Holy Trinity Classical Christian School. Elizabeth writes the scripts, songs, and lyrics, while her sister Anna Booman provides musical
arrangement. Anna is also a teacher at Holy Trinity where she teaches music and art. Complete with songs and dances, strong morals and Christian ideals, Mischief Matters is a play for the whole family. Online ticket reservations and payment are available on the school's website at www.HTCCS.org/theater/ mischief-matters/ . The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for students. For additional information, please contact the school’s office at 843-522-0660.
Founded in 2012, Holy Trinity Classical Christian School (HTCCS) provides students with a distinctly Christian and classical education in Beaufort, SC. HTCCS serves over 370 students in preschool-high school. Academic instruction at HTCCS is rigorous, affording teachers and staff members the opportunity to engage with high-achieving students in a Christian environment. For more information about the academic excellence offered at Holy Trinity, please see www.htccs.org
By Margaret Evans
When I spoke on the phone with music director Jay Forrest, he and his Clover Choraliers were a week away from opening night of their full-scale theatrical production of Little Shop of Horrors. A few days after that run, their spring choral tour begins, starting in Gastonia, NC and ending in Nassau, Bahamas. In between, they’re swinging down to Beaufort.
If you love choral music – or any kind of music, actually – you can’t miss the Clover Choraliers when they perform at my church, First Presbyterian, next month. I’ve seen them twice now, and words simply can’t do the experience justice. Even music falls short.
“I don’t like listening to recorded choral music, myself,” Jay Forrest told me. “I never do that.” This from a man who has spent the last 30 years of his life toiling in the field of choral music.
The thing about the Clover Choraliers is that you have to see them to really hear them. And what happens when you see them and hear them is that you feel them. And that feeling is pure transcendence.
Hailing from Clover High, a large public school in the upstate of South Carolina, the auditioned choir is 110 teenagers strong, an eclectic group of kids – athletes, artists, scholars, etc. – all profoundly committed to each other and their championship choir.
Vic Varner, Music Director at First Presbyterian and retired high school choral director, says of the Choraliers, “I’ve worked with high school choirs for 40 years, I’ve traveled far and wide to hear high school choirs, and I’ve never heard anything like this. It’s over 100 voices, and all of them study voice privately. They will mesmerize you.”
Varner calls his friend Jay Forrest “enormously talented,” saying, “He’s a real-life Pied Piper. He leads and kids follow.”
“I don’t know about that,” Forrest told me. “But I will say that I probably spend more time thinking about how to motivate these kids than I spend preparing music. And it’s all about student leadership. We’re very passionate about the hierarchy here, with the seniors at the top. The upperclassmen teach and lead the underclassmen. One of the dads once told me that we have a ‘corporate culture.’ I didn’t know what that meant, but it means that if anybody loafs – doesn’t give 100% – then nobody buys the product.”
And what a product it is! For those of us who love the Choraliers – and they have quite a fanbase in Beaufort – it’s about more than just their sound. (Though, believe me, their
sound is pretty amazing.) As I mentioned above, the Choraliers need to be seen and heard. They’re a bit of a spectacle, in fact. Subtly costumed and choreographed, they’re somehow both precise and free-flowing. Their bodies move with their music. Their faces shine with emotion. Every bit of every Choralier – mind, body, and soul – seems connected with every note they sing. And as a result, we audience members connect, too. With the music, with them, and with each other. “Sublime” is not too strong a word for the experience.
I’ve wondered how Jay Forrest gets his teenagers to “go there” – to perform with such open-hearted passion and sincerity. Don’t teenagers just want to be cool? Detached?
“Again, it’s that leadership hierarchy,” he told me. “The freshmen would never do it if they didn’t see the upperclassmen doing it. We just have a really strong tradition of students leading students, and a long-standing culture of excellence. It’s all about the culture.”
Forrest has been building that Choralier culture for a good long time. The program –which is supported by an extremely active and devoted Booster Club – will turn 30 next year, and he’s been there from the beginning.
During those three decades, he’s led his choirs to countless championships, music festivals, appearances at the Governor’s mansion, and other special performances.
Years ago, while attending a choral competition on a cruise ship, the Choraliers were touring Christ Church Cathedral in Nassau when the kids broke out into some impromptu a capella singing. The rector of the church heard them and immediately invited them to come back and perform a full concert, which they did in 2017.
This year, they’ll finish their spring tour by performing at Christ Church again as part of commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Bahamian Independence from the UK.
Christ Church Cathedral is the oldest Anglican Church in The Bahamas, dating back to 1670, with Carolinian ties documented back to 1731 by a missionary from SC, and stained-glass windows on the northern and southern sides made in Statesville, NC, during a 1990s refurbishment.
“We are very honored to be invited to celebrate the rich history of music in the Bahamas as part of their Golden Jubilee,” Jay Forrest told me, “but also to add to the Carolina history in the Bahamas and our growing relationship with Christ Church Cathedral.”
But back to the concert in Beaufort. First Presbyterian is no cathedral, but Forrest told me he and the choir really loved performing in that “intimate venue” last year.
As a member of that audience, I can only say that the feeling was entirely mutual. Which may just be the understatement of the year.
The Clover Choraliers will perform a concert of eclectic choral music on Thursday, May 11 at 6 pm at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Beaufort, at the Corner of North and Church Streets. The concert is FREE and the public is not only welcome, but strongly encouraged to attend!
Margaret Evans edits Lowcountry Weekly and a sings at First Presbyterian Church.
How does my garden grow? It is beyond my expectations after our deep freeze in December and the fluctuations in temperatures this spring. My garden is growing well, but so are some unwanted things.
And then there is Beggar’a tick. Beggar’s Tick (Bidens pilosa) is another common roadside plant that spreads like crazy. I love the tiny daisy like flowers and bees love it, but it does get out of hand. This year I will deadhead before those seeds fly off.
One thing about living in our temperate climate is that we have summer weeds and winter weeds. Lucky us. The very worst summer weed is a thug called Chamber Bitter (Phyllanthus urinaria). Just to show you how bad this weed is, if you google it you get ads for various types of herbicides to kill it. It is innocent looking, but under each little leaf are hundreds of seeds. Along the roadside uncontrolled, it can grow to six feet tall. It is easy to pull out – thank goodness. Get it while it is little.
In the winter, we have Hairy Winter Cress (Cardamine hirsuta). This is another innocent little plant with a sweet tiny white flower. It loves to ride along in nursery pots when you buy a plant. That is why I always remove the soil from plants that I purchase. Hairy Winter Cress will grow in sun or shade. It is most prevalent in the winter, but you can find it nearly all year long. It is another seed producer that spreads rapidly if left to set seed.
By Wendy Hilty
Should you be upset that you have weeds?
No. You have joined the club of gardeners who have such a pleasant yard that our plants have invited their unwanted relatives for a visit. Remember, when you live down south, you will have lots of visitors – some pleasant and some that are more difficult. At least weeds can be pulled and discarded and not just sent to the beach for the day.
Wendy Hilty is a Master Gardener and member of the Lowcountry Master Gardeners organization. She is also a member of the Royal Horticultural Society and likes to spend her time attempting to grow an English Cottage Garden in our heat and humidity. Her Comyagardener blog won a state-wide award from Clemson University last year. Wendy firmly believes that the most important tool for a gardener is a good sense of humor.
A plethora of plants that do not seem to mind fluctuations in temperature seem to be weeds and there are a lot of them this year. I have a bumper crop in my garden. In fact, I have enough baby pine trees to reforest Europe and most of the British Isles. They are everywhere and grow up in the middle of my growing perennials. I am basically giving up in some areas and smothering them with mulch.
I also have baby oak trees everywhere thanks to squirrels. Why do they bury things down here? It is not like we have a real winter like up north. Fortunately, the squirrels don’t always do a good job excavating and they are easy to pull up.
Weeds loved that stretch of warm weather we had in February. I have also learned a lesson. I let some of my native plants set seed. And there are few that you should not let go feral because they take over. One is white Crownsbeard (Verbesina virginica) I “rescued” it living in a drainage pitch and planted it in a pollinator garden. It grows to seven feet tall and has clusters of white flowers – pretty impressive. What I did not realize is that it produces hundreds of offspring if allowed to set seed. I do not want seven-foot tall plants to take over the entire garden so I am pulling and pulling. My bad.
Of course, this brings up the question of when is a plant a weed and vice versa. I have always heard that a weed is a flower in the wrong place. In my Clemson weed book, many of the plants listed as common southern weeds are plants that I pay money for at a nursery such as Blanket Flower or Gaillardia. In Britain, Goldenrod is a treasured garden flower as well as Mullein- those tall yellow flowers with light green fuzzy leaves that grow by the side of our roads. I have seen Mullein in some of the most impressive gardens in England. I have also seen it growing along route 170. I have thought about stopping and digging it out. Last time I tried to do that, I had several cars stop and ask me 1. If I was is distress (Well, of course. I am a crazy plant lady) or 2. Did I need help in burying a body. I think I will stick to buying it at a nursery if I can find it.
Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium spp) is pretty common in our gardens and yards this time of the year. It has been “domesticated” into a pretty garden plant with spiky leaves and small blue flowers. However - In its native form, it is a pest and will intrude into our lawns. There is even a wild geranium that you will find occasionally. It looks like a miniature hardy geranium that grows up north in many gardens. Its flowers are so small that it is not worth taking up space.
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BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY ONGOING
PROGRAMS & CLASSES Knitting/Crochet
Club 1st Tuesdays @ 2:30; Line Dance Class 1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 3:30; Basic Computer Skills Class Wednesdays @ 9; Hoopla Class 2nd Mondays @ 10 and 4th Wednesdays @ 4; Escape Quest Games daily during library hours; Dungeon & Dragons Teen Club Mondays @ 4; Teen Art Club 1st & 3rd Tuesdays @ 4; Teen Anime Club 2nd & 4th Tuesdays @ 4; Teen Gaming Club 1st & 3rd Wednesdays @ 4
FRIDAY SOCIAL DANCES
The Hilton Head
Carolina Shag Club hosts Friday dances from 6-9:30 pm at Dolphin Head Golf Club, 59 High Bluff Rd, Hilton Head Plantation. Open to the public. Shag, ballroom, swing, country, or line. Singles welcome. Cash bar and light dinners available. $5 floor fee. HHICSC also teaches beginner Shag lessons Tuesday nights. www.hiltonheadshagclub.com , or www.facebook.com/HHICSC
ART LEAGUE OF HH CLASSES & WORK-
SHOPS With over 25 local professional art educators, and guests from around the world, Art League of Hilton Head offers classes and workshops in all media for all levels of students. Visit www.artleaguehhi.org or email academy@artleaguehhi.org for more info.
POTTERY CLASSES IN BEAUFORT McSweeney Clay Studio is offering morning, afternoon and evening classes for children and adults. Pottery dates and parties available as well. Classes are on going. Beginner or advanced welcome. mcsweeneyclaystudio.com or call 843-694-2049.
LOWCOUNTRY SHAGGERS Mondays at the Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd. 6-9pm. Carolina Shag Lessons with Tommy & Sheri O'Brien and others. Occasional Ballroom Dance and once a month a Line Dance is taught. Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced lessons. Open dancing after lessons. Visit www.lowcountryshaggers.com or lowcountryshaggers@aol.com
WEDNESDAYS, BEAUFORT SHAG CLUB founded '02, meets Wed evenings at AMVETS on Ribaut Rd., Port Royal. Free lessons to members. The club is an ACSC, SOS, and the National Fastdance Association member. For info visit www.beaufortshagclub.com
CARIS HEALTHCARE: WE HONOR VETERANS Hospice Program. You a Vet with a little time to share with other Vets with limited time? The We Honor Veterans program seeks volunteers who are Vets to offer a listening ear for our Veteran patients. Volunteers also participate in our Pinning Ceremonies for Veteran patients. Contact 843-473-3939 or smilliken@carishealthcare.com
SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY: Non-denominational meditation, silent prayer and healing group forming in the Beaufort area. All are welcome. No previous meditation experience needed. Please call Michael at 843-489-8525
HABITAT RESTORE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS
We're looking for volunteers for cashiers, sales floor associates, donation processing, donor data entry, and donor ambassadors. Interested? Go to lowcountryhabitat.org/volunteer or call 843-525-0055.
KARAOKE AT THE MOOSE Sing with us Thursday evenings at The Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd. 7:30-10:30pm. Brought to you by #top6entertainment Mardi & Dennis Topcik. The Moose is a family friendly place and Thursdays are also Pizza Night!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Calhoun Station Thrift Store in Bluffton. All funds generated are returned to other nonprofits in the community. Store is open Wed & Sat 10am to 1pm and located at 77 Pritchard St. Volunteers can stop by store or contact Cate Taylor, 843-310-0594 or catetaylor@frontier.com
MAYE RIVER QUILTERS meets 1st Saturday of Every Month, at Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way, Hardeeville. Members meet at 9:30am for social exchange. The meeting starts at 10 am. We welcome new members. Please call 843-707-6034.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort, 1810 Ribaut Road. Looking for committed volunteers for clothes sorting, pantry help, front desk help and Mobile Meals drivers. We are open M-F from 9:30-12:30, Mobile Meals delivers to home bound seniors 5 days/ week, routes takes about 30-45 mins. Email Lori at helpbeaufort@gmail.com, or call 843-524-1223, or stop in and fill out an application.
PORT ROYAL MUSEUM is open Thursday through Sunday at 1634 Paris Ave., from 10 - 3 or upon request. Free admission! Call 843-524-4333 or email historicportroyalfoundation@gmail.com to request a special opening.
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP - First Thursday of the month at Beaufort Memorial LifeFit Wellness Center, from 1:30-2:45pm, 900 Ribaut Rd. Beaufort. We are individuals with Parkinson’s care partners of those with Parkinson’s, and individuals or companies providing products or services for Parkinson’s patients. For more info: Rick Ostrander at pdawaresc@ gmail.com or Facebook at Parkinson’s Support Group Of Beaufort SC Port Royal & Lady’s Island.
TOUR HISTORIC FORT FREMONT—-Travel to the 1800's and the Spanish American War. From 10:00 am until 2:00 pm every Friday and every Saturday from 10:00 until 4:00pm at the Fort Fremont History Center at the Fort Fremont Preserve, 1124 Land's End Road, St. Helena Island is open. Docent-led tours are every Saturday at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Visitors to Fort Fremont can learn about the fort's history by reading interpretive panels, taking a self-guided tour with a smart phone, visiting the history center exhibit hall, or attending a docent-led tour of the property. The Preserve is open to the
public Monday through Sunday from dawn to dusk. For more Information visit www.forttremont.org or contact Passive Parks manager Stefanie Nagid at snagid@bcgov.net
US COAST GUARD AUXILIARY, Flotilla 07-10-01, Port Royal Sound, a uniformed, all volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard. We conduct safety patrols, assist search & rescue, teach boat safety, conduct free vessel safety checks and other boating activities. Monthly meetings are open to all and held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the Port Royal Sound Foundation classroom at 7pm. For info call Flotilla Commander Pattie McGowan (706-6336192) and visit us on Facebook - USCGA Beaufort.
BEAUFORT TOASTMASTERS CLUB meets from 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm the first & third Tuesday, in the Beaufort College Building, Rm. 103 (USC-Beaufort Campus), 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort. To learn more visit www.beauforttoastmastersclub.org
FREE ACUPUNCTURE FOR VETERANS – Veterans, Active Duty, Transition. Their Families and First Responders are Eligible. First & Third Wednesday 4 - 6pm. Walk In Clinic. No Need to Pre-Register or Call. Nourishing Health Acupuncture and Herbs Clinic. 1214 Prince Street, Downtown Beaufort
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for a few hours each week at St. Francis Thrift Shop. Open Tuesday thru Saturday. Call 843-689-6563 or come in to speak with Mr. Hal. Definitely shop.
COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE Safe & effective centuries old healing system treats and prevents a wide range of health-related conditions. Experience individualized treatment in a peaceful group setting. Sliding scale fee. Beaufort Acupuncture, 12 Fairfield Rd, 5B, Lady’s Island. For info and to schedule: (843) 694-0050 or www.BeaufortAcupuncture.com
SECOND HELPINGS seeking Day Captains and other volunteers to crew our trucks distributing food to local charities. Flexible schedule at your convenience. Email officeadmin@secondhelpingslc.org
AGAPE HOSPICE seeks volunteers to spend time bringing joy to our patients and families during a difficult time. Activities include playing music, baking, arts and crafts, pet therapy, manicures, listening to stories, holding hands, etc. Provide companionship to the elderly who often feel lonely and unappreciated. Contact Ashlee Powers at 843-592-8453 or apowers@agapehospice.com
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort. Come join the team providing food, mobile meals, clothing and emergency financial assistance to those in need in our community. Open Mon-Fri 9:30-12:30. 2 Ice House Rd., Beaufort. Call or email Jennifer 843-524-1223 or info@helpofbeaufort.org
TIDEWATER HOSPICE SUPPORT GROUP: Last Wed. and Thurs. of the month. Weds. 10-11am at Sun City; Thurs. 12-1pm Brookdale Hilton Head Ct., Hilton Head; for those who provide physical, emotional or practical support to a family member or friend. Jodi Johnson, LMSW. Bereavement Group: 5-6 pm., Thursdays, 10 Buckingham Plantation Drive, Suite A, Bluffton; for those who have experienced a loss and would like support and info associated with grief and bereavement. Corrie VanDyke, LMSW or Marie James, MA. 843-757-9388
INTERESTED IN HEALTHY EATING? Second Helpings, of Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties, seeks committee members and chairperson for Healthy Food Program. Funding available to procure fresh produce and protein for the 60 food pan-
tries and soup kitchens served by Second Helpings. Contact Exec. Dir. Lili Coleman, 843-689-3616 or execdirector@secondhelpingslc.org
BORN TO READ working for early childhood literacy, needs volunteers to deliver books and materials to new mothers at Coastal Community Hosp., HH Hosp., and BMH. Visits are from 10am – noon. More info at borntoread.org or call 843-379-3350.
ALZHEIMER’S FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER BEAUFORT, Support Groups: Caregiver - Weds., 12:30pm, Senior Services of Beaufort, 1408 Paris Ave., Port Royal; Living with Alzheimer's - for those in very early stages - Mondays 1pm, Parsons Parlor, Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret, Beaufort. Respite Programs: Social Day Program- 10am-1:45pm $40 Day Fee, Mon. at Cornerstone Christian Church, 2301 First Blvd., Beaufort, Weds. & Friday at Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; In Home - Respite Aides available for 2 hr. minimum, $12$24. Early Memory Loss: Maintain Your Brain - 2nd & 4th Thursday, 10-11:30am, $10/person, $15 couple, Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; Memory Screenings available call 843-5219190, free; Purple Haven Project - Educate local establishment staff to better interact with a person with Alzheimer's call 843-521-9190.
THRESHOLD SINGERS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY A choir to ease and comfort people at bedside by offering gentle voices and sacred songs, with sincere kindness. Two to four singers go to bedside when asked and sing a cappella and in harmony. Practice at St. John's Lutheran Church the 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month from 2:30-4:00 pm. Our songs are our gift of service for no charge. Call Pat Keown at 843-476-6073 to either join or ask us to sing for a loved one.
THE LITERACY CENTER is seeking volunteers to tutor adults in reading, writing, math and ESL. Students hope to acquire skills to pursue life goals, support families, and contribute to our community. Daytime and evenings in Bluffton and HHI. Call 843815-6616 (Bluffton); 843-681-6655 (HHI). No teaching, tutoring or other language knowledge necessary. www.theliteracycenter.org
THE SANDALWOOD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY. Volunteer-based, non-profit provides groceries, clothing and basic needs items to ANYONE in need. Open Tues & Fri 11:30am-1pm at 114 Beach City Rd., Hilton Head. Donations of food and funds needed. For info: Rev. Dr. Nannette Pierson at 843715-3583 or email sandalwoodpantry@gmail.com
PARRIS ISLAND MUSEUM. The legacy of the Marine Corps and the history of the Port Royal region. Thousands of artifacts, images, and other materials illustrate the stories in exhibit galleries from Native American to modern Marines. FREE admission. Mon-Sat 10am4:30pm and 8am on Family Graduation Days. Closed all Federal Holidays. Info at parrisislandmuseum.org or 843-228-2166.
MEDICAL SERVICES OF AMERICA SEEKS VOLUNTEERS - Volunteers needed for companionship or skills like yard work, music, and crafts to patients and their families or assist in the office with admin tasks. Volunteers needed in Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties. For info contact 843-322-0063.
CHRIST CENTERED RECOVERY MEETINGS Join Shell Point Baptist Church Saturdays for “Celebrate Recovery”, addressing life’s problems and looking to scripture for solutions. Meal at 6pm; Praise and Worship at 6:30pm followed by Small Groups at 7:15pm. 871 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort. Info at 843-592-1046.
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host a Therapeutic Journaling Workshop, led by Sandra E. Johnson, on Saturday, May 6, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. This is an in-person writers workshop, held at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St, Beaufort). Limited to 15 participants; $45/person. Registration is required at https://patconroyliterarycenter.eventbrite.com.
This interactive writing workshop will highlight how to use therapeutic journaling to become more resilient by transforming traumatic events into opportunities for growth, reframing failures into successes, and changing unhelpful habits into ones that strengthen wellbeing. Instructor Sandra E. Johnson, LMSW, is the author of The Resilience Journal: 365 Days to Balance and Peace of Mind, and a copy of the journal is included in the registration fee (an $18 value).
Therapeutic journaling expert Sandra E. Johnson, LMSW, is the author of The Resilience Journal: 365 Days to Balance and Peace of Mind (Clarkson Potter), a 365-day journal designed to strengthen skills to not just survive adversity but thrive from it. Praised by bestselling authors Sharon Salzberg
and Karen Casey, PhD, as well as mindfulness leaders Richard Miller, Shivani Hawkins, and Stacey Milner-Collins, The Resilience Journal offers inspirational quotes by great thinkers followed by interactive writing prompts to serve as guides towards greater wellness and
Johnson is also a novelist. Her novel Flowers for the Living (Texas Review Press) garnered nominations for a PEN/Faulkner Award and Paterson Prize for Fiction. Her narrative nonfiction book, Standing on Holy Ground: A Triumph over Hate in the Deep South (St. Martin’s Press) received glowing reviews from O: The Oprah Magazine, USA Today, Southern Living, and other publications. Since earning a Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina in 1988, Johnson has been a clinical social worker with a number of health care organizations, including those specializing in psychiatric services.
To learn more about the Pat Conroy Literary Center, please visit www.patconroyliterarycenter.org
resiliency. It is preceded by The Mind-Body Peace Journal: 366 Mindful Prompts for Serenity & Peace (Sterling Publishing), which has sold widely around the world and been highlighted in Psychology Today.
Foolish Frog, 846 Sea Island Pkwy, St. Helena Island. (843) 838-9300. thefoolishfrog.com
Luther’s Rare & Well Done, 910 Bay Street. (843) 521-1888 or www.luthersrareandwelldone.com
Q on Bay, 822 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 524-7771 or www.qonbay.com
Rosie O’Gradys Irish Pub, in Beaufort Town Center. Irish American Sports Pub & Eatery. C'mon down! Rock & Roll Lunch. Wednesday, Friday & Saturday - Karaoke at 10pm. (843) 3797676 or Rosie's on Facebook.
Saltus River Grill, 802 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 3793474 or www.saltusrivergrill.com
Big Bamboo, Coligny Plaza. (843) 686-3443 or www.bigbamboocafe.com
Captain Woody’s, 6 Target Rd., Hilton Head or 17 State of Mind St., Bluffton. www.captainwoodys.com
The Jazz Corner, Village at Wexf1ord, Hilton Head. Sundays - Deas Guyz; Mondays - A Journey
Through Jazz with The Martin Lesch Band; Tuesdays - Fat Tuesdays: A Swingin' Celebration of New Orleans and Beyond; Thursdays - Lavon Stevens with Louise Spencer. 4/26 Lavon Stevens with Charlton Singleton 4/28 & 4/29 The Harry Allen Quartet with Rossano Sportiello, 5/3 Bobby Ryder, 5/4 & 5/5 The Taylor Roberts Quintet, 5/7 Mark Rapp presents A Taste of N'awlins, 5/10 Lavon Stevens with Quiana Parler, 5/12 & 5/13 Champain Fulton. (843) 842-8620 or www.TheJazzCorner.com
Omni Hilton Head Ocean Front in Palmetto Dunes. Buoy Bar - HH Prime - (843) 842-8000 or www.omnihotels.com
The Music Farm, 32 Ann Street, Charleston. 4/27 Charleston Hip Hop Night with Kingjay; Jtrawwww; BluFlame James; Streets Love, 4/28 Charleston Metal Night with Kept in Ruins; Circle Back; God of Nothing; Walking Tera, 4/29 Spoon; Nicole Atkins, 5/1 Hoodoo Gurus, 5/4 Great Big Drag Show with Joey Jay, 5/5 Gasoline, 5/6 Big Bubble Rave, 5/11 The Breakfast Club - 80's Tribute, 5/12 Intergalactic Dance Party, 5/13 Saosin; Asteroid, 5/14 Tallah; Julia Legare &
Snargle. (843) 408-1599 or www.musicfarm.com
The Pour House, 1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston. Sundays - The Motown Throwdown, Mondays - Slim & Friends; Tuesdays - Fusion Jonez, Wednesdays
- Grateful Dead Wednesday with The Reckoning; Thursdays - iLLA ZiLLA. 4/26 Evanoff, 4/27 Litz, 4/28 The Hip Abduction; Coyote Island, 4/29 The Brothers Comatose, 4/30 James McMurtry; BettySoo, 5/4 & 5/5 Lureto & Friends; OMIWIMO, 5/6 Daily Bread; K+Lab, 5/7 Agent Orange; Suzi Moon; ADHD, 5/9 Esther Rose, 5/10 Eggy, 5/11 Shot Thru The HeartBon Jovi tribute, 5/12 Perpetual Groove, 5/13 Strap on Face; Funk 15, 5/14 Dopapod; The Talismen. (843) 571-4343 or www.charlestonpourhouse.com
Windjammer, 1008 Ocean Blvd, Isle of Palms.
4/26 Baysik, 4/27 Death Kings; Umphrey's McGee, 4/28 Dave Landeo; Uncle Mingo, 4/29
Weird Science, 5/4 John Driskell Hopkins Band, 5/5 Broken Hearts - Tom Petty tribute, 5/6 The Brook & the Bluff; Savannah Conley, 5/11 Railroad Earth, 5/12 Bunpin' Uglies, 5/13 The Blue Dogs.
(843) 886-8596 or www.the-windjammer.com
Now – 5/6, Binya: Faces ob de Gullah Geechee Portrait Exhibition at the Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head. For more info and schedule of events, visit www.coastaldiscovery.org
Now – 5/13, The Gently Surreal Art of John K. Crum at Art League Gallery inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, 843-681-5060.
Thur 5/4, Paint In at Sea Pines Community Center, 71 Lighthouse Rd., Sea Pines, Hilton Head. Members of the Sea Pines Artists will demonstrate different techniques and guests are invited to try their hand with help from the artists. This event marks the beginning of the group’s second show of the year. Reception from 4-7 pm. 703-229-7448.
5/16 – 6/17, Biennale – National Juried Art Exhibit at Art League Gallery. Awards Reception Fri 5/19, 5-7pm. Critics Coffee Sat 5/20, 10am-noon. Inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, 843-681-5060, www.artleaguehhi.org
Sat 5/6, Therapeutic Journaling Workshop with Sandra E. Johnson, from 1-3pm at the Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort. Limited to 15 participants; $45/person. Advance registration required at https:// patconroyliterarycenter.eventbrite.com
Thur 5/11, Clover Choraliers Concert. This award-winning high school choir – 110 voices strong – will perform a FREE concert at 6pm at First Presbyterian Church, corner of North and Church Streets, in downtown Beaufort. The public is encouraged to attend!
the Bluffton Community Soup Kitchen. The spring fiesta-themed event will take place from 5:30-9:30 pm at the Bostwick Pavilion at Moss Creek. Tickets are $100. To purchase, visit https://bit.ly/sobaartauction
Fri 5/12, Lowcountry Gullah Foundation Annual Fundraiser at the USCB Hilton Head Campus. An intimate evening of Gullah culture, storytelling, dinner, and a silent auction. Nationally known Master Gullah Storyteller, Sista Patt will speak. Contact gullahland@gmail.com or 843-715-3506 for more information.
Fri 5/19, Beaufort Drum Circle will meet at 6:30 pm in Waterfront Park, downtown Beaufort. Bring a chair – and a drum if you have one! If not, there will be extras on hand. Discover the therapeutic benefits of community drumming!
First Saturday of Each Month, Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud at Port Royal Farmers Market. DAYLO students and other volunteers will read to young children between 9am and noon. Children are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animal.
Tuesdays, Tours of Hunting Island sponsored by Friends of Hunting Island Keeper Ted and his team. For info call the Nature Center at 843-838-7437. Tours free are and park entry fees apply.
Second Friday, Beaufort Drum Circle 2nd Friday of every month. 6:30 – 8 pm at the Gazebo in Waterfront Park. Eric Roy is the facilitator. Sessions with 15-20 minutes of instruction on djembe playing and a selected traditional rhythm & accompaniment for participants. Time for spontaneous group drumming. All welcome. No experience necessary. Bring a drum, if you have one, a chair, and desire for fun. The Drum Circle has extra instruments anyone can use. For info visit the Drum Circle Facebook page.
Editors Note: Events listed here may be subject to postponement or cancellation. Please check for further information.
5/4 & 5/5 Mischief Matters, presented by Holy Trinity Classical Christian School at 6 pm at Praise Assembly Church, 800 Parris Island Gateway. $10 adults, $5 students. Visit www. HTCCS.org/theater/mischief-matters/ . For more info call 843-522-0660.
4/28-4/30 & 5/5-5/7, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, performed by May River Theatre at Ulmer Auditorium, 20 Bridge Street, Bluffton. Fri & Sat at 7:30pm, Sun at 2pm. Tickets on sale for $25 at https://www.mayrivertheatre.com/current-production
Now – 5/1, Bring Nature Home, an exhibit of work by Karen Richards at the Society of Bluffton Artists Gallery, 6 Church St, Bluffton. 5/5 – 6/30, Of Earth & Fire, an exhibit of work by Anne M. Kennedy and Traci L. Walter at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery. Opening Reception Fri 5/5 from 5-8pm. 913 Bay Street, Beaufort.
Now – 5/8. Memory Matters Online Auction, Benefitting people and families living with Alzheimer’s and related dementia. www.mymemorymatters.org
Saturdays Now – 6/24, Lunch and Learn Gardening Series at the Port Royal Farmers Market, starting at noon. Free and open to the public, around the Gazebo. Bring a folding chair! Sponsored by the Lowcountry Master Gardeners Association.
Sat 4/29, Release & Remember, Community Butterfly Release sponsored by Friends of Caroline. Purchase a butterfly for $12 in memory of a lost loved one. Readings, music, and butterfly release over the Beaufort River. Begins at 11 am in Waterfront Park. For more info call 843-525-6257.
5/5 & 5/6, A Taste of Beaufort in Waterfront Park. Lowcountry cuisine, craft market, live music, kid zone, and more. Fri, 5-10 pm. Sat, 11am - 4 pm. For more info visit www.beaufortsc.org/atasteofbeaufort/
Thur 5/4, Climate Change Address. Mayor Stephen Murray will discuss Climate change as it applies to Beaufort and the surrounding sea islands. 6:30 pm, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 178 Sams Point Rd, Beaufort. 843-522-1765
Fri 5/5, Second Annual Art Auction fundraiser, sponsored by the Society of Bluffton Artists and
Third Thursday, TECHconnect is a monthly networking event for professionals working in and around technology. Come and join on the for the conversation at BASEcamp 500 Carteret 5:307:30pm. 843-470-3506. www.beaufortdigital.com
Thursdays, History Tours of Fort Mitchell by the Heritage Library, 10am. $12/Adult $7/Child. 843-686-6560
Alisha Doud alisha@dcgilbert.com
Daun Schouten daun@dcgilbert.com
Laure Gallagher laure@dcgilbert.com
Ashley Hart ashley@dcgilbert.com
Joy McConnell joy@dcgilbert.com
Dawn Shipsey dawn@dcgilbert.com
Johanna Graham johanna@dcgilbert.com
Kathy Crowley kathy@dcgilbert.com
Kaitlyn Kintz reception@dcgilbert.com
Derek C. Gilbert derek@dcgilbert.com
Melissa R. Wicker melissa@dcgilbert.com
Sam Bailey samuel@dcgilbert.com
2 PROFESSIONAL VILLAGE CIRCLE BEAUFORT, SC 29907
TELEPHONE: 843-524-4000 FACSIMILE: 843-524-4006
Saturday, April 29, 4:00pm
St. John’s Lutheran Church
157 Lady’s Island Drive, Beaufort, SC
Music includes ‘Suite from Carmen,’ Excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s ‘Pathetique Symphony,’ ‘Les Miserables Soundtrack Highlights.’
Featured Soloist, Dennis R. Smith, in ‘Rondo from Clarinet
Concerto No. 1’ by Carl Maria von Weber, and more.
Sunday, April 30, 4:00pm
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Beaufort, SC
Tunes You Love to Hear! Come Enjoy Great Music in a Great Space! Bring a lawn chair.
Rain location: St. John’s Lutheran Church 4:00pm
157 Lady’s Island Drive Beaufort, SC
Directed by Donald F. Jemella
25 Years experience servicing Lowcountry buyers and sellers with closings, deeds, and contracts.
